This post is all about how to look and feel your best for newborn photos. Pregnancy and postpartum significantly impact our bodies, so we sometimes don’t always feel like ourselves. I’m going to share my best tips so you look and feel amazing when it comes time to take your newborn photos!

True story – when I had my oldest child, it took me four hours to get ready for our newborn photos! FOUR hours! I felt so out of sorts, and everything just took longer because I had to stop and feed and pump – it felt like a never-ending cycle. Because of this, I actually didn’t get newborn photos when I had my second child, and I regret that.

With some preparation, you can love the way you look and feel for your photos – minus the stress!

How to Look and Feel Your Best for Newborn Photos

1. Get your hair and makeup professionally done.

This is a BIG one. Professional hair and makeup photographs so beautifully and truly elevates images. BUT the most important reason to get hair and makeup done is so you FEEL great. Someone can get you ready as you sit in your home, holding and feeding your sweet newborn baby. You don’t have to run around, trying to find a bottle as you look for your mascara at the same time. Professional hair and makeup elevates natural beauty, so you’ll love the way you look! If you tend to have a particular style you favor, you can always reach out to the hair and makeup artist in advance to show inspiration images. Professional hair and makeup is included in all of my newborn sessions so you don’t have to lift a finger!

2. Wear a dress that has an empire waist.

Our bodies adjust so beautifully for growing our children, and in doing so, change drastically over the course of pregnancy and postpartum. Our postpartum bodies will more closely resemble our pregnant bodies than how we looked pre-pregnancy. I always suggest to moms to wear a flowing dress that has an empire waist because it draws attention to the most flattering parts of our bodies. Flowy dresses also photograph so beautifully and have a classic and romantic feel for photos. I offer a client wardrobe that is full of highly curated dresses that flatters postpartum bodies.

3. Eat and drink a lot that morning.

I know this sounds so silly, but ensure that you eat and drink a lot the morning of your session. It’s easy to suddenly feel light-headed or get a postpartum hot flash, so have a water bottle and snacks on hand. I love an insulated water tumbler like the Stanley cup since drinking from a straw allows us to get more fluid than a normal cup. I loved snacking on Kind and Cliff protein bars during my postpartum!

4. Be prepared to go with the flow!

When I had my oldest, my son, he cried for most of his newborn session! He was closer to three weeks old and wanted to cluster feed for most of the session. I remember being stressed out because he wouldn’t calm down. Babies can be babies, and this is all normal. When you hire an experienced newborn photographer, we can help you prepare baby so they’re calm and happy. And even if they’re not, we know how to soothe them! I always follow a family’s flow, so if we need to stop at all to feed or calm baby, that is totally fine.

I hope this post was helpful! With a little prep and help, you can look AND feel amazing during your newborn session!

Marie Elizabeth Photography | Newborn Photographer

Marie is a newborn photographer in DC, Maryland, and Northern VA and creates a luxurious, full-service portrait experience. From planning your session to delivering custom fine artwork to your home, Marie takes care of all of the details. All Marie Elizabeth Photography clients are pampered with the DC newborn photos experience, which includes professional hair and make-up and an array of whimsical dresses from the client wardrobe. Marie then will create exquisite works of art, such as heirloom albums and fine art matted prints to grace your home and lay your legacy.

Interested in both a maternity and newborn session? Marie offers a luxury membership to best document that first year with your little one. With perks such as birth announcements and album credit, the luxury membership is the perfect way to remember this special time. Reach out to learn more.