Adding a new edition to your growing family is an exciting and scary time for all members of the household.  Older siblings will feel the pangs of jealousy, excitement, and anxiety about what to expect.  Many will even feel the pangs of getting older and having to possibly help take care of the new baby.  While newborn portrait sessions should focus on your new baby; it’s also a wonderful time to include siblings.  This subtle, indirect opportunity lets all of your children feel included, remembered, loved, and lets them know mom and dad still love them as well.  

However, fair warning, getting toddlers to cooperate and pose for a photo session isn’t always easy.  But if mom, dad, and your photographer have a touch of patience with a splash of creativity, you will have beautiful portraits that you will cherish forever.

Top 3 Poses with Siblings

Newborn with Siblings on Flokati

This pose is highly requested by most families who have multiple children.  Parents absolutely love these overhead shots of their sweet children, however; when toddlers are involved, it isn’t always possible to capture this.  It’s hard to have toddlers lay flat on their back for an extended period of time, let alone ask them to be still enough to safely hold their new sibling.  Professional newborn photographers are always concerned about safety, and will not compromise safety of the newborn to capture a shot; no matter how adorable it might be.

If your family happens to have older children and this pose is possible, your photographer will most likely roll up some towels and/or blankets and place them under the Flokati.  This creates a makeshift pillow and the older siblings can rest their head on this.  Doing this is two fold.  One it’s more comfortable for the child to have some padding under their head versus a hard floor but it also props their heads up at the right angle so that it creates a better photo. 

If your photographer is able to capture this type of photo, the newborn will be usually tightly wrapped as it is easier to move and pose the baby next to their siblings when they are in a neat little package.  Your newborn will also be more inclined to stay asleep despite all the moving and noise when they are tightly wrapped in a neat little bundle!

Newborn with Younger Siblings

As stated above, if the older siblings are in the toddler years, the over-the-head shots on the Flokati may not be possible.  If that’s the case, your photographer may place the baby in a prop or on a beanbag and ask the sibling to interact with the newborn in this way.  Your photographer will be ready to capture those melt your heart moments when an older sibling bends down to kiss the baby’s head or give a quick hug.  

Newborn with Multiple Siblings

If your family has multiple older siblings, the photographer will most likely enlist the help of the oldest child.  Generally, younger siblings happily follow and mimic their older sibling so the oldest child tends to get posed first with other siblings being posed afterwards.  

Having your newborn portraits taken is essential in remembering all those tiny, precious details.  But it’s also an important time to include your other children as well.  Family dynamics change with a new addition of a baby and it’s important to foster positive feelings about the growing family.  Having your other children included in these portrait sessions will help them feel included and reiterate in a subtle way that all children are important and loved in the family. 

If you live in the Orange County area and are interested in a newborn session with siblings, please contact me here!