Thinking about going to newborn photos with a toddler in tow might fill you with anxiety. I understand, I’ve been there. My oldest was 3 when my youngest was born and was not exactly thriving at listening, especially after 2 weeks of his new brother getting all our attention. But as I’ve seen time and time again, we got lots of great shots with him smiling, even though it felt crazy at the time.
Here are some tips to help your toddler or older kiddo prepare for your newborn session.
Tell them we are going to play
Try to avoid talking about making cheese faces, and instead tell them you’re going to see your friend Miss Whitney and will be playing some fun games and that they will get to hold and snuggle their baby. During the session, don’t worry about telling your child to smile over and over, let me do my thing. I run back and forth tickling them, make jokes about who is the stinkiest, and will shamelessly make a fool of myself in order to get them to smile genuinely.
Dress them comfortably
The fastest way to turn your newborn photos with a toddler into a major meltdown is scratchy clothes or pinchy shoes. Try to choose outfits that aren’t uncomfortable, but still fit with the color palette that you’re going for. (Don’t forget to read my blog post about what to wear to your newborn session.)
Make sure they’re not hungry
Bringing snacks to the session is totally fine, but make sure they have something to eat before you leave for your photo session. Hangry toddlers never cooperate. (While you’re at it, make sure you’ve eaten something yourself as well!)
Newborn photos with a toddler can be fun!
I know its really hard not to get stressed out about your photos, but my main goal, aside from getting you amazing photos you will love forever, is to make the whole process as easy as possible for you. You should leave your session thinking, “well that was easy.” My whole approach to newborn photos is to be family-centered, so we will be getting tons of poses with the whole family, as well as just the kiddos. While this might not be how you want to spend every morning, it certainly shouldn’t be stressful.
