Mommy and Me - Britney, Eli +Beaux - Shreveport Motherhood Photographer - Leslie Whitaker Photography

Mommin’ is hard, a lot of the time. We lay down at night and think about all the things that we didn’t finish, didn’t do right or certainly could have done better. The laundry is never completely done, and most of the time their are dishes in the sink ( at least at my house). Regardless of all of the shortcomings we think we have, our babies don’t see any of that. Give yourself some grace, take photos with your babies. It won’t be this way for long.

Declan - Quarantine Babies - Shreveport Newborn Photographer, Leslie Whitaker Photography-

Morgan, Dakota and Declan are such a beautiful family! Declan is a perfect little boy with an olive tone complexion and what look to be blue eyes. On the day of his session he was a complete gentleman and went right to sleep once I swaddled him! He was six weeks old the day of our session, and chunky already. I love working with older newborns, I find that they actually do better than most younger babies and settle into positions with less fuss. I’ve already gotten to see Declan and his parents again, at the sunflower fields - but read below to hear more about Morgan’s final weeks of pregnancy, their session from her perspective and how Covid-19 affected her and her family during Declan’s birth, before and after.

Covid-19 has changed many of the ways we live our life. I'd love to hear from you how it has directly affected your pregnancy. Do you feel like you've missed out on anything during your pregnancy with Declan that you looking forward to? Do you recall any emotional differences related to the changes you faced towards the end of your pregnancy or postpartum experience?

Luckily, I was well into my 3rd trimester before Covid-19 related restrictions set in, but my husband wasn't able to attend my last few doctor's appointments. We even ended up going to a different hospital for Declan's birth because my original hospital was only going to allow my husband to stay for the "Golden Hour" before being asked to leave while I stayed another 48 hours. It was very stressful to think that my husband wouldn't be with me or be able to spend the first couple days with his first newborn. I definitely cried in the doctor's office when I found that out, but thankfully it all worked out.

How was your hospital stay? Do you recall any differences in what you had imagined your birth experience to be like? How did those differences make you feel?

So, we solved the problem of my husband not being able to be with me, but there was no getting past the 1 visitor rule! Our family had to wait until we were all home. It was definitely much different than I imagined. Part of me is very thankful that it was quiet and my husband could spend that time meeting our new little one, but it also would have been great to have family there for extra support and to meet their first grand baby.

Where was Declan born and at how many weeks gestation? How old was your baby on the date of his newborn session?

Declan was born at Willis Knighton in Bossier and was 40 weeks (born 1 day before his due date)! He was 6 weeks during our session.

What were you nervous about going into your session?

I wasn't worried about much. I had heard great things about Leslie, but with Covid-19 still lingering in our community, I did feel a little anxious about the possibility of exposing him to anything.

What was your favorite part of your newborn session experience?

It was very relaxed! Leslie was great & coached us non-models into family positions that made for such sweet photos.

How do you feel now that you have completed your newborn session and received your images?

Great! Wouldn't change it for the world. The pictures are beautiful and are a wonderful presentation of us as a new family.

Would you recommend Leslie to other parents looking to document their newborn with a professional newborn photographer? Why would you recommend Leslie as a photographer in Shreveport, Louisiana?

Of course, Leslie has a fantastic selection of props to use. She's very personable and easy-going. Plus her editing skills are A++. Can't wait to get more pictures made with her in the future!

Shreveport, Louisiana Maternity Photographer // Rhonda's Maternity Session

Covid-19 has changed many of the ways we live our life. I'd love to hear from you how it has directly affected your pregnancy. Do you feel like you've missed out on anything? How are you feeling emotionally? Etc.

I do feel like it has impacted my pregnancy. Not being able to get together with family and friends. Not being able to have my husband at the doctor appointments and not being able to have my other children at the hospital when we bring our daughter into the world. It saddens me really. I feel like I have missed out on a lot of moments that I was able to capture in my previous pregnancies. Breaks my heart really. Moments that I will never experience again as this is my last child. Having Leslie do my maternity shoot definitely took some sting away. Helped me feel more normal outside of the Covid-19.

What were you nervous about going into your session?

I don't recall being nervous. I was excited to be able to have the opportunity to have the pictures done during this covid-19 pandemic.

What was your favorite part of your session experience?

The way I felt so comfortable. Just talking and feeling like I wasn't just a stranger I’d just met.

How do you feel now that you have completed your session and received your images?

I feel even more beautiful than I did before.

Would you recommend Leslie to other ladies looking to book a maternity session? Why?

Absolutely! Leslie is very laid-back and gentle. Most photographers seem demanding but she was soft spoken and just overall gentle.

So many parts of life have been impacted, and I know that my way of thinking has changed a lot. A certain level of fear is healthy, enough to keep you safe. Sometimes you need to leave the fear in the background and enjoy your season of life. I’m happy to have been able to give Rhonda a sense of normalcy as she gets ready to welcome Presley into her sweet family. I can’t wait to get to capture this beautiful baby girl as she grows.

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Jacie is "berry sweet" // Shreveport First Birthday Photographer // Leslie Whitaker Photography

Why did you choose Leslie to capture your child's first birthday portraits?

After looking at her work, I loved the white background! It focused more on my child, Jacie, than an actual themed background.

Were you nervous about anything going into your child's session? Please explain.

I was nervous because my child always seems to be sleepy or cranky when it’s time for pictures.

What was your favorite part of the session experience?

My favorite part had to be trying to get her to eat the cake and strawberries. Although, she gave us a hard time (inserts eye roll). Leslie was very patient and you could tell she had experience dealing with children my daughter’s age.

How do you feel now that you have completed your session and received your images?

I feel great! I just knew none of her pictures were going to be good. She got some great shots of Jacie.

Would you recommend Leslie to other parents looking to book a first birthday session for their child? Why?

Yes! Highly recommend. She definitely has experience with dealing with children and her patience is just unheard of! She’s very professional and answers in a timely manner, always!

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