When you first get pregnant you think of all the things that you will want to do during your pregnancy. Have a baby shower (or maybe more than one!), set up a baby registry and decorate your baby’s nursery. Have you thought about how you can keep track of the physical aspects of your pregnancy?

Taking pictures of your growing belly is a great way to keep track of your pregnancy. It will also be a great beginning to your baby’s scrapbook or photo album. Before you start however there are several things to think of.

1. Pick the perfect outfit.
If you want to showcase your growing belly and how it makes a certain shirt or skirt change shape on your body, wear that outfit for the first picture you take and for all the pictures following. Be sure to get an outfit that will still fit your belly when you are nine months along.

2. Bikini’s.
Some women will chose to wear their bikini or a bra and panties in order to take pictures of their belly. Side by side the naked belly pictures will show every inch, as well as every stretch mark you might get.

3. Decide how much you want to remember.
Because belly pics will show every aspect of your belly, decide how much you want to remember ahead of time. Do you want to see all the stretch marks in 10 years, or would you rather your belly be covered by clothes? Early on the blemishes won’t be there, but by the end the blemishes may be more than noticeable.

4. How much of your body do you want to show?
Remember that as your pregnancy progresses and you gain weight, most of the time you don’t only gain it in your belly. Many times you will gain it in your face, your behind, your legs and your thighs. Some people will want to see the full change, others will want to forget. Whatever you decide, go with it for your first picture and follow through with it for the rest.

5. Use props.
Maybe you go out immediately and buy the baby’s first stuffed animal or you want to detail your progress with a tape measure. Knowing that some of your baby’s first pictures will be with that stuffed animal, you can take pictures of yourself holding the animal, or as your belly gets bigger you can have the animal “holding” the belly. You can also get a picture of the tape measure around your belly so that you can record the inches you grow not only on paper but on film.

Use your imagination when it comes to photographing your pregnancy and your belly growth! The sky is the limit and nothing is out of line. After all, you will only be pregnant THIS time once, and all pregnancies are different so you will never be able to get these exact shots again. And with all the FREE print offers these days that include free shipping and free online storage, be sure to take as many shots as you can.

Snapping pictures of your baby is probably one of your most favorite, new-found past-times. And in the age of digital ‘everything’ it can be a very simple and pleasing process. But when it comes to taking black and white photos as compared to color images, the process changes a bit. Following are some tips for getting the best results from your black and white toned baby pictures.

No Fear
Don’t be afraid to snap away because as they say, ‘If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again’. Not only does that statement hold very true in this particular instance, but it’s also some of the best advice you can heed while attempting to master the art of taking black and white baby photos. As a matter of fact, you might want to first consider practicing by taking pictures of various types of other of images to get accustomed with the process. It can save you a lot of time and effort before actually getting baby all ready and positioned for shots you’re not certain will come out correctly. This way too, you can take your black and white photos of baby with the utmost confidence and assurance that you’ll end up with your desired results.

The Benefit of Natural Light
Natural light is one of the best ways to get great results when taking black and white baby photos. Everything you see through your lens is pretty much exactly how it’s going to appear in your picture, e.g., shadows, tones, etc. So whenever possible, use this organic element to your benefit as it will greatly assist in your black and white baby picture taking endeavors.

The Eyes Don’t Lie
Trust your eyes and utilize them as the best judge for light and dark tones on your image – in this case your beautiful baby. Because our eyes naturally determine contrast and shadows for us, this is one very helpful, ‘built-in’ attribute you possess that will greatly assist in achieving perfect black and white shots of your baby. And although you may have to ‘train’ your eyes slightly in effect, to imagine the shadows and contrast in black and white tones, a little practice goes a long way and you’ll get the hang of it in no time.

Foreground and Background
Try to snap your black and white baby photos against as ‘unbusy’ of a background as possible. Because these images are basically in monochrome tones, things tend to blend together if there’s too much going on in contrast. At the same time, try to keep baby’s outfit simple with solid patterns and colors. You want your baby to stand out in the picture so keep in mind that less is more for obtaining the most appealing results when it comes to backgrounds and foregrounds in black and white photos.

Black and white photos are especially perfect for capturing all those special facial features and expressions. They also add a degree of extra drama which results in a truly artful impression of your baby that will stand the test of time for years and years to come.

You have bought the crib and the toys and you have decorated the nursery. During your pregnancy you may have taken a childbirth class to give you help during labor and delivery. But what about once you come home with your baby; do you know how to dress and care for your baby once you have gotten home from the hospital?

For a new parent dressing a baby can be a scary thing. Especially so with smaller babies who seem that much more fragile. Many people are afraid they will break their baby if they are not careful. While the likelihood of that happening is not very high, it is easy to understand why people would fear that.

When you start shopping for clothes picture yourself trying to dress your baby in the outfit. If the outfit looks complicated or time consuming you may not want to buy it, especially in the smaller sizes. Also remember to wash all your babies’ clothes in a gentle, perfume/dye free detergent prior to putting them on your baby as you do not want to irritate your baby’s sensitive newborn skin.

Step 1: Pick Out the Outfit Ahead of Time
Don’t wait until it is time to dress your baby to decide what to dress your baby in. Decide earlier in the day or the night before and set the clothes out while your baby is calm or asleep. This will take away the possibility of a last minute choice while your baby is crying, and you having to rush.

Step 2: Think Layers
You should definitely invest in simple onesies for your baby to wear under his daily outfits. When your baby is first born it is harder to regulate their temperatures as the temperature outside changes. If it is hot you can easily remove layers, but if it is cold you will be happy that you have them and so will your baby. You also never know when your baby’s diaper may leak and having that extra layer of clothing could very easily protect that cute outfit you just had to have your baby seen in. Another good reason to layer is that often the cute outfits have stitching on the inside that can lie against the babies’ skin and irritate them. Tags in the back of clothing can be irritating as well, so having the onesie in between the skin and main outfit can help give you a happier baby.

Step 3: Protect the Neck
Just like when carrying your baby around, you have to remember to support the neck while you are dressing your baby. It can be a little difficult when trying to get your baby’s arms in a top, to remember the neck. Your baby might lift a bit, letting his head fall back. If you want you can try to build your baby’s wardrobe with outfits that don’t go over the head, but button down the front, or can be put on feet first.

Step 4: The Head and Feet
Don’t forget about your baby’s head and feet. Remember that body temperature is partly controlled from these upper and lower extremities so you want to keep them covered, or uncovered as well. If it is super hot outside stick to a thin pair of socks for your baby, or let them go sock less. Don’t worry about the shoes until your baby is walking. If you are out in the sun consider a hat for your baby so they don’t get burned, but otherwise keep their head uncovered so that it can “breathe”. In the winter or on colder days, have socks for your baby and a baby “stocking cap” to help keep your baby’s head warm.

Step 5: Take Extras!
It doesn’t matter how old your baby is, you still need to take at least two spare outfits with you to dress your baby in while you are out. This includes extra onesies, socks and caps as well. You never know when your baby will have a blowout, spit up on himself, get sick, become a messy eater, or be victim to an accident on your part like a tipped over soda in the stroller. We say two outfits so that you still have a spare outfit after you change your baby the first time, in case there is a second accident. Take lots of socks with you because it can be very common for a baby to move while you are changing his diaper. Often his feet can end up in the mess and you don’t want him wearing his socks that are dirty. Also, since caps can easily slide and be pushed off the head when you pick up your baby, you want spares incase it falls in a puddle or gets dirty.