3 Best Ways to Safely Pose a Newborn Baby with their Proud Big Brother or Sister!
There are few things things more important to a new mother as a precious images showcasing the love and connection between her children. As a mom to four little ones, I identify with how special these images are! For instance, when I announced I was expecting Baby Number 4 (who turned out to be a boy!!) I instantly began looking for the perfect photographer to capture a sibling portrait of all my little ones. In fact, this image is hung in my house as 40x50” gallery wrapped canvas, so it’s a great way to wake up and see my spirited tribe of kiddos all snuggled together!
However, this blog post also shares transparency! In the world of posed infant portraiture, safety is key! I cannot stress this enough! Sometimes a new Mom will send me a Pinterest image of a child holding a younger sibling and relays that she would love to have that particular image! While I am happy to take client inspiration it is always important to keep these facts in mind:
Is the pose age appropriate? For instance, a 13 month old cannot stand and hold a new sibling even if you did see it on Pinterest, ha!
How comfortable is Big Brother or Sibling interacting with the new addition?
This in mind, I have compiled a list of 3 ways to safely photograph your precious newborn baby along with your other child(ren).
1 ) Flokati Rug
Of all the sibling photo ideas with a newborn, this one is my absolute favorite! There is something extremely timeless, classic, and stunning about the texture of the flokati rug. I also adore this pose because everyone is properly supported. For instance, with the elder sibling laying on their back, I always have posing pillows behind their head so their neck is properly supported. Once I have wrapped the younger sibling, who is a newborn, they are gently placed in the crook of Big Brother (or sister’s!) neck with posing beans placed underneath them. Mom and Dad can easily sit on either side of the flokati rug and they’re not in the frame. That way, if the sibling did decide to get up, no big deal, hands can be on Baby at all time. I do recommend this pose for kiddos who are about 3 years or older simply because they often can take direction easier.
Also, during this pose we are always sure to give lots of praise to the sibling! I include them in the process by letting the Big Sister select things like the color of the wrap, headband or bonnet, and also we will sing songs during this portion. I also recommend doing the sibling photo first so that your toddler or preschool aged child is refreshed and excited to help! Often they’re very proud and ready to show how sweetly they can hug and hold their sibling. This pose is very safe. I have a variety of flokati rug colors, too, and a huge stash of wraps, headbands, bonnets, etc., so we can style everyone to match the colors in your home.
2) Baby inside of prop
Placing your newborn baby inside of a floor prop, such as a bucket or bowl, is a great way to have adorable sibling photos! This is because your newborn is safely tucked away into a floor prop and the sibling hugs the prop or even sits next to it. This is my “go to” for younger siblings, such as toddlers, because even if the toddler is not interested in holding sibling, we can often have them in the same frame. This is why it’s important to consider the age of the sibling and what is appropriate for their development.
For example, Benjamin, who is not even two years old, was such a rock-star during his little sister’s wrapped session with me! He was a little unsure of actually holding sister in his lap. The baby is safely posed inside of this basket. With Benjamin, we simply asked him to give sister a kiss and we praised him!
The good thing is that I have tons of amazing floor props and interesting items so the options are endless! However, if you do book a posed newborn session with a sibling portion, feel free to let me know if there is a certain prop you truly adore and would love to have in your session.
3) Baby in child’s lap
Baby in child’s lap is the top requested idea for sibling photos. Moms cannot help but tear up and swoon when they see their eldest taking on a protective, sweet role for the new arrival. This pose is often great with children who are three or older. However, if you have more than one child, often we can do a few variations of this pose, too.
As always, thank you for stopping by my blog to see information on newborn and sibling photography! Other related topics you may enjoy are:
Sarah Borchgrevink Photography is a Houston Newborn Photographer specializing in gorgeous posed newborn sessions. Her studio is located in Northwest Harris County. In addition to breathtaking baby portraiture, Sarah also offers stylish natural light family photography as well as dynamic outdoor maternity sessions for expecting mothers and couples. Sarah joyfully serves the entire Harris and Montgomery county areas including Houston, Cypress, Tomball, Spring, The Woodlands, Kingwood, Memorial & West Houston, Katy, Sugar Land, Pearland, Richmond, West University and Rice Village.