How to calm a newborn

Knowing how to calm a newborn during your first weeks together can greatly impact your outlook on parenting a new baby, and decrease fussy time for baby.  Learning a handful of a newborn's needs, and even signals as to what may be bothering them, can can be easier than you think!  Keep reading for some of the best tips I've learned during my nearly thirteen years in business as a newborn photographer, which would have been nice to know when my girls were babies!

Basic Needs of a Newborn

Your new baby has some basic needs which ensure his or her health and happiness.  A newborn's basic needs can dramatically impact how calm or upset a sweet baby is behaving, and how calm Mama is feeling.  I will discuss a few basic newborn needs below.  Hopefully these will help ease your first weeks together.

Is your baby hungry?

Knowing how often your baby should be eating is important.  A pediatrician can give you detailed information in regard to how often and how much you can expect your new baby to eat. (Here is a list of some of Chicago's top Pediatricians.) Learning signals of hunger can help, which can shorten the amount of time a baby spends trying to communicate hunger, aka, fussing.  One easy to recognize hunger signal is a fist.  If your baby is fussy and has a clenched fist, take a look at the clock. If it has been more than 1.5 hours since the last feeding began, it may be time to eat.

Does your baby need a diaper change?

A dirty diaper can be uncomfortable.  The baby's delicate skin is very sensitive.  Staying damp or dirty for too long can cause a diaper rash.  Dive on in to see if a fresh diaper for your baby will help.  Now is a good time to spend a moment connecting.  Baby's thrive on human touch and connection!  In spite of frequent changes, a rash can happen.  Here is a link to our favorite diaper rash cream.

Is your newborn tired?

It is common for babies to fuss as they fall asleep.  Though it seems counterintuitive, babies often fight sleep!  Swaddling a tired, fussy baby is a wonderful way to help them give in to the Zzzz's. Think your newborn does not like to be swaddled?  Heck, I was sure my third daughter did not like a swaddle, too.  However, I have not met one newborn in 12+ years of business who does not like a swaddle.  Now that I know how to swaddle like a pro, it is clear babies love a good swaddle!  Here is a quick link to a video offering swaddling tips: How to Swaddle a Baby

Here are a handful of other considerations to review when determining how to calm your newborn.

Does your baby seem uncomfortable?  Gassy?  All babies burp, but some don't have an easy time of it.  Not burping easily can result in excess gas buildup, and an unhappy love bug.  There are videos all over social media with incredible burping techniques for harder to burp babies.  I suggest using the search engine to explore options, but here is are a couple of my favorite techniques I use in the studio.  The second technique shown is my magic go-to!  How to Burp Baby

Wondering if your baby may be overstimulated?  If you have met all your baby's basic needs and swaddling didn't work, try helping baby calm by dimming lights, going to a quiet place, and gently rocking baby.  Some times we all want a moment of calm, including our new souls!

Is your baby bored or looking for connection?  Babies can't say, "Mom, will you talk to me or snuggle me?", so they cry.  Yep, they are simply seek attention at times.  Love on that sweet baby, because you can't spoil them, just yet. 😉

The Happiest Baby on the Block

The Happiest Baby on the Block is an incredible resource for new parents, nannies, grandparents and relatives alike!!! Seriously, you can thank me later.  The Happiest Baby on the Block is offered in book format, but it is worth your time and pennies to watch the video.  Created by a Pediatrician, these five S's are game changers when it comes to calming a fussy baby.  The video format offers great visuals and hearing the level of volume used is eye-opening.  Here is a link to a blog post about the five S's if you'd like to start there.   You will be amazed like I was about twelve years ago when a dear friend "S'd" her fussy baby to sleep in SECONDS!

Understanding Your Baby's Cries

Science has proven babies are communicating specific needs with their cries.  It's mind blowing, and so helpful!   It may seem difficult to distinguish one cry from another at first.  Some of that is due to our desire to jump up at the first sign of fussing. Take a quick minute to listen for the sound your baby is making.  Take a look at the shape of his or her mouth as she makes these sounds.  I'm telling you, learning your baby's cries will be a game changer! You can read about a baby's five different cries HERE.

Swaddling like a pro

If I had to guess, I'd say about 75% of my clients comment on being blown away at the swaddling that takes place in the studio.  Swaddling creates a similar condition to that of the womb, their home of 9+ months.  Quetzalli's images are great examples of the types of swaddling I do at the studio (These techniques are not for home use.).  She was incredibly calm and content for her session, as are most of my newborns.  I believe it is because I start every session with time in a swaddle.   This allows them time to get used to me touching them and gently moving them around.  Take a look at Quetzalli's smile and relaxed fingers/hands. She was putty in my hands!

 

What is a newborn session

A first time parent may have never heard about a newborn session, and that's not surprising!  If you are wondering, "What is a newborn session?", I've got you.  Let's talk about the why, what and how of newborn sessions when it comes to me, your Chicago newborn photographer.  Join me with a cup of hydration and relax!

Why consider a newborn session

Let's start with the very reason for this type of portrait session.  Why consider a newborn session?  To put it simply, the newborn stage is incredibly fleeting, merely a handful of weeks, and a time in which the greatest changes take place in the shortest timeframe.  Trust me when I say you are going to be too tired to recall so many of the precious details of your sweet baby during their first weeks earthside.  There is literally no other time in your child's life during which they will look remotely similar to this newborn stage.  For these reasons and more, it is a session which is very time sensitive.  I strongly encourage you to find your newborn photographer and lock in a session BEFORE baby arrives to ensure availability with your preferred newborn photographer.

What is a newborn session

Now that you know the why, you may be wondering, "What is a newborn session and how is it different from any other portrait session?".  Different photographers create different types of newborn sessions, whether they be studio, posed, lifestyle or outdoors.  I'll take time to elaborate on this topic with regard to my style of newborn photography - timeless, authentic, studio, posed newborn photography.

Your newborn session will most likely take place during your baby's first two weeks of age. My sessions begin with any older siblings loving on their baby.  We will then move on to the entire immediate family, followed by baby and parents.  This portion of the session is typically done within thirty minutes, ensuring everyone is comfortable and safe.  Once we have completed the family portion of the session, it is time for solo images of baby.  I'll being with baby in props, followed by unwrapped images on the posing table.  The posing table is a structure created specifically for this use and can hold up to 250 pounds.  It also has raised edges on all sides to ensure baby is safe!  Once I have completed working with your love bug, you are all set to head out and enjoy the rest of your day.   The entire experience should be relaxing and enjoyable, and my twelve year record is squeaky clean to date!  Here are some incredible reviews which speak to session experience AND results:  Google Reviews. Less popular but just as special, here are some reviews on Yelp.

How do I schedule a newborn session

The first step in the session process is securing your newborn session with Lillybelle Rose Photography.  It is *highly recommended* you secure a newborn session during your second trimester to ensure availability.  You will book a date which falls 5-10 days after your expected due date, which will be adjusted if needed once baby arrives.  I've made this as easy as can be, with many available dates open to the public for scheduling online when it is convenient for you!  The online booking process includes a short survey which affords you the opportunity to truly customize your session.  You will share your general information and finish by selecting your session colors.  Once I receive your booking notification, I will send you a detailed welcome email, including tips to prepare for a successful newborn session together.  Clients rave about this guide!

What do I get with my newborn session

When my babies were born, digital cameras and cell phones with cameras were not a thing.  When Lillybelle Rose Photography began, I decided to look into offering photo jewelry (Hey, it was a huge thing for a minute!).  I realized I could not make photo jewelry of my girls as babies, or any print products for that matter,  because we didn't have any negatives!  That is when I decided I would ALWAYS provide digital files for my clients.  And so, once you have selected/purchased your favorite gallery images, you will receive beautifully edited, high resolution digital downloads of the images along with a print release.  You will also have access to an online store of gorgeous print products.  You will also receive instructions to back. up. your. files.  Believe me, accidents happen. I've experienced this personally and professionally.  I've written a post regarding organizing and storing your digital images HERE.  Please do take a moment to read through this important information!

What is your style

Choosing your newborn photographer can feel overwhelming with thousands in the Chicago area alone.  Many newborn photographers offer heavily stylized portraits, including over the top props and accessories.  If you adore that style, I am NOT your newborn photographer, and that's okay!  At Lillybelle Rose Photography, I strive to create timeless, authentic newborn images which realistically capture your beautiful family.  While images are fully edited, my goal is to keep you looking like you, but better.  For example, baby's skin will be smoothed and parents' eye bags will be softened (I got you! ;D).  You can see how much goes in to editing an image in the below before & after, yet the after is still authentic, realistic, and not topped off with some heavy, trendy layer.

You will find endless posts on this blog, showcasing hundreds of sessions captured over my 12+ years in business.  Take a moment to browse around HERE and make sure my style is right for your portrait goals.  You can also head over to the newborn portfolio where you will see a smaller assortment of images from some of my favorite galleries.  Finally, I'll share some images of a precious little soul named Kyler.  This beautiful boy and his loving family were a joy to capture!

 

 

Midwifery in Illinois: How to find qualified midwives in Chicago

Looking for Midwives in IL? When it comes to finding a midwife in Chicago or the greater Illinois area, you have a few decisions to make. Do you want someone affiliated with a hospital, or do you want somebody independent? Do you want to see midwives in IL during your pregnancy, or would you like postnatal care as well? Once you've decided what's important to you, it's time to start looking. Here are some tips on finding the perfect midwife for your needs. But first, a little background info for you.

Want more newborn care information, insights, tips, and tricks? Check out our other blog posts here. 

What is a Midwife?

Midwives in IL are highly trained professionals who provide care for new and expecting mothers. They provide comprehensive care for women throughout their pregnancies, including well-woman care, gynecological care, and family planning services. Midwives also provide labor and delivery care, postpartum care, newborn care, support, guidance, and education to new and expecting parents. They believe that pregnancy and childbirth are natural processes, and they strive to provide individualized care that respects the unique needs of each woman and her family.

Midwives are licensed by the state and have completed an accredited Midwifery in Illinois Education Program. Chicago-based new or expecting parents should consider a midwife as their primary care provider because of the comprehensive, continuous, and dynamic support they provide.

How to find qualified midwives in Chicago

Sometimes it can be challenging to find a qualified midwife in your area. Here are some tips on how to find a midwife in Chicago:

• Midwifery Education Programs: There are several Midwifery Education Programs located in Chicago. To find a program near you, visit the American Midwifery Certification Board and search for programs by state. 
• Hospitals: Many hospitals in Chicago offer Midwifery Services. To find a hospital near you that offers Midwifery Services, visit the Illinois Department of Public Health and search for hospitals by county.
• Local Midwives. Take a look at our list of go-to midwives in the Illinois region below. These women are well-known in the area and have a reputation for delivering world-class Midwifery in Illinois.

Interviewing Midwives for a good fit

It may seem daunting, but interviewing your potential midwives in IL is crucial to finding the right fit. You want to be sure that you are comfortable with your Midwife and that they are qualified to care for you. Here are a few questions to ask when interviewing Midwives:

1. What is your experience with Midwifery?

You want to be sure that midwives in IL are experienced and qualified to care for you. While there are obviously new midwives joining the workforce every day, your best bet is to find a Midwife with years of experience.

2. What are your qualifications?

Conduct a deep dive into their qualifications and specialties. Is this Midwife certified, and do they have the proper capabilities to care for you? Where have they worked? Where do they do most of their business? Are they familiar with your unique needs and potential concerns? 

3. What is your philosophy on Midwifery care?

Discuss philosophies with the Midwife to make sure they share your perspective on Midwifery care. Everyone has different needs and preferences when it comes to Midwifery care, so it's essential to find a Midwife who is the right fit for you philosophy-wise.

4. What is your experience with home births?

Some parents-to-be choose to have a midwife present for the birth of their child, especially when it comes to home births. Check that your potential Midwife is experienced in home births and that you are comfortable with their care in home birth situations.

5. What is your experience with hospital births?

Just like home births, you want to ensure that your Midwife is experienced in hospital births, has good relationships with your preferred hospital, and can support you in a hospital birth.

6. What are your rates?

Saving on cost is important for most families, but it's important to remember that you get what you pay for when it comes to finding a midwife. Lower cost care will likely be less hands-on, but those willing to pay more should expect higher quality service when charged higher premiums.

7. What is your policy on payment, refunds, or rescheduling?

Ask the interviewee about their payment and refund policies and their rescheduling policies.  You should also ask about what kind of medical backup they have in case of an emergency and if they are comfortable with being on-call 24/7.

The most popular midwives in Chicago

While there are numerous top-tier candidates for Midwifery in Illinois, I’ve compiled a list of some of the most sought-after care providers in the local area, so you don't have to do the research yourself! See below:

• Stephanie Miller (Joliet, IL)
• Karen Wexler (Chicago, IL)
• Katherine Erbe (Chicago, IL)
• Margarita Flores (Chicago, IL)
• Heather McCullough (Evanston, IL)
• Kelly Aten ( Hinsdale, IL)

If you cannot contact or work with any of these incredible women, don't fret! There are many great options that you can interview for your Midwifery in Illinois needs. Regardless of who you ultimately choose, you're now ready to get into the next stage of parenthood planning.

Now is also the perfect time to find your ideal newborn photographer

Once you've locked in your choice for a midwife, it's time to start searching for the best Chicago newborn photographers. To encapsulate this unique and fleeting time, you'll want to find an experienced photographer who specializes in newborn photography. Look for someone with extensive training and a patient demeanor who will make you and your partner feel comfortable while they capture all the details of your new baby…like me!

When researching potential photographers, ask about their experience photographing newborns, what props and backdrops they use, how long the sessions typically last, and if they offer any package discounts. Also, take a look at their portfolio to understand their style and approach.

Get your newborn portrait session scheduled with Francine

If you're looking for a newborn photographer in Chicago, look no further than Lillybelle Rose Photography! With over 12 years of experience photographing newborns, I am here to make sure you have beautiful memories to treasure for a lifetime.  My studio is filled with everything I need for a relaxing session and a gallery you will cherish!   Schedule a session here now. 

Midwife + Photographer...Now What?

Now that you've found your midwife and photographer, all that's left to do is enjoy your new baby and capture all the precious moments! Midwifery in Illinois care and newborn photography are two critical investments that will help you look back on this time with fondness, appreciation, and gratitude.

If you have any questions about Midwifery in Illinois care or newborn photography in Chicago, feel free to contact Francine. 

While I have you, here is a look at a recent session with a gorgeous new soul, Max.  Have any questions, please let me know HERE!

 

 

 

 

Organizing digital pictures

From your cell phone images to your professional portraits, you are more than likely frustrated over organizing digital pictures.   It's not surprising - You most likely have thousands of images you'd like to keep safe and organized!  I've been there, both professionally (See portfolio here.) and personally (Learn a bit about little 'ol me here!), and I've come up with a system that works great for me.  Hope it can help you, too!

Where to store your digital pictures and files

Where to store your digital products when organizing digital pictures is important!  Too many files on a computer's hard drive will slow your amazing piece of equipment down.  I highly recommend a two-step system.  First, keep your digital pictures and files on hand by saving them to an external hard drive.  Keeping them off your computer's hard drive will keep your computer running at optimal speed.  Having the external hard drive will also afford you the benefit of having "portable" files!  You can simply plug your external hard drive in to whichever computer you'd like to use to access your files.  (Keep in mind, you may have to format your external hard drive differently for a PC vs a Mac.).  Secondly, but just as important, it is time to figure out which of the many offsite/cloud storage options you would like to use to back up your external hard drive.  Yes, it's necessary.  External hard drives can fail...do fail...and their connections may even become obsolete.  Backing up your important pictures and files is worth every penny!  Take a moment to browse around at all the options available - I promise it's worth not loosing your cherished memories and important digital documents!

Types of digital files

Now let's determine what types of digital files you have and hope to organize and store while organizing digital pictures and such.  Documents, downloads, pdfs, psds, jpegs, etc, are all digital formats we can save on a device.  Knowing the purpose of each digital file will help you begin your digital organizing process.  Is the file for work or personal use?  On your external hard drive, create two folders:  1.  Personal. 2. Work.  Within these two categories/folders, you will create subfolders.  (To create your folders and subfolders on a Mac, click Finder, than select your external hard drive.  Create a new folder, then click that folder to open it and create new folders within it.  Easy peesy!). In your personal files folder, you can create subfolders to further distinguish categories.  Examples are:  1. Family portraits 2. {child's name} portraits, Home documents, Medical documents, etc.  Now create a folder in each subfolder for the year the picture or document was created.  Finally, within each year's folder, create a folder for each event, like first steps, grade of school, party, location of portrait session, etc.   Here is a quick glimpse at some of my folders. You will see I have a folder for each family member outside of the folders named for each year.  This is for projects they are working on, or items which seem to be requested repeatedly.  (Yep, I am the keeper of all important BECAUSE I BACK UP OFFSITE!)

Backing up your digital pictures

It is important to back up your digital pictures and documents OFF SITE for many reasons.  I've had clients who never backed up their portraits and lost years of precious memories due to hard drive failure, lost external hard drives, and even a home fire.  Paying monthly for these services can be frustrating, but the cost is nothing when you consider the loss of so many treasured pictures.  Printing your images is important - you should enjoy them in your home on a daily basis, but this does not mean they will not get damaged one way or another.  Another incident which comes to mind is when I, myself, *cough* lost *cough* TEN THOUSAND edited images.  Yep, you read that right.  TEN THOUSAND.  Years ago, Apple updated their system so that Photos opened automatically and showed all images to which the computer had access.  I saw thousands and thousands of jpeg client images in Photo and wondered how they ended up getting stored on my computer's hard drive.  So I deleted them.  And since I'm a bit over the top with cleaning, I quickly cleared my computer's trash, too.  And then I realized Photos was accessing my external hard drive.  At that point, I did not have offsite back up because I trusted my gazillion dollar professional external hard drive that has four internal backups per unit.  That week my offsite backup subscription began, and I haven't looked back since.  So, here's what you need to do:  Save all of your images and documents to your external hard drive, then set your off site back up set to back up your external hard drive continuously.  Just. Do. It.

What kind of pictures to back up

If you are wondering what kind of pictures to back up, let me tell you...all of them!!!  Life is crazy.  From sleep deprivation to the cycle of life, each image will hold a special place in your heart for different reasons.  Some of my favorites are from the days before dslrs and portrait skills, and even cell phone pictures from the days of crappy cell phones.

Backing up your professional pictures

Backing up your professional pictures is just as important as backing up your documents and family snapshots.  You've invested a lot of time and money in these professional sessions, and most likely overlooked your photographer's policy on image retention.  Be sure to see how long your photographer guarantees to hang on to your session files before assuming they will have them for years to come.  It costs us photographers a pretty penny to back up the large, numerous files we capture for our clients, and for this reason, we only hang on to them for a reasonable length of time.  Back up your session files!!!

Here are examples of files captured during Miss Isabella's newborn session.  Can you imagine collecting images for your baby's high school graduation and not having any of these adorable moments preserved?  Back up your files off site!  (Broken record, and proud of it! ;P)

 

 

 

Your Newborn photographer in Naperville would like to introduce the ca-utest little boy in town, Charlie!  Oh how smooshable and huggable he was.   He had a calm demeanor every newborn photographer in Naperville dreams of!  This first image may be one of my favorites from his session - see how close those tiny little toes are to his chest?  Sigh...I adore the bendy babies, probably because I miss my own being this small.  Enjoy a look at images from this wonderful session!

 

Find out more about a session with your newborn photographer in Naperville HERE!  It is easy to schedule your newborn session via the online scheduler HERE.  My goal is to make the entire newborn session process easy and relaxing.  You will find my clients feel I have done this successfully if you take a look through the Lillybelle Rose Photography Google reviews.  I am proud to provide excellent service while always striving to deliver impeccable portraits of your new baby.

Also at your fingertips on the website is information on what to expect.  This information covers when to schedule, what will happen after you do so, and everything between up to the delivery of your final images and print products.  My goal, as noted above, is to keep the entire process simple.  You have a lot on your hands as you welcome a new family member.  Let me help you capture this moment with images you will cherish for a lifetime.