Your social media feed is full of them – adorable newborn month by month pictures. Babies smile up from beautiful blankets or wave number balloons at the camera. Maybe it's something you want to do for your baby, but you feel too drained to figure it out. Baby Notebook has you covered. In this blog post, we share manageable ways to document sweet monthly milestone photos. We also share some tips on using them to tell your baby's story in your baby book. So dive in and get inspired!
7 Sweet Ideas for Your Newborn's Month by Month Pictures
When we designed the Baby Notebook app, we made a commitment to helping busy families actually finish their baby books. That means you can DIY all of these newborn month by month pictures with minimal fuss without sacrificing aesthetics.
1. Letter Boards and Whiteboards
Letter boards and whiteboards are great props for monthly milestone photos. In addition to the month, you can add details like:
- Your baby's nicknames
- Whom they met that month
- Favorites songs or toys
If you're using the Baby Notebook app to build your baby book, each chapter has the month on it. You could leave the numbers off your letter board or whiteboard and put beloved quotes instead.
2. Stuffed Animals
Our favorite newborn month by month pictures show your baby's growth over the course of their first year. Stuffed animals are perfect for showing how much your baby has grown. You can prop the stuffed animal next to your baby or let your child interact with it. (Let's be honest. They're going to reach for the toy!) At first, your newborn may look small compared to the stuffed animal you choose, but before you know it, they'll outgrow it.
💡 Pro tip: As your baby gets to be around 7 months old, when they can sit by themselves, it can become difficult to get them to lay for your photo. It's ok to transition your photos to baby sitting up. Or consider using their favorite stuffy to help them lie down and smile. Have the stuffy come down and give them a kiss and then snap away with your phone on the live setting to make sure you get the photo you want.
3. Blocks
Get sets of blocks with numbers and letters. Arrange them to spell out “1 month” above your baby. Classic wooden blocks look great with all decor, but you can opt for colors that feel like your family. Remember that this is about documenting your family's story. Your photos should feel true to you.
4. Seasonal Props
Feel free to get creative with prompts for newborn month by month pictures. You can do something different every month. Including seasonal props can be a fun way to show your baby's growth and the changing seasons. Here are some seasonal props that make fun additions to milestone photos:
- Flowers
- Beach toys
- Fruit
- Pumpkins
- Holiday ornaments
If you're a farmer's market family, just about anything you find there will give your photos some seasonal flair.
5. New People, Milestones, and Experiences
Your baby will meet so many new people, hit milestones, and have new experiences in their first year. You'll want to document a lot of those first encounters with grandparents and places that mean a lot to your family. Why not include the pictures as milestone photos in your baby book?
If you take this route, consider taking a lifestyle approach to the photos. Candid images give you a strong sense of the relationships that make up your baby's world in their first year. Learn more about DIYing lifestyle photos of your baby in this blog post.
6. Flowers
For families who love a stunning prop, consider incorporating flowers into your newborn month by month pictures. You can use blooms to make the number of the month you're documenting. Alternatively, you could build a rainbow or wreath of flowers to put around your baby.
Like stuffed animals, your baby probably will want to grab for the flowers. That's OK! Let them have fun while you snap photos of the cuteness.
7. Family Members
Your baby isn't the only one who's changing, though they're probably growing faster than anyone else in the house. Your family's whole world shifts when your baby is born. Include other children, parents, grandparents, and chosen family in milestone photos. When your child is older, they'll adore looking back on these photos and seeing themselves so surrounded by love.
Would you like to see more ideas for your baby's first birthday photo? Check out these first birthday picture ideas that you can DIY!
Preserving Newborn Month by Month Pictures with the Baby Notebook App
Now that you're inspired to take your newborn month by month pictures, you'll want the perfect place to preserve them. The Baby Notebook app is designed to help busy parents create beautiful, high-quality baby books that are as unique as their families. Our baby book includes monthly milestone photo and journaling pages. Flexible layouts and prompts help you tell your book to your baby's story.
Download the Baby Notebook app and start documenting these precious milestones today!