Do I need to bring anything to my newborn session?

One of the most common questions I get when people book their newborn session is “Do I have to bring anything?” And my answer is always NO!  You do not *have* to bring anything!  Every prop, outfit, wrap, hairband, bonnet etc that you see in newborn photos from our studio are provided in the studio!  All you need to arrive with is: yourselves, your sweet babe, a diaper bag and your baby wearing any comfortable zip-up sleeper.  Now with that being said, if you have something particularly sentimental that you would like to bring to your newborn session I always encourage you bringing that and we will try to work it into the session.  

So, back to the question at hand.  Why don’t you need to bring anything for your newborn session?

Why do we provide all of the outfits, wraps and headwear options?  It is often surprising for parents to hear that most of the items we use for babies to wear during their session are specialized for newborn photography specifically. They don’t just come from Baby Gap or H&M!  

If you saw a recent post on social, you’ll have seen that one of my top three reasons for getting professional newborn photography is how difficult it is to re-create what you see on Instagram at home.  

One of the reasons DIY recreation of newborn photography is so difficult is in fact the outfits! 

Professional newborn photographers purchase “newborn photography outfits”  which are quite different from “newborn clothing”.  

When you are perusing Baby Gap and ordering your little one that perfect gray sleeper, the newborn size will usually say something along the lines of 7-11 lbs.  That is a 4lb range! For mamas this makes total sense!  Who cares if that sleeper is a little big for the first few weeks.They are all curled up and sleepy the whole time anyways.  

That sleeper from the Gap is most likely made of cotton. It will either have a repeating pattern or a logo on the front of it too- Super cute for the day to day, not quite right for photos though.  

Newborn photography outfits will differ in a few key ways. 

The first is that the size range is quite a bit smaller.  Most of my outfits are made for 6.6-8.5lbs. Although I do have a few outfits that are a wee bit larger for bigger babies. They still sit in that 2lb size range.  

This makes total sense for newborn photographers. Since we are almost always taking photos of infants less than 2 weeks old, we don’t need to worry too much about a big size range in our clients.  That isn’t really a cost effective way to build a wardrobe for your little one though!  Could you imagine changing out their closet after just 2 weeks?! 

Another difference is they are specifically designed with ultra stretchy materials!

Most of my outfits are made from an ultra stretchy cotton jersey material or a stretch knit.  This is INCREDIBLE for photography because you can wrap babies nice and tight to keep them feeling cozy. it is again, not ideal for actual baby life! These types of material are not sturdy enough for regular baby wear. Hand wash only baby clothes? No thanks!

Ok so last major difference in “newborn photography outfits” vs newborn clothing is the way they do up.  Newborn photography outfits do up in ways that are meant to be super cute and visible in photos. Also in ways that can make the outfit adjust to baby’s size a bit.  So most rompers are buttons, lots of outfits have ties and ribbons, and there are all kinds of bows. I have had plenty of outfits that simply just tuck in on itself.  While this is beautiful in photographs, it is again impractical for regular baby life. Actually not even super safe- definitely don’t put baby to bed in a sleeper with a ribbon!  

All of this is to say; that most parents don’t actually own the types of outfits used in newborn photography for their newborn. They couldn’t bring them to their session if they wanted to!

The easiest way to think about it is to compare it to grownups.  When you go to get fancy photos done of yourself you dress it up! Maybe you invest in a rental dress or buy something specific for the session rather than something you already have in your closet for everyday wear.  The same goes for your little one’s newborn session outfits.  

Now you understand why we don’t need you to bring anything to your session and why we choose to provide everything you’ll need in studio. It’s time to showcase a few of my favourite vendors!!  

My all time favourite vendor for all things knit is Paturici Pentru Pitici.  The owner is from Eastern Europe and she has the most incredible stretch knit combos.  She will do bonnets, wraps and rompers all in the same knit for you. There is custom work as well as ready to ship!  Her work is so so so good and the matching sets make your session’s workflow so seamless. 

Sugar Baby Photo Props is my go to for stretch jersey wraps and bonnets. I especially love their waffle knit jersey to create texture in an image.  My favourite part about her is that she is Canadian! 

Kristine’s Kreations is another incredible Canadian vendor. She makes matching sets with hand dyed curly layers and matching wraps and headbands!  She will do anything custom you need!  

If you have ever done some scrolling through my page or socials, I promise you have seen several of these wonderful ladies’ pieces!  

As always I hope this helps as you plan your newborn session!  

Xoxox

Aiden

If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy:

Why your baby should sleep during their session

What to expect from your newborn session: part 1 and part 2

Newborn studio tour

Should I get professional newborn photography?

Newborn session: lifestyle or studio?