To help prepare for you baby's milestone session, I've prepared a few tips and answered some FAQ's. These tips will apply to any milestone session, whether it's indoors or outdoors.
THE DAY OF THE SESSION
To set your baby up for a successful session, consider the following tips:
Feed your baby a meal or snack before heading into the studio. A fed baby is a happy baby!
Schedule your session in the morning after a good breakfast, or right after their naptime. If you plan on having an outdoor session which will be 1 hour before sunset, try holding off on naptime 2-3 hours before your session, so when they wake they'll have time for a snack and be ready for photos!
Wait until you are at the session location to dress your baby. This will ensure that there are no wardrobe accidents prior to the session and will help avoid wrinkles.
Avoid bringing snacks to the session. We want to avoid capturing images of baby with food in their mouth.
Avoid bringing toys that you do not want photographed. Once they see their favorite toy, it will be difficult to capture images without it.
Consider leaving guests and siblings at home. This will help baby to stay focused for their session.
If you're doing a cake smash, consider bringing along a container for any leftovers you might want to bring home
If your baby has been sick within the last 48 hours, please contact me so we can reschedule. Keep in mind we have other newborns in the studio, and we need to avoid possibly passing along this sickness.
Try to avoid replacing nap time with a nap in the car. Often using a nap in the car rather than at home results in an angry toddler who didn't sleep well and is cranky.
To ensure that your baby will enjoy playing and eating the cake during the cake smash, let them play in some kind of mushy food like mashed potatoes. Or give them a cupcake a few times before the session so they get familiar with the texture and taste prior to the session. This will help your baby be more interested in the cake for the session if they're familiar.
SOME FAQ'S
How far in advance do I schedule my session?
We suggest scheduling your session 2-3 months in advance. If you wait, you many not have many options to choose from when scheduling your session
What time should I expect my session to be?
Milestone sessions are schedule Wednesday, Thursday morning around 10am or after naptime around 2pm. On Fridays I have morning availability. Outdoor sessions will take place about 1 hour before sunset
Should I bring my own props?
Basically, no. I have props in the studio we can use, and the props we use will still allow baby to be the center of attention. If you have an heirloom you're wanting to include feel free to bring it and let me know before the session.
What should baby wear?
There are a few options for baby:
Naked baby bum
Diaper cover
Your outfit choice (I recommend neutral colors)
Outfit from studio wardrobe
Note: if you have outfits you love but don't want to buy due to cost or your baby growing out of them so quickly, send them to me and I may purchase them for you and add them to my client wardrobe.
What to expect from your session:
We have found that babies have a shorter attention span, and usually last about 30-45 min until they are just done with their session. Sessions can last anywhere from 20 min to 1.5 hours depending on what package you choose.
My basic Milestone package and Bundles do not include siblings and family, and will last up to 30 minutes max. My Signature Milestone package is based around baby, but includes sibling and parent shots. This session can last up to 1.5 hours depending on cooperation. My cake smash and Splash packages do not include family and sibling, but due to the type of session it could last up to an hour.
I hope these tips have helped prepare you for your baby's Milestone session. If you'd like to book go to the Book Now tab and fill out the contact form. After you fill that out I will send some more information over with pricing and we can start the booking process! I look forward to working with you!
