Preparing for your maternity session can be exciting, but I know it can also be a little overwhelming with everything else happening.

Here are a few quick tips to prep for your maternity session.

Choose a day that works for everyone

If you’re bringing a partner and/or other children for your session, make sure you clear the day for everyone, so no one feels rushed for your session.
If your session includes hair and makeup, plan to arrive 90 minutes before your partner. This way your partner and other children won’t have to wait at the studio and become restless before your session. If you’re traveling to me from further away, your partner can drop you off and plan to take other children to a nearby park, play place or to get lunch while you’re having hair and makeup done.

Preparing kids for photos

A lot of parents are bringing toddlers or young children to the studio to include in photos and I LOVE this and highly encourage it! Small kids can have an equally small window for wanting to participate in photos. I find most children under 5 will usually give me the first 20 minutes of a session or the last 20 minutes of a session. Meaning they either show up ready to go or they need a little time to warm up. Either way, most small kids are done after 20 minutes. Keeping this in mind can make it easier to plan outfits and help us gauge our expectations for little ones. Instant gratification always helps, so plan to bring along some of their favorite snack and non-messy treats. You can also bring a few favorite toys, but be prepared for them to be in a photo, since giving a favorite toy and taking it away for the photo can cause serious meltdowns.

If you have older children who will be joining us, let them know what the day will look like and what is expected of them. Older children do great with an after-shoot reward like ice cream or a favorite dinner spot. Feel free for them to bring a tablet and play games or watch videos. I’m also happy to put on a movie for them once they are finished with their photos.

Prepping Your Partner

Be sure your partner understands what you need from them on the day of your session. If they are responsible for bringing clothes, snacks or anything for your session, be sure you’ve communicated that in the days leading up to your session. If your partner is part of your consultation meeting, I will let them know how long to expect to be with me on the day of your session. If not, be sure to pass that info on to them. Partners won’t be in every photo, so they will mainly be responsible for wrangling any small kiddos.