Including Big Brother or Big Sister in Newborn Photos
/Bringing a newborn home is daunting. Bringing a newborn home with a toddler - phew, buckle up! It’s a HUGE adjustment for everyone, but big siblings go from being the star of the show to having to share the spotlight in an instant. There can be big feelings and big meltdowns when life becomes all about the new baby; it can be tough for them. When people show up asking first to see the baby, and only focus on the baby, it makes them feel even more left out. (It’s kind of like that with moms also… Don’t get me started on the lack of support for moms, though.) I go into newborn sessions with older siblings SO excited for them. I go out of my way to talk to them first, get down on their level, play with them, etc. Then I ask them to show me their baby sister or brother. I show them images we’re making and ask for their help with holding feet/hands, making silly faces to get mom or dad to smile, wrapping the baby, etc. They want to feel like they’re part of the process, and this usually gets more participation. A win for all of us! I also can’t forget my silly noises, which works for getting genuine laughs & smiles from parents too as well as some head tilts from fur siblings. Animal noises of all kinds work and raspberries or toots, especially with little boys, are my go-to’s! Playing games with the noises also usually results in some cute moments - asking them what sound does a dog make, but making a “mooooo” noise before they respond, and asking if that was right, is always a hit!
Photographing kids requires a lot of patience and can definitely be challenging. But I get to act like a kid with them, be silly and just have fun. I often wish that my job was 100% photographing and 0% business because these moments make my “job” feel more like fun than work.
This session was so fun and I made a new friend! Big brother was such a joy to photograph and we became best buds. HIs mom still texts me that he asks about me and that makes me incredibly happy!
