22/10/2026
If this is your baby, you’re definitely not alone 😅
There’s actually a reason this happens.
When your baby is in your arms, they’re warm, supported and surrounded by your body. They can feel your touch and movement. Then suddenly they’re moved onto a cooler, still surface, their position changes and they lose that feeling of being held.
That movement can also trigger their Moro reflex, or startle reflex, causing their arms and legs to suddenly move and sometimes waking them completely.
It’s something I’m very aware of during newborn sessions.
One of the secrets is keeping baby feeling snug and secure. Supporting their arms and legs as you put them down helps avoid that sudden “I’m falling!” feeling that can trigger the startle reflex and wake them up.
When I move a sleeping baby from one pose or setup to another, I do it slowly and gradually, keeping them supported and maintaining contact for a little while even after I’ve put them down.
Sometimes I’ll stop halfway through a transition because I can feel baby starting to stir. Sometimes we wait. Sometimes we settle again. And sometimes baby decides we’re doing something completely different. 😂
After years of photographing newborns, you learn that getting those peaceful, sleepy images is much less about having a “good sleeper” and much more about understanding newborn behaviour and knowing when not to rush them.
So if you’re looking at newborn photos thinking, “My baby would NEVER do that…” trust me, you might be surprised. 🤍
Expecting a baby? Send me a DM or email [email protected] and I’ll send you all the details.