A baby’s first year is full of wonderful moments and every day brings a new milestone to cherish and celebrate. Seeing your beautiful baby explore and experience the world around them for the very first time is truly exciting. It’s important to record baby milestones to hold onto every precious moment and reminisce on the wonderful memories for years to come.
With so many baby milestones to document during the first year, it can be difficult to know which ones to record in your baby's memory book. To help you preserve precious memories, we have compiled a list of the most important milestones to record through photos and journal entries. With our list of milestones, you won’t miss capturing any important moments again!
Meeting your Baby for the First Time
Meeting your baby for the first time will most likely be one of the most blissful memories in your life. As you cherish the precious moments with your newborn, be sure to take in every detail. Take note of your baby’s sweet newborn smell and soft, delicate skin and as you hold your new baby close, take a moment to listen to their heartbeat.
Use this time to connect and bond with your baby. These first moments are fleeting, so be sure to cherish them and make the most of this special time together. The Dujourbaby Memory Book App is a great way to record every detail of your baby’s first moments. Take plenty of photos and videos to hold onto memories for a lifetime.
Celebrate Baby Coming Home
Bringing your baby home for the first time after being discharged from the hospital is both exhilarating and nerve-wracking - a mix of excitement for embarking on your motherhood journey and nervousness about the unknown.
Putting your newborn in the car seat for the first time will be a moment you will remember forever. As you try to recall which buckle goes where you will soon realise that it is much more challenging to do with an actual baby in the seat.
After many attempts and once your baby is safely strapped in, you’ll be amazed at how small and delicate your baby looks in the car seat. Don’t forget to take a picture of your baby in the car seat! You will want to capture this moment and look back on it later to see how tiny your little one was.
When Baby First Smiles
The first time your baby smiles at you will melt your heart! A baby’s smile is not only the sweetest thing in the world, but it is also an important development milestone. It’s a sign that your baby is growing up and developing communication skills. Typically, babies will start to smile around 6-12 weeks old.
You may find yourself wondering if your baby’s smile is real or just a reflexive grin. A social smile is usually a response to recognising someone, and when you see it, you’ll know it’s genuine! Capturing your baby’s first smile on camera can be a tricky task, but it’s a moment you’ll want to cherish forever. Be sure to document it in your baby memory book, including the date and any special details about what made your baby smile.
When Baby Rolls Over
After all those hours of tummy time practice, there comes a magical moment when your baby finally manages to roll over for the first time! It will most likely come as a surprise when it happens, you’ll be cheering on from the sideline and bragging about the moment for days to come. You won’t believe your eyes as your little one moves and reaches this important milestone.
Babies typically roll from tummy to back at around 4 months old. A baby’s first roll is an important development milestone, as it indicates that your baby has developed great upper body strength and control, and is gaining the physical abilities needed to explore the world around them.
Keep your phone nearby so you can capture the precious moment on camera. If you’re quick enough, record a video of your baby rolling over for the first time! Otherwise, don’t forget to take a picture of your baby after they have rolled over. It’s an important baby milestone to record!
Introducing Solids to Baby
Introducing solids to your baby is an important milestone that requires lots of planning. What should be your baby’s first food? How do you introduce solids? When is the right time to start?
First foods is an exciting milestone, but keep in mind that your little cherub may not be as enthusiastic about it at first. Don’t worry if they’re not as responsive as you would have hoped - this doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll grow up to be a picky eater. Patience and time are important when introducing new foods to your beautiful baby. Eventually, they’ll come around!
When you’re ready to introduce first foods to your baby, be sure to get the camera ready! Set up a selfie video and take some photos to preserve the memory, and don’t forget to capture shots of the food you’re feeding your baby too!
Learning to crawl
Babies typically start crawling during the 9-month mark. But it could happen earlier, later or not at all! In some cases, babies even skip crawling altogether and go straight to walking! Each baby develops at their own pace, so don’t worry if they don’t follow a timeline.
Did you know that babies can start crawling in a variety of ways? Commando crawl, bottom scoot, classic crawl, the roll and more! Your baby’s crawling style may evolve over time, starting with one type of crawl and progressing to another.
Capturing the first crawl can be a difficult task as it usually happens gradually. While it may be hard to pinpoint the exact moment when your baby first crawls, you can still document this important milestone by taking lots of photos and videos of your baby as they attempt to crawl. You’ll love looking back at how far they’ve come!
Baby’s First Words
Will your baby’s first word be mama? We hope so! But don’t be disappointed if it’s not - the “m” sound can be difficult for babies to say. Don’t worry, soon enough they’ll be saying mama all day long!
Babies start babbling and cooing from an early age, but it takes time for them to say recognisable words. Babies can say real words anytime between 9-14 months. Reading stories, singing nursery rhymes, praising your baby’s movements and talking about the world around them are all great ways to nurture their language skills. So keep on playing and talking to your little one!
Whatever your baby’s first words are, you’ll be so happy with their first attempt at talking. Soon enough, their vocabulary will grow and your baby will become quite the chatterbox!
Take plenty of videos of your baby trying to talk so that you can look back and appreciate their progress in the coming months. To preserve the important milestone, you can use the Dujourbaby Memory Book App and keep a record of your baby’s first words.
First Holiday with Baby
Planning a first holiday with your baby can evoke a range of emotions, from the pressure of meticulously packing everything your little one might need to the serenity of watching them play in the sand for the first time. Whether you opt for an exotic overseas destination or keep it simple with a local trip, travelling with your baby for the first time is an unforgettable milestone that you’ll cherish forever.
Once you’ve taken care of the practical planning, such as your baby’s sleeping arrangements, entertainment for the journey, and ensuring you’ve packed enough clothes, remember to document every moment and take plenty of photos to look back on!
Baby’s First Haircut
At first, you might feel a little hesitant and need some serious convincing to snip those adorable baby curls. But eventually, it’ll be time for your baby’s first haircut! Babies born with a full head of hair may need a haircut as early as 2 months, whereas those with less hair may not need one until they reach the age of 2.
Your baby may feel a bit frightened about getting their haircut, so it’s important to prepare them for it. It might be useful to watch videos or read stories about babies getting their haircuts. You could even give them a pretend haircut during bath time.
To make your baby’s haircut a memorable and enjoyable experience, consider finding a cute baby hairdresser. There are plenty of kid-friendly salons that offer fun features such as toy cars for your baby to sit in and playpens to help ease their nerves.
Don’t forget to take plenty of photos and videos to capture the moment of your baby’s first haircut. It’s an important baby milestone you’ll want to record. You can even keep a tiny lock of their hair as a keepsake and stick it in your baby's memory book to cherish forever.
Baby’s First Steps
Some consider a baby’s first steps as one of the most important baby milestones to record!
It’s essential for physical development and marks a new chapter in their journey as they can finally explore the world in a whole new way!
Babies typically take their first steps sometime after their first birthday, but keep in mind that every child develops at their own pace.
Before taking their first independent steps, babies often show signs of walking such as pulling up and cruising along furniture. To help baby take their first steps, try holding their hands while they’re standing and provide plenty of encouragement!
Keep your phone on hand to try and capture your baby’s first step, but remember that the moment may happen so quickly that you might not be able to capture it. Even if you miss capturing the moment, make sure to take a photo of your baby after they take their first steps, and record the details in your Dujourbaby Memory Book App. Baby’s first steps are an important milestone that should be celebrated and cherished!
How to Record Baby Milestones
Typically, important baby milestones are recorded in a first-year baby keepsake book, which is often given as a gift at your baby shower. However, it can be quite challenging to find the time and energy to write entries and print photos to stick in the book when you’re a new mum with a lot on your plate!
Fortunately, there are now digital alternatives available to document your baby’s first year. One such option is the Dujourbaby Memory Book App, which offers a much easier way to create your baby’s book. With notifications when your baby reaches a milestone, you can quickly tap to record memories and upload photos. When you’re ready, you can easily order a physical baby book. It’s a convenient and stress-free way to capture and preserve those precious first-year memories. Plus, it’s free to try!
We hope this guide has given you some tips on the most important baby milestones to record! Remember to celebrate every milestone that you feel is worth cherishing, and make your baby’s first year a truly unforgettable one!