When’s The Perfect Time To Take Your Maternity Photos?

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There’s No Wrong Time for a Maternity Photo Shoot but…

You really can take your maternity photos anytime because you’re beautiful your whole pregnancy! But that can leave you wondering when IS the perfect time to have your maternity photoshoot? I usually find that sweet spot between your baby bump showing enough and then not being totally exhausted and feeling huge is 26 to 34 weeks. So think end of your second trimester to the beginning of your third trimester. And the best time for YOU depends on a few things.

Is This Your First Pregnancy?

If so, then your growing baby bump may not be showing much at 26 weeks, but 30 weeks could be perfect. Definitely talk with your photographer and see when they think would be a good time for your maternity photo session, as pregnancy is so different from mother to mother. For my, my face also gets pregnant toward the end of my pregnancy and I didn’t really want that documented. ? So I definitely prefer my photos from the end of my second trimester. And if you’re expecting twins, you’ll definitely be showing faster so book your maternity photo session earlier than if you just had one bun in the oven.

Is This Pregnancy Your Second, Third or more?

Then, mama, you know that our bodies remember being pregnant and start showing much earlier if you’ve had more than one baby. You should also have a good idea of where and when your body starts to hold the extra weight to keep your little one growing well. No matter what I ate, my entire body showed my pregnancy and I gained 50lbs by the end of each of my 3 pregnancies. Since I knew that, I avoided the third trimester and decided to take maternity photos sooner than a small, first time mama would have. So this is why that 26 to 34 week window is helpful because it really depends on the woman.

Choose a Maternity Outfit You Love

I think most women have a love hate relationship with maternity clothes. As a pregnant mom, your body is changing every day, it can be hard to know what to wear and what you feel great in. To really help you feel confident and beautiful at your maternity session, I’ve chosen to provide a client wardrobe full of beautiful dresses in all different sizes that I’ll help you choose from. You, of COURSE, can buy and wear your own outfit, if dresses aren’t your thing or you want to express your style differently. I just find that dresses are so flattering on every mama, really help to show off that beautiful baby bump and also allow for more comfortable posing.

Decide on Timeless or More Trendy

When you choose the outfit you’ll wear for your maternity photography session, and even the maternity photographer, it’s important to think about how the photos will age. I love experimenting with clothes and colors but that can lead to looking back at past photos and wondering ‘What was I thinking?’. With something like maternity photographs, I want to be able to enjoy them forever and not be distracted or embarrassed by my outfit. But maybe you really want to feel the exact moment in time and go a more trendy route, in which case, dated won’t be a bad thing. It’s really up to you and what will help you treasure your photos more.

Choose if You’re Going to Want Newborn Photos

(It sounds early but it’s not.)

When you book maternity photos, you should also decide if you’d like newborn photos as well. The window for a baby to look like a ‘newborn’ is about a month and those first few weeks go by FAST. So it makes things much easier on you if you book in advance, and then you also know your photographer will be available too. I have a Baby Plan Membership for my clients who are going to want more than one session for their baby, and to get the planning done early and not miss any of the sweetness of that first year.

Should You Include Your Family or Take Solo Maternity Pictures?

I love including partners and older siblings in maternity photography sessions, because it will show that sweet baby just how excited everyone to meet them. But sometimes, maybe a mama would want a more quiet, peaceful maternity session and that’s beautiful in it’s own way too. Take the time to think through which option is best for you and will make you feel the most celebrated and beautiful. Click here to read more Natural, Authentic Maternity Photoshoot Ideas.

If you’re ready to learn more about your own custom maternity photos, then read The Experience page and Contact me when with any questions or when you’re ready to book.