20 MUST-HAVE FIRST-YEAR MILESTONES
The Most Important Moments to Capture In Your Baby’s First Year
During the first year of your baby’s life, there is an incredible amount of change happening.
In fact, they’re growing faster than they will at any other time of their life! And you want to soak up every moment of it while it’s here.
The problem is, the first year of your baby’s life is also extremely demanding on you Mama. I don’t need to tell you about the diaper-changing, sleepless nights, and endless laundry that makes your days blur together.
It's really hard to find the magic moments of this stage when just barely keeping up with moment-by-moment demands.
I know how you feel Mama, I’ve been there.
I know how hard it is to balance the responsibilities of motherhood with the deep joys of motherhood.
But the truth is, you don’t have to choose between the two. No compromises here! When the responsibility of motherhood wears us thin, we can always find the simplest glimpses of magic, delight, and joy when we look at our growing babies.
And when you have photos of the most important stages in your baby’s first year, you don’t have to worry about losing any of those magical moments of every “first” as they travel through their first year.
Just enjoy each moment as it comes, and let it transform into the next one. Rest easy knowing that they’ll bring with them amazing new memories, and you’ll have this moment safely preserved in a photo.
To help you keep an eye out for the amazing developments your baby will go through in their first year of life, and preserve them in photos that will last forever.
That’s why I’ve created this photo guide for you!
Don’t spend your days worrying about how fast the time goes, or how fleeting each moment is.
The Most Important Moments of Your Baby’s First Year
So often it's mothers who are expected to be their family’s memory keepers – to keep the journals, to write down all the “firsts” in their baby calendar, make a scrapbook, and send everybody photo updates.
In everything you’re doing to sustain your family, you don’t need the added stress of constant documenting. You deserve support in the process of your family’s memory keeping so you can just enjoy the moments while they last. With this timeline, the pressure is officially off! These are the most important milestones in your baby’s first year. Because of the developmental changes they coincide with, these milestones are the best times to make notes and take photos of your growing baby.
That’s why I created the First Year Collective. I’ll capture the most important moments in your baby’s first year, so you don’t have to stress about missing them. At each milestone session, I’ll provide you and your baby with a luxurious photography experience while also helping you plan all the details from session to session. The whole family is invited and encouraged to attend milestone sessions so we can document everyone’s excitement around your baby’s growth. Our family-friendly studio has toys, colouring books, and activities for your older children while we photograph your baby on their own.
20 MUST-HAVE MILESTONES TO PHOTOGRAPH DURING YOUR BABY’S FIRST YEAR
MATERNITY
This is such a dreamy time in your life. Your maternity photo session is an opportunity to savour the moments of your pregnancy while preserving these memories for you and your child to experience again in the future. Many of my clients make it part of their “Baby Moon” celebrations as they soak up their last few weeks of this exciting time. Imagine, in just a couple of short months, you’ll be joining me again to continue this story in your newborn session.
(We’ll be sure to book your newborn session during your pregnancy to save your spot around the time of your due date).
Recommendation
32 weeks is when your growing baby bump is the perfect shape and size to be noticeable in photos (and you’ll still have the energy to stand and walk around).
Five Must-Have Portraits From This Stage
Solo Mama Photographs: Capturing your beautiful glow and the profound love you hold for your unborn child.
Parental Bond: Highlighting the tender moments between expectant parents, a nod to the love that started it all.
Family Anticipation: Everyone together, eagerly looking forward to the newest addition.
Baby Bump Focus: Zooming in on the bump to celebrate the essence of motherhood.
Bare Bump (Optional): For those at ease, an intimate portrayal of this life-changing period.
NEWBORN
Baby has arrived! Congratulations! Newborn photography is a wonderful way for you to connect with the newest member of your family and introduce them to the world. This will be the tiniest they’ll ever be. Capture them in photos before they grow up. These will be the photos you look back at one year from now at their first-year session and be in utter disbelief about how much they’ve changed.
Recommendation
Book your session early in your pregnancy to save your spot around the time of your due date. Then, when your baby, arrives we’ll connect again and confirm our date. Babies are adorable at any age. We can schedule your session between 7- 14 days old for curled-up, sleepy photos, or 14-21 days old for more open eyes and personality.
Five Must-Have Portraits From This Stage
Swaddled: Nothing says "brand new" like seeing them all snug in a cozy swaddle. It will make you go "aww" every time.
Tiny Details: Get close-ups of those tiny hands, feet, and those adorable little lips. You'll be amazed at how quickly these change.
Snuggle Time: Mom and dad holding their tiny baby is pure magic.
Facial Close-up: You’ll have fun comparing it with mom, dad, and siblings to see who your baby takes after.
Family Hug: Showering the new baby with all the love. It's the perfect way to show just how much they were awaited and cherished.
SIX MONTHS
This session is a beautiful addition to your baby’s first-year photo collection as we move away from the dreamy newborn poses to some more action-oriented images of your growing baby.
Recommendation
No worries if your baby isn't sitting up on their own yet. Every child is unique! We've got loads of tricks up our sleeve, from using soft pillows for support to cozy beds and more. Our priority is your baby's comfort and safety. Let's create some beautiful, relaxed memories together.
Five Must-Have Portraits From This Stage
Chubby Vibes: Those cheeks! Those wrist rolls! Oh, and let's not forget that delightful round belly. We gotta get them all!
Personality Peek: Now's the time when your little one starts showing off their unique personality. Whether it's those infectious giggles, cheeky grins, or even their newfound love for toys, we'll catch every bit of it.
Tummy Time & More: From enjoying their tummy time to playing peek-a-boo, to discovering the joy of their own toes, we’re on it. And if your baby's started sitting on their own or even crawling, we’re all set to capture their adorable wobbly journey.
Bring On the Laughs: Know what gets that big toothy smile or that heart-melting giggle? Maybe it's clapping or that classic game of peek-a-boo. Whatever it is, make sure to let us know. We want all the smiles!
Squishy Baby Bum Alert: This age is perfect for those squishy baby-bum shots. Whether they're sitting and looking back at the camera or just lying down, every pinch-worthy part will be captured for you to cherish.
ONE YEAR
Happy first birthday, Baby! Let’s celebrate your sweet baby with an effortless and memorable studio photo session.
Recommendation
Choose a date that’s a week or two before your baby‘s first birthday. That way you can share the images the morning of their big day and even display photos at their birthday party.
Five Must-Have Portraits From This Stage
Milestone Moments: Each little one's journey is unique. Whether they've started standing, crawling, or taking their first steps, it's all worth capturing. Let's spotlight their individual achievements in this beautiful year.
The Big Family Frame: This year wasn't just about the baby. It was a year of growth, learning, and bonding for the entire family. So, a heartwarming shot with all family members is a must. It'll be a reflection of the love, support, and unity that's grown over the year.
Studio Adventure: Ready for some candid magic? As your little explorer gets familiar with the studio, we'll be there to capture their personality, with every curious glance and playful move.
Cake Smash Fun: Bring on the giggles and sticky fingers! With a freshly baked cake at the ready, we'll document the joy (and delightful mess) as your kiddo dives into their first birthday treat.
Post-Cake Splish-Splash: After their sweet but messy adventure, it's time for a little cleanup fun. A mini bath session with bubbles and rubber duck is perfect. It’s adorable and practical. Plus, once they're all clean and giggly, we'll wrap up with some cozy towel snuggles.
If you don’t want the pressure of being camera-ready every moment of the day, the First Year Collective is your solution!
When you have these milestones in photos, you can rest easy and just enjoy your life, knowing the most important moments are captured and preserved in professional heirloom photo albums and portraits.
I have a passion for taking really good care of moms, whether they’re first-time mothers or third-time mothers. So I designed a photography experience around it!
And when you have this collection of photos through your baby’s first year, you can stop being at everyone’s beck and call when it comes to photo-taking and memory-keeping. At Reflections, you will actually be a central part of the photo experience! This means:
You won’t be missing from the photos anymore
You’ll get to look back at the moments you shared with your family (not just captured of them)
You don’t have to hold all the responsibility of photo-taking
I love how special and adored you want your children to feel when they see themselves in photo albums, and in framed portraits around your home. When you start your baby’s journey with a collection of first year milestone photos, you’re giving them an incredible gift.
But even better? This gift is for you too.
It’s called the First Year Collective – a series of three to four portrait sessions with your baby throughout their first year.
Take it from Jessica, a First Year Collective member.
“As a new mom, it has been so nice to work with Karen!
From hair and makeup to coordinating family outfits, beautiful photographs and even installing the photos in your home, Karen truly provides a full service!
Family photos can be overwhelming for moms but Karen takes the stress out of it. The photos she takes are beautiful and timeless. She is very kind, and patient, makes you feel comfortable, and is so good with little ones as well. She is a very thoughtful person. Going above and beyond to think ahead about the area where you are hoping to hang the portraits and coming to hang them herself is so helpful! She has thought of everything!
We cherish the photos she has captured of our family and our little one loves looking at them as well. We have received so many compliments on the portraits she installed in our home. I recommend Reflections to anyone looking for an amazing stress-free family photography experience.“
-Jessica Nielson
We spend so much of our time as mothers trying to help our kids become the main characters in their own stories.
During the First Year Collective, I will partner with you in this effort while also helping you remember this, Mama: