Planning the best baby milestone photos is so much fun! The options are endless, and I love working together with parents on styling a beautiful session in my Sussex County NJ photo studio.

I know, you’re so busy and barely have time to think let alone plan a beautiful photo session for your baby’s first year! So, to help you out, Here are a few simple tips and tricks to make sure you and your baby have the best milestone photos experience!

Choose a stage over an age:

They say age is just a number, which rings absolutely true for planning your baby’s first year milestone photo sessions! Hence the title of milestone – it’s when they are reaching those big milestones! Tummy Time, Sitter, and Crawling and Standing or first birthday!

The best way to go about scheduling is to keep an eye on when your baby is reaching the big milestones! So instead of three months, plan for “tummy time – push up”, when your baby can hold a push up for more than a few seconds while on their belly, and be happy and content about it! Instead of 6 months, wait until your baby can sit up unassisted and hold it for longer than a minute. And then for about two weeks before their first birthday for a cake smash or portrait session with the family, so you can have the photos ready for their first birthday celebration!

Time of day:

As parents, we’ve all experienced a child fighting sleep, or missing a nap schedule… NOT GOOD! I strongly advise that parents choose an early morning session well before that usual morning nap. Studio sessions are usually done around 9 or 10:00am when babes are usually a bit happier! But you know your baby best, so if there is a better time absolutely reach out to me about a time change. I will always try to plan your session for when we have the best chance at a happy baby!

Snacks and Feeding:

A full baby is a happy baby! Always plan on time to feed your little one as much as they want just before our session. Even if that means coming in a bit early and spending a few minutes at the studio feeding. I am HAPPY to wait for as long as it takes, because it will absolutely help us to have the most successful session. If baby has some favorite clean snacks for spring the session, like little puffs or cereals for sure bring those too.

Break time:

Sessions always allow ample time for taking snack breaks or changes or just plain cuddles and snuggles if baby needs it! I am never in a hurry to complete your session, with a typical time of one hour set aside for each studio photo session, more than enough time to fill your whole photo gallery with tons of beautiful photos!

Get in the frame!

Moms are ALWAYS welcome and encouraged to be in every single session type I offer! let’s face it, moms are rarely in a photo! Yet they are arguably the most important person in a young baby’s life during that first year especially! The first year is as much a celebration and documentation of your baby as it is your own motherhood journey! Not only is a milestone photo session a perfect opportunity for you to get those photos, but you being there to comfort and snuggle often makes baby feel much more comfortable and happy! Some children are a bit scared or intimidated especially during the first few minutes of a photo session, and you being photo ready can put them right at ease while allowing me to capture some gorgeous photos of the two of you together.

BONUS! Use the client wardrobe that is offered complimentary to every session in the studio!! Make life just a bit simpler, and just bring yourselves to the session, I’ll dress you here! All the outfits in this session are from the closet!

Ashley is a Sussex County New Jersey based newborn and Family photographer with a photo studio in The Shoppes at Lafayette, Lafayette NJ. Serving the NY NJ PA try state area.

If you liked this session you may like this one as well!

Sussex County NJ Photo Studio | Margo’s First Birthday Session

LOVE this post? PIN it for later!