What is That Thing? Newborn Photography Edition

If you've ever had a newborn session at my little studio, chances are, you've seen me use some pretty strange-looking items to help soothe and pose your baby. Of course you all know what a swaddle is, but what are some of the other things you've seen me use, and what the heck are they for? Here's a breakdown:

The Newborn Nerds Nest

This squishy donut-shaped posing aid is used for one pose, and I honestly don't know how I'd achieve this pose without the Nest. It looks pretty large and clunky, but once it's under all the little blankets, you won't even know it's there!

The Hello Little Shape Shifters - Head Piece

I use this for my all-time favorite pose. It's made out of the same material as a yoga block, firm enough for stable posing, but with a little give, so it's comfortable for baby.

The Hello Little Shape Shifters - Head Wedge

This is made of the same material as the Head Piece, but its function is totally different — it's designed to keep baby from turning their head to one side or the other! I use it inside a little pillow case for bed posing, or on its own under blankets for top-down posing.

Soft Posing Beans

These come in a variety of sizes, and I use them to help keep baby secure in a bed or basket prop. They're so soft! I don't know why, but every time I pick one up, I have to squish it.

The Baby Shusher

As the name implies, this little device makes a shushing sound to help calm and soothe babies. It works in 15 to 30 minute increments, and it's so helpful.

The Newborn Nerds Sleepy Vibes

This is sort of a mix between the soft posing bean and the Baby Shusher! It also has a very slight vibrate function, which helps soothe particularly gassy babies. I don't use the gentle vibration much, but I love the ocean-sound of this shush.

The Hello Little Clinger

I call this the "baby straightjacket." It's a very soft, very stretchy band of fabric that helps keep baby's arms down and makes them feel snuggled up. I use this over an outfit for close-up poses with an awake baby, or under a wrap to help an almost-asleep baby feel a little more secure.

That's all of the specialized tools I use to make the newborn posing magic happen. I can't even imagine posing newborns without most of these items!