“What if my baby cries during my session?”

Breathe, mama. I got you!

Babies cry. That’s a fact and I am prepared for it.

As a pediatric nurse, mom, and safety certified newborn photographer, I have learned a few tips and tricks for a crying baby that work almost every time. They don’t call me the Oklahoma baby whisperer for nothing 😉

Here is what I do throughout a session to try and avoid an upset baby:

1. Baby shusher or singing. Yes, you’ll hear me sing to your babies! I am not auditioning for The Voice anytime soon but my audience never seems upset by my singing voice 😁 Or I will use my baby shusher to get some white noises going.
2. Use pacifiers. This is obviously with parent permission and it does not replace feeding time. Sometimes baby just need a minute of comfort to go back to sleep so we can grab the shot.
3. Consistent diaper checks. Nobody wants to model in poopy pants.
4. Temperature control. You’ll notice how warm and toasty the studio is. We want babe to be safely warm so they can snooze 😴

Here are a few things we try to calm a crying baby (and mama!) down:

1. Feed baby. Modeling and posing is hard work for someone who is only a handful of days old. If baby is starting to cry or fuss, they might be needing a snack from their hard work
2. Check baby from head to toe. Sometimes they just don’t like a certain wrap, or they need a diaper change, or something tiny is in their toes and they are just communicating to us. Good job, baby! Inspecting baby from head to toe to make sure they are comfy and cozy is important.
3. Break time. Stop the lights and action and lets settle in to some mama snuggles and a dark studio. Reset, calm them down, and try again when they’re ready.

Mamas, I may have my own tips and tricks and ways of trying to calm a crying baby…and ultimately I go with your gut! I truly think mamas know best and love to listen to your ideas too 🥰

Remember, baby is in charge of the session. If they are truly unhappy about being wrapped and posed, we can’t control that. Worst case is we reschedule and try again another day. This is very (very) rare and also not the end of the world. Baby’s safety always comes first!

Learn more about newborn sessions with Ashley here!

• Newborn Sessions: Who is really in charge?
• 3 Tips for New Moms [They’re not what you think!]