The first year of a child’s life is filled with so much growth. It’s incredible to watch your little one grow from a helpless newborn into a laughing, smiling toddler. Capturing the moments of their development as they happen allows you to hold on to memories that can seem so fleeting as they pass, but as parents of an infant, it can be challenging to remember to photograph the little everyday moments and memories that will mean so much to your family later.

That’s why it’s so important to schedule regular sessions with a professional photographer to capture your child’s growth, especially in their first year. Babies grow and change incredibly quickly, and you don’t want to miss a moment!

We always try to discuss with parents of newborns setting up these sessions ahead of time for the first year of life. There are too many other things to try to remember while taking care of a new little one, so don’t hesitate to inquire about these sessions when you have your newborn session photographed!

Pushing Up Session

After your child’s newborn session, it’s a great idea to schedule a session at around five or six months to capture all the changes they’ve gone through in that time. At this point, your baby should be able to push up on their arms and hold their head up, which is perfect for making eye contact with the camera. No more sleepy newborn poses! Your little one is showing off more of their personality every day and will be wide-eyed and alert during this session. Your photographer will be able to capture some adorable moments of your baby on their tummy or even rolling over, if they’ve mastered that skill. These are great photos to compare to your newborn images to see how much has changed in just a few months.

Sitter Session

Around eight to nine months, your baby should begin to sit up on their own and will offer even more fun expressions for your photographer to capture. Your baby may even be starting to crawl at this stage or scoot around on their bottom to move around the room. Before you schedule this session, be sure that your child can sit up unassisted to minimize the risk of them toppling over during the shoot. Even if they’re fairly steady though, you’ll want to be sure to be within arm’s reach, just in case.

First Birthday Session

Around a year is when you’ll notice major changes in your baby—they won’t seem like such a baby anymore! At this time, your child may begin to take their first stumbling steps and will be showing off new teeth in their smile. A one-year session is a great way to really capture your child’s personality, and it’s a chance to mark just how far not only your child has come, but how far you’ve come as a family. You’ve survived the baby months and are moving into toddlerhood—a new adventure all its own!

Cake smashes are still popular options for first birthdays, but you can also just have a classic studio session or outdoor session utilizing a few fun props and your favorite colors! In recent years, fruit baths, milk baths and even bubble baths have been fun options to try, too.

As your child grows, you’ll want to capture the changes in their appearance and their personality. But as the parent of a baby, trying to take regular photos of your little one is just another item added to your to-do list—and something you just may not have time for. To capture quality images to hang on the walls of your home and share with family and friends, schedule sessions with a professional photographer. That way, you get the beautiful photos you want, and your child will have images to look back on as they grow older.