Capturing Your Baby’s First Year: Maternity, Newborn, 6-Month & First Birthday Photos

Motherhood has a way of reminding you, every single day, how time slips by. The bump you swore would never end disappears almost overnight into a newborn who fits in your arms, and before you know it, that newborn is sitting up, then turning one. As a Bay Area Maternity, Newborn and Family photographer, I have watched this exact timeline unfold for so many families. I built my First Year Membership specifically because one single session is never quite enough to hold onto a year that moves this quickly.

Here is how maternity, newborn, six-month, and one-year sessions each capture a completely different chapter of your baby’s first year, and why photographing all four makes such a difference.

Why the First Year Goes By So Fast

Babies change more in their first twelve months than at any other point in their lives. Their look, their movements, the way they interact with the world: all of it shifts every few months, which is exactly why a single newborn photography session can only capture one chapter of the story. That’s the idea behind a baby’s first year photography plan: spacing sessions across the maternity, newborn, six-month, and one-year stages so you end up with the full arc of that first year, not just one moment frozen in time. It’s also the thinking behind our First Year Membership, a way to book all four sessions as one package instead of scheduling (and paying for) each one separately.

The Maternity Session: Last Weeks of Waiting

The ideal window for a maternity session is between 28 and 34 weeks, when your bump is full and beautiful but you still have the energy to enjoy a session outdoors or in-studio. Whether you’re drawn to outdoor maternity photography in natural light amongst some gorgeous flower fields in the Bay Area or prefer the control of an in-studio pregnancy shoot, this stage is worth planning for. It’s the chapter of anticipation, the quiet excitement before your baby arrives, and it deserves to be documented just as much as the moments that come after.

Newborn Photos: Those First Days Home

Newborn sessions are best scheduled within the first two weeks after birth. This is a short window because it’s when babies are at their sleepiest and most curled, still carrying that brand new, fresh from the womb look that disappears within just a few weeks. My newborn photography sessions are completely baby-led and unhurried, so you can simply be present with your little one while I take care of capturing every detail.

Six Months: When Your Baby’s Personality Starts Showing

By six months, your baby has traded that newborn curl for real personality. A six-month baby photography session catches them at a great stage for it: many babies are sitting up on their own around this point, discovering their hands and feet, and reacting to the world with genuine giggles and expressions. This session captures a baby who is alert, engaged, and undeniably more themselves than they were just a few months earlier, a stage that is every bit as fleeting as the newborn days.

The First Birthday: A Milestone Worth Marking

The one-year photo session marks the close of that first incredible chapter. Many babies are pulling up, cruising along furniture, or taking their very first steps around this age, and their first birthday is a milestone worth celebrating on camera, whether you choose a simple portrait session or add on a cake smash session for some extra fun.

Why The First Year Membership Makes Sense

Rather than booking four separate sessions on your own, the First Year Membership was built to bring this entire season together in one thoughtfully planned baby’s first year photography package. The membership begins at $850 and includes three to four Signature Sessions across a fifteen-month period, a pre-session consultation and personal styling for each one, twenty-five complimentary birth announcements, and a $150 album credit at each ordering appointment toward your Baby’s First Year Album.

If you’re still in the planning stages of your maternity timeline, it’s worth reading more about when to book your Bay Area maternity photoshoot so your very first session in the membership lands at exactly the right week.

Frequently Asked Questions About The First Year Membership

Do you offer a package for baby’s first year photos?

Yes. The First Year Membership combines three to four Signature Sessions across a fifteen-month period, covering everything from the maternity bump session through newborn photos to the first birthday. It’s a baby’s first year photography package designed to capture the whole story, not just one stage of it.

Where do you photograph maternity, newborn, and baby sessions?

Sessions take place in-studio or at curated outdoor locations throughout the Bay Area. Meg Karaan Photography is based in Walnut Creek and serves families across San Francisco, Napa, Sonoma, Sacramento, San Jose, and surrounding communities for maternity, newborn, and baby photography.

How do I book a First Year Membership?

The best way to begin is to reach out directly early in pregnancy, ideally during the second trimester. This lets us schedule your maternity session at the right week and plan the rest of your First Year Membership around it, from newborn photos through your baby’s first birthday.

What is included in a Signature Session?

A Signature Session includes a pre-session consultation, personal styling with access to a client wardrobe closet, a one-hour portrait session, a professionally edited gallery of at least 40 images, and a personalized artwork and design consultation afterward. Every maternity, newborn, six-month, and one-year session included in the First Year Membership is delivered as a Signature Session, so you get this same full experience at each stage.

What if I find a photographer too late for the newborn stage?

If the first two weeks have already passed, it’s still worth reaching out. Every baby and family is different, and a slightly later newborn session can still beautifully capture this early stage. If the ideal newborn window has closed entirely, the six-month session is often the next best time to document your baby, so you haven’t missed your chance to be part of the First Year Membership.

Can I join partway through my baby’s first year?

It depends on how far along you are, so the best step is to reach out and talk through which of the four sessions (maternity, newborn, six-month, or one-year) still make sense for your timeline. Even joining the First Year Membership partway through can still capture meaningful remaining milestones.

How far apart should baby’s first year photo sessions be scheduled?

Spacing sessions around the maternity, newborn, six-month, and one-year stages naturally spreads them out across roughly a year. This gives each session enough time to capture a genuinely different stage of your baby’s development, so no two sessions end up looking the same.

Do I need separate photographers for maternity, newborn, and milestone sessions?

No. Working with one photographer for the entire first year, through a First Year Membership, means a consistent style and relationship throughout your maternity, newborn, six-month, and one-year sessions, rather than piecing together different photographers for each stage. It’s also simply nicer to work with someone who gets to know your family through this whole season, rather than starting over with a stranger every few months.