Newborn Safety
When you bring your baby to me for newborn photography, I understand that this precious little cherub is the most important thing in your life. I get it, I have 2 children of my own and I know what it felt like as a worried first time mom…and then also a worried second time mom as we never really stop worrying, right?! While you come to me for beautiful pictures, there is nothing more important to me than the comfort and safety of your baby. For this reason, over the past 10 years, I have continued to take courses both in-person and online to learn about newborns and their physiology, needs and how to properly and safety pose and handle a baby of all shapes, sizes and needs.
Questionnaire
Upon each booking, I ask many questions. Some are for aesthetics (such as your preference of style or colors). But most are around the safety of your baby. I will ask you if there were any complications or issues with the birth or baby. I will ask ask your baby’s approximate weight. These questions will ensure that I have the proper sized props and posers for the safety of your baby. If there were any complications, I will take those into consideration as to the timing of the session and poses that are safe.
Baby Reflexes
There are certain reflexes that a baby has that can startle them or cause them to push off of their feet. When posing them, I take those things into consideration so that I don’t touch certain sensitive points or pose them in a such a way where they could push themselves out of a prop because of their reflexes. I will also always ask someone to sit next to the baby for support if I need to step away or if I have them in a basket or bucket and need to take a picture.
Sensitive skin
Because newborns have very sensitive skin (some more than others), I make sure to not use scented soaps, lotions or perfumes anywhere on my body. I also use soft, natural fabrics so that it lessens any chance of irritation to their skin.
Signs of Distress
Throughout the entire session, I’m always monitoring your baby for any signs of distress. Obviously if your baby is crying and seems hungry, we will stop for however long your baby needs to eat. But I’m also looking for other signs…gas pains, too tight of a wrap, too hot, too cold, uncomfortable positioning, etc. If I notice anything, I will always adjust what I’m doing to accommodate your baby and his or her needs as they come before anything else.
Germs
We all have germs. Any particular illness aside, I never want to spread any germs that may be on me at any given time. For this reason, I always start by changing into a fresh set of clothes before every newborn session. Even when we have an early morning session and I had just put on fresh clothes to drop my kids off at school, I still change as I never know what could have settled on me in the drop off. I also will never handle your baby without thoroughly washing my hands and my camera and phone are wiped down with alcohol wipes before your session. The studio is cleaned before each and every session and the floors are steam cleaned. I have a sanitizing bin for all bows and things that aren’t machine washable that all items are put into and I run the bin for an hour. All washable fabrics are washed directly after each session. I also wear a mask during all newborn sessions as I can be very close to your precious little one.
Vaccines
I’m up to date with vaccinations and get my annual flu shot and try to stay on top of current Covid vaccines. I’ve also had my latest TDAP shot in 2021 after being pregnant with my youngest daughter.
I hope this helps settles any concerns you may have into who you are trusting with your precious little angel. Should you ever have any concerns before, during or after your session, never hesitate to reach out to me. Your baby comes first.
