I want you to have amazing newborn portraits. Having amazing newborn portraits begins and ends with preparation. There are many factors that could prevent your newborn photo session from going less than great. Don’t fret! I’m here give you some insightful tips that will give you the best opportunity to have a great newborn photo session.
Food
The food you eat during breastfeeding can be a major factor that could potentially effect your baby during the newborn photo session. Some foods could potentially produce side effects in babies under 6-weeks. It may be better to slowly introduce the following types of foods to your growing baby while breastfeeding over time so that you can carefully monitor how your baby may reacts to these foods. Here are some foods I recommend you should avoid eating 48-hours before your newborn photo session:
- Vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, sprouts, cauliflower, asparagus, onions, cucumbers, pickles causes bloating or gas in your baby’s tummy.
- Citrus fruits can cause gastrointestinal refluxes, fussiness, diaper rash and some of them gas.
Oranges, grapefruit, pineapple, lemon, strawberries, cherries and all berries. - Spicy Foods might make your baby fussy, cry inconsolably, and cause a lot of discomforts. Please avoid Chili, Tacos, Spicy, Mexican food, Salsa
- Peanuts: If your family has a history of peanut allergies, try avoiding having peanuts until you wean your baby, else she may suffer from rashes, wheezing, or hives.
- Tomato products such as pizza, spaghetti, ketchup, lasagna, many soup bases or any tomato products. Tomatoes are also high in acid and are found in many foods lasagna and many soup bases.
- Chocolate: The potential area of concern is a substance called theobromine. Theobromine is a stimulant which has an effect on the body similar to caffeine. Theobromine is found in the cocoa solids. Dark chocolate is dark in color because it contains a greater percentage of cocoa solids and therefore it will contain higher levels of theobromine than milk chocolate. Theobromine is generally not an issue for breastfed babies unless mum is eating chocolate in very large amounts.
- Coffee, Tea, and Alcohol: When you drink tea/coffee, some of the caffeine content remains in the breast milk, which makes your baby fussy and interrupts sleep. Alcohol in breast milk may hinder the baby’s growth and can affect its sleep pattern and eating. To manage your caffeine intake, though, you’ll need to be aware of other sources, like soft drinks, energy drinks, and coffee ice cream. Caffeine also shows up in herbal products.
If your baby is gassy, we highly suggest that you avoid the above mentioned foods 48-hours before your session. Please remember I am not a nutritionist. I strongly recommend that you discuss your baby’s dietary needs with your pediatrician.