How do you do newborn shoots?

It usually looks like I'm moving in if the newborn shoot is at Mom and Dad's house.  Personally it's easier for me to do it at my home but I've been a new Mommy before and understand not wanting to get out of the house much in the first 10 days.  Things I bring?

A large Boppy pillow
Several backgrounds whether that be blankets or actual backgrounds
Baskets or other containers
Props (blankets, hats, hair things and/or letter blocks)
A clear shower curtain
A heating pad

I use a series of layers when I do the shoot.  If I have a certain background I want to use I drape or hang it on whatever I can but usually a headboard, couch, on the backs of kitchen chairs or on my studio frame.  I then use the background to cover the boppy.  Between the background and the boppy is the clear shower curtain to catch little "oopsies" that may occur if the little one is without a diaper.  Between the boppy and the clear shower curtain is the heating pad on low.  Little ones need to stay as warm as possible which would mean layers until you get a photographer in the mix of things.  My first newborn shoot was my son Jude.  I was so in love with every inch of him that I took pictures of his little fingers, toes, wrinkles in his legs, hair, belly buttons...everything!  I knew he would grow up before I knew it and I didn't want to forget one single thing about him.  I want to do the same for you which is why they're either in diapers only or showing off their streaking skills at a young age hehe!  With that being said we need another way of keeping them warm.  That's where the heating pad comes into play.  It's under the (folded) shower curtain which ends up being rather thick, and a layer or two of backgrounds.  As I work it's easier to put the new background over the old one.  So all that to say the heating pad is not directly on your baby at any time.  Even with the layers I frequently check to make sure the baby doesn't get too hot.  These shoots are filled with frequent stops to feed, change and console the baby that for the first few days of its so far short life have been spent in someone's arms.  Some don't mind being laid down, but some sure do!  It's all about patiently working with them to get them comfortable and asleep.  It's hard work but so much fun!!  I'm known to use whatever will work including a kitchen table :)  One thing is for sure though, no matter where I am in the house or what I use I always put things in the exact order it was when I arrived.  Below is an example of using a not so likely place (kitchen table)

This photo and more are in the Jaxon newborn album in an earlier post.  If you have any questions or are interested in newborn session pricing please feel free to email me at foxtreephotog@aol.com, on Facebook (Foxtree Photography Amber Middleton) or send me a message here.