Skip to main content

Unique ideas for taking and displaying baby milestone pictures

In the haze of parenthood, it may seem like you’ll remember certain things forever. As your child grows older, you may find yourself forgetting little things until you happen on a picture on your phone or computer that reminds you.

One of the biggest disappointments of the digital age is how few printed pictures we have. We’re able to take photographs easier than ever, but we store them away unseen on hard drives, which makes it difficult to enjoy our memories. It’s all work and no reward.

Check out these unique ideas for baby’s milestone photos. Milestone photos contain all the important chapters in your child’s growth and development, and it’s time to bring them off your hard drive and into the spotlight.

What are milestone pictures?

Traditionally, parents would take their children to a studio just after birth and potentially once a year to document changes as they grow. The concept for milestone pictures grew out of this practice. As cameras got more accessible, the time between pictures shrank, giving us the milestone practices we have today.

Most milestone pictures happen once a month during the first year of life. Your baby changes rapidly, so it’s common to document these little changes. Parents frequently write little notes for the picture as well, outlining accomplishments and facts about the baby. It’s a picture and memory entry all in one.

Why should parents take milestone pictures?

Milestone pictures help you record your baby’s information and memories all in one single photo. You’ll be surprised how much you forget about your child’s first year as they grow. If this isn’t your first child, you’ll be surprised how many fewer pictures you take if you don’t have an intentional practice in place.

mother and baby walking milestone
Julza / Shutterstock

Unique milestone picture ideas

There are so many exciting ways you could record your child’s milestones. Here are a few of our favorites to help you get started. Luckily, they can be as elaborate or simple as you like.

Use a milestone blanket

Milestone blankets are an easy way to snap those cute photos. Most are a simple white or cream blanket with numbers one through 12 and quantifiers below like “weeks” or “months.” 

Lay your baby on the blanket and shoot from above. Use a simple item like a flower to mark the number and quantifier for the picture or invest in cute picture frames. Your child will grow relative to the blanket, and the photos will have natural continuity.

Milestone banners

The first couple of photos are easy. Your baby just stays in place, allowing you to get the shot you crave. Once baby is crawling or walking, that’s a different story.

A milestone banner can lay on the floor with your young infant or drape across the crib. When your child is crawling or walking and no longer wants to lie still, it can hang on the wall so you can always get the shot you want.

Get older kids involved

Use your older children’s toys as inspiration for your milestone photos. Maybe you can measure your new baby using legos or show the number of months with dinosaur figures. Giving older children the chance to be creative with the photo is a great way to help them bond with their new sibling.

You can use their milestones too. Take one photo with all the milestones using chalkboards so that children can look back and remember their journey together as siblings.

Milestone apps

If props seem like a lot, you do have the choice of a few apps that can set up your milestone photos for you. Snap a photo of your baby that you love and upload the photo to the app. Use text features, pictures, or GIFs to create your photo and save it. 

You can use an app specifically for milestones or find one that will allow you to edit and add text. Some good examples are Baby Story from iTunes or apps like Over

mother and baby blanket
The Honest Company/Unsplash

Displaying your milestone photos

Get those photos off your computer and display them where you can see them! Don’t go to the trouble of remembering and creating those cute photos if they’re going to be forgotten. Consider these ideas:

  • Create a photobook – Companies like Shutterfly allow you to put together memory books bound up like hardcovers. Use your baby’s milestone picture to divide picture sections and set them on your coffee table to look through.
  • Build a collage – Use an app or the same company to stitch your milestone photos together into one poster-size collage. You can display it wherever you have space and see your baby’s progress all at once.
  • Use a modular frame – Take a larger picture frame and add wire or string going from side to side in two, three, or four layers. You can clip each milestone picture to the frame using small clothespins or other clips, and at the end of the year, your milestone collage is complete.
  • Create magnets – If your fridge is looking a little bare, you can create custom magnets to use. They save space in your home if wall space is a premium and look adorable holding up your note and recipes. Later, milestone magnets can hold up your child’s artwork.

Creating memories at each milestone

Whether you’re able to capture milestones every month, create complex photo collages when you remember, or simply grab a photo, you and your child will appreciate being able to look back at how much they’ve changed.

Use milestone photos as a chance to create lasting memories and bond with your child. The beauty of milestone pictures is that you can create what works for you and your family and display them however you like. There’s no need to feel like you’re competing for the best milestone photo or feel bad if you happen to miss a month.

With all the right tools, you could even take photos you already have and create ready-made milestone photos for your children to see later on. It’s time to get creative and do what works for you.

Editors' Recommendations

NewFolks
How to make baby headbands that are adorable
Easy DIY headbands for baby
Cute baby girl in a headband sitting up.

Can't resist those darling headbands in the baby department when shopping for your little cutie? What is it about a headband that makes it a must-have addition to baby's wardrobe? Headbands became an accessory in the 20s for ladies. The fashion statement became practical during World War II when women wore them to protect their hair while working in the factories. Sports headbands were big in the 60s, 70s, and 80s to keep sweat out of the eyes of top athletes. By the 80s, though, headbands became a popular trend for everyone on and off the field. Bruce Springsteen made headbands a staple when his Born in the USA album took over the charts. Headbands eventually made their way to children because they're stylish and functional. A headband keeps hair out of the eyes and away from the face while adding style to an ensemble.

Today, babies have started wearing headbands, too. Now, babies don't need a headband to keep hair out of their eyes. They just look super cute in an adorable headband that tops off an equally darling outfit. Headbands are picture-perfect for those delightfully sweet baby photos, and let's not get started on the holiday baby pics. DIY headbands for baby are a fun project to get the creative juices flowing, whether you are a do-it-yourself enthusiast or a beginner. So, how do you make baby headbands? Creating a headband for your baby isn't as difficult as you might think, and we have just the inspiration you need to get started.

Read more
When should a baby sleep in their own room? The best time to make the switch
How to tell if your baby is ready to sleep in their own room
Baby sleeping on their back.

Babies grow and develop so much during the first year of their life and with that comes a constantly evolving sleep schedule. Many parents choose to either co-sleep or have a bassinet near their bed to provide as little sleep disruption as possible, especially for newborns. But as the baby gets a little older and begins to sleep longer, many parents find themselves wondering when to move their baby to their own room. From official recommendations to your own gut instinct, we'll take you through how to make these choices.

When to move from a bassinet to a crib
You should move your baby out of their bassinet once they reach its weight limit, which will likely be between 10 and 20 pounds. Additionally, if your baby begins to roll over or sit up, you should move them to a crib. Even if neither of these factors applies, and if you see your baby becoming cramped with its head touching the wall of the bassinet, it's time to move to a crib. You don't have to move from a bassinet to a crib and from your room to their own room at the same time, but it is most convenient for many.

Read more
When can babies have chocolate milk? This is when it’s safe to let your child indulge
How to introduce this beverage to your child
A glass of chocolate milk with a straw

Introducing your baby to new foods is a fun milestone for every parent. Watching your little ones as they experience new tastes and textures is an exciting part of their development. Many parents know when they can begin to introduce milk to their babies, but may wonder if the same rules apply to chocolate milk. Are little babes old enough to try it yet? When can babies have chocolate milk? It can be quite the job to keep up with what babies can have and at what age. So, for this delectable treat, we will help you find out when little ones can indulge in a glass.

Babies shouldn't have sweets or milk if they're not at least a year old. But even if they've celebrated that first birthday, there are other factors to consider.

Read more