Helpful guide of some foods to avoid while breastfeeding

Newborn Portrait Session

Name: Houston Newborn Photographer - Belly to Baby Studios
Address: 5701 Woodway Dr, Suite 108, Houston, TX, 77057, USA
Telephone: 713-461-2862

How to Prepare for your Newborn Photo Session

Houston newborn photographer, Lisa Carr with Belly to Baby Studios, shares information on how to prepare for your newborn portrait session.

Once you have identified your newborn photographer and booked your session, you should begin preparing for your newborn portrait session. Here are a few tips:

1. Feed your baby well at home before the session. We need your baby to be relaxed and have a full tummy for the session. If you baby is moving around a lot, and demonstrating feeding ques, it is time to feed. Be patient with this.

Bring plenty of formula with you if you are bottle feeding. Bring more than what your baby typically eats at home as we have found most babies eat more when in a new environment. We have a fridge and bottle warmer available for our clients to use during the newborn portrait session.

The list below is just a helpful guide of some foods to avoid while breastfeeding:

Citrus Acidic foods and drinks such as:

Cranberries
Pineapple
Grapefruit
Oranges
Lemons
Strawberries
Chili
Pizza
Chocolate
Spaghetti
Ketchup
Peanuts (Nuts in General)
Mexican/ Spicy Food
Tomatoes or tomato products

Gassy Vegetables such as:

Asparagus
Onion
Cauliflower
Cabbage
Broccoli
Brussel Sprouts
Cucumbers/pickles

Restrict foods such as:

Soda, Coffee, Tea, Wine and Beer. Check with your doctor to see if dairy is also an issue.

We highly suggest if your baby is gassy, to avoid the foods mentioned 48 hours before your session.

2. Bring plenty of diapers for your baby. Your baby will probably need to be changed frequently during the session so be prepared! We have a changing station available for our clients during the session. Just bring your diapers and wipes. We do keep a few extra of these on hand just in case but every client, or baby, has their own preferences.

3. Bring a change of clothes. Are we also photographing parents in addition to your newborn’s photo session? We have a changing room and makeup area available for our clients to use while we are in session with your newborn. Please bring extra clothes if you are unsure what to wear for your family session. We are happy to provide a clothing consult a few days before your newborn portrait session, or right before. Here are a few clothing tips:

– Solid colors work best
– Wear clothes that are comfortable, that make you feel confident
– Avoid patterns
– Long sleeve is highly recommended

This list provides a few of our most helpful tips to help you prepare for your newborn portrait session. You can view more of our newborn portraits, Maternity Portraits and our Family Portraits on our site. Our studio is conveniently located in the Galleria area, in a professional office building. We have a private nursing lounge so you can relax and feed your baby between sets.

About Belly to Baby Studios

Lisa Carr, of Belly to Baby Studios, is a Houston based full time newborn and family photographer. Our studio photographs maternity portraits, newborn portraits, baby portraits and family portraits. We help you and guide you all the way from your newborn Portrait session concept to Portrait completion. We love to create finished artwork for our client’s home. The artwork will appreciate over time and provide years of joy. When you view our Portraits and albums, they will take you back to a moment in time that in the end will slip by so quickly. Call us at 713-461-2862 and we can schedule and discuss your newborn portrait session.

Houston Maternity Photographer

Houston Maternity Photography

When is the best time for my pregnancy and newborn portraits to be taken?

Houston Maternity Photographer, Lisa Carr, with Belly to Baby Studios, shares a few tips on timing for your portraits.

Maternity: The best time to document this milestone is between weeks 28-34 of your pregnancy. If you have gained little weight, it is best to do this closer to the 36 week mark. We will consult with you and discuss your vision for your portrait prior to your session. For clothing we recommend classic, simple lines; clothes that will not date your portrait. We have a few items in our maternity gown closet that are designed for pregnancy sessions. You are welcome to bring some of your own clothing, too.

Maternity Portraits Tip: remember to keep the clothing simple, and try to avoid patterns. For pregnancy portraits you can be photographed with or without your belly exposed; whatever you are comfortable with. You are also encouraged to bring your own special items and props that you would like to include in your portrait session. Some items that moms have included are: ultrasounds, letter blocks, tiny hats and boots, gender reveal signs, and other personal creative items.

We always recommend a fresh mani and pedi, as well as hair and makeup. Make your portrait session a day of pampering!

Newborns: The first weeks after birth can be hectic and exciting, so I encourage parents to schedule their session before the birth so that there is one less thing to think of, and one more thing to look forward to.

If your baby’s birth weight is between 9-10 pounds, then we will want to photograph your new baby within the first 8-10 days if possible. If your baby weighs under 7 pounds at birth, we may suggest waiting a little longer. We would love for you to call the studio when your baby is born so we can suggest the best time to come. If you cannot schedule before your baby’s birth, don’t worry! Call us to get on our schedule asap. We are professionals and photograph newborns up to 6 weeks old.

We recommend you feed your newborn at home then again at our studio prior to the session, to help keep your baby nice and relaxed during the newborn session. We have several amenities needed for newborns; such as a changing table, wipes and other items.

We will use a variety of props to clothe your newborn, and also hopefully capture some nudes of your baby. You are welcome to bring your own special blanket, hat, or rattle as props for your portraits. You will have access to our prop collection that includes: wraps, hats, diaper covers, and tutus. We also encourage you to bring a few accessories to compliment our props to add a bit more of your personality. In the past, some moms have opted to bring hair accessories, hair clips, and personalized hats and blankets.

We encourage you to view our online portfolio and to learn more about our sessions and artwork. We are a full service studio, conveniently located in the Galleria area in a commercial office building. We have a private nursing lounge so you can relax and feed your baby between sets. Houston newborn and family portrait photographers can be reached at 713-461-2862 to discuss your session and help you create art for your home and family to enjoy for years to come.

Family and Newborn Photographer in Houston

Houston newborn and family portrait photographers, Belly to Baby Studios, recently photographed this newborn’s first portraits here in the studio. In addition to having their newborn photography, we extended the session to include family portraits as well. Your baby will only be this small for a short time. Portraits tell a story and help us remember moments in time.

A newborn’s first photography session is recommended to be scheduled within 7-12 days of birth. We recommend calling and having a consult before your session so you can prepare in advance. We always have an assistant on set to help with baby safety, and posing of your baby. We want to make sure your baby is relaxed and in good hands during the session.

For your in studio newborn portrait sessions, we have a prop closet full of wraps, baskets, blankets and backgrounds available for your baby. You do not need to bring a thing; just your baby! For your family portraits, we will have a brief clothing consultation over the phone so we can provide suggestions for your attire so there is harmony in your portrait. We want you to view your portrait 20 years from now and it look timeless versus dated with trending clothing and fancy photoshop effects. We realize you just had a baby, and probably do not have time to shop. We always will suggest and work with clothing that is already in your closet. We want to keep the portrait session simple and easy on your part.

Belly to Baby Studios, is located in the Galleria area, in a professional office building, 77057. We specialize in Maternity and Newborn portrait photography as well as Family Portraits. We strive to create artwork for your home that can be hung in a nursery or hallway. Newborns stay this small for a short window of time. So many parents come back to us at 3 months and 6 months to document the growth of their baby. It is very important to capture this time in a baby’s life since they grow so fast.

We recommend scheduling your baby’s session actually before your delivery date, if at all possible. In some cases, this is not always possible and we understand that. We do have Moms call us that have already had their baby, and their baby is a few weeks old. That is ok, we do not turn babies away when they are outside of the ideal 12 day old window. The important thing is to get your baby photographed when they are still tiny and a newborn. After all, the newborn phase is a short window of time.

Houston Newborn and Family Photography

Here are a few of our favorite images showcasing Houston newborn and family photography by Belly to Baby Studios. Their session included newborn portraits of their 10 day old son, Lucas, as well as family portraits. We always recommend scheduling newborn portraits when you baby is between 7-10 days old. If you can plan ahead and schedule during your pregnancy that’s great! We know life does not go as planned and you get busy. Many Moms call us from the hospital to schedule their baby’s newborn portraits. We anticipate this and leave room in our schedule to accommodate last minute newborn and family portrait sessions.

When calling different studios, here are a few tips of what to ask the photographer and what to know:

1. Experience

How long has this person been a photographer? Are they a hobbyist or pro photographer? What type of accreditation or professional organizations does this photographer have?

We have been professional photographers for over 20 years. We have professional camera and lighting equipment. These are our tools of the trade and help us create beautiful portraits for our clients. We are Certified Professional Photographers through PPA (Professional Photographers of America).

We always have an assistant on set when photographing your baby to ensure baby safety. This is a top priority for us.

2. Portfolio

When calling studios it is important to preview their portfolio first. Make sure you love what you see and you can envision having your portraits taken at that studio. Ask about the props and what is included with your newborn session.

3. Service and Products

While it might be tempting to select a newborn photographer based on price, it’s best to not always go with the cheapest. Your time is valuable and your baby is very important to you. We have received many calls from clients that have had their session in the hospital or with another studio and they were not happy with the quality of images. We will guide you through your family portrait session and make sure you look your best after having a baby!

After your session, we will help you select your favorite images and help you decide which portraits should go on your wall or in your album. All our portraits and albums are printed at a pro lab and you can definitely see the difference in quality with our products.

About Belly to Baby Studios: Houston Newborn & Family Photographer

Lisa Carr, of Belly to Baby Studios, is a Houston based full time newborn and family photographer. Our studio photographs maternity portraits, newborn portraits, baby portraits and family portraits. We help you and guide you all the way from Portrait session concept to Portrait completion. We love to create finished artwork for our client’s home. The artwork will appreciate over time and provide years of joy. When you view our Portraits and albums, they will take you back to a moment in time that in the end will slip by so quickly.

You can view more of our newborn portraits , Maternity Portraits and our Family Portraits on our site. Our studio is conveniently located in the Galleria area, in a professional office building. We have a private nursing lounge so you can relax and feed your baby between sets.

Call us at 713-461-2862 and we can schedule and discuss your portrait session.

Houston Newborn and Family Photography

Lisa Carr, with Belly to Baby Studios, is a newborn photographer in Houston. She recently photographed this baby girl when she was 1 month old. It is recommended that you photographed newborns between 7-12 days old. If you are a new Mom, or have never had your newborn photographed professionally you may be wondering why. This time frame is recommended so that your baby will sleep a bit more and so that they are still flexible since their bones and muscles have not fully developed. Babies that are older than this will typically stretch out more and reach out more with their hands during their sessions, and also may not want to be scrunched up or swaddled. We always receive calls after a baby has been born, and Moms are panicked because they did not pre-schedule their baby’s newborn session weeks in advance. We always leave room in our calendars for these last minute sessions. We also believe that it is very important to have your newborn’s photographed even if they are older than the recommended time frame of 7-12 days old. We know older babies will need to be handled differently and accommodations made for extra feedings during the session. Also we love to capture awake babies during the newborn session, and we allow extra time for these poses as well:

We also love to capture Family Portraits during the newborn session.

Call us at 713-461-2862 and we can schedule and discuss your portrait session.

Lisa Carr, of Belly to Baby Studios, is a Houston based full time newborn and family photographer. Our studio photographs maternity portraits, newborn portraits, baby portraits and family portraits. We help you and guide you all the way from Portrait session concept to Portrait completion. We love to create finished artwork for our client’s home. The artwork will appreciate over time and provide years of joy. When you view our Portraits and albums, they will take you back to a moment in time that in the end will slip by so quickly.

Call us at 713-461-2862 and we can schedule and discuss your portrait session.