What If My Baby Doesn't Sleep During Their Newborn Session?

It's the question almost every parent asks me before their baby's session — usually a little sheepishly, as if they're confessing something. So let me tell you what I tell them on our consultation call:

Most babies don't sleep through their newborn session. It's not a problem to worry about. It's simply normal — and your session is built around it from the start.

Most babies are awake more than you'd expect

Here's what surprises parents: babies wake up almost every time they're moved. A new setup, an outfit change — little eyes pop open, and we pause and settle them back to comfort. Some babies do drift off and stay asleep through nearly everything. Most don't. A large part of every session isn't taking photos at all — it's feeding, cuddling, and getting your baby comfortable again. That's exactly why newborn sessions run longer, and why nobody here is ever watching the clock.

Awake and comfortable? We keep going

If your baby is awake but content, we have beautiful options. We might do a simple, natural pose in your arms, or a sweet little outfit while you hold them close. An awake baby is not a ruined session — often, those are the photos with the most personality in the whole gallery.

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Awake and fussy? We check the basics first — then the swaddle

When a baby is awake and unsettled, we start with the simple things: Are they hungry? Is it a wet diaper? Do they need a burp, or just a cuddle? Most of the time, it's one of those. And when the basics are covered and your baby is still wide awake and wiggly, that's when we turn to the swaddle. Most babies love it — warm, snug, and secure, the way they're used to feeling. I use several different swaddle techniques, chosen for your baby and always checked so they're safe and never overheated:

• Hands in — fully wrapped and cozy, for babies who want to feel completely held

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• Hands out — wrapped with little hands free, for babies who like to find their fingers

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• Egg wrap — a round, cocoon-style wrap that keeps baby curled and calm

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• Tummy wrap — swaddled around the middle with hands and legs free to stretch

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And a swaddled baby can still do almost everything: props, different setups, colors and textures — a whole beautiful, varied session, all while your baby feels safe.

The awake photos might become your favorites

This is the part parents never believe until they see their gallery: families choose a lot of awake photos. Open eyes and direct eye contact are almost impossible to capture at home in those first weeks — your baby saves their sleepiest moments for you and their most curious ones, it seems, for my camera. Some parents even ask me to please try for awake shots... and those are, without fail, the babies who sleep the entire time. Every baby is unique, and every session is unique. That's the joy of it.

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And if it's truly a bad day? We try another day

On our call, I tell every parent the same thing: prepare for the absolute worst, for nothing to work out — and 99% of the time, it never happens. But if your baby is having a genuinely hard day — tummy trouble, a growth spurt, just not their day — their comfort matters more to me than the session. I would rather have you come back than push through and stress everyone out. In 15 years of photographing newborns, that's happened only a handful of times.

Two small things that help

The biggest one: a full baby. I always ask parents to feed their baby right before the session, or as soon as you arrive — nice and full, burped, and content, which is exactly how babies drift off to sleep. And bring plenty of whatever your baby is feeding on, because we top up as often as yours needs. Everything else, I handle: my studio is kept very warm for your baby, the noise stays low, and a sound machine with pink noise runs the whole session — the same steady hush babies find so soothing.

So if you're picturing your session and worrying your baby won't cooperate — please don't. Awake, asleep, or somewhere in between, your baby is doing exactly what babies do. And that's who we're here to photograph.

Celebrate Your Newborn

Alina Renert Photography is a Chicago, IL photographer, with national and international publications.

Are you looking for a Chicago, IL newborn photographer? I would love to work with you! I offer a fun, unique experience in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago, including Wheeling, IL. I also serve surrounding areas, including Buffalo Grove, Deerfield, Northbrook, Vernon Hills, Mount Prospect, Mundelein, Lincolnshire, Libertyville, Glenview, Des Plaines, and other surrounding Chicago suburbs. Newborn sessions are best booked during pregnancy, as I take a limited number of sessions each month. To book your session, use this contact page.

To book your session, use this form.