We all know that babies don’t keep. When you’re done raving about your baby’s latest skill, they seem to be on to the next one and growing right before your eyes. If you’re anything like me, you find yourself in a battle between constantly wanting to film everything your babies and little ones do and also trying to put your phone down and “be in the moment.” How do you remember it all? We’re here to help! Today, we’re sharing 26 of the best baby milestone moments to capture in a photo or video.
26 Baby Milestone Moments to Capture
Take a look at this list of baby milestones you’ll want to prioritize catching on camera, plus some tips for capturing them.
Common Milestones
1. Hello World and Name Announcement
Introducing your baby to the world is an important milestone for your whole family. This is also when you can share your baby’s name for the first time. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but you may think ahead about how you want this photo to look for the perfect announcement photo.
2. Monthly Milestones
Taking monthly milestone pictures is a great way to track your baby’s growth over the first year, and they make perfect keepsake pictures. You might snap a casual photo each month or plan a themed picture with a particular blanket, prop, or backdrop.
Monthly milestones cards or stickers make for a cute prop and a great photo to share with others. Any way you choose to do it, monthly milestones are pictures you’ll definitely want for the baby book.
Developmental Milestones
Some milestones are developmental like the first time your little one crawls and sits up. Remember that all babies will reach developmental milestones at different rates, and the time they need to achieve a new skill can vary. Be sure to capture these classic developmental milestones on film:
1. Rolling Over
Whether from front to back or back to front, rolling over is a significant milestone! This one is fun to capture on video to see how your baby uses their body to flip over. I usually have a few videos of my babies attempting to roll before they actually achieve it, which is fun to watch, too!
After this milestone, remember to check for safety considerations, as some routines, like swaddling for bed, need to be changed.
2. Sitting Up
When a baby can sit up, it’s a whole new world! Now, you can put toys directly in front of them for easy access. Sitting up gives your baby a larger view of what’s happening around them.
You can support this milestone by giving your baby plenty of tummy time to gain neck and head strength and control. Practice with your baby by sitting behind them for support, and be ready to catch the moment they can sit up alone!
3. First Teeth
While the fussiness isn’t fun, seeing those cute new little teeth poke out is so cute! Be sure to snap a picture of your baby’s new smile after the first teeth show up. It’s also time to get a baby toothbrush and start brushing!
4. Sleeping Through the Night
Whether your baby begins sleeping through the night at 12 weeks (congrats, mama!) or six months or 12 months, this is one milestone to celebrate! Unfortunately, this milestone doesn’t mean it will happen every night, but at least one can hope, right? You can snap a quick picture in the morning to easily document this developmental milestone.
5. Crawling
This exciting milestone tends to make life a bit more challenging for Mom and Dad! Both of my babies did various pre-crawling moves, like the army crawl and scooting. You’ll want to be sure to capture the crawling milestone on video.
When you see your baby showing an interest in moving, try placing enticing objects close by but just out of reach. Have your camera ready to catch the first little scoot!
6. Signing
We taught my babies simple baby sign language hand signs before they could talk. It’s a great way to help them learn to communicate without screeching to get attention! I’ve got video footage of them signing for “milk,” “more,” and “all done,” and it’s the cutest thing.
7. Eating Solid Food
It’s easy to capture your baby’s first solid food. Just be sure one parent has the camera and the other does the feeding. It’s also fun to get this on video and see baby’s initial reaction — it seems they either love it or hate it at first!
8. Pulling Up
As baby becomes more efficient with crawling, they will probably try to learn how to pull up to a standing position. When my baby girl started pulling up, she would cry out when she realized she could not get down safely, so we had to be close by to help her. When your baby begins pulling up, you know that cruising and first steps will soon come.
9. Clapping
Babies are so excited when they learn to clap! It’s usually accompanied by many smiles, too, so be sure to get footage of it. Singing Pat-A-Cake or playing upbeat songs is a great way to encourage clapping.
10. Waving
Be sure to get a video of your baby waving for the first time! Blowing kisses and giving high fives are other fun greetings and goodbye milestones to capture.
11. First Words
As soon as you hear the first “Mama” or “Dada,” grab your phone and try to get those sweet sounds recorded!
12. First Steps
Both of my kids took their first steps at a family football party for the Kansas City Chiefs, and I will never forget it! This is another milestone you’ll want a video to document.
First Time Milestones
These milestones mark the first time your baby experiences a special event, whether at home or going somewhere special. Here are some first-time events you’ll want to plan on capturing on film:
1. Meeting Siblings
The first time your other children meet the new baby is one you don’t want to forget! Having “Big Brother” and/or “Little Sister” outfits on for the occasion can also be fun. Be sure to grab a video of this one for the big sibling’s reaction too.
2. First Bath at Home
I was always nervous about bathing my babies for the first time at home! They seem oh so little and fragile. Documenting the first bath is a great way to remember how tiny your sweet baby was.
3. First Play Date
Who is your baby’s first little friend? The first time you get together with another new mom, be sure to snap a picture of the babies together, and you’ll have a sweet photo to look back on when they’re older.
How sweet is my little Coco with her cousin, Zion? They immediately linked arms when we laid them down by each other.
4. Sleeping in a Crib or Own Bedroom
This milestone comes at a different time for different families – it’s whatever works best for you and your baby! Whenever you decide to transition your baby to a crib, it’s always a little bittersweet for me. While I sleep better and get some alone time, baby seems much more independent.
5. Playing Lap Games
Do you like to play certain lap games or chants with your baby? We like to do the classic “How big is baby? So big!” prompt. Be sure to document when your baby can play along for a fun milestone photo or video!
6. First Haircut or Pigtails
I may have had to really work for it, but Coco got her first pigtails! We also documented our son’s first haircut when he was younger.
7. Sitting in a Grocery Store Cart
They always look so big yet so little sitting in the grocery store cart! It’s a sweet milestone.
Seasonal/Holidays/Special Events
These milestone moments mark special events or holidays your baby will experience with your family. It’s so fun to look back on and tell your older kids about special events like their first road trip or sports game!
1. Church Dedication or Baptism
Our baby dedications at church are one of the most important milestones for our babies. If you have religious traditions for babies, such as a baptism ceremony and party, you’ll want to arrange a time for a special family photo to document it.
2. First time at the pool
My 5-year-old son was so excited to take his baby sister to the pool for the first time, so I had to document it!
3. First Vacation
Whether on a road trip or an airplane, the first vacation is a memorable moment.
4. Sporting Event
For us, taking the kids to their first Kansas City Royals baseball game is a big deal – they even give you a personalized certificate. Even if I have to ask a stranger to snap it, that’s what we do to capture this fun milestone!
5. First Birthday Cake
The one-year-old smash cake picture is a classic way to celebrate your baby’s first year.
Prioritizing which baby milestone moments to capture on camera can be challenging! We don’t want to miss a single moment. Hopefully, this list will help you prioritize a little better so you can be in the moment the rest of the time.
Capturing baby milestone moments is a great way to remember all the ways your baby grows and develops during babyhood. Whether you organize a digital file with your footage or print photos for an album, these special baby milestone moments are ones you will love to look back on and enjoy. But don’t put your camera away yet – there are still many more milestones to come!
