Bringing home a newborn is like stepping into a whole new world – one where time moves differently, naps are unpredictable, and leaving the house suddenly feels like preparing for an arctic expedition. For many new parents, the trip to their newborn photoshoot is the first big outing, which means it’s also their first real attempt at wrestling with a car seat, timing feeds, and packing all the things.
If you’re feeling slightly panicked about getting out the door, don’t worry – I’ve got you covered. Here’s a lighthearted (but hopefully genuinely helpful) guide to making your first outing with a newborn as smooth as possible.
Step One: Lower Your Expectations
You used to be able to throw on shoes, grab your bag, and be out the door in two minutes flat. Those days are gone. Now, a simple outing requires military-level logistics. The sooner you accept that nothing will go exactly to plan, the better. Aim to leave the house half an hour before you actually need to. Trust me, you’ll need that buffer.
Step Two: The Car Seat Battle
If you haven’t already mastered the art of securing your tiny human into their car seat, now’s the time to practice. Do a test run the day before your photoshoot. There’s nothing worse than discovering last-minute that the straps are too tight, the buckle is confusing, or the whole thing is somehow still in the box.
Bonus tip: If it’s cold, remember that babies can’t wear big coats or snowsuits in a car seat – it’s a safety hazard. Instead, dress them in layers and tuck a cosy blanket over them once they’re strapped in.
Step Three: Pack the Bag (Then Pack It Again)
The nappy bag will become your new best friend. For almost any outing, even if you are planning to nip out to the corner shop for 10 minutes, still make sure it includes:
✔️ Nappies (more than you think you’ll need)
✔️ Wipes (for baby-related messes and also, let’s be honest, for you)
✔️ A spare outfit (or two, because newborns love a well-timed spit-up)
✔️ A muslin or two
✔️ A dummy if you’re using one
✔️ A bottle if bottle-feeding
✔️ Snacks for you – because running on no sleep and no food is a dangerous game
Step Four: The Timing Puzzle
This one is tricky. You want to leave the house when the baby is fed, changed, and hopefully not screaming. Newborns have an uncanny ability to sense when you’re in a hurry and will inevitably decide now is the perfect time for a blowout. Build in extra time for one last-minute feed or nappy change before you walk out the door.
For your newborn photoshoot, I recommend feeding baby just before you leave, so they arrive content and (hopefully) sleepy. If they need another feed when you get here, don’t worry – there’s plenty of time built into the session for that.
Step Five: Get Yourself Ready First
It’s tempting to focus on getting the baby dressed and packed up first, but trust me – get yourself ready first. You do not want to be scrambling for clothes, brushing your hair, and searching for shoes while holding a wriggling baby who just did an explosive nappy. Get dressed, grab a snack, and then tackle the baby prep.
Step Six: Just Leave Already!
At some point, you have to stop triple-checking the bag, stop worrying about what you might have forgotten, and just go. If you’re late, you’re a bit late. It happens to every new parent, and I promise, I won’t judge! (Honestly, I expect it.)
By the time you arrive at the studio, you’ll probably feel like you’ve run a marathon. But the hard part is over – you made it! Now you can sit back, relax, and enjoy watching your tiny human being all cute while I take care of the rest.
And next time you need to leave the house? It will get easier. Eventually.
Baby Whispers Photography 