Let’s talk about one of the biggest worries I hear from new parents before a newborn session:

“What if my baby cries the whole time?”

And they actually might…but that’s okay.

Unfortunately for you, this tiny brand new baby has no clue the amount of time, money, and effort you’ve spent booking their perfect photography session. They also don’t care. They have needs, opinions, and very little interest in our big plans.

And as a Cincinnati newborn photographer who focuses on relaxed, lifestyle photography, I actually never expect a baby to fully cooperate with me. You can read more about my newborn sessions here on my blog.

Babies cry. We stop.

If your baby starts crying, I stop and think what could the baby need at that moment…

Maybe they need to eat. Maybe they need a diaper change. Maybe they want to be held. Maybe they’re tired. Maybe they’re just done with photos for a minute.

Whatever it is, we take care of it. 

You can nurse or bottle feed, rock your baby, change them, cuddle them, or simply take a few minutes to settle them.

I’m never watching a clock, waiting for you to hurry up and settle your baby. We pivot and capture the in between moments (which are sometimes the most special anyways).

You can expect me to stay calm, step in and help when needed, and do my best to keep you calm because a calm mom helps baby feel safe and less stressed. I promise your screaming baby isn’t upsetting me or making me feel flustered. This is sometimes just part of the process and I’m prepared for it! I will never overstep boundaries, but I’m very happy to help settle your baby with a few tricks I’ve learned from my own two. Also…I just love these tips as a general rule of thumb – feel free to check them out here!

Your baby doesn’t need to sleep the whole time.

This is the best part about lifestyle newborn photography. I feel like a lot of new parents put this pressure on themselves that the baby absolutely has to sleep the entire time. And it’s just unrealistic.

Some of my favorite newborn images aren’t of a sleeping baby at all.

The stretches, the wide eyes, scrunched up face, yawns, and even the sneezes. Those moments are your baby being your baby and I want to photograph them too.

So if I get to your house and your baby is wide awake, it’s not a problem. We’ll work with it and make it beautiful.

We follow your baby’s cues.

My newborn sessions are very baby led. That means I’m paying attention to your baby’s comfort instead of trying to force them into a particular pose or keep them in one position because we “need” a certain photo.

If they’re happy, we keep going. If they’re getting fussy, we slow down. If they need you, you pick them up. If they need a break, we take one.

Sometimes that means a session moves a little more slowly. And honestly, that’s totally fine because that’s how I want your session to look and feel. There is no reason your newborn photos need to feel rushed.

And sometimes the crying becomes part of the story.

This might sound strange but I don’t automatically consider a crying photo a bad photo.

Because someday, you’ll remember how tiny your baby was with their little cry and actually miss it. You’ll remember the little newborn noises. You’ll remember how you would scoop them up and immediately know what they needed. You’ll remember those early days when you were learning each other.

That’s all part of your story, too.

Of course, I’m always going to prioritize your baby’s comfort and safety. But I also don’t want you to feel like we have failed if your baby cries because we definitely havent…we’re just photographing real life.

You don’t have to apologize for your baby.

This one is important. Please don’t feel like you need to apologize if your baby cries.

I’ve never walked into a newborn session and thought “wow this baby is really ruining the vibe.”

You aren’t inconveniencing me. You aren’t doing anything wrong. And your baby certainly isn’t doing anything wrong.

We’re going to take our time, figure out what they need, and keep going when they’re ready.

That’s one of the reasons I love being a Cincinnati lifestyle newborn photographer. I’m not looking for a perfectly posed, perfectly behaved baby.

I’m looking for your baby.

The quiet moments. The messy moments. The sleepy moments. The wide awake moments. The moments where you have to stop everything and scoop them into your arms.

Because those are the moments you’re going to miss someday.

And those are the moments I want you to remember.

Head to my website here to submit an inquiry – let’s capture this beautiful chapter.