There is something so special about documenting the first year of your baby’s life. From the anticipation of pregnancy to those tiny newborn details, the first gummy smiles, sitting up on their own, and finally celebrating that very first birthday, so much changes in such a short amount of time.
And while it may feel like those early days will last forever, they have a way of flying by in the middle of sleepless nights, feeding schedules, growing pains, and figuring out life as a new family.
That is exactly why I offer my Baby’s First Year Photography Package for expecting parents in Raleigh, Wake Forest, and the surrounding Triangle area.
Rather than booking each session individually, you can reserve multiple sessions throughout your baby’s first year, enjoy savings on session fees, and have priority access to my calendar so that documenting these milestones is one less thing to worry about.
Today, I am sharing a beautiful family who chose to document their journey through a maternity session, an in-home newborn session, and a first birthday session. And as you will see, their story didn’t end with that first birthday. It eventually brought us to another exciting maternity session as they prepared to welcome baby number two!
What Is a Baby’s First Year Photography Package?
A Baby’s First Year Package is a collection of photography sessions booked together to document your growing family through pregnancy and your baby’s first year.
Many families choose three sessions:
- Maternity Session: Celebrating the anticipation of welcoming your newest family member.
- Newborn Session: Documenting those first days at home, when everything is tiny, new, and wonderfully overwhelming.
- One-Year Session: Celebrating your baby’s personality, milestones, and everything your family has grown through over the past year.
You can also add a six-month milestone session or any additional sessions you’d like throughout the year.
The beauty of the package is that you can customize it around what matters most to your family, rather than feeling like you have to fit into a predetermined timeline.
And because these sessions are booked together, you receive a percentage off your session fees based on the number of sessions you reserve.
Why Document Your Baby’s First Year?
1. Your Baby Will Change More in This Year Than Almost Any Other
Think about how much happens between pregnancy and your baby’s first birthday.
You go from feeling those first kicks to holding a tiny newborn who fits perfectly in your arms. Before you know it, that newborn is making eye contact, smiling, rolling over, sitting up, crawling, pulling up, and possibly taking those first steps.
Their face changes. Their expressions change. Their little personalities begin to emerge.
And while every stage is wonderful, they are also incredibly fleeting.
A maternity session captures the anticipation before everything changes. A newborn session preserves the tiny details you will eventually struggle to remember. A six-month session captures that sweet in-between stage when your baby is becoming more interactive and expressive. And a one-year session celebrates just how far everyone has come.
When you have all of these sessions together, you aren’t just collecting beautiful photographs. You are creating a visual story of your baby’s very first year.
2. You Deserve to Have These Moments Documented, Too
One of the things I hear from parents is that the first year feels like a complete whirlwind.
You are learning your baby’s cues, navigating sleep deprivation, adjusting to a new routine, and trying to keep up with everything else life requires.
It is easy to think, We will book photos when things settle down.
But sometimes, things don’t settle down. Your baby just keeps growing.
Having your sessions reserved in advance gives you dedicated time to pause and be present with your family. You don’t have to wait until life feels perfectly organized or until you have lost the baby weight or until your house looks a certain way.
You simply show up, love on your baby, and let me take care of documenting the season you are in.
And when you look back years from now, I want you to see yourself in those photographs, too.
3. You Get to Watch Your Family’s Story Unfold
There is something particularly meaningful about photographing the same family at multiple stages.
I get to see your baby go from a tiny newborn curled into your arms to a one-year-old who has opinions, expressions, and a personality all their own.
I also get to see how you grow into parenthood.
The anticipation of maternity photographs gives way to the beautiful chaos of newborn life. The newborn session becomes a milestone session filled with smiles, movement, and connection.
When all of those photographs live together in an album or gallery, they tell a story that a single session simply cannot.
And sometimes, that story leads to an entirely new chapter.
Why Booking a Package Makes Life Easier for New Parents
The emotional value is reason enough, but there are practical benefits to booking your sessions together, too.
Priority Booking on My Calendar
This is one of the biggest advantages of reserving your Baby’s First Year Package.
My calendar has a limited number of sessions available each month, and popular seasons can book well in advance. Newborn sessions are especially important to plan for because they are typically photographed within the first few weeks after birth.
When you book your package, you receive priority booking access for your included sessions.
You don’t have to worry about reaching out at the last minute only to discover that my calendar is full during the time you hoped to have your newborn or milestone photographs taken.
We can plan ahead while leaving flexibility for baby’s actual arrival.
You Save on Session Fees
The more sessions you book together, the more you save.
Rather than paying the full session fee for each individual booking, your package includes a percentage discount based on the number of sessions you reserve.
This makes it a wonderful option for families who already know they want maternity, newborn, and first birthday photographs.
You can also customize your package to include a six-month session or additional milestones.
One Less Thing to Remember
New parenthood comes with a seemingly endless mental checklist.
Appointments, feeding schedules, pediatrician visits, developmental milestones, and everything else that comes with keeping a tiny human alive and happy!
Having your photography planned in advance means you don’t have to remember to start searching for a photographer when your baby is suddenly six months old.
We already have a plan in place, and I can help guide you through when to schedule each session.
What Sessions Should You Include?
Every family is different, but here are a few ways to structure your Baby’s First Year Package.
The Classic Three-Session Package
Maternity + Newborn + One Year
This is the most popular combination and gives you a beautiful beginning, middle, and end to your baby’s first year.
- Maternity: Celebrate your growing family before baby arrives.
- Newborn: Preserve those tiny details and first days together.
- One year: Celebrate your baby’s personality and your first year as parents.
The Four-Session Package
Maternity + Newborn + Six Months + One Year
If you want to capture even more of the changes throughout the year, adding a six-month session is a wonderful idea.
Around six months, babies are often full of personality. You may have a baby who is sitting independently, laughing, reaching for you, or showing off their first little expressions of independence.
It is such a fun contrast to those sleepy newborn photographs.
Additional Milestones
You are never limited to these combinations. If you want to document more milestones, we can build a package around your family.
Some parents choose to include a sitter session, a cake smash, or another family session during that first year.
The goal is to create a collection that feels meaningful to you.
A Look at One Family’s First Year Story
This family is such a beautiful example of why I love offering these packages.
We began with a maternity session, celebrating the anticipation of their first baby and the excitement of everything that was about to change.
Then, before long, I was welcomed into their home to photograph their sweet new baby.
There is something about in-home newborn sessions that I will never stop loving. Your home is where those first memories are being made. The nursery you spent months preparing, the couch where you spend countless hours holding your baby, and the little everyday details that will eventually become part of your family’s story.
Those are the things I want you to remember.
And just like that, we were celebrating a first birthday!
The sleepy newborn had become a curious, expressive little one with a personality all her own. Looking back at her newborn photographs alongside her one-year session made the changes feel even more incredible.
But one of my favorite parts of this family’s story is that it didn’t end there.
Before long, I was photographing them again as they prepared to welcome their second baby.
Their first year of parenthood had become the beginning of an even bigger family story.
These are the kinds of connections that make this work so meaningful to me. I get to photograph not just individual milestones, but the way your family grows and changes through the years.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Baby’s First Year Package
When should I book my Baby’s First Year Package?
I recommend reaching out during pregnancy, ideally during your second trimester or early third trimester.
This gives us time to plan your maternity session, reserve space around your due date for newborn photographs, and discuss your milestone sessions.
You do not need to know your baby’s exact arrival date to get started!
Do I have to book maternity, newborn, and one-year sessions?
Not at all! The package is customizable.
The three-session combination is popular, but you can choose additional sessions, including a six-month milestone session, depending on what you want to document.
What if my baby arrives early or late?
Babies have their own schedules, and I completely understand that!
We plan your newborn session around your due date and adjust once your little one arrives. Having priority booking makes this process easier because we have already reserved room on my calendar.
Can siblings and parents be included?
Absolutely. Your baby’s first year is also a major milestone for your entire family.
Whether this is your first baby or you are welcoming another little one, I encourage including parents and siblings throughout your sessions.
These photographs are about your connection and the way your family grows together.
Do I receive all of the digital images from each session?
Your package includes the session benefits and savings associated with the number of sessions you reserve. Digital images and collection details are discussed when booking so you can choose the collection that works best for your family.
Can I add another session later?
Yes! If you decide you would love to add a six-month session or another milestone, we can discuss adding it to your package.
I recommend planning ahead whenever possible so we can make sure there is room on the calendar.
Let’s Tell Your Baby’s First Year Story
The first year is full of so many firsts. The first time you feel those little kicks, the first time you hold your baby, the first smiles, the first giggles, and the first birthday.
It is a year of enormous change, not just for your baby, but for you as parents.
My Baby’s First Year Package was created to make preserving those memories easier, more convenient, and more accessible for families who want to document more than one chapter.
If you are expecting and would love to learn more about the available session combinations, savings, and priority booking, I would love to help you create a package that fits your family.
Inquire about a Baby’s First Year Package with Linsley Schneider Photography in Raleigh, Wake Forest, and the surrounding Triangle area.
