Newborn Photography in Huntsville, AL

Huntsville Newborn Photographer

Newborn photography Huntsville, AL picture of baby boy.

Cole’s Baby Story

As a Huntsville Newborn Photographer, I love to send new moms a few questions long before their baby is born. After baby Cole’s newborn photoshoot, I included the answers his mom gave me in Cole’s personalized baby album, and his mama agreed to let me share some of Cole’s baby story with you!

We are really excited and slightly nervous about having a second child, but we know it will be amazing.

Newborn photographer in Huntsville, AL Ellen Adams Photography took this image of a newborn baby holding his mom's finger.

We decided to not find out the gender, so that is a really exciting surprise this time around!

Newborn picture of dad holding baby and touching noses; image by Ellen Adams Photography.

I feel so incredibly honored and blessed that God would not only bless us with one child, but two. I am so humbled to be their mom.

Baby photographer in Huntsville, AL Ellen Adams Photography captured this image of a mom holding her newborn baby

I will definitely make mistakes along the way, but I want them to know that I love them so incredibly much, pray for them daily, and strive to reflect Christ’s love for them even through my failings.

Baby photographer in Huntsville, AL capture newborn kissed by big sister.

Cole has a verse his mother painted onto a canvas that hangs over his crib. It absolutely tugged at my heartstrings, because it is the life verse I gave my first son and tell him every time I tuck him in bed.

Joshua 1:9 Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid, or discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

This is the one piece of wisdom Cole’s mom would like to share with her children; that they would carry with them throughout their life and share with their own children:

To follow and trust God with all their heart. He will never fail them.
Bonus: Love people where they are in life. You never know what trials they have gone through or are currently going through, and giving grace is so important.

Picture of newborn feet during a newborn photoshoot in Huntsville, AL.

Cole’s mom wanted to let other expecting moms know:

Everyone says enjoy every moment because they don’t stay little for long. That is a lot of pressure. In the midst of sleep deprivation and physical, mental, and emotional healing, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to enjoy every single moment. There will be hard days and weeks, but there is something good in each phase of raising a child. Make it a point to write down or capture those moments. You will need them during the tough times. It’s also easy to forget these little moments during the early years, so having them documented helps jog your memory as you reflect back on this time.

Infant photography image of newborn yawning in Huntsville.

If you’re looking for a newborn photographer in the Huntsville area, I would love to chat about a portrait session. You can reach me through the contact button here.

Breastfeeding Food Guide

My next tip to Help Your Baby “Sleep Like a Baby” is to be careful what your baby eats. Whether you nurse, use formula, or do a combination of the two, feeding a newborn can be stressful.

Are they getting enough? Are they crying because they are still hungry? Is the breast milk or formula upsetting their tummy?

Every single baby is unique in their own way.

I always suggest consulting your Pediatrician with any concerns.

If you’re nursing, you may find that some foods you eat don’t agree with your baby. A baby with an upset or gassy tummy usually is very uncomfortable and unable to sleep well.

For this reason, I recommend that moms keep a bland diet 48 hours before your photo shoot and that you eat comfort foods, such as bread, potatoes and whole grains to keep your baby comfortable.

(If you are using formula, try not to change which formula you are using during this time, as long as your baby is happy and your doctor hasn’t told you to change.)

After your session, you are welcome to choose any diet you wish; however, there are certain foods and drinks that can lead to gas in newborns.

Below is a list of common foods suggested to avoid while nursing newborns. This list was written by a Pediatrician and given to me while I was pregnant with my first baby.

These foods typically affect babies under 6 weeks. As they get older, reintroduce foods one at a time to see how they are accepted. Please use this list at your own discretion and consult your doctor as needed.

Breastfeeding Food Guide

Avoid Acidic Foods and Drinks such as:

Cranberries
Pineapple
Grapefruit
Oranges
Lemons
Strawberries
All berries
Tomatoes and tomato products
Chocolate (rarely affects babies)
Peanuts-nuts in general
Pizza
Spaghetti
Chilli
Tacos/Spicy/Mexican Foods/Salsa
Ketchup

Avoid Gassy Vegetables such as:

Asparagus
Onions
Garlic
Cucumbers/pickles
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage

Restrict Drinks such as:

Soda (particularly caffeinated)
Coffee
Tea
Wine & Beer

Check with your Doctor to see if Dairy is an issue.

Too much pepper can irritate your baby’s stomach too, so that’s why I suggest you avoid chicken in your take-out orders and stick to bland beef if you’re having restaurant food.

Getting your baby on the right formula and identifying foods that don’t agree with your baby may take a little bit of time. Once you figure it out, you and your baby will be happier.

I wrote a whole article on 5 Take-Out Places in Huntsville that are Good for the Anti-Colic Diet, since I know cooking your own meals or having a friend cook for you is not always an option during the haze of the newborn days.

(It is very important to understand that I believe in baby led newborn sessions, which means that I never force or deny a feeding. Newborns should be fed before the session starts, but if your baby is hungry, there is plenty of time to stop and feed them. Sometimes babies get extra hungry during their session, and I want you to take care of your baby.)

Read the rest of my tips to Help Your Baby “Sleep Like a Baby”:

Tip #1: That’s a Wrap!

Tip #2: Your Baby’s Talking to You

Tip #3: Shh!

Tip #4: You are doing a Great Job!

Why I Never Feel Guilty About Easter Baskets

Some families don’t want to do Easter baskets on Easter morning, so they don’t take away from the true meaning of Easter. Personally, I never had a problem with understanding what Easter was really all about as a kid, and I had an incredible amount of fun with my Easter basket before church.

Today, I was Very excited to pass down my family’s tradition to my sons.

Easter Basket Scavenger Hunts!

We make our kids hunt for their Easter baskets by having a scavenger hunt with Bible story clues!

My eldest isn’t quite old enough to read the clues yet, but he knows enough Bible stories that we were able to read the clues to him and he figured out where he was suppose to go next.

The first clue led him to our fruit stash. (You could include any of the verses about fruit for this one. We told him about John 15:4, “No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”

My eldest knew what Pilate did at Jesus’s trial, because we had just talked about that earlier in the week in his Holy Week coloring book.

Jesus washing his disciples’ feet was another story we had discussed in his coloring book earlier in the week.

For his last clue, I made him hunt a little bit. We wash his feet in the bathtub, but his basket wasn’t hidden in the bathtub right next to that sink.

We put his basket in his bathroom upstairs. So, it was fun watching him running around the house, smiling and excited to find his prize.

We put little brother’s basket with it, because we knew he would want to follow along wherever big brother went!

Growing up the clues became harder and eventually I started receiving Bible verses I had to go look up instead of fill in the blank verses.

You can make it as hard or as easy as you want to!

I hope you will consider adding this to your Easter morning tradition, and Stop feeling guilty about doing Easter baskets on Easter morning. There’s no reason it has to detract from the true Easter Story.

HAPPY EASTER!

Relax Your Baby With This Tip

My next tip to Help Your Baby “Sleep Like a Baby” is to Relax! You are doing a Great Job!

Your instincts will help you a lot as a parent, and reading extra advice, in those spare moments while rocking your baby, is an added bonus.

(Of course, please ask your baby’s pediatrician every question you can think of during your baby’s check-ups, because they know best!)

Newborn photographer in Huntsville, AL gives tips on how to relax your baby during your newborn pictures.

When parents have me over for a Newborn Photo Shoot, I want them to be nice and relaxed.

Newborns generally respond to your energy, and therefore, the more relaxed and comfortable you are, the more likely they will be relaxed and ready to sleep during their session.

Tip # 4: Relax Yourself

The same is true at other times, too.

It’s normal, especially for first-time parents, to feel a little bit anxious and to second guess yourself.

Take a deep breath and trust that your instincts are good, and that you are doing an amazing job taking care of your baby. You and your baby will be happier because of it.

Many parents worry that their babies may not sleep through their newborn session. Well, that’s not a problem!

Relax your baby with this tip from Newborn Photographer Ellen Adams.

I’ve photographed babies that are wide awake the entire time. We can usually still achieve some amazing images, especially if they are wrapped.

You also don’t have to worry about crying. Babies are babies, and they will cry. I do everything I can to soothe and comfort them, and to surround them with a comfortable environment.

I want your Newborn Session to be a treasured memory, and I will do everything I can to make it relaxing and enjoyable.