What If My Baby Won't Sleep During Their Newborn Photoshoot?
- 10 hours ago
- 6 min read
One of the questions parents often ask me before their newborn photography session is:
What happens if my baby won't sleep?
The answer is simple. They don't have to.
Newborn photoshoots are for babies under six weeks old, and while many newborns do spend part of their session asleep, not every baby does. Some babies arrive at the studio wide awake and stay that way for quite a while.
And that's absolutely fine.
My style of newborn photography is very natural. While I can create those beautiful sleepy newborn poses when parents would like them and their baby is comfortably in a deep sleep, a newborn session doesn't depend on your baby sleeping.
As long as your baby is happy and relaxed, we can create beautiful photographs whether their eyes are open or closed.
Awake newborn photographs are just as beautiful
There is something incredibly special about photographing a newborn who is quietly taking in the world around them.
Those wide-open eyes. The little expressions that appear for just a second. The way they look towards their parents—or stare straight into the camera.
In fact, some of the photographs parents love most from their newborn session are the ones where their tiny baby is looking directly at the camera. There is something quite magical about that connection, particularly when they're still so new.
When a newborn is awake and content, I simply photograph them awake.
I'll often wrap awake babies snugly, as newborn arms and legs have a habit of wriggling in every direction! Being wrapped can help them feel secure and comfortable while allowing me to capture their face, their expressions and those beautiful open eyes.
After many years of photographing newborns, I have plenty of ideas for creating beautiful images with babies who are wide awake. We don't need to spend the session waiting for sleep before we can start taking photographs.
If your baby sleeps, wonderful. We can capture those peaceful, sleepy newborn images too.
But if they decide they'd rather stay awake and see what's going on, you may find that those wide-eyed photographs end up being some of your favourites.
What If I Want Those Sleepy Newborn Photos?
If you love the classic sleepy newborn photographs, I'll absolutely try to capture those too.
When your baby falls into a lovely deep sleep, we can take the opportunity to create some of the curled-up, sleepy poses you may have seen in my portfolio.
Some babies sleep for much of their session. Others move between periods of sleeping and being awake. Some are simply more alert than others.
Rather than trying to force a particular schedule, I follow your baby's lead.
The most important thing is that your baby is comfortable and relaxed. If they're happily awake, there is no reason to spend the session desperately trying to make them sleep just for the sake of the photographs.
What If My Baby Is Upset?
Being awake isn't a problem.
Being upset is different.
If your baby is crying or unsettled, we stop.
They might need a feed, a nappy change, a cuddle, or simply a little time with Mum or Dad. There is always time during a newborn session to pause and work out what your baby needs.
Once they're comfortable and settled again, we continue.
The aim isn't to make your baby perform for the camera. It's to create beautiful photographs while keeping them comfortable and happy throughout their session.
Should I Feed My Baby Before Their Newborn Photoshoot?
I usually suggest offering your newborn a feed—or even just a little top-up—just before you get in the car to come to the studio.
A baby with a nice full tummy will often be more relaxed and content, and feeding before you leave can sometimes save us a little time at the beginning of your session.
But please don't worry if the timing doesn't work out perfectly.
If your baby isn't interested in feeding before you leave, that's completely fine. And if they're hungry when you arrive, or decide they need another feed halfway through their photoshoot, we'll simply stop and give them one.
Newborns aren't known for sticking to schedules!
There's no need to perfectly coordinate your baby's feeds and naps around their photoshoot. Follow their lead, offer them a feed before you leave if you can, and we'll work with whatever happens once you arrive.
You Don't Need to Make Your Baby Sleep
I've heard of some newborn photographers asking parents to keep their baby awake before their photoshoot, with the idea that they'll arrive exhausted and sleep soundly for their session.
I don't do this.
In my experience, deliberately keeping a tired newborn awake can have exactly the opposite effect. An overtired baby can become very upset and much harder to settle—and that's the last thing we want.
I will never ask you to try to manipulate your baby's sleep for the sake of their photographs. Let your baby sleep when they're tired and follow their normal routine as much as you can before coming to the studio.
If they're sleepy, we'll photograph them sleeping.
If they're awake and happy, we'll photograph them awake.
And if they're hungry or unsettled, we'll stop and give them what they need.
Beautiful newborn photographs don't depend on having a baby who sleeps through their entire session.
Every Newborn Session Is Different
One of the things I love about photographing newborn babies is that no two sessions are ever quite the same.
Every baby has their own personality—even at just a few weeks old—and I've learned over the years that the best newborn sessions aren't the ones that follow a perfectly planned list of photographs.
In this job, you have to learn to think on your feet.
I don't start a newborn session with a checklist of exactly which photograph I'm going to take and in what order. Instead, I follow your baby's lead. I watch what they're doing, whether they're awake or asleep, whether they're happy being wrapped or would rather stretch out, and then decide what we'll photograph next.
Sometimes one photograph leads naturally to another. Sometimes a baby wakes up and the plan changes completely. And sometimes they do something unexpected that gives me an idea for a photograph I hadn't thought about five minutes earlier.
After many years of photographing newborns, I've learned how to adapt as I go. My job is to look at the baby in front of me and work out how to create beautiful photographs from whatever they're happily doing at that moment.
Some babies will sleep peacefully while I photograph them. Others seem determined to watch everything I'm doing. Some will give me a wonderful mixture of both.
And some of the most special photographs aren't necessarily the perfectly posed, deeply sleeping ones.
Sometimes it's the photograph of a tiny baby staring straight into the camera.
Or looking up at Mum or Dad.
Or simply lying peacefully, wide awake, taking everything in.
And very often, those are the photographs parents tell me they love the most.
So, What If My Baby Doesn't Sleep?
That's completely okay.
Your newborn doesn't need to sleep for me to photograph them beautifully.
If they're awake, we'll capture those gorgeous open eyes and little expressions.
If they're asleep, we'll capture those peaceful sleepy moments.
And if they're upset, we'll stop for a cuddle, a feed or some settling until they're comfortable again.
There is no perfect way your baby needs to behave during their newborn photoshoot.
They just need to be themselves.
I'll work with the rest.
If you're expecting a baby or have recently welcomed your little one and would like to know more about booking a newborn photography session, I'd love to hear from you.
My newborn photography studio is located in Balmain in Sydney's Inner West, and I photograph newborn babies up to six weeks old, and older babies up to their first birthday.
Please get in touch to find out more about newborn sessions or to book your baby's photoshoot. I can't wait to meet you and your little one!
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