What a photo session with an unsettled baby looks like

May 7

This is one of the things new parents stress about the most before their newborn photo session: what happens if my baby won’t settle?

This is Millie. She wasn’t the happiest camper during her newborn photography session.

Here’s the beautiful message I received from her mum, Micaela, after their session:

Hey! I just wanted to say thank you so much for your patience during our session. Millie was quite unsettled and you were simply amazing with her. It’s was such a good experience being in your studio with your calm energy and surroundings. We can’t wait for the photos and to see your work.

Have a scroll through the gallery and see if you can spot the crying photos.

Did you spot them?

Now go back and look at that last image again.

One of the biggest things I want parents to know before coming into my Albury newborn photography studio is this: unsettled babies are completely normal.

Here are a few tips for the morning of your session, before you arrive:

Dress your little one in something easy to change out of (like a onesie), and bring their outfit (if bringing your own, but I have plenty to borrow too!) along in your nappy bag, just in case of any little accidents on the way.
If they don’t need a nappy change before you leave, that’s perfect, we’ll pop them into a fresh one just before the session.
I suggest a small feed before you leave home, then once you arrive and they’re changed and dressed, you can offer a bigger feed to help settle them to sleep. Of course, follow your baby’s needs. If they need a full feed before you leave, absolutely do that.

I’m a Mum too, so when I have an unhappy little one in the studio, my checklist is exactly the same as it was with my own babies: hungry? Tired? Dirty nappy? Just needing a cuddle?

And as parents, we tend to stress about our babies being unsettled far more than anyone else does.

Am I worried if your baby cries during your newborn photo session? Not even a little.

Your baby doesn’t need to sleep perfectly for us to create beautiful images. Some of the most meaningful photos come from the in-between moments: cuddles, comforting, feeding, rocking, and simply loving your little one exactly as they are.

My relaxed newborn sessions are designed with plenty of time built in. Sessions can take up to two hours, but that doesn’t mean two hours of posing and photographing. It means time to feed your baby, change nappies, settle them slowly, and pause whenever needed.

Sometimes sessions are a little stop-and-start, just like Josh, Micaela, and Millie’s was. But look at the beautiful images we still created together.

There’s never any rush here. We take as many breaks as your little one needs, and you’ll often find me happily rocking your baby to sleep while you sit down, have a breather, and put your feet up for a moment.

My Albury newborn photography studio is set up not just for beautiful photos, but for comfort too. Warm temperatures for sleepy babies, a calm and quiet environment, a comfortable spot for parents to sit and feed, and everything slowed right down so you can simply settle in and breathe.

Show up exactly as you are, and I’ll do the rest.