The cutest baby styles can always be found in small boutiques, which Raleigh has plenty of to shop from! So here are a few of my favorite Raleigh, NC baby stores!

Shutterbugs Boutique is one of Raleigh’s oldest family businesses, with their baby store beginning traced to 1951, around when Burnie Batchelor founded his photography business. Located at 619 Oberlin Road, Shutterbugs Boutique was started in 2004 by Bernie’s daughter Joy and her daughter. Dedicated to providing upscale clothing for portraits, weddings, christenings, and other special events, Shutterbugs Boutique has a wide variety of unique clothing items that are perfectly meant to be passed down! They offer curated collections such as Spring 2023, Easter 2023, and Luigi kids spring 2023, as well as carrying both boys and girls athleisure, bottoms, outerwear, dresses, shoes, loungewear, pajamas, swimwear, tees, and special occasion outfits!

Offered as a baby store where kids can play and learn and where new Raleigh parents can get expert advice from their community, Alara & Zane is located at 200 Park at North Hills Street. Alara & Zane is, most importantly, a place where many can connect. They follow a shop, play, learn, and party concept. Alara & Zane also have memberships, which they offer in daily, weekly, or annual programs. Their shopper membership allows for you to earn points on all retail purchases with the opportunity to earn discounts and more! Alara & Zane carries baby, girls, and boys items such as baby boy and girl outfits and baby accessories. This list includes hats, mittens, hair accessories, socks, tights, sunglasses, teethers, feeding tools, pacifiers, bath and body care, shoes, tops, bottoms, sets, onesies, rompers, pajamas, and so much more!

Cottage Baby Boutique is a soft and chemical-free baby and toddler clothing brand curated by a mother/daughter team in Raleigh! Inspired to offer softer, cleaner children’s clothes after witnessing the effects of eczema and toxic chemicals. Cottage Baby Boutique specializes in eco-friendly, organically sourced clothing, bedding, and accessories, all of which are hypoallergenic! Carrying size newborn to 2T, Cottage Baby Boutique specifically carries bottoms, dresses, footies, sleep sacks, gowns, pajamas, hand-smocked collections, bodysuits, jumpsuits, overalls, tops, sweaters, and more! Their accessories include bags, backpacks, books, bins, toys, eating and drinking tools, hats and headbands, mittens, tattlers, teethers, lovies, and dolls. Have a favorite mama friend? Cottage Baby Boutique also offers baby registry services, gift cards, and gift sets. They want to make your preparation for baby as easy as possible!

Finding clothing for your little ones can be both fun and challenging at the same time. But each of these wonderful locally owned Raleigh, NC, baby stores is perfect for your next baby shopping day!
Now that you found the perfect shop for everything your little one needs, it’s time to capture their new cute look! I love helping Raleigh families navigate their journey and creating lasting memories with them. So check out the blog links below for more of my work and other helpful Raleigh motherhood tips. Reach out today to chat about your dream photos!

The best toy stores are the ones with a ton of fun products to mess with while you shop for the perfect toy, educational toy kit, or whatever it may be that you need! Luckily, we have a few super fun Raleigh, NC toy stores that parents love!


An educational supply store for Raleigh parents, teachers, and more, The Teach Me Store is located at 3520 Spring Forest Road and offers over 18,000 products within their 12,000 square feet space. The Teach Me Store has been providing quality products for over 30 years, with a wide selection of products perfect for all ages from birth through high school! Their products include learning toys and games, plush animals and puppets, science and nature activities, math activities, language arts activities, craft kits, art supplies, puzzles, books, history and geography activities, fidget toys, and social/emotional tools. Even better, this store is wonderfully subdivided into categories, which just makes sense (plus they make it easier to find the products you’re looking for)!


Located at 201 East Hargett Street, Marbles Play Store is a part of Raleigh’s Marbles Kids Museum. They opened in 2007 with a mission to encourage healthy and active lifestyles in children, encourage exploration, experimentation, innovation, and learning, as well as to connect families and community members together to unite each other. With a dedication to building intellectual, social, and emotional skills in children, Marbles Play Store offers a variety of innovative, educational, and whimsical children’s products. Their products perfectly complement the museum’s exhibits so your child can take home a piece of the museum while meeting their developmental needs through the power of play! A few items you can find here include:


With two Raleigh locations, Popshelf toy store is easy to access, meaning easy to shop at! Based on providing fun, on-trend products, Popshelf’s goal is to make it easy to find what you need while also providing a fun experience within their stores! Popshelf has a large selection of arts and crafts products, toys, and children’s seasonal items.
Their categories and products include sports equipment, action figures, and sets, toy vehicles and sets, outdoor toys, toddler toys, craft toys, novelty toys, dolls, learning and educational toys, dress-up toys, pretend play products, games, puzzles, stuffed animals and plushes, kids arts and crafts, coloring books, activity sets, and so much more! But a few of their featured products include:
Popshelf has everything you don’t even know you’re looking for!

If they aren’t already, these fun Raleigh, NC toy stores need to be on your “go-to” list for the next holiday or birthday shopping trip!
Sometimes finding that perfect toy to engage and entertain your little one is a challenge! So I hope these shops have just the thing to make them smile. In all honesty, capturing those smiles is one of my favorite parts of being a photographer! So check out more smiles and helpful Raleigh motherhood tips in the blog links below. Then reach out today to chat about your next session!

So much of your birth experience relies upon where you choose to deliver; the environment, people, and care can set you up for a successful, positive, and comfortable birth! These fantastic birthing centers in Raleigh, NC, dedicate themselves to maintaining cozy, family-centered atmospheres where families can excitedly and safely welcome their newest addition.

REX Women’s Center prides itself on its comfortable and nurturing birth center, where its team of compassionate and skilled doctors, midwives, nurses, and staff are prepared to welcome your new baby into the world. Your care team will help you follow your birth preferences throughout your experience while ensuring your and your baby’s safety is always the priority.
Their Birth Center offers comfortable, family-friendly rooms with:
Additionally, you don’t have to be concerned about safety; your baby’s security is paramount. They will always be protected by uniformed security, identification bracelets matching your and your partner’s, and intensive visitor check-ins.
The REX Women’s Center also practices Delayed Bath, meaning you and your baby will have extra time together immediately following delivery. Hence, you get a little extra time for bonding and appreciating your beautiful new baby.

The Birthplace at WakeMed Cary Hospital was founded on a sense of community and well-being, offering high-quality obstetric care in a comfortable and flexible environment. Their private suites feature full showers and whirlpool tubs for you to utilize hydrotherapy throughout labor (which helps to ease tense muscles and promote gentle movement.)
There are also plenty of amenities to ensure your partner’s comfort, including:
Should your baby require additional medical attention, you’re right down the hall from a Level III Special Care Nursery, with plenty of expert physicians and neonatologists on call to provide exceptional care.
WakeMed utilizes a family-centered approach that encourages rooming-in, where your baby stays with you rather than in a nursery. Studies show that moms can rest when their new babies are nearby, and babies do better with breastfeeding when mama is close.

Duke Birthing Center delivers more than 3,400 babies every year. They commit to helping families celebrate this momentous milestone in a safe, comfortable environment! Duke Birthing Center individualizes your care to your and your baby’s needs. Their team ensures that you have a positive, memorable experience.
The Duke Birthing Center team comprises reputable obstetricians, perinatologists, pediatricians, neonatologists, nurse midwives, and so many more. Hence, whatever the situation, plenty of trained and skilled people can handle it. Their Birthing Center includes:
Plus, their prenatal care includes classes to help you and your partner prepare for childbirth, better understand your labor and delivery options, and prepare for life once your beautiful baby has arrived!

Check out the websites of these birthing centers in Raleigh, NC, for pictures of their facilities, information on their providers, and various additional resources to help you prepare for your big day!
So are you ready for more Raleigh motherhood content? Then check out the blog links below! But before you go, let’s chat about your dream photo session!


Picture this: it’s your first time leaving the house as a brand-new family. You’ve managed to get the diaper bag packed, the baby dressed (twice), and everyone buckled in. As you pull into my studio parking lot, your mind is spinning with questions. Will the baby cry the whole time? What are we even supposed […]