1. At Birth

Sure, birth is messy and you probably don’t feel or look your best when it’s all over, but it’s definitely one of the newborn photo ops you won’t want to miss. Have someone take photos of your little one right after he’s born, after they clean him up and dress him and don’t forget to take a few of yourself and your spouse cuddling your new arrival. You might not want them plastered on Facebook, but those immediate photos are the ones you’ll end up treasuring the most.

2. Sleeping

Newborns sleep a lot, so you might wonder why you need photos of something you see all day. One day that newborn is going to be two years old and she’s going to flush your cell phone down the toilet and those sleeping pictures of her as a newborn will remind you just how much you love the little angel who’s making you so angry right now. Plus, there’s nothing like a sleeping newborn to make you want to pull out your camera all the time.

3. Crying

It might sound mean, but don’t forget to take a few pictures of your newborn crying. I know your instinct is to jump in and fix things, but my kids love to see pictures of themselves crying. An extra second while you snap a photo isn’t going to hurt them, but it will be a fun image to look at as your baby gets older and his cries get harder to ignore because they increase in size and crescendo as he grows.

4. Bath Time

I have so many pictures of my kids in the tub. A warm bath is super relaxing to a newborn, so taking some pictures of this calm time is a nice way to commemorate the first bath or the first time in the big tub. If you’re worried about the photo developers, place a small washcloth over the private parts and you’re good to go. Don’t forget to snap a couple of your baby wrapped in her tiny towel or bathrobe too.

5. With Older Relatives

When my kids were born, I still had living great grandparents, which meant great-great grandparents for my little ones. They aren’t with us anymore, but those photos I took of them holding my babies are extra important to me. While you’re at it, take pictures of your newborn with all your relatives as often as you can. You never know when you might lose someone, so make sure you have lots of pictures to remember them by.

6. Firsts

Newborns don’t do a whole lot, but they still have some milestones you’ll want on film. That includes the first bath, first stroller ride, first car ride, the first time your spouse changes a diaper, the first time your newborn sleeps in his crib, etc. They might not seem like big moments when they happen, but trust me, there will come a time when you’ll want to see your newborn taking his first ride around the block in that pricey stroller.

7. Playing

Newborns don’t get down and play like older babies do, but you’re going to want pictures of the wonder on her face when she watches her crib mobile or gazes at her own image in the mirror. These are priceless moments you might be too tired to remember without photographic proof. Plus, kids love to look at pictures of their baby selves and playtime ones are ideal.

Do you have your camera at the ready all the time? I started carrying it in my diaper bag so I would never miss an important moment.