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How I Share Baby Photos Without Posting Her on Social Media

  • Writer: Kate Waldo Jones
    Kate Waldo Jones
  • Jul 14
  • 5 min read

I don't post photos of my daughter on social media. It's a decision I made early on, and it's one I feel really good about. But I still wanted an easy way for family and friends, especially the ones who aren't big into the online world, to watch her grow up. Here's exactly how I do it, plus the gear that makes capturing all those little moments so much easier.


Some links in this post are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Full disclosure here.


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Why I Don't Post Her Online


I'm so proud of my daughter, and I love her more than anything, but I'm just not comfortable with the reach social media gives. I have a lot of mixed feelings about what companies say they can (and can't) do with photos once they're posted, especially with AI in the mix. It feels disturbing and honestly a little too unknown for my comfort.


I also didn't have a digital footprint for most of my childhood, and I'm really grateful for that. There's something important about being able to grow up and figure things out without everything documented and shared, especially before you even understand what's happening to your own image.


My opinion might change down the road. But for now, this is where I've landed, and I wanted to find a way to share her with the people who matter most without putting her out into the world.


My Solution: iPhone Shared Albums


I learned this trick from a friend, who learned it from her friend (the best kind of recommendation). You create a Shared Album right on your iPhone, invite the people you want in it, and it works almost exactly like a private social media feed. People get notified every time you post. They can like it, comment on it, and stay in the loop without any of it being public.


My family is spread out all over the place, so this has been huge. I've got close friends, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and great-grandparents all in one album, and everyone loves getting to see her.


My mom, whose grandma name is Tishie, kept asking for updates multiple times a day, so I created a separate album just for her called "Just for Tishie." Now she gets her own steady stream of updates, and it doubles as an easy way to keep her posted when gifts arrive too (if you read my gift overload post, you know she loves to send things). I just snap a quick photo, drop a comment like "it came in the mail, look at the sizing," and we have a whole conversation right there.


It's also just a better way to send video. Longer videos come through instantly and keep their quality, instead of losing quality the way they do over text message once they hit a minute long.


Step-by-Step: How to Set Up a Shared Album


  1. Open the Photos app and go to Albums.

  2. Tap the plus sign and choose New Shared Album.

  3. Name it (I just used my daughter's name) and tap Create.

  4. Open the album, tap the people icon, and invite people by name, email, or phone number.

  5. To add photos: open the album and tap the plus button, or open a photo from your camera roll, tap the share arrow, and choose Add to Shared Album. Add a caption if you want, pick the album, and hit Post.


One catch: only Apple users get notifications when you post. If someone misses their invite, tell them to check their Photos app or notifications. You may have to remove and re-invite them once, but they'll never have to join again after that.


You can delete anything you post at any time as long as you're the album owner, and it disappears for everyone. Just keep in mind that once something is posted, anyone in the album can download it, so be mindful of what you share.


If you want to include people who don't have an iPhone, open the album, tap the people icon, and toggle on Public Website. That generates a shareable link. Only send that link privately through text or email to the person you want to see it. Don't post it anywhere public, because anyone with the link can access the whole album. They won't get notifications, but they can check back anytime to see what's new.


I've linked Apple's official step-by-step instructions here if you want the full walkthrough with screenshots.


Why I Love This So Much


One of my closest friends does this for her daughter too (she's just two months older than mine), and I love getting to watch their milestones side by side. Every time I see her daughter crawling or pulling up, I know it's coming for us next.


One friend told me she felt like she already knew my daughter the first time they met in person. It hadn't even clicked for her that it was their first meeting, because she'd been watching her grow through the album the whole time. That's exactly the kind of connection I was hoping for.


What I Use to Capture the Moments


A few things make it so much easier to actually catch these moments in the first place.

On our daily walks, I keep my phone and water bottle right at my fingertips with a stroller cup holder attached to my UPPAbaby Cruz V3. My Owala bottle fits perfectly in it too. I tried a stroller bag for about five minutes and hated it. This is so much simpler.


I also use a magnetic phone case that attaches to a little magnetic tripod, and I carry a small remote in my hand so I can start and stop photos and videos without touching my phone. It's compact enough to keep in my pocket, and it means I can actually get in the photo too instead of always being behind the camera.


For keeping it all organized afterward, I use a photo organizer box with smaller boxes inside sized for 4x6 photos and keepsakes. I label each one by age or stage (newborn, zero to three months, her hospital hat and bands) with my label maker, because of course I have one.

I'm still on the hunt for a good photo album book, something easy to fill with phone photos that doesn't take a lifetime to design. I love Canva, but I could spend five years in there and never actually print anything. If you have a favorite, tell me in the comments or send me a DM on Instagram.


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xo, Kate



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