Tips for Choosing the Right Baby Nurse

We love our friends at British American Household Staffing, and they were kind enough to share some pearls of wisdom with our clients. If you’re thinking of hiring a baby nurse, check out the article below for some incredibly helpful tips!!

Welcoming a baby into the world is as challenging as it is exciting. Once you have decided to hire a Baby Nurse or a Newborn Care Specialist, you have already taken a major step towards creating the most positive experience you can for both your newborn and your family. But how do you decide exactly who to hire? Keep reading for British American’s top tips for choosing the right Baby Nurse.

1. It’s never too early to start looking – some women book a Baby Nurse immediately after finding out that they are expecting. The earlier you start searching, the less stressed you will be as the due date arrives. And a happy mommy equals a happy baby!

2. Keep in mind that there are tons of Baby Nurses looking for work, especially in major cities like New York, Los Angeles, and London. To find the perfect person, consider working with a staffing agency that has experience with Nannies and Newborn Care Specialists. Agencies will meet with your family to help you figure out what type of personality is best suited to your needs and will take on the difficult work of sorting through candidates to find the best of the best. They will also help you in the interviewing process regarding what questions to ask, what to look for, and what to avoid.

3. When you interview a Baby Nurse, get an understanding of her techniques. Even if you don’t know what exactly you are looking for yet, you can get a sense of how she works. What sleep training methods does she use? Does she have any special certifications that could be useful, such as a lactation certification? Does she specialize in preemies, multiples, colic, psychological development of newborns, breastfeeding or surrogacy? Has she also been trained as a doula or a midwife? Finding someone that is knowledgeable and experienced in all realms of infant care is essential.

4. Check out her background; an agency can run background checks at the local, state and federal level, verify CPR certifications, and speak to her references. This means that when it comes time to interview, you won’t be wasting time with any under qualified candidates. Instead, you can focus on determining who clicks with you and your family, which is extremely important.

5. Finally, when deciding who to hire, trust your gut. Choose someone that is compatible with your family and who you completely trust with your baby. A Baby Nurse will become an integral part of the first few months of your child’s life, so be sure to choose wisely.

sweet newborn photoshoot with twins

There have been a whirlwind of twins on the calendar over the past few weeks, and we have six newborn sessions for twin babies scheduled this month! So exciting!! Although it’s indeed a lot more time and effort to capture two tiny bundles of joy, it’s also double the cuddles, double the sweetness, and double the joy. We’d captured these little cuties in the comfort of home. We brought along studio lighting, blankets, wraps, and accessories to set up a small “studio” in the master bedroom for posed newborn portraits, and then used the living room and balcony for some beautiful family portraits. If you’re interested in scheduling your own newborn photo shoot – whether you’re expecting one baby or multiple babies – please contact Sophie at our Midtown Manhattan studio for updated availability!

nyc newborn twins photographer studio

NYC Luxury Maternity and Newborn Studio
glow portraits^® is available for maternity photography and newborn portraits in NYC, Westchester and Long Island. We also have clients come from New Jersey and Connecticut for our photography experience and high quality of family portraits. Our fine art portrait studio is located in Midtown Manhattan, right in the heart of NYC. Our signature style is soft, simple, and pure. We love to capture the sweet expressions, tiny details, and breathtaking emotions of this beautiful journey into motherhood. We have years of experience in handling and soothing newborns, so brand new parents can rest assured that they are in good hands. With our expertise in artful lighting and editing, we are dedicated to producing beautifully styled images and heirloom artwork to preserve this precious time in your family’s life. As your babies grow in the blink of an eye, this is your chance to embrace these special moments that will bring you joy and lasting memories. Our calendar books months in advance, although we always try our best to allow flexibility for last-minute maternity portraits reservations and newborn photography bookings. We look forward to hearing from you, and creating one-of-a-kind works of art that will be cherished forever! Please reach us at our Midtown Manhattan Studio: 212.868.1076.

mini maternity sessions for pregnancy photography

Our Mini Session is ideal for clients interested in a smaller selection of maternity portraits with a single backdrop and three styles.
As an example, our client below wished to capture nudes, lingerie and draped fabrics on the grey backdrop below.
Anabella uses her expertise in posing and lighting to capture a variety of gorgeous portraits that celebrate the beauty of pregnancy.
Moms-to-be are welcome to focus on themselves for the Mini Session, or have their partners join for some intimate couples concepts.

nyc maternity photography studio

Premiere NYC Maternity & Newborn Portrait Studio
glow portraits^® offers maternity and newborn photography sessions to preserve the most treasured and defining moment in a family’s life. Recognized as one of the best professional photography studios in NYC, glow portraits^® accepts a limited number of commissions per year. glow portraits^® offers a luxury experience in their Midtown Manhattan Studio. Professional pregnancy portraits are best captured around 32-36 weeks, while your belly is beautifully round. In order to ensure availability, it is strongly recommend that you book your professional maternity photography session at least a month beforehand. Your pregnancy will be preserved in the most elegant way with artistic silhouettes, creative posing and fine art lighting to flatter your curves. glow portraits^® uses their creative aesthetic, attention to detail and retouching skills to make each image into a work of art. glow portraits^® is passionate about creating portraits for families to treasure forever as fine art prints, exquisite wall art, and albums. From pregnancy to the first weeks of life, we strive to capture the beauty of these precious fleeting moments.

Clients travel from around the city to have their pregnancy and baby portraits captured at glow portraits^®. Some travel from hours away in Long Island, New Jersey (NJ), or Connecticut for their professional studio portrait experience. Many cients are from nearby neighborhoods of Midtown, Chelsea, Flatiron, Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Hell’s Kitchen, Union Square, Soho, Tribecca, Greenwich Village, Battery Park City, Long Island City, Brooklyn, Williamsburg, Dumbo, Park Slope and Carroll Gardens. Even clients visiting the city from abroad love to have their portraits captured at the glow portraits^® studio. For inquiries and bookings, please contact the studio as soon as possible to ensure availability!

artistic maternity photography with draped silks

There is no time as magical in a woman’s life as when she’s growing a baby inside her womb. It is such an incredible experience that generally happens only once or twice for us NYC women. Allow us to capture these amazing memories as gorgeous works of art. Nine months may seem like a long time, but it will pass all too quickly, and we want you to remember these beautiful moments and powerful emotions FOREVER.

nyc pregnancy studio photographer

Modern Maternity & Newborn Portrait Studio
glow portraits^® is a NYC photography studio specializing in timeless maternity and newborn portraits. Conveniently located in Midtown Manhattan, the portrait studio attracts clients from the city, Long Island, NJ, CT, Westchester, Brooklyn, Queens, and the surrounding areas. You’re welcome to browse additional samples of fine art photography in the maternity gallery and newborn gallery.

With a combination of both natural light and studio lighting, we strike an elegant balance that accents your beautiful bump. We pay special attention to posing and all the small details to ensure your maternity portraits are flawless. The Midtown Manhattan <a href=”https://www.nycnewbornphotography.com/our-studio/”>studio </a>is warm and welcoming for expecting parents. As NYC’s premiere portrait photographer, we specialize in capturing the beauty of your pregnancy as exquisite works of art. For inquiries and bookings of pregnancy and baby portrait photography sessions, please contact the studio at 212.868.1076. We look forward to capturing these precious memories for your family!

How to choose the right maternity photographer

You’re in the middle of a life-altering experience as you prepare to welcome your child into this world. Your body is rapidly changing – we’re talking about you, cankles and stretch marks– and soon, your life will too. Understandably, you want to mark such a momentous occasion with photos that will become cherished keepsakes.

But, with so many photographers out there, how do you know which one to choose?

FINDING THE RIGHT PHOTOGRAPHER

Couple looking for a photographer on their laptop

To find the right fit, you need to look at what’s most important to you. Come up with your non-negotiables. What is it that you can’t compromise on when it comes to a photographer?

There are five areas you should consider before deciding:

Price
Style
Overall experience
Quality of work
Personality

PRICE

Pregnant woman shopping at her laptop with a credit card

A girl should always keep her eyes on her bank account. Perhaps you’re feeling the financial strain from buying all that adorable baby gear and maternity outfits and you’re worried about money. If that sounds like you, you’re going to want to focus on finding a photographer whose fee is in your price range.

While a photographer’s price may seem, at first glance, higher than you wanted to pay, it can be a good measure of their experience and quality of work. Value-priced photographers are generally less specialized, often engaging in all types of photography, from headshots to weddings and everything in between. They may not always have the needed skills for properly posing and styling a maternity session.

If price is your main concern, there is nothing wrong with choosing a value-priced photographer. You should be aware, though, the quality may not be as high as it would be with a photographer specializing in maternity shots.

Channel your inner Nancy Drew to do a little detective work to ensure you understand what’s included in the price your photographer quotes you. Otherwise, you might catch yourself flying into a pregnancy-hormone-induced rage when you get your final bill.

Some photographers advertise a low initial price to bring new customers into their studio. But that can be deceiving. You’ll need to consider if they offer packages or a la carte pricing, as well as any hidden fees they may charge. A la carte pricing can sound appealing, but it can be more expensive than you anticipated, especially if your photographer gives you dozens of great images – you might buy more than you expected.

That low price your photographer offers also may not include digital files or prints. This can be an extra expense you didn’t anticipate.

STYLE

Black and white image of a pregnant woman in a photo studio

Some mothers-to-be have no idea as to the style of photographs they prefer. Others, though, have a firm idea of what they want. If you know what you’d like to see in your maternity photos, you should focus on finding a photographer whose style matches your vision. If you want a fine-art vibe for your photographs, can they pull that off?

Matching your taste and vision with your photographer’s creative preference and ability can result in some out-of-this-world photography that can bring your photoshoot to the next level.

EXPERIENCE

Photographer in a busy studio checking her laptop

While there are some extremely talented new photographers out there, you want to be assured you’re in good hands with maternity photos. You only have a small window of time to work with and you’re already likely feeling the strain from your busy schedule. You want your photos to be done correctly the first time, and for this objective, there’s no substitute for experience.

Ask to view a photographer’s portfolio and pay attention to what you see there. Do you see a wide variety of photos, such as school pictures, weddings, and more? Then they might not specialize in maternity photography – they might only dabble in it. It’s nice that a photographer can shoot an amazing landscape picture, but that doesn’t tell you anything about what they can do to minimize the bags under your eyes since you haven’t have a good night’s sleep in weeks.

Here are some questions to ask before deciding on a photographer:

How long have they been shooting maternity portraits?
Do they specialize in maternity & newborn portraits, or are they more of an all-purpose type of photographer who doesn’t specialize in anything?
Do they know the best time to capture maternity portraits?
Do they use lighting modifiers that best accentuate a pregnant figure?
Are they familiar with poses that may not be safe for pregnant women, such as reclining on their backs?

QUALITY OF WORK

Woman curating her photographs at a desk

When looking at a photographer’s portfolio, concentrate on your gut reaction – if you can feel it with your baby doing all that kicking. Sometimes people have trouble putting into words what makes a photograph great, but everyone knows a fantastic photo when they see it. They may not be able to explain why it’s an outstanding picture, but they can feel it.

What do you feel when you look at your possible photographer’s portfolio? Do you feel the emotions leaping out of the picture? Are their images magazine-worthy? Do you think they use too many filters, or that the photos are excessively retouched? Are you happy with the lighting they used in the images? Do they take high-resolution photos that lend themselves to adjusting for various-sized framing options?

PERSONALITY

Fun photographer with a camera

A photographer who can put you at ease is priceless – if you choose correctly, it can feel like you’re hanging out with your best friend and they’re taking some informal pictures of you.

You’re at a stage in your life when you might not be looking or feeling your best. If that extra weight has seemed to go straight to your face instead of your belly, you might hate having your picture taken. And those pregnancy hormones we mentioned? They can leave you feeling more emotionally fragile than usual. Don’t worry about your imperfect appearance – a great photographer can find all the right angles to flatter your figure and face. You may want to keep them on speed dial after your pregnancy ends because you’ll love their expertise so much.

Having a photographer who makes you feel comfortable is a key element to how you’ll feel when you look back at those photos years from now. If you remember how indifferent the photographer seemed, you’re going to be annoyed when you see those pictures. And instead of hearing about how you couldn’t wait for them to be born, your child will roll their eyes as you launch into your hundredth story about how rude your photographer was.

Also, people tend to stiffen up or act less naturally when having their picture taken. If you want to look like a supermodel and not a celebrity police mugshot, it helps if your photographer can put you at ease or make you laugh.You’ll end up with photos that look much more natural.

WHERE CAN I FIND A MATERNITY PHOTOGRAPHER?

Woman holding her pregnant belly while searching on a laptop

Decent photographers are easy to find, but great ones aren’t as common. Remember, anyone with a camera can call themselves a photographer.

You can find an expert through word of mouth from friends or through online channels such as Yelp, Google Search, Facebook, and Instagram. But when you find one you’re interested in, don’t rely solely on one social media channel, such as Instagram, when checking them out. An established photographer will have a presence across multiple channels.

If a photographer’s only means of communication is through Facebook or Messenger, we suggest you move on. In today’s world, that’s simply not professional and super sketchy. The majority of high-quality photographers will have their own website, an official email address, a physical address, and a phone number.

If you call and they seem abrupt or annoyed, they might not be the best fit for you. If you leave a message and they don’t return your call promptly, you should also move on. Your pregnancy will pass quickly, and your time is too precious to spend trying to chase someone down. In your single days, did you spend all your energy chasing a guy who didn’t seem interested at all? Nope, and you shouldn’t with a disinterested photographer either.

Make sure to check out any reviews you come across online through Yelp and Google. Concentrate on the most recent reviews as they reflect where that photographer is at now professionally. You should also read the bad reviews because that can give you a complete picture of the experience you might have.

MAKE THE TIME

Pregnant woman smiling while holding her phone

A nine-month pregnancy might seem like an eternity when you can’t wait to see your baby’s beautiful face or hold your precious child for the first time. But you’ll be surprised at how quickly the time passes, and you’ll always want to remember every kick you felt and the emotions brewing in you as you waited for your baby to draw its first breath. Read our article discussing 5 reasons why every expectant Mom should do a maternity photo shoot.

That’s why taking the time for maternity photos and finding the right photographer will be one of the best investments you’ll make as you prepare to welcome your child. No matter how many decades have passed since you’ve given birth, your maternity photos should take you right back to those months and emotions. And someday as your child prepares to have their own child, they’ll look back at those photos and understand exactly how you were feeling at that moment.