my 3 baby must-haves with our 3rd? | Personal

I knew with our third, he would have to be an on the go baby. We came home from the hospital in January and 3 days later Texas had an ice storm, so I was thrown into 3 kiddos all home very quickly. Thankfully my husband works from home so I did have extra hands, but those first few days of snuggles and laying in bed all day didn’t quite happen.

We also did not have a full nursery in our house which is fine since he slept in a bassinet in our room until about 2 months. Plus, let’s be honest it’s survival mode for the first little bit and sleep at any time is appreciated. I did have a few of my favorite things that kept me sane during the first few weeks plus I still use on the regular. Some of these I used with our second as well.

1. Boba Baby Wrap

   This swaddle has been my life safer! I wore Shepherd 90% of the time, and still use this some days. He LOVES to be worn and will fall right to sleep when he is in the wrap. I found this easier and more comfortable to wear around the house. I wore it when I had my weekly bible study and he’d sleep in it. He preferred this over sleeping in his carseat stroller.

2. Night Light

This was the perfect night light for diaper changes and feedings. I set it by the changing table or chair where I fed him and it has various settings to help with those middle of the night feeds. I do have the Hatch as well, but this simple light allowed you to turn it on and off without changing the sound. I also took it to the hospital to use. It is chargeable and can be used without the plug. You can grab it and go from one room to the next!

3. Portable Sound Machine

The best sound machine! I have people daily asking me what the noise is. I slept with this in the hospital and we take it on the go everywhere with us. He also uses it at nap time since he naps in a different room from the crib currently. It lasts for hours!

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5 Ways to Prep for Your Newborn Session | Newborn

As a mama, you can do all the things to prep for your newborn session, and still be thrown a curve ball. We recently had our newborn pictures taken for Baby Boy #3, and even I had a few bumps in the road. I even wore baby boy while I did my hair and makeup so I could be ready beforehand. Yes, you read that right! My favorite wrap saved the day! I thought I had a plan for swapping out our bedding, but nope it didn’t go as I had hoped.

But guess what it’s okay! I tried to stay calm and not stress about it. I knew it wasn’t something I could change, so I made do. I changed my vision, and it all worked out!

Mama, the more you stress, the more stressed your baby and family are too!

Here are 5 tips to prep for your newborn session:

1. PICK YOUR OUTFITS OUT BEFOREHAND

Plan ahead. Go shopping and pick out your outfits beforehand. Make sure you try them on and lay them out to see how it all looks together. YOU are the most important one that day. Make sure you feel comfortable in whatever you choose to wear!

2. ASK FOR HELP

It is okay to ask for help. Have a friend or family member come over to hold your new little one or help with the big kids so you have time to get ready without feeling rushed. Take some pressure off yourself.

3. MAKE SURE YOU PULL OUT THE IRON FOR BEDDING AND OUTFITS

Iron all the things. Does your bedding need to have a wrinkle or two ironed out? This is really if you decide to put something new on. You see I was going to put a new duvet cover on and opened it up the day of. It had an orange string through the trim, and I realized if I was going to use it, it would need to be ironed. All that to say, you do NOT need to purchase new bedding for your newborn session we will be using it in our bedroom once I get a new one.

4. FEED YOUR BABY 30 MINUTES BEFORE

Make sure your baby is well fed. It is a good idea to feed your little one about 30 minutes before your session then allow mama to put her clothes on and finish any last minute touch ups.

5. TAKE A DEEP BREATH, AND RELAX

Lastly, take a deep breath and relax. Yes, easier said than done. Your energy feeds to your baby and family. If you are relaxed, everyone else will be too.

I also shared 3 must haves for your newborn session. If you missed it, you can find the blog here.

If are interested in booking a newborn session, I am currently booking through early Fall, and I would love to chat with you! You can reach out to me here for booking information.

Business Mentoring | Education

Education is such an important part of continued learning, growth and community. I have learned and mentored with some wonderful photographers over the years who have helped me on business aspects; as well as, photography techniques, workflows and editing. It has been a dream for me to give back to other entrepreneurs and photographers who are looking to take their business to the next level.

As you may or may not know, I worked in commercial real estate for 13 years while doing photography on the side for the last 7 of those 13 years. I grew my business slow and steady. I always knew I wanted to be a full time photographer while having the flexibility to be home with our children.

In November 2020, I stepped away from my corporate role and begin my full time photography business.

Was it scary? Yes. Did I work hard to make sure I felt like I was set up for success? Yes.

I took time to make sure I had all my business systems in place, and felt confident in taking the next steps to go full time with photography. As I begin to offer Business Mentoring to photographers, my hope is to work with other professionals who are looking to make the switch from a corporate or other full-time 9-5 career to a growing photography business.

I want to help YOU feel confident in your transition. Know you have yourself set up for success. Be a mentor and cheerleader while you say YES to big goals and dreams! I am excited to offer a limited number of mentor sessions each year!

If you or someone you know would benefit from a Business Mentor you can read about my new offering here.