Luka&Lily Milestone Markers & Headband Month To Month Baby Blanket

These days it seems like kids are never too young to fall prey to an Instagram trend — even babies. If you know any new moms, you may have already seen them marking every year, month or even day that goes by with their new bundle of joy by posting pictures of them on a numbered blanket. These cozy little backdrops are called month-to-month blankets, or simply milestone blankets. They’re a great way to make memories, keep the relatives posted, mark how fast those rugrats are growing or just do a quick bit of baby bragging on social media.

The blankets come in different shapes, fabrics and designs, but the basic elements are usually the same. There’s some space for the baby to lay down with numbers printed beside them. These typically correspond to months in the infant’s first year, although more versatile blankets have text that let you know it’s baby’s first day, week, year, etc. Lay the tyke down on the blanket, put a frame around the month in question and voila: You’ve got an informative snapshot that tracks their growth through these formative months.

First and foremost, these blankets are props for a baby photo, so it’s important that they fit the parent’s sense of style. If you’re buying one for a baby shower, do a little research first. You can find themed blankets that match just about any sensibility, color scheme or pop culture obsession — but when in doubt, it’s best to go with something cute and rustic. Not many of these blankets are gender-specific, but it’s something to keep in mind if the parents haven’t revealed that yet.

There’s no specific size that’s just right for a milestone blanket, but it should be at least big enough that a 12-month old can stretch out between its four corners (unless you’re marking off yearly birthdays). You also want to make sure that you can get both the baby and the entire blanket in the photo, which can be tricky if it’s too oversized.

While looks are the most important factor, you want to make sure it’s cozy, too. Babies are less likely to fuss during that photo shoot if they’re comfortable, and parents might actually want to use the blanket as a blanket later on. The important thing is that the blanket doesn’t get too dirty between one month and the next.

With that in mind, fleece is a great fabric for baby blankets in general and this one in particular. It’s extra soft, easy to machine-wash and keeps kids extra warm (maybe a little too warm in the summer months). Cotton is another great choice because it’s hypoallergenic and a bit more breathable, though you may need to take a little care with it in the laundry. Wool is another durable fabric if you plan on keeping that blanket around as an heirloom.

So you’ve got the perfect month-to-month blanket and you’re ready to take the cutest baby picture of all time. Not so fast: If you haven’t learned this already, newborns can be real divas when it comes time for photo shoots. You can’t really control how they’ll react on that blanket and you certainly can’t make them stay still if they’ve got pent-up energy. What you can do is prepare.

For those first few months, there’s nothing cuter (or more cooperative) than a sleeping baby. Wait until they’re well into nap time, then lay them down and get those photos. If you want your child awake, make sure you schedule things around their meals. Set picture time about a half hour after a good long feeding and your kiddo should be much happier about the whole thing.