You and your baby and your family have been safely snuggled away in your house for months and leaving the house very infrequently. Now you are venturing out more and your baby is turning one and a first birthday session is in your future. Preparing for a cake smash session after quarantine is helpful to make your baby as happy and comfortable as possible.
If a baby is going to get a little bit of stranger anxiety it usually happens between 6 months and one year. Some babies don't get stranger anxiety at all and some babies can be quite affected by it. Our new normal has amplified many babies stranger anxiety.
How to prepare: About a week before your session wear a mask at home around baby. Play with your little one. Make it fun! Make it normal! Have other people in your family around your baby too.
Naps are the KEY! Keeping baby on a normal schedule is key. A session should be scheduled after a nap. If you know your baby is happier during a certain time of the day please let us know and we are happy to scoot your session to the best time of day for your baby. Do not hesitate to contact us if a nap schedule changes and you think another time will work better. Scheduling a session during a nap time is a recipe for a whole bunch of sad face pictures.
Fill Up Baby's Belly A baby with a full tummy is a happy baby. Make sure that baby has had a good breakfast or lunch before their session. Bring a bottle or be prepared to nurse your little one before and during the session if that will make them a happy camper. Bring their favorite snacks to their session too!
Most babies do not eat the cake. We make it look like they are eating cake by hiding their favorite snacks on the back of the cake or in the cake itself. So don't forget to bring their favorite treat! Goldfish, yogurt melts, veggie sticks, baby puffs are all perfect to use for "not cake but looks like cake".
Trial Cake Run Before we start a cake smash session we always ask the mom and dad if they think baby is going to be a cake smasher or a cake poker. You just never know what a baby is going to do when their cake is right in front of them. When preparing for a cake smash session expect the unexpected!
Make sure that this is not the first time baby is eating cake or playing with cake. Make or get a small cake and put it in front of baby about a week before your session. Let them make a mess and cheer them on! Make sure the cake is vanilla so that it is similar to the cake that will be here at the studio. This introduction to cake is also important just to make sure baby does not have an allergic reaction to any ingredients in the cake.
Consider bringing these items to your baby's session:
Babies need time, sometimes quite a bit of time to acclimate themselves for a session. We absolutely understand that and we are ready and prepared to do everything in our knowledge vault to make your baby happy and comfortable. With over 10 years of experience with working with babies we have tons of patience and perseverance and we don't want any parent to stress at their baby's session. With all of us practicing patience and calmness baby will have a very enjoyable session.