Conversations about pregnancy during our portrait sessions taking baby pictures in the South Riding, VA and Round Hill, VA area often lead to “favorites” during pregnancy. Many things quickly become your favorite because they make pregnancy so much more comfortable – especially toward the later months. Here are four ideas for you:

Pre-Natal Vitamins & Nutrition
This one is a no-brainer. Speak to your physician about when to start your prenatal vitamins, but typically you start them before you’re pregnant! There are plenty of great books out on nutrition during pregnancy. They take the guessing out of creating a healthy diet during your nine months. Remember, a healthy mama helps to deliver a healthy baby!

Pillows
Expectant mothers will tell you that they’ve never loved their pillows more than when they were pregnant! Some women prefer a smaller one to fit between their knees while lying on their sides, while other women prefer longer body pillows. It’s personal preference, but the goal is to align your chest and hips while sleeping on your side. Don’t forget to keep a lower back pillow when you’re sitting to avoid putting too much stress on your lower back.

Leggings or Yoga Pants
If there’s one thing we’ve learned with our baby photography clients (and from personal experience!), it’s that pregnancy is far more pleasant if you’re comfortable! What you wear can make a significant difference. Try leggings or yoga pants. Not only are they comfortable, but you can dress them up or down depending on what you’re doing. Pair them with cute ballerina flats for extra comfort. Just remember that flat shoes can work against you if they don’t offer arch support.

Belly Bands
Speak to your obstetrician about a belly band and if it’s a good idea for you. Some women swear by them for the added support they provide your belly as it grows.

As experts in maternity and baby pictures in the South Riding, VA and Round Hill, VA areas, we’re given the opportunity and blessing to work with both pregnant women and babies. We are so grateful for our clients!
 

 

Baby Photography, Baby Photographer, Baby Pictures

Ever After Baby Portraits is comprised of Mindy Belcher and Joriana Belcher Anderson, a mother-daughter baby photography team located near South Riding, VA and Round Hill, VA in Northern Virginia. We specialize in timeless and emotive fine art family portraits, including newborn and baby portraits. Family means everything and capturing those precious moments to preserve forever will mean family heirlooms for you to share for years to come.

Best,
Mindy & Joriana – Contact Us!

View Our Portfolio | Ever After Baby Portraits

Did you know that our studios near Round Hill, VA make it easy for you to give newborn photography as a baby shower gift?! We offer gift certificates in any amount you choose – a unique and precious gift – valid for any of our services or products. Contact us at 571.434.0009!

Newborn portraits are one of the most precious gifts you can give to expectant parents. A gift certificate is a thoughtful and generous dream gift – something parents will treasure for a lifetime.

What Our Gift Certificates Mean

* A skilled and experienced baby photographer will work with the new parents and baby.
* Parents won’t have to spend their valuable time searching for a reputable and qualified photographer. You’ve already selected one!
* Parents can schedule a session with us at their convenience.
* A gift certificate shows how valued this family is in your life with such a unique and generous gift.
* You can purchase any value for your certificate.
* Parents can use the gift certificate towards a photography session, a product purchase, or both!
* Multiple individuals can contribute toward a gift certificate making it an ideal group gift.

If purchasing a truly unique gift for expectant parents is what you would love to do, contact our studios. Purchasing a gift certificate is a thoughtful gift of love, time, and memory. The new parents will be thrilled!

As experts in newborn photography in the Round Hill, VA area, we are happy to work with you on purchasing a gift certificate and providing newborn portraits that the new parents will cherish. Northern Virginia families have entrusted us with their family’s loving memories for almost two decades.
 

 

Baby Photography, Baby Photographer, Newborn Photography

Ever After Baby Portraits is comprised of Mindy Belcher and Joriana Belcher Anderson, a mother-daughter baby photography team located near Round Hill, VA in Northern Virginia. We specialize in timeless and emotive fine art family portraits, including newborn and baby portraits. Family means everything and capturing those precious moments to preserve forever will mean family heirlooms for you to share for years to come.

Best,
Mindy & Joriana – Contact Us!

View Our Portfolio | Ever After Baby Portraits

As newborn photography experts here in the South Riding, VA area, we’ve worked with our share of fussy babies. That is no surprise, of course! What newborn or baby isn’t fussy at some point?! Through the years, though, we’ve learned a few things about soothing a fussy baby. So, we thought we’d share a few tips with you.

Sound and Movement:
Remember that your baby heard plenty of noises and experienced movement during the months in your belly. Then one day, they’re born, and the world seems intent on keeping things quiet for them. They might miss the rhythmic sounds they heard in your womb. Try soothing them with repetitive motion in your arms, rocking chair, or infant swing. In a pinch, try taking them for a drive – in their car seat, of course. Repetitive motion can be an effective sleep tonic.

As for sound, there is something to shushing a fussy or crying baby. A gentle, soft “shushing” or humming sound repeated while rocking your baby can be very soothing to them. They did spend months inside of you serenaded by the melody of your heart. Babies are often comforted by soft, repetitive sounds.

Feeding:
Sometimes a fussy baby is just hungry. Sometimes a growing baby is hungry. Fussing is their way of letting you know they want more food than they are receiving. With your doctor’s approval, it might be time to increase their nutritional intake.

Swaddling:
While many ancient cultures have long practiced swaddling, it’s become popular in the U.S. mostly in recent decades. Try swaddling your baby. You want to wrap them in a tight but comfortable swaddle. After your child is born, most hospitals will review with you how to wrap your baby. Most parents report their child seems to feel comforted by being swaddled.

Position:
While some babies love that you rock them in a prone position, others prefer to be more vertical especially if they suffer from reflux (not uncommon in newborns). After you feed your baby, keep them upright for a short time while you burp them and allow some digestion to occur. We suggest you watch this video on how to hold a fussy baby by Dr. Robert Hamilton. It’s garnered more than 25 million views for his technique!

Touch Therapy:
There are many benefits to touch therapy, and as a baby photographer, we couldn’t agree more. We often try light massage on a baby’s back or forehead as we are gently posing them for portraits. Try it at home next time your child is struggling to fall asleep.

We enjoy our work with newborn photography in the South Riding, VA and Northern Virginia area. Photographing children and babies is one of the most rewarding aspects of our profession. We hope you’ve enjoyed reading our tips on how to soothe a fussy baby.
 

 

Baby Photography, Baby Photographer, Newborn Photography

Ever After Baby Portraits is comprised of Mindy Belcher and Joriana Belcher Anderson, a mother-daughter baby photography team located near South Riding, VA in Northern Virginia. We specialize in timeless and emotive fine art family portraits, including newborn and baby portraits. Family means everything and capturing those precious moments to preserve forever will mean family heirlooms for you to share for years to come.

Best,
Mindy & Joriana – Contact Us!

View Our Portfolio | Ever After Baby Portraits

There is a palpable excitement with every newborn photography session we do in our studios near Round Hill, VA. It’s the same emotion we felt the first time we shot newborn portraits. But beyond feeling excited, we also felt exceptionally prepared. That level of preparation is what you should look for in any baby photographer.

The more prepared one is, the fewer nerves they’re likely to feel! And, the less nervous, the better the process and the outcomes.

The very first Newborn Portrait Session we did was of gorgeous little JD! For that first newborn session, as with all our sessions since, we spent a lot of time preparing in advance. To be the best baby photographer we could be for the first newborn session, we knew that things needed to be ready for the baby and new parents. How did we know it was so important? Because before we began doing newborn portraits, we were a long-time, fine art family photographer.

Although some things will have to occur during a portrait session (like moving lights or other equipment around), experienced photographers will do as much as they can in advance of a session. Digging through a camera bag in search of a flash that’s nowhere to be found, or finding you ran out of battery 10 minutes into the shoot, doesn’t inspire much confidence.

Today, we still double check everything before any client arrives – baby or not. It’s a process we have fine-tuned through the years, but one we still practice with great diligence today. It is a significant part of our success. It’s also why we have a reputation across Northern Virginia for being a trustworthy and skilled family and baby photographer.

If you would like to work with a reliable and reputable photographer experienced in newborn photography near the Round Hill, VA, contact us to schedule an appointment. We promise we will be ready for you!
 

 

Baby Photography, Baby Photographer, Newborn Photography

Ever After Baby Portraits is comprised of Mindy Belcher and Joriana Belcher Anderson, a mother-daughter baby photography team located near Round Hill, VA in Northern Virginia. We specialize in timeless and emotive fine art family portraits, including newborn and baby portraits. Family means everything and capturing those precious moments to preserve forever will mean family heirlooms for you to share for years to come.

Best,
Mindy & Joriana – Contact Us!

View Our Portfolio | Ever After Baby Portraits