Why Do Newborn Photographers Wrap Babies? | Calgary Newborn Photographer

Why Do Newborn Photographers Wrap Babies?

If you’ve been looking for a newborn photographer in Calgary, you’ve probably noticed a lot of adorable photos online of tiny babies wrapped up snugly, sometimes with little fingers poking out over the top of the wrap or tiny feet peeking out below.

Those bundled-up poses are adorable, but wrapping serves a much bigger purpose than simply creating a beautiful photograph.

Babies are so tiny and helpless, it’s understandable people have strong feelings about what parents (and photographers) should and shouldn’t do with them. If you’re a mom, you’ve probably already experienced an onslaught of unwelcome advice about your baby, so you know exactly what I’m talking about!

Some people simply don’t like the look of a wrapped baby, while others may wonder whether wrapping is uncomfortable for them. So, I thought it would be a good idea to explain why newborn photographers so often wrap babies during a newborn session in the first place.

Ideally, Baby Will Sleep During the Session

Why do newborn photographers want babies to sleep?

Newborns are happiest when they feel warm, comfortable and secure. An awake newborn may not be very happy being put down in a prop away from Mom or Dad, and awake babies also tend to move their arms and legs—a lot!

When baby is peacefully sleeping, we can safely and gently move through different setups while keeping them comfortable. Of course, the goal is never to make a baby sleep just for the sake of getting a photograph. We want baby to be happy and content throughout the session, and wrapping is one of the best tools we have to help with that.

Wrapping Helps Newborns Feel Safe and Secure

Before birth, babies spend months curled up in a warm, snug environment. Then suddenly they arrive in a world where they have all kinds of room to stretch and move!

Being gently and safely wrapped can recreate some of that familiar feeling of being cozy and secure. Many newborns visibly relax once they are wrapped.

Wrapping Can Help Newborns Sleep Longer

Being warm, snug and secure often helps babies settle into a deeper, more comfortable sleep during their newborn session.

Wrapping can also help reduce the newborn startle reflex, that sudden movement that causes their little arms and legs to shoot out and can wake them from a peaceful sleep.

For many babies, wrapping simply makes it easier to relax, settle and stay asleep while we create their photographs.

Wrapping Helps Keep Baby Warm

It’s important to monitor a newborn's temperature throughout a photography session. We certainly don't want babies to become too warm, but we don't want them getting chilly either.

Anyone who has changed a newborn knows how quickly some babies protest when their cozy clothes come off!

A comfortable wrap can help keep baby warm and content without needing to keep the entire studio excessively warm.

Wrapping Photographs Beautifully

There is also a visual reason photographers love wrapping.

Newborns have surprisingly busy little arms and legs! When they're awake, those arms and legs can be moving in every direction. A wrap creates a simple, peaceful shape that keeps the focus of the photograph exactly where it belongs—on your baby's tiny face.

Wrapped certainly doesn't have to mean boring. Hands can peek out, tiny toes can show, and different colours, textures and wrapping styles can completely change the look of an image.

Every Baby Is Different

Some newborns arrive at my Calgary studio and sleep through almost anything. When a baby is in a nice deep sleep, I can often photograph them unwrapped and gently pose them on a beautiful fabric backdrop.

Others arrive wide awake and determined not to miss a minute!

For those babies, wrapping is often one of the first things I try. It can help calm and soothe them so we can create beautiful photographs without trying to force them into poses they aren't comfortable with.

Comfort and Safety Always Come First

Newborn photography should always work with the baby, not against them.

I follow each baby's cues throughout the session. Some babies love being completely wrapped, while others prefer having their hands near their face or a little more freedom to move. Some love being on their bellies, while others make it very clear that they absolutely do not! That is ok, I will photograph baby however they and believe me, if they do not want to be wrapped up they will let me know!

My goal as a Calgary newborn photographer isn't simply to create a perfect pose. It's to create beautiful photographs of this incredibly short stage of your baby's life while making sure your newest little love is comfortable, secure and cared for throughout their session.

I hope this helps, please let me know if you have any questions about newborn photography, I am happy to answer.