Question 1

How do I choose between Reggio, Montessori and Steiner childcare on the Northern Beaches?

Accepted Answer

Visit two or three centres at drop-off and pick-up, watch how educators speak with children, and choose the philosophy whose daily rhythm feels closest to your family's. Reggio is project- and arts-led, Montessori is independence- and materials-led, Steiner is unhurried and nature-led.

Question 2

When should I add my baby to a childcare waitlist?

Accepted Answer

On the Northern Beaches, waitlists for the 0–2 room typically fill 9–12 months ahead. As soon as you know your return-to-work month, join two or three lists — most centres let you delay a start date once offered.

Question 3

What's the difference between long day care, family day care and preschool?

Accepted Answer

Long day care runs 7am–6pm in a purpose-built centre. Family day care is a small group in an educator's home. Preschool (3–5 years) runs school-like hours during term. All three are subsidised via CCS if the provider is approved.

Question 4

How do I prepare my child for their first day at childcare?

Accepted Answer

Do two or three short stay-and-play visits in the fortnight beforehand, send a familiar comforter, and keep goodbyes brief and warm. Settling usually eases within 1–3 weeks.

Question 5

How do I read a childcare centre's NQS rating before touring?

Accepted Answer

Search the centre on acecqa.gov.au. Look for 'Meeting' or 'Exceeding' overall, and pay closest attention to Quality Area 5 (relationships with children) and QA 1 (educational program).

Question 6

What ratios should I look for in the 0–2 room?

Accepted Answer

The NSW minimum is 1 educator to 4 children under 2. Many quality Beaches centres run 1:3 in that room — always ask what their actual room ratio is on a typical day, not just the licensed maximum.

Question 7

How do I handle separation anxiety in the first few weeks?

Accepted Answer

Arrive a few minutes early to settle in with your child, hand them to a specific educator (not the room in general), say a short clear goodbye, and leave. Most children settle within 5–10 minutes; the educator will call if they don't.

Question 8

What goes in a daycare bag for a newborn vs a toddler?

Accepted Answer

Newborn: 5+ nappies, spare wraps, 2 changes of clothes, labelled bottles and expressed milk, dummy, sleep bag. Toddler: nappies or spare undies, 2 changes of clothes, sun hat, water bottle, comforter, and a labelled lunchbox if the centre isn't food-provided.

Question 9

How much does childcare really cost after CCS on the Northern Beaches?

Accepted Answer

Full-fee days on the Beaches sit around $150–$185. After the Child Care Subsidy, most working families pay $45–$90 per day depending on combined income and hours of activity. Use the Services Australia estimator for your exact rate.

Question 10

Which local centres do you personally recommend, and why?

Accepted Answer

Aline shares personal recommendations privately with booked families — the shortlist changes as staff and directors move. Send a note via the contact page and Aline will reply with current picks for your suburb.

Question 11

When in pregnancy is best for maternity photos?

Accepted Answer

Between 28 and 34 weeks for most singleton pregnancies — the bump is beautifully round and you're still comfortable moving. For twins or if you're measuring ahead, we shoot a little earlier, around 26–30 weeks.

Question 12

What should I wear for a maternity session?

Accepted Answer

You're welcome to borrow from the studio wardrobe of flowing gowns in cream, sand, black and terracotta. If you're bringing your own, choose fitted-over-the-bump fabrics in solid tones, and skip busy prints or logos.

Question 13

Studio, beach or in-home — which suits us best?

Accepted Answer

Studio is warm, private and weather-proof, and lets us use gowns. Beach (usually Palm or Mona Vale) is golden and cinematic but weather-dependent. In-home is intimate and lovely if you have soft natural light. We'll recommend one on your prep call.

Question 14

Can my partner and older children be in the maternity shoot?

Accepted Answer

Yes — partners and siblings are included at no extra cost. We usually start with family frames while children are fresh, then move to solo bump portraits in the second half of the session.

Question 15

How long does a maternity session run?

Accepted Answer

Plan for about 90 minutes on the day. That includes settling in, one or two wardrobe changes, solo bump portraits and family frames if you'd like them.

Question 16

Do you offer hair and makeup, or can you recommend someone local?

Accepted Answer

We don't have HMUA in-house, but we work regularly with two Northern Beaches artists who travel to the studio or your home. We'll share their details and pricing when you book.

Question 17

What if I'm uncomfortable being photographed — how do you make it feel easy?

Accepted Answer

Most clients tell us they don't love the camera either. Aline guides every pose, plays music you choose, and shoots in short sets with breaks. You'll see the back of the camera whenever you want reassurance.

Question 18

Can we bundle maternity with a newborn session and save?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The Bump + Baby bundle combines a maternity session and an in-first-fortnight newborn session and saves against booking them separately. Full pricing is on the Sessions page.

Question 19

How soon will we see our maternity gallery?

Accepted Answer

You'll see a small sneak-peek set within 3–5 days. The full retouched gallery is delivered inside two weeks, followed by a Reveal Zoom to choose any prints or albums.

Question 20

Do you photograph high-risk or bed-rest pregnancies in-home?

Accepted Answer

Yes — Aline regularly shoots in-home for clients on modified activity or bed rest. We keep the session short, quiet and at your pace, and can work entirely from a bed or lounge if needed.

Question 21

When should we book a newborn session — and how soon after birth?

Accepted Answer

Book while you're pregnant so we can hold a fortnight around your due date. We photograph most newborns between days 5 and 14, when they still curl deeply and sleep easily between feeds.

Question 22

Is it safe? What newborn safety training do you have?

Accepted Answer

Aline is the only Northern Beaches newborn photographer who is childcare-qualified (7+ years in early-learning rooms), WWCC-verified, First Aid HLTAID012 certified and fully insured. All 'floating' or prop-suspended looks are composites — baby is always supported by a parent or spotter.

Question 23

What do we need to bring, and what does Aline provide?

Accepted Answer

Bring nappies, a couple of spare wraps, formula or expressed milk if you use it, and yourselves. Aline provides all wraps, hats, headbands, backdrops, props and a warmed studio ready for baby.

Question 24

How long does a newborn session take with feeds and settling?

Accepted Answer

Plan for 3 to 4 hours. That sounds long, but most of it is calm — feeding, settling, gentle posing, then repeat. You're welcome to nap on the studio lounge between sets.

Question 25

What's your refund or reschedule policy if baby arrives early or late?

Accepted Answer

Newborn dates are held loosely around your due date, so early or late arrivals are expected — just let us know once baby is here and we'll lock the exact day. Deposits transfer with you at no cost.

The questions families ask us most.

Three generations of early-childhood expertise

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