SIMPLY BY SUZY

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chicago newborn photographers | best splurges on yourself after giving birth

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newborn

Hi, I'm Suzy, a photographer, mentor and mom of 3. I'm so glad you're here.

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Now that I’m thinking about welcoming our second baby this fall, I’m starting to give thought to all of the things I did right and all of the things I want to do better this time around.. Like, I probably wasted over a thousand dollars on rockers and bassinets trying to find something our daughter would sleep in but alas she only wanted to sleep with us so I’m definitely not wasting money on those things again. Also my husband and I did not do aaaanyyy prep on our marriage before our daughter’s birth so this time we’ve got at least 2-4 appointments a month with our marriage counselor as well as a trip planned for just the two of us before this new little woman arrives.

Some things we did do right, however, was to pre-make and freeze a month’s worth of soups and stews. That was seriously the BEST decision we ever made so I’ve scheduled a whole week for this in my third trimester (I love the recipes in The First Forty Days ). And hands down, one of my absolute favorite things I did for myself last time was to splurge on products to make my shower and bath time feel extra good because let me tell you, there is nothing better than those first showers you take in the hospital and coming home. Whether this is your first baby or second or tenth, I decided to put together a list of some of my favorite splurges in these categories to help make your post-birth shower ritual that much more luxurious.

chicago newborn photographers
  1. True Botanicals Body Mask $48
  2. Vitner’s Daughter botanical face oil $185
  3. Agent Nateur unisex deodorant $21 (lavendar and eucalyptus)
  4. EDIT: SOLD OUT
  5. Organic Monica + Andy lounge robe $65 (seriously the best robe you will ever find for post partum days. The fabric is not only organic but it’s a really soft, light weight material that is so perfect for how much you sweat in those first weeks after birth.)
  6. True Botanicals shampoo , conditioner and body wash $28-$34 (I did a LOT of research into organic body products and True Botanicals wins for best shampoo, conditioner and body wash. I wasn’t too impressed by their face serums but the shampoo, conditioner & body wash are really great products).

Not pictured but some alternatives I also love:

  1. Hyaluronic Avid + B5 face serum $12
  2. Glossier Milkydew face wash & FutureDew face oil $34
  3. Barefoot Dreams robe $99 (I LIVE in this when I’m at the point in my postpartum recovery where I’m just sitting on the couch breastfeeding all day all night long and my nursing sweats have calmed down a little, so weeks 2-6. Also, I’m a size 1 but I like to buy this as a 3 so it’s ultra oversized and cozy)

Simply by Suzy is a luxury photography studio in Chicago specializing in pregnancy photography, birth photography, newborn photography and family photography. If you’re interested in having a mom and baby bath time session contact me HERE for more information, or if you’re interested in seeing more newborn sessions click HERE and HERE.

Hi, I'm Suzy, a photographer, mentor and mom of 3. I'm so glad you're here.

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I'm Suzy of Simply by Suzy, and I'm so happy you're here at my blog because I can't wait to serve you with lots of good stuff like a peek into all of my favorite photoshoots for clients, freebies and resources on motherhood, how to get more connected with your life, and how to take beautiful pictures of it

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The Artist

Suzzane
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For nearly two decades, I’ve worked with individuals and families who understand the value of time. And the importance of preserving it well.

My work centers on creating living archives: carefully composed records of a life as it’s being lived. Not performances. Not surface moments. But the relationships, environments, and details that define a legacy.

I approach each commission with the eye of an artist and the discipline of a documentarian. Listening closely. Observing deeply. Shaping work that is meant to endure. Crafted on film, finished as heirloom objects, and designed to be held in your hands, lived with in the home, and passed down in your private family vault. 

This is not photography for the present moment.

It is art made in service of memory, history, and the generations that follow.

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