Easy Newborn Photoshoot With a Toddler / Farmington CT

What to know about and How to prepare for a Newborn photoshoot when you also have a Toddler

newborn boy in a basket earthy colors brown and beige smiling newborn posing

Doing a newborn photoshoot with your first child, in a calm quiet room, is one thing. Doing a newborn photoshoot with your newborn and your toddler is a completely different story! With your first newborn, you are certainly tired after several sleepless nights, maybe difficult prolonged labor, maybe struggles with breastfeeding, BUT, with your toddler, to all of the above, you need to add a year, or two of dealing with your baby/toddler, 9 months of which you were also pregnant. So, yeah, it’s different. That is not to say, that it can’t be fun. It can be a really nice easy experience if you prepare accordingly. Here are a few tips that will help you make this photoshoot experience smoother:

Limit the time

newborn posing with mom and dad, mocha brown backdrop savage, mom kissing newborn baby

dad and two children - a newborn and a toddler, mocha brown savage paper background

Have your friend/mom/sister bring your toddler for the session just for the time of the photos with her/him. If a child is there just for 30 minutes, it’s easier to maintain the perception of novelty and keep them interested.

2. Important photographs first.

big sister and newborn broth posing, toddler and newborn, mocha brown savage backdrop, newborn posing

toddler sister kissing newborn brother , newborn photoshoot, brown and beige

Once you toddler is on set, do the most important shots first – either the whole family or the toddler with the baby brother/sister. Let that be your focus, and then move on to the next set with a relaxed mind.

3. Bring favorite toys

newborn posing head on hands, newborn boy with a bunny, newborn photography

Favorite toys allow the child to feel more relaxed, more engaged, more at home. If it’s a cute little toy of muted color, you could also use it in the session.

4. Focus on the toddler

cute toddler girl with bangs, brown and beige, blue eyes dark hair

Mom with toddler and newborn, brown and beige

Make the shoot all about your toddler, at least make it seam that way – you are here to show what a wonderful big sister your daughter is, or how big of big brother your son is. Build up anticipation – shop together for a cute dress or for a sweet little toy that can be used in the photo session.

5. Home Session.

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If you can, do the newborn session at your house. Your toddler would feel more comfortable and relaxed in the familiar space, which in turn also allows for candid unstaged photographs.

6. Make It Fast!

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Toddler’s attention span varies from three to ten minutes. Use these minutes to the fullest to get your perfect photographs. Don’t worry about getting all the poses you saw online into your shots. It’s way better to get a couple perfect photographs than a bunch of sub-par ones.

7. Lower your expectations

lifestyle candid newborn photography, studio family portraits, beige and brown, little girl kissing mom

From your toddler. It’s ok if they don’t look directly at the camera and smile all the time, it’s ok if they are being silly or uncooperative, it’s ok to capture a real moment in your life with them, it’s ok for them to be themselves. Don’t get frustrated, because your frustration multiplies in them. Make it a game. Give them a hug.

And of course, have fun at your newborn photoshoot! Family and newborn photography experiences are about making happy memories and capturing important moments in your life, and not about spending all the energy on squeezing out forced smiles 🙂