Milestone photo ideas, month by month

The point of a monthly photo is to see how much the baby has changed, so keep the setup the same and let them do the changing. A blanket on the floor, a number, and the same spot by a window is all it takes.

Keep four things the same

• The place. Near a window with soft daylight, not direct sun.
• The surface. A milestone blanket or a plain sheet.
• The angle. Take it from above, with the phone parallel to the floor.
• The day. Pick the day of the month they were born, or the first Saturday.

Twelve ideas

1. Month 1. Asleep, with a hand beside them to show the size.
2. Month 2. The first real smile, if you can catch it.
3. Month 3. Lying on their tummy, lifting their head.
4. Month 4. Holding a favourite soft toy.
5. Month 5. Reaching for something just out of range.
6. Month 6. Sitting with support, with the half-year number.
7. Month 7. Rolling over mid-roll.
8. Month 8. With their first food, and a mess.
9. Month 9. Standing, holding onto the sofa.
10. Month 10. With the pet, if there is one.
11. Month 11. Crawling towards the camera.
12. Month 12. A cake, or a sticker, and a very sticky face.

Make the numbers easy

A set of milestone cards saves you drawing numbers on paper, and the cards also cover the firsts, such as first laugh and first tooth. If you use a blanket with printed squares, put the baby on the square for the month.

When it is not working

Some months the baby will not stay still, and some months you will forget. Take the photo anyway, late if you need to. A slightly wrong month is better than a gap, and you can fix the caption later.