One of the things I often hear in the studio is “Oh my goodness, you are a baby whisperer! Will you come to my house at 2am?” Let me tell you – if it involves baby snuggles – I’m in! But, getting to your house at 2am might be a little impractical. As an alternative – let me share some of my studio tricks with you so you can use them at home to become a baby whisperer yourself!

Tips and Tricks for Soothing your Baby at Home

After being in the newborn photography business for over 10 years, I have learned a few tricks to help soothe your baby and help her be nice and comfy for her photoshoot. Keep reading so you too can become a baby whisperer!

A Full Belly

A full belly matters when trying to get a baby to sleep. I always suggest feeding baby before you leave the house for your newborn session, but some babies are ready to eat again as soon as they get to my studio in Wales. This is completely fine! If your baby has a full belly, he is much more likely to want to drift off to sleep. Babies also tend to eat a little more often in the studio, so don’t be surprised if he is demanding an extra feed once you are at the studio. I promise, it does not bother me! Slow eaters, fast eaters, frequent eaters – it’s all part of the newborn photography game and I am here for it!

White Noise

White noise is so great for helping babies sleep! In my studio, I use a few different options for white noise. First of all, my heater and/or heat fan is always running during a newborn session. This gives off that perfect fan noise that even adults love sleeping with! In fact, I have had more than one adult drift off during a newborn session (ahem – dad).

I also use my baby shusher a TON! This little gadget is phenomenal. I purchased my baby shusher at the end of 2016 and it is still going strong! It isn’t too expensive and is a great tool to add to your bag of tricks!

If you don’t want to run a fan all the time or want to purchase a baby shusher, you can always download a white noise app on your phone. These apps come with so many different sounds such as white noise, brown noise, rain storms, babbling brook, and so many more.

Temperature Matters

If you have previously done a newborn session with me, you know it is warm hot in my studio. I try to keep my studio between 80* and 85* for a newborn session. This is incredibly warm and absolutely not something I suggest you do at home. In fact, according to the baby Sleep Foundation, the ideal room temperature for a baby’s room is between 68* and 72*. Any warmer, and you risk your baby overheating.

So why is my studio so much warmer? Well, for a lot of the session, your baby will be undressed. He won’t have a sleeper, socks, and a sleep sack on. Keeping the studio this warm helps him regulate his body temperature during the session and keep him comfortable. In the studio, I have eyes on your baby the entire time. I am watching for signs of overheating or being uncomfortable. There is not any source of direct heat on your baby either.

Dark, relaxing environment

The environment your baby sleeps in can matter too. In my studio, the overhead lights are off and there are lights blockers on the windows. This leads to a dark, soothing environment for your baby. She isn’t over-stimulated by things around her and can comfortably drift off to sleep.

Wrapping and Swaddling

Wrapping and swaddling your baby can help him feel super secure and ready to drift off to sleep. Many babies love being swaddled and is suggested to help them sleep for the first 8 weeks or so.

In the studio, I have a wide selection of wraps and swaddles that we use not only to help baby sleep, but to artistically add to your session as well. For babies who need that extra layer of comfort, a simple wrap helps her to feel safe and secure throughout her session.

Pacifiers

This is completely a personal choice, and it really depends on each baby. My middle child absolutely loved her pacifier yet my third baby never took one.

In the studio, a pacifier can help provide comfort to a little one and help her drift off to sleep. At home , you might not want to deal with it falling out of her mouth and having to give it back to her 17238734 times per night.

Whatever you choose, it’s the right choice! I do always suggest bring a pacifier to your newborn session. It might mean the difference between being able to get that one photo you really wanted or having to scrap it. We only use it for a few minutes at a time and it is definitely not going to make your baby dependent on it in such a short time.

When You’ve Tried it All!

Sleep is so important – and not just for baby! For you too, momma! If you have tried it all and you just aren’t getting the quality sleep you know you and your baby need, it is time to call in the experts. Did you know we have some local sleep experts here in Lake Counrty? Lake Country Sleep can help you figure out what will work best for your baby and your family! Check out their blog for some great tips and get in touch if you want that one-on-one help for your family.

See it all in Action

When you book your newborn session with me, you will get to see all of these baby whisperer – sleep tricks in action! Does this mean I get every baby to sleep every single time? Nope! I sure don’t. Each baby is different and has different needs. I am always learning, with every baby I photograph. But, I do have a pretty good track record of getting those sleepy, adorable photos you are after! If you’d like some more details on booking your own newborn session, click here to get in touch! I would love to hear from you!

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