Top tips to help your baby sleep
As parents, we all want our baby to have a peaceful nights sleep and hopefully sleep through the night, but sometimes this can feel somewhat impossible.
In the first weeks with your new baby, when you are sleep deprived and struggling with learning how to look after your newborn baby, this can seem such a challenge.
I wanted to share with you, as a mum of three, some top tips of things that I did to help get my babies to sleep. that I hope will be helpful for you:
Sleep…..fuel for our body, and our mode of function for the day. Sleep can impact how we start our day and how we parent our kids, and this is the same for our babies.
As parents, we all want our baby to have a peaceful nights sleep and hopefully sleep through the night, but sometimes this can feel somewhat impossible.
In the first weeks with your new baby, when you are sleep deprived and struggling with learning how to look after your newborn baby, this can seem such a challenge.
I wanted to share with you, as a mum of three, some top tips of things that I did to help get my babies to sleep. that I hope will be helpful for you:
Have a set time to start your routine and a time that you would like for your baby to go to bed.
Have a set time for a warm bath for your baby. It’s a great way to start and for your baby to relax.
Massage your newborn with a baby safe oil or cream, and massage using gentle, soft strokes. Softly touching their face, ears and toes can be very soothing for a baby.
Bedtime Story. Reading a book with your baby can be a very special time for you both. To this day it is still part of our routine.
Play soft music in the background. You will be able to find so many options on you tube..
Singing a lullaby to your baby. I'm not a singer and far from it but when your baby hears your soft voice before they fall asleep can have quite a calming effect. I had some favourite songs that I loved as a child, & I regularly sang them to my babies.
Diffuser - lavender oil or a soothing blend that is calming but not overpowering.
Cuddles. You and your baby can never have too many of these. It’s such a special bonding time for you both.
Swaddling. Being comfortably swaddled makes a baby feel secure and safe while sleeping. As the months went on I found the baby sleep bag was a great option too, as they start moving around and move away from the swaddling phase.
I found that having an established a routine from the beginning when my baby was a newborn and then being consistent, as much as possible was key. Remember every baby is different and every parent is different.
I'm a big believer on doing what works for you and for your baby. What may work for one family or baby may differ from the other.
Mums… We need to talk!
How have we become too concerned about our “perfection” that we are missing out having family photos with our kids?
As I family photographer for 18 yrs I have heard every reason why women don’t like themselves, or what to be in photos…
I’m too fat
My eyes are too small
I don't like my wrinkles
That’s not my best side.
I don’t like my hair
I hate myself in photos
They don't realize that when their kids have grown up and what to look back on their family photos to fondly remember their childhood, that those things won't matter at all..
Recently I was showing a mum the photos from a recent session. Her family photo session with her 2 teenagers daughters had been super fun as they had brought their dogs along for this session. Including family pets in a session always makes it super relaxed as the family laughs at their pets reactions.
Before we started photographing her session, the first thing she said to me, was that they have never had family photos & how much she wished she had family photos from when her girls were little . She was so excited she was going to finally have that family photo to proudly display on her wall.
I was so excited to show her a slideshow of the beautiful photos of her family. When the slideshow was complete, she was super happy & excited to chose her favourites. They had so many lovely photos to chose from, but most importantly she had her request of a gorgeous family photo with her husband, her two gorgeous teenage girls & even her 2 dogs all smiling at the camera.
But when we started to pick her favourites for her wall., she kept on saying she didn’t like each family photo.....
So, there I was looking at the gorgeous family photos, that every mother dreams of having of their family. Everyone was happy, looking great, with great outfits that really suited them and relaxed with beautiful, natural smiles. I couldn’t help but ask her “what was wrong” ???
Do you know what her answer was?
That her fringe was messy……
As soon the words left her mouth my heart sank. I couldn't quite believe what she was saying.
The reason why I am so passionate about my business, is because I lost my dad very suddenly in 2011 to a heart attack. He was a healthy, happy 68 yr old, just starting to enjoy his retirement with my mum, and suddenly he was gone.
When I went back to look at our photos after he had passed there we no family photos, other than the stiff, boring family photos were taken on my wedding day. Those staged photos that are taken at a church door with everyone watching. Although it is important to document the wedding day; there is nothing about these photos that really capture who my family really was.
Those photos didn’t capture the special relationship between my Dad and I.
Growing up I had always been close to my Dad and shared a special bond with him. He loved fishing, and from a young age I loved going out on his boat and he would teach me all his fishing tricks. I could never sleep on a car journey, so when we were driving on family holidays we would chat all the way, while everyone else slept around us. He ran an orchid nursery and I loved being able to work with him on the weekends & school holidays.
When I got married and moved away from home, we developed an even stronger bond; He was the first person I would call when I had a problem, needed some advice or a shoulder to cry on. He was an amazing Grandpa to my 3 kids. My parents retired to a property in Bowral, and he loved teaching the kids about his cattle, riding horses, feeding the chooks and gardening. The perfect weekend getaway for city kids.
When I started my business I realized he had also been my mentor.
I had thought my Dad would be around forever, that he as a doting granddad would watch my kids grow up…
and in a heartbeat that was all taken away from me....
We never did family photos when I was younger.. my mum made all the typical excuses.. she would lose 10 kilos and then she would do it. There wasn't enough time as my dad worked on the weekends. She worried that with 3 kids so close in age we wouldn't behave.
I can never go back and capture that… I will forever wish that could have been different...
And yet here I was sitting with this mum who had something that I would give anything to have and all she could see was her messy fringe...
It made me feel so upset & sad...
How have we become too concerned about our “perfection” that we are missing out on seeing the real connection in a family photo.
I know those two teenage girls will never look back and worry that their mums fringe wasn't perfect. They will just see an amazing moment of their childhood captured, the connection and love between their parents and the love their parents have for them. They will see how much their dogs were part of their family.
When their dogs have passed, or even harder still when they lose one of their parents, those photos will become an incredible treasure to them...
I would never have looked back at a family photo & thought my mum would have looked better if she had lost 10 kilos.
So ladies, You really need to think about this… and I know it's hard to think about... but what do you want your children to have to remember you one day when you are gone?
Would you love a treasured moment that you know will always make your children smile every time they look at it, or are you too concerned about your little “faults” that you are losing sight of what is really important?
I know I should lose some weight, I have a bunch of little wrinkles that show my age, and my hair never seems to do the right thing when we do our family photos, but I know I will never regret having our family photos taken many times over the years.
I know that one day when I am gone, my kids will have beautiful photos to show their kids & tell them about their childhood.
Don't let the excuses get in the way... take the time to capture your family portrait.
The only photo of my Dad and I
My My family photo from last year, I could find all the faults in myself, but all I can s see my family’s story of this year. My boys getting bigger and starting to step away a little from us, Millie still by my side at 15 but wanting a little more independence. And how my hubby and I have actually become closer as the kids have grown older.
Pregnancy and Maternity Photography
An FAQ guide to booking a your maternity photography session. From when is the best time to book, to what to wear and who to include in your session.
Imagine that it’s 18 yrs from now…. that little person who’s wriggling inside you & kicking you all the time has just finished their HSC and it about to take off on a gap year trip around Europe….
You are struggling to remember when you were pregnant with them. All the amazing moments that happened as they grew inside you.
The first flutters when they first started to move, and then the kicks and rolls as the got bigger and struggled with having enough room to move.
Sitting on the coach watching your tummy move.. when they had hiccups… the first time your partner felt your baby kick..
Now it’s all a blur…
When they are tiny we think we will remember .. but life passes by too quickly… and we forget.
Maternity sessions record this special time in your life, to capture the memories so you will be able to remember being pregnant forever.
You can choose whether you are photographed alone, or bring your partner, or older kids or even your fur babies :)
Maternity photography FAQ
How long does a maternity session take?
We recommend to allow 1/2 to an hour for your session. We will able to create a variety of looks during your session
Where will my maternity session be photographed?
We have a a dedicated photography studio at Gordon on Sydney’s North Shore.
When is the best time to do your pregnancy photography session?
We recommend doing your maternity session around 32-34 weeks. It’s when you are as big as you are going to get, but you will still feel comfortable.
What do I wear for my maternity session?
When you book in your session, we will send you our What to Wear Guide which covers everything you will need to know about your session.
When can I book my pregnancy photo session?
Our sessions are photographed Tuesday-Saturday between 9am and 5pm. If you want to include your older children, we always recommend booking around their nap times.
We recommend booking in asap as we are often booked out weeks in advance
How much are the photos?
Our print prices start at $95. Framed prints from $290. We also offer digital file packages from $690. After your session we get you to come back into the studio to view your photos, and this is the only time you will need to make a decision in regards to what you would like to order.
Do you offer newborn photography sessions?
Of course, we would love to capture your newborn for you. At your maternity we will chat to you about the best time to book in for this.
Family photography- our FAQ guide
So you are think about booking a family photography session. We understand that can be a bit daunting if you’ve never done it before, so we thought we would answer the most common questions please ask us in regards to booking their family photography session.
Where does your family photography session take place?
We have a dedicated studio at Gordon, on Sydney’s North Shore. Our studio has been designed to feel and look like a home. With a gorgeous bed and coach, our stunning windows and chairs and other props. We have 2 very different backdrops so we can create a variety of different looks for you. You want your family photographs to feel real and natural & our studio is setup to allow that to happen. Your kids will get to jump on the bed and couch and have a tons of fun. Most kids don’t want to leave at the end of their session. Ans even more important our photography studio is totally pet friendly, so you are most welcome to bring your fur babies to be photographed too.
When is the best time for your family photography session?
We highly recommend working around your family’s routine. If you have a bub or toddler that is still napping, please pick a time that works around their naps. With younger children and babies, we would always recommend a morning session as they tend to be happier in the mornings.
I don’t like how I Iook in family photographs
Our photographer always say, their job is to make you look good. If you don’t like the photo, then there is no obligation to purchase the photos. Our photographers will give you a bunch of little tips at the start of the session, that will help you to feel more comfortable. They will do a variety of family poses, so that you can find the one that you like. And they can always use a little photoshop, if there is something that really bugs you.
How long does a family photography session take?
We recommend to allow an hour. We tend to work quickly with babies and kids as their mood can change very rapidly. And we understand that for dads, who often aren’t that keen on having their photos taken, the quicker the session is the better.
What does a family photography package include?
Our session fee covers your one hour family photography session, and a credit towards prints. We have prints starting from $95. We have options to suit every budget. After your session we will set up a time for you to come back into our photography studio to view your photos and it is only at this point that you will have to make any decisions.
How long before I can see our photographs?
At the end of the session we will make a time for you. This will around 1-2 weeks after your session.
What should we wear for our family photography session?
When you book in your photography session, we will send you our comprehensive what to wear guide. It covers how to chose the best outfits and colours for your session. It will make the process super easy
What if my kids won’t behave during our family photo session?
Our photographers have a load of experience of working with children. Because our studio is setup as a home environment, kids feel super comfortable, so its rare that kids won’t behave. We will do lots of things without them are interactive, so they don’t need to sit still.
My kids can be very shy, so I am not sure its the right time for a family photography session
Our photographers understand that some little ones take a little while longer to warm up. We will spend some time getting to know them & make them feel comfortable before we start taking any photos.