If you’ve had a baby before, you know how fast and blurry those first days of life are in that fresh postpartum stage. I don’t think you can get enough pictures or videos of that sweet oxytocin-inducing babe, but whether you’re healing from a vaginal delivery or a cesarean, it’s so hard to prioritize documenting that time!

I’ve put together 17 ideas of images you can take during the first few weeks, as a guide to help you document your new family member through the fog of recovery. At the bottom of this post is a handy checklist to screenshot and save on your phone!

BUT FIRST tips for taking your own photos if hiring a professional isn’t in the budget:

Use only natural light from windows, turn off all the lights! Don’t be afraid to move things closer to the window for better light.
Try a variety of angles, even the smallest adjustment can make a huge difference.
Wait until baby is sleepy or just in a happy mood.
Don’t stress! Babies always can tell if you’re stressed. Set up for the photo in the morning and just wait for the right moment during the day to make it happen so you don’t miss your window of opportunity. If it doesn’t work, try again tomorrow!
Make sure you get in the photos! Use a tripod (or just set your phone somewhere precarious like I do) and an intervalometer app set to shoot every second on your phone to take natural photos.
Alternatively, have your partner or another family member take some of the photos for you.

On to the list!