Are you a new mom (or seasoned mom) in need of monthly baby photo ideas? Track your baby’s age in 1 – 12 month baby photo ideas. In addition to some amazing month to month baby photoshoot ideas, download our free monthly printable milestone stickers and signs for your baby’s first year.
We are expecting and with the upcoming birth of a newborn, I am in nesting mode. Nesting mode for me includes planning how I am going to take those adorable 0 to 12 month photos (and as I plan and look at ideas, wondering if I will give up after 3 months!) Take a look at the creative Monthly Baby Photo Ideas below.
We think you might get inspired like us!
This post as been updated! You can view the blog post about the birth story of my twin boys.
How do I take the best milestones photos in baby’s first year?
One thing monthly baby picture ideas have in common is they are taken in exactly the same location with very similar props. Staging monthly pictures the same way for the first 12 months of life allows the viewer (aka parents, grandparents and all those who will coo) to see how much baby has grown. Take this photo month by month. You can use the same date of the month, usually around their date of birth.
Fun ideas for milestone baby photos include a Moses basket, a bedroom chair, a milestone blanket and/or monthly signs. Another adorable idea is to have your child in the same outfit as a newborn all the way to a one year old. This really shows how big baby has gotten as they begin to fill in their onesie or t-shirt.
How can you use monthly baby photo ideas?
When taking photos every month during your child’s first year of life, ask yourself how do you want to use these photos. Most people use this cuteness to share to social media or even print for a baby book. However, you can also turn these photos in to artwork or birthday party décor for a baby’s first birthday. When you are done with all your staged photos, combine them into one file in 4×3 or 3×4 setting. This gives you 12 images to see how baby has grown. You can use this combined file to print on a canvas and hang your child’s room or in the hallway. Canva is a great free resource for combining all twelve images into one image.
How can I calm my baby down for a photoshoot?
Guess what. In the first year (and maybe the next 18 years) babies are in charge of the photoshoot. In order to get the best photos, consider your child’s schedule. Make sure they are fed, changed and well rested. The best photo shoots occur shortly after a feed when baby has had time to digest and play. Be careful not to get too close too naptime.
Once baby has gotten upset during a photo shoot, trying to continue shooting might not be a great strategy. Consider calming baby with milk or an outdoor walk. If baby cannot calm, put your photoshoot props aside. Give yourself grace. A five month old photo doesn’t have to be taken on exactly five months old. Five months and one day or five months and two days is still just as precious.
Fun Ideas for 1 – 12 Month Old Baby Photos
Watching baby grow can be lots of fun (and oh so sad too!) No matter the emotions it brings, every mama watch to capture that growth spurt in time. Capture those special moments with baby photographs every month. There’s no need for a professional photographer. These adorable DIY ideas for monthly baby photos will give you amazing photo inspiration during baby’s first year of life.
First let’s start with a free digital download. Use this free printable as inspiration as you look at all of these cute monthly baby ideas. They are the perfect prop for your lasting memory.
1-12 Month Baby Signs Free Printable
We heard you and made our own free monthly baby printables! Feel free to use these cute monthly printable signs as you’d like. They come in two colors: blue and pink. This makes this perfect for any gender – a little guy or little gal!
These Baby Milestone Monthly Printables are adorable for photographing a baby’s age. Download this freebie for yourself or print as a shower gift with an 8×10 frame.
Flower Monthly Photo Ideas
How amazing is this Monthly Birthday Floral Series from #watchavanellegrow by Lauren Bowyer. Adorable flowers are use as an idea for monthly numbers 1 to 12. Notice her background template is pretty basic. Even baby’s outfits are minimalist. However, the flowers pop as the baby ages.
Black & White Light Box
Amazon has a Lightbox which will help with these Monthly-Lightbox-Photos from Mrs. Kosakowski (link unavailable.) This sticks to a black and white baby’s photo shoot. Pair with other black and white modern baby props for baby’s pictures.
Monthly Milestone Blanket
I love watching the different Monthly Batzkids Blankets and creative ideas from Instagrammers. This idea from @allyouneedisliv, but you can also see what we did with our blanket and the month of November!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BMwsvvzAz1L/?taken-by=frugalcouponliving
See also our monthly milestone blanket on Instagram. You can grab a Huge Selection of Monthly Milestone Blankets online. These blankets make capture baby’s first year easy as they provide an instant backdrop. Just add seasonal props like a pumpkin for Halloween or eggs for Easter.
Belly to Baby Photos
Enhance mama’s belly with a growing baby. This is so cute all the way from pregnancy (before mom’s due date) to one year. We are in love with this Belly to Baby Monthly Series from Simply Rosie. I actually had a great friend do this idea and eventually she was holding a ten year old boy. It was photo with a lot of humor as the child could barely be held in her arms. (I mean we all have our own quirks for creating memorable photos!)
Monthly Photos for Dad
Even dad can get in on the fun. Lift Baby Up in Dad’s Arms with this Monthly Milestone Idea from Little Meg. This allows mama to be the professional photo since we know dad might capture the moment of projectile milk vomit and declare “got it!”
Developmental Milestones
Canva would be a fun place to replicate these Monthly Milestone Photos with your baby from Tonya Teran. Treasure those incredible milestone with this baby photo idea. Write your child’s height, weight, size, and any milestones they are going through.
Baby Chalkboard Photoshoot
The Photographer’s Wife did a great job using a simplistic chair with a black background and chalkboard Font. Baby’s pictures can be taken in front of a painted chalk board wall and you can have fun with the 1-12 roman numerals. Don’t want to paint your walls? Use chalkboard contact paper or paint a board. Or take this picture with a green wall or even black while and play with ah chalk font in the Canva platform.
Moses Basket Bassinet
Use a Basket to Show Baby’s Growth like Little Lucy Lu baby’s pictures. This is adorable with a baby blanket or pillow.
Black & White Baby’s Pictures
Hide your skill and turn your photos into greyscale or black and white baby photos. Take a basket but turn it into a Black & White Monthly Photo Memory like this idea on Tekoa Rose.
Chair Photos
Keep everything the same except the onesie! Add a number to the onesie sharing each monthly milestone like A Girl Named PJ.
Sticker Numbers on White Onesie
Focus on the background and have fun brightly colored fabric still using a number on the onesie like this idea from Laura Wifler. It’s easy to find white onesies for baby and 1-12 monthly stickers for baby.
Same Onesie Outift
Watch your newborn baby grow in something very obvious. Wear the same onesie outfit like this progression series from Erica’s Bloggity Blog.
Colorful Baby Photo
Mix patterns and textiles with baby. If you are artsy, enjoy adding different background and textures to your baby photos. Go gold using bright colors and a fun standout number in this Monthly Baby Milestone Idea from Oh Joy!
Newborn Announcement
Your first monthly photo can also be used as your newborn announcement idea. Tiffany Burke has done an amazing job capturing newborns, but how about this Newborn Announcement would be great incorporated into monthly birth dates.
Precious Moments Facts
Include mom holding the little one and update the photo with some Descriptive Baby Milestones like this idea from Larissa Another Day. This can easily be done with a baby app on your phone or with a free photo editing tool like Canva.
Stuffed Animal
Toys and lovies can be great props for baby milestone photos. Grab a favorite stuffed animal and keep the background the same like this Monthly Baby Photograph Idea from Kristen Honeycutt. We did this with our twins. One child had a raccoon and the other had a fox. This helped us identify who was who in our identical twin photos.
Colorful Milestone Photo
Add color! I love these Milestones and Colors brought together from Darling Doodles Design. Additionally, check out Canva to help with your creation.
Calendar Photo
For this monthly milestone progression, lay baby on a calendar each month like Ashley Ann Photography. From due date to birth date to first birthday, capture baby as the days on the calendar roll along.
Rainbow Baby
Spell it above with felt letters like this Monthly Photo Idea from Famille Summerbelle. This is also perfect for a rainbow baby as it takes the shape of an arch and uses a lot of colors.
Baby Milestone Blocks
Let a 1-12 baby number cube say it all like this Monthly Birthday Photo Series from Hello My Love. You can make your own DIY baby milestone blocks or buy baby monthly milestone blocks online.
Balloon Photos
Add Balloons like this 0 to 12 Month Balloon Series Idea from A Crafted Passion. Add a balloon to the photo for each year of life. Notice mama kept baby in the same outfit in each photo.
Also take a look at these FREE Monthly Printable Milestone Stickers and Signs.
- Eric Carle The Very Hungry Caterpillar Inspired Stickers from B is for Boy.
- Floral and Vine Monthly Photo Signs from Craftivity Designs.
- Peach and Navy Monthly Stickers from I Heart Arts N Crafts.
- Brown and Brightly Colored Monthly Signs from Mom and Wife.
- Pastel and Primary Stickers from Daffodil Design.
- Chalk Monthly Photo Signs from Reason to Skip the Housework.
- Solid Boy and Girl Monthly Stickers from Attempting Aloha.
- Animal, Pandas, or Circus First Year Signs from Phil and Mama.
- Chalk Monthly Milestone Stickers from Little Stuff.
- Boy and Girl Monthly Printable Signs from The Frugal Fairy.
- Necktie Monthly Onesies from How to Nest for Less.
- Fruit and Vegetable Monthly Photo Signs from Pea to Pumpkin.
- Turtle Monthly Stickers from Sugar Pickle Designs.
- Chevron Pink, Blue, and Grey Monthly Signs from Kid Magazine.
Many of these freebies are no longer available but Etsy has plenty of monthly baby stickers you can find perfect for your own baby photoshoot.
Don’t forget our Creative Pregnancy Announcements. Pin to Pinterest.
Also take a look at our popular post – Newborn Tips and Hacks. Pin to Pinterest.
Also take a look at these Toddler Tips and Hacks – Tips for new and old moms! Pin to Pinterest.
This blog post has been updated. It was originally published Sept 18, 2016.
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