What if my baby cries during our newborn photography session?
Baby relaxed moment in between photos during newborn photo session in home in Sydney.
We all know that a newborn baby is beyond super-cute, but when they’re not happy things can escalate very quickly! Fear not, here’s what to expect if your newborn or baby cries during the photo session.
Babies will cry, that is for sure. I think out of the 2000 or so babies I’ve met at the time of writing, only a handful of them haven’t cried once during the photography session. We plan for this and it is nothing to worry about.
Look, even the most chilled out of babies when put into a new situation, or change of routine will suddenly show you their displeasure.
What can seem like helpful behaviour; shouting, clicking or trying to distract them can be overwhelming for them and can make things worse. What we need to do is take our time, relax and be reassuring. This approach is difficult because it is not instant and can take time, but the investment will pay dividends.
I have two kids of my own and can remember when they were babies that were were times they would cry and it seemed that there was almost nothing I could do to calm them down. My first child was born before I started working a lot with babies in newborn photography and I was experiencing the same steep learning curve that every new parent was going through.
The truth is, in most cases, you needn’t worry.
As long as baby’s basic needs are being met and they are safe, it is just one of the facts of being a new parent that you will have a few ‘helpless feeling’ moments whilst your baby is going through a period of PURPLE crying; a term given to a sudden bout of inconsolable crying.
If your baby cries during the newborn photography session:
If your baby starts to cry during the session, it is completely expected and planned for. We allow two hours for each session, to take into account a sudden upset from your baby and in most cases, will still have plenty of time to achieve what we need.
You can’t rush the baby; it’s not fair on them and it is unreasonable to expect them to ‘perform’ at the drop of a hat.
As long as there is somewhere comfortable to rest, we are perfectly happy to take a break, or keep going with other family members whilst baby takes a break.
If your newborn baby starts to cry then usually we stop the session and do the following:
Cuddles
Always the first go-to and a great excuse to stop work for a cuddle. Sometimes baby just needs one.
Check/change the nappy
A simple check/fix
Check the room temperature
Babies can’t regulate their temperature like we can - is there a window open, or the heating too high?
Prepare a feed
Babies can start cluster feeding at any time and you may find you need to feed a little more than usual on photo day.
Baby sleep/feed cycles
During your baby’s first few weeks, which is when we usually get to meet and photograph them, they will usually have a sleep/feed cycle that lasts around two hours. This cycle gets longer as they grow, so for older baby photography, we may or may not need to take a break.
They can go from ‘I’m a peaceful ball of gorgeousness’ right through to ‘how dare you’ in seconds. Just as they get upset quickly, they calm down just as quickly.
It is our job to fit in around this cycle and go as naturally with the flow as we can.
Baby sleeping with cuddly toy during newborn photo session in home in Sydney.
Little changes have a big impact
On the day of your in-home newborn photography session, the routine changes. People are rushing around and a maybe even a little nervous.
From your baby’s point of view, all of a sudden there are people getting dressed up and not paying them the same attention! Maybe the feeding time has changed, or the house is being tidied more than usual - all of these are minor things that can have an effect on how baby usually behaves.
Babies are very sensitive to mood
If you are a little bit nervous about your shoot, your baby will be able to pick up on this.
The slightest tension can be felt by someone who is completely dependant on you and your behaviours and may unsettle the little one.
One of the first things we do once we arrive at the household is to help the put the parents at ease and assume control, so they can relax a little.
Simply giving clear guidance on what is going to happen and what to expect next can work wonders for putting parents at ease.
Pro Tip:
Use your in-home baby photography experience as a chance to enjoy your first activity together as family. Relax and have fun. This moment will be over in a flash (pun intended).
Relaxed newborn baby on bed in-home photography session in Sydney. Captured by the author.
Babies need time
We book your session to allow for a couple of hours. It will almost definitely last this long.
Once you allow for this and the time has been set aside, a wonderful thing happens during the session - phones get switched off, work becomes a distant memory and we start to see happy and relaxed human beings who are just spending time together.
This is how we capture such natural and wonderful images.
Just as we cannot rush a newborn baby, we cannot rush the grown-ups too. Enjoy the rare moment.
By switching off the phone and leaving it in another room, you will be ‘present’ and attentive to this moment. It only lasts a short while!
This cute baby has their eyes open and looking at the camera, captured during an in-home photography session in Sydney. ©Grain&Weave
Your baby needs you to be flexible
Sometimes we arrive and baby is wide-awake, which is fine. Other times they are asleep, which is fine. If they are crying, it is fine. It will all pass,
Knowing about the baby cycles we discussed above, we know there is a calm/sleepy period coming up, so we ride the wave and go with the flow - we need you to do the same and stay calm.
We have a plan in mind to capture what you want, but we may need to do it out of sequence, as we go along with baby’s needs. Maybe we’ll get some awake photos first; maybe we’ll start with ‘baby sleeping’ photos - it’s up to baby, not us!
By understanding the process & allowing for quick-changes, spontaneity & creativity will be able to flourish; allowing for a fun and engaging experience with your family.
The home advantage
Our newborn photography sessions are designed to give you the ‘at-home advantage’. This will make it easier for you to prepare the night before and have everything to hand when you need it. You will be more relaxed and comfortable.
If you have gifted this in-home photography experience to someone, rest assured that your gift voucher is extendable and they can wait until baby is much older if need be.
Babies will cry, that much is true, but if you stay relaxed and show them love and support, they will reward you with the most precious memories you can ever experience.
This article was written by our principal photographer, John. This is not a medical guide or should be used as a replacement for medical advice.
