Monthly pictures!!! We’ve all seen ‘em. Some are better than others, but yours are just that. Yours. Why wouldn’t you want to see your babe’s progression? It’s probably my favorite millennial tradition. Those funny monthly pictures are such a sweet way to document “the good ol’ days”, and it’s the perfect addition to the baby book.

Everybody does it, and those who don’t… wish they had.

I have ours, and they aren’t the best, but I’m glad they exist! I learned some things from my mistakes, so here are some tips to get the most out of your baby’s monthly progression pictures.

1. Pick a spot!

It could be a chair, a corner of the floor, the crib, you can do the work. But it’s best if it’s in the same place (or on the same “set”. It could be the carseat! Whatever you want).

PRO TIP: forget the flash exists (seriously) & pick a place with awesome natural lighting

2. Pick a time

Since you’re probably going for the perfect lighting from your perfect spot, you’ll want the lighting to be the same for each progression pic.

As a working mom, this could be tough. Since the lighting probably isn’t the best before OR after work. And the exact monthly birthday-date won’t always be on your day off.

You could:

• Take them without the *best* lighting (not V instragram worthy lol jk but srsly)
• Take them at prime lighting time on the *wrong* day (it’s still progression, jeez)

OR copy me – I wanted to take them at around noon, and part of my coping with the return to work included me coming home for lunch every day! So on her monthly womb-eviction days, I would take a lunchtime picture 🙂

I realize that isn’t a viable option for everybody, but it’s an event that should be marked and maybe your boss will understand if you have to leave early haha!

3. Pick a pose

They could be sitting, laying, sleeping, or even in your arms.

Whatever you choose, think ahead. Every pose was not created equal. Meaning – laying down your 1 month old is wayyy easier than laying down your 1 year old. It could be done, but consider two or more different styles because why not?! #takeallthepictures

4. Pick a prop

There are so many adorable ideas for monthly progression pictures. I’ve seen kids in seasonal outfits, next to giant floral numbers, and giant teddy bears.

Lately, I’ve been seeing a lot of these special blankets and I love them!

5. Pick an angle

The best progression pictures are all taken from the same distance and the same angle. The easiest way take consistent pictures is to use a tripod. If I could go back in time, I would use a tripod (and a better camera…!). But these tips are from a

Don’t forget to take a picture before the first month. I started at my daughter’s first week. Just to have a baseline. And it was…. Surprising. They grow so much the first month. :(:

More ways to “mark the occasion”

Target sells stickers, Etsy has customizable blankets, and even Amazon sells milestone markers of all shapes and sizes.

If you’re feeling artistic and want more than just a caption on Facebook photo, you can throw a text overlay on a baby picture too! (check out Canva for my favorite free designs or do everything directly from your phone with the Baby Pics App

Basically, learn from my mistake and take these tips into consideration. I wish I had bought a blanket on Amazon.. seriously, they are so cheap and so worth it! Ahhhh <3

These are my favorite milestone markers you can buy online

Milestone Blankets on Etsy – $20 on Amazon

Stickers – only $10 on Amazon

Check out this roundup of 17 creative photo ideas for you to recreate

Learn from my mistakes and give yourself options. If I could do it again, I would have at least 3 different poses and milestone markers for my sweet babe. I probably will for my next one, but we won’t tell my big girl that 😉

Can you tell which mistakes I made with our pictures?? Let me know in the comments.

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