30A Newborn Photographer | What to Do If Your Baby Won’t Stop Crying on Picture Day

We’ve all seen those adorable photos of new little babies looking so peaceful and relaxed — not a care in the world. As new parents, we want similar photos of our own babies to send out to grandparents, make into screensavers, and blast out to our social media pages to show off our amazing baby.

But then session day comes around and BAM — your baby does not want anything to do with it.

That Moment of Mom-Panic

You’re thinking, “Why won’t you stop crying? I’ve literally done everything I can think of, but you’re still not happy. Don’t you know I’m paying good money for this session? Sarah’s baby cooperated in her session — why can’t you just go to sleep and let us get some nice photos?!”

If this is happening during your session, I want you to stop, breathe, and remember one thing:

All Newborns Cry

This is a natural, real emotion that all newborns have for most of their first few months of life.

• It’s not abnormal.
• There is nothing wrong with your child for doing it.
• It is nothing to be ashamed of.
• They aren’t doing it to embarrass you.

And when you stress out about the fact that your baby is crying, it actually makes things worse — because they can sense that you’re upset.

Embrace the Moment

Don’t let the crying upset you. Embrace this moment in time. It won’t be long before you forget how her little forehead wrinkled up whenever she screamed, or how his toes would get all stretched out and tense when he was upset. Let us capture these little details. These crying photos can evoke real emotion and demonstrate the love you have for your child as you try to soothe them. Your child can look back at these photos once they’re all grown and remember the solace they found in your arms. These tender moments are just as important — if not more so — than the sleeping, posed photos.

And Yes, We’ll Still Get the Sleepy Ones

All that being said, if you have your heart set on those peaceful, posed photos, we will take as many breaks as we need. I have quite a few tricks up my sleeve to get those fussy babies to sleep so I can get those photos for momma. One of those tricks is a pacifier — which is why I stress on bringing one to the session, even if you aren’t going to give them one any other time. Pacifiers are lifesavers when it comes to newborn photography!

Planning Your Newborn Session on 30A

I photograph newborns and growing families all along 30A and the Emerald Coast. You can see more sessions on my maternity and newborn page, browse the broader 30A photographers portfolio, or look at my favorite shooting locations across 30A and Destin.

Book Your Newborn Session

Ready to plan your own newborn session? Please contact me for detailed pricing and availability. And don’t forget the pacifier!