You know that stage.
They roll over with confidence.
They think you are funniest human being on the planet.
And they are now starting to sit on their own…
It’s the little things that fills us with pride.
Andrew Oliver | Newborn Photographer Miami
Never apologize for burning too brightly or collapsing into yourself every night;
that is how galaxies are made.”
Tyler Kent White
Milestones | Baby Photographer Miami
Armrolls, this is the only time in your life when they are welcome.
Those eyes, chubby hands, rolls…
Tips for a beautiful Newborn Session – Part 3
Happy Friday! Another week has flown by and I’m excited about the upcoming changes that are coming to The Crunchy Nest. I will be offering spectacular products and I can’t wait to share with you.
Now as promised here is Part 3 of Tips for a Beautiful Newborn Session. If you haven’t already, you can find Part 1 here and Part 2 here .
- Keep baby happy! What do I mean by that? Fed! A well fed, warm baby is a happy baby. Try feeding your baby right before your session starts.
- Plan your attire; both for you and for the baby. There is usually a lot of planning and prepping in anticipation of a newborn session. I try to select the colors of the blankets and wraps to be used and coordinate those with your maternity session for a beautiful palette to be displayed in your baby album. For inspiration I have created a Pinterest Board to help mommies with this process. But essentially, a soft, neutral color palette is ideal!
You can find the links to all of the dresses above on my Pinterest board.
I love when babies are photographed in natural fabrics, and knits are one of my favorites for this. While we are planning your session I will share with you a list of some of my favorite Etsy knitters that offer cruelty free and/or organic products. I will also be sharing some of them on our Vendor Spotlight series on blog.
And lastly, when dressing your newborn prior to the session, it is key that you loosen his/her diaper to make sure his skin is free of any imprints.
That is all I have for you today, make sure you visit us next Friday as I will be sharing one of my favorites knit vendors. Have a great weekend!
Black & White Newborn Photography | Miami, Florida
“Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.”
– Nathaniel Hawthorne
This mama and baby are very dear to me and hold a special place in my heart. It seems like it was yesterday when she was this little. Baby Bella was eagerly awaited and welcomed with an insurmountable amount of love. I want to share with you a few words this lovely mama wrote in a letter to her unborn child:
” . . . When I wonder if I’m a good enough mother, please help me to know my strength again. When I fear failure, please pierce me with your eyes and smile. When I take things too seriously, I give you permission to make me laugh. Laugh often.
Please remind me that life is beautiful, when I might forget. I want you to be the best thing about me. I hope you always love me, I hope that you will be proud to be my legacy. I want to say, that you were the most amazing little lovely thing that I have ever seen before you even ever came to be. I will wait patiently for you, enjoying you on the inside. Come as you are. Come when you are ready. . . “
The Simplicity of Newborns
There are many reasons why I love newborn photography sessions; each is so very unique. Even at such a young age, you sometimes get a glimpse of their personality.
Trenchbowl by: Traditions in Thyme // Lambskin Cover: West Elm
Newborns
They are their own little masterpiece. The closer you look at their little folds and wrinkles, the more you will be amazed by the miracle.
This little cutie was just a few days old at the time of his newborn photography session which is why you still see his legs tightly curled. Love it!
When to Book Your Newborn Session
This is another common question I get because most moms wait to have their baby before booking a newborn session. But, just like you would book a wedding photographer way ahead of time, it is a good idea to book your newborn photographer while you are still pregnant.
Now, there are many different styles of newborn photography and other photographers might not mind the age of the baby, so you would need to know your style preference and what best fits your family.
Our style at The Crunchy Nest is simple and we try to stay away from the overuse of props because we prefer a more organic look; however, we still pose our newborns. We change the baby’s hand placement, turn their little face, change their position, etc. in order to get a variety of picture for you. Therefore, we prefer our newborn sessions to take place during the baby’s first two weeks of life. 5-7 days is ideal!
Why?
When babies are brand new, they position themselves in the way they were in the womb and they sleep all the time! As time passes, babies stretch out and are more alert, which makes it more difficult to keep them asleep and pose them. The older the baby, the more aware they are of their surroundings.
But what date do you pick?
Well, because we know that due dates are not set in stone – I wish they were (being a mom of three), when you book your newborn session while expecting, We will pencil in a date approximately one week after your due date. Once your baby arrives, you give us a call and let us know. We will then move our schedule around to accommodate the best time to hold your session.
Booking your session before-hand guarantees your spot once your baby has arrived and your session will take priority over new inquiries around the same time.
So what are you waiting for? If you are currently expecting, book your session today.
BOTTLE FEEDING & THE FORMULA I CHOSE
[Big Disclaimer: I am in no way, shape, or form telling you that this is what you should do for your baby. This was a decision I made for my baby after many hours of research. Please make sure you do your own research before determining what is right for you and your baby]
I wrote in this post about my breastfeeding struggles and because of it I had to find an alternative way to feed my baby. Not only did I have to find the safest bottles, but also the safest formula.
When it came to bottles, I knew that we would be warming up formula, so plastic bottles weren’t an option. We decided on the Avent Natural glass bottle, and as he grew older and wanted to hold his own bottle, we bought the Pura Kiki Stainless Steel Bottle. These are the bottles that we still use today and he loves them!
The next struggle came when it was time to choose a formula. I started to supplement Gavin’s feeding since early on. He was only a few days old and already drinking Enfamil. I knew before I gave birth to him that I did not want to give my child commercial grade formula. My plan was to breastfeed and when I didn’t succeed, I was left at the last minute to do tons of research to find something that I felt good about feeding my child.
Now, to be honest, I fed both my daughter and my oldest son formula without thinking anything of it. As I got older and I learned more, I wanted a better option.
Gavin was not like my other children. He dreaded sleep, yet he wasn’t (that I know of) a colicky baby but he was crying as if he was in pain often. I did then what most mothers would do and hit google to find out why. I thought that he fit the description of possibly being lactose intolerant. Although he did not have diarrhea, he did seem to have gas, was very irritable, and was developing little red spots all over his face. So we switched to Baby’s Only Lactose Relief organic formula and he was doing well on it for about two weeks and then got constipated, really constipated, and the rashes that he had got dry and scab-like. At the pediatrician’s recommendation we switched formula brands again to see if this would solve the problem with no luck. I was at my wit’s end because I knew I had to switch formula again and this time the only other formula that the doctors were recommending was soy based and I refuse to give my baby boy soy.
So I went on a quest to find a solution when I came across this post and it changed my baby. The more research I did about homemade goat milk formula the more I started to think that this was the best option for us. I purchased Mt. Capra Goat Milk powder along with all the other ingredients. See recipe here. And I started making daily batches.
Was I scared? Yes! I was. I was scared that I wasn’t following my pediatrician’s advice; I was scared because this was not the norm. But guess what? Gavin thrived on it. His constipation went away, his faced cleared up, and he was a much happier baby. I still don’t know what in the cow milk was causing him problems back them as his formula recipe included lactose, and now at 16 months he drinks full fat organic cow milk, but I now know that I made the right choice for him then. It was a hassle making formula daily, which meant warming up the formula under hot water before every feeding, but I would do it all over in a heartbeat.
What do I recommend? Do your research, educate yourself, seek professional advice, and then make the right decision for you.
I would love to hear about your unconventional ways to childcare. Send me an email at may@thecrunchynest.com.