Chattanooga & North Georgia Newborn Photography
Newborn FAQs& Session Guide
Everything parents usually wonder—when to reserve, what to bring, how the studio works, and what happens when your baby ignores the plan entirely.
Take a breath
You bring the baby.We guide the rest.
You are preparing for a newborn, recovering from bringing one into the world, or attempting to remember what day it is. You do not need another complicated assignment.
Our newborn experience is designed to be calm, patient, and flexible. Your baby does not need to perform, sleep on command, or follow our schedule. We build time for feeding, changing, soothing, cuddling, and the very real unpredictability of a brand-new person.
This guide gives you the helpful parts without the pressure. If your pediatrician, medical team, or lactation professional gives instructions that differ from photography advice, follow your healthcare professional every time.
From due date to portrait day
A simple plan.Plenty of flexibility.
Babies are famously terrible at respecting calendars. We reserve around your due date, then finalize the session after your little one arrives.
Book during pregnancy.
Newborn availability is intentionally limited. Reserving before delivery gives us room to plan and protects space around your expected arrival.
Tell us baby is here.
Send a message after delivery when your family is settled. No one needs a photographer receiving contraction updates. We promise.
Choose the feeling.
We will discuss colors, styling, family portraits, meaningful items, and which newborn experience fits the story you want preserved.
Let baby lead.
The studio is prepared before you arrive. We move slowly and build the session around feeding, soothing, comfort, and your baby's cues.
The details change first
Tiny fingers.Impossible little toes.
Newborn portraits are not only about a perfectly styled scene. They are also about the details you will struggle to remember clearly a year from now—the swirl of hair, curled fingers, sleepy mouth, and the way your baby fits against your hands.
- Macro details and close portraits
- Wrapped and naturally posed photographs
- Parent, sibling, and family connection
- Meaningful heirlooms when safely incorporated
The useful checklist
Pack light.Bring backups.
We supply wraps, outfits, headbands, bonnets, blankets, baskets, backdrops, florals, and posing props. Your bag only needs the practical things your baby and family already use.
Diapers & cleanup
Bring more diapers and wipes than you think you will need, disposable bags, burp cloths, and a change of clothes for baby—and for any adult posing with an unclothed newborn. Tiny accidents have excellent timing.
Feeding supplies
Bring everything you normally use to feed your baby, including enough formula, expressed milk, bottles, or nursing supplies for multiple feedings. Feed according to your baby's needs; never delay a medically needed feeding for photographs.
Comfort items
A pacifier can help during brief transitions if your family is comfortable using one. Bring baby's usual blanket and any small sentimental item you would like us to consider incorporating safely.
For parents & siblings
Wear layers because the newborn area is kept warmer than a typical room. Pack drinks, easy snacks, quiet entertainment, and a comfort item for older siblings. We will guide family wardrobe before the session.
Welcoming two?
More time.The same calm care.
Our Two Hearts Newborn Experience is designed for twins, with additional time for individual needs, alternating feedings, settling both babies, and creating portraits together and separately without rushing the process.
Compare Newborn ExperiencesPlanning, preparation & portrait day
When should we reserve our newborn session?
Reserve during pregnancy whenever possible. We use your due date for planning and then confirm the actual session date after delivery. Because newborn sessions require more studio time than standard portraits, only a limited number are accepted each month.
What is the ideal age for newborn portraits?
The classic sleepy newborn window is generally 7–14 days after birth. That timing often makes wrapped and gently posed portraits easier, but it is not an expiration date. We regularly create beautiful newborn portraits beyond two weeks and may photograph babies up to approximately eight weeks with age-appropriate expectations.
If your baby has already arrived, contact us. Do not assume you missed your chance.
What if our baby arrives early or past the due date?
That is exactly why we plan around a due date instead of treating it like a fixed appointment. Let us know after baby arrives and when your medical team says you are both ready. We will use the protected availability around your due date to choose the best session day.
When are studio newborn sessions photographed?
Most studio newborn sessions begin at 9:00 a.m. Tuesday through Friday. Morning sessions tend to work well for young babies and give us the unhurried studio time these portraits deserve. Saturday or Sunday appointments may be offered when the schedule allows.
How long will the session take?
Session length depends on the experience reserved and may range from about one hour for a Fresh 48 to four hours for twins. Studio newborn experiences include time for feeding, changing, soothing, sibling transitions, and resets between scenes. We are not photographing continuously for the entire appointment; much of the time is simply caring for what baby needs next.
Should we keep baby awake or wait to feed before arriving?
If it fits naturally into your baby's routine, a bath or a little calm awake time before leaving home can be helpful. If the timing works, arriving ready for a comfortable feeding may also help baby settle.
Do not force wakefulness, delay a medically needed feeding, or change medical instructions for photography. Feed your baby when your baby needs to eat. We will adapt.
Do breastfeeding parents need to avoid dairy or caffeine?
No special diet is required for a portrait session, and we will not ask a breastfeeding parent to eliminate dairy or stop caffeine solely for photography. Continue following the feeding and nutrition guidance provided by your pediatrician, physician, or lactation professional.
If you have already noticed that a particular food or drink affects your baby, follow the plan that works for your family and medical team.
What should baby wear to the studio?
Dress baby in a loose sleeper that opens easily from the front. Avoid tight socks, snug waistbands, or anything that may leave marks on the skin. Fasten the diaper comfortably rather than unusually tight. Once you arrive, we will transition baby into the selected wrap, outfit, or blanket setup slowly.
Do we need to bring outfits or props?
No. Our dedicated newborn studio includes a curated collection of wraps, outfits, bonnets, bows, blankets, florals, baskets, backdrops, and posing pieces. We plan these details around your preferred colors and style.
You are welcome to bring a small family heirloom or meaningful object. We will decide together whether it can be incorporated safely and beautifully.
Will the studio be warm?
The newborn area is kept comfortably warm so an unwrapped baby does not become chilled. The temperature is monitored and adjusted around baby's comfort, clothing, and cues. Adults should wear layers and may step into a cooler area whenever needed.
What happens if baby will not sleep?
We photograph the baby who arrives—not an imaginary baby who sleeps on command. We may wrap, feed, soothe, change direction, create awake portraits, simplify a setup, or pause. Wide-open eyes, stretches, tiny yawns, and curious expressions belong to your baby's story too.
How is newborn safety handled?
Matt & Shea Photography is fully insured, and our newborn work is approached with specialized safety training and baby-led handling. We support babies carefully, sanitize studio items between sessions, watch temperature and circulation, and never force a pose.
Some finished photographs may be created as composites so a supporting hand can remain on baby during capture and be removed during editing. Photography props are used only while baby is continuously attended; they are not sleeping products for home use.
Can parents and siblings be included?
Family and sibling portraits are available with experiences that include them. We will confirm exactly who is participating and plan clothing before the appointment. For young siblings, bring a snack and comfort item, and consider having another trusted adult available to take them home or elsewhere after their portion is complete.
What if baby has jaundice, is unwell, or recently had a procedure?
Your baby's health comes before the appointment. Contact your pediatrician about jaundice, fever, feeding concerns, breathing concerns, a recent procedure, or anything else medical. Do not use sunlight or another home treatment based on photography advice.
Tell our studio what your medical team recommends. We can adjust the date, handling, wraps, or posing so baby is comfortable, or reschedule until baby is cleared and feeling well.
What happens after the session?
After your portraits are prepared, you will return for a guided viewing and ordering appointment. You will see the finished images before choosing the portrait collection and artwork you love. Your newborn reservation fee is applied as a credit toward the collection selected, according to the terms of your reserved experience.
A new baby changes everyone
Their first portraits.Your first chapter together.
Baby may be the newest face in the photograph, but these portraits preserve the parents, siblings, and relationships being born right alongside them.
One important boundary
Photography adviceis not medical advice.
This guide helps your portrait session run comfortably. It cannot diagnose, treat, or replace instructions from your pediatrician, obstetric provider, physician, midwife, nurse, or lactation professional. When health and photography plans disagree, your medical team wins—every single time.
Their smallest days deserve patient care
Ready whenyour family is.
Reserve during pregnancy or reach out after baby arrives. We will help you choose the experience, plan the details, and create portraits at your baby's pace.