When To Take Maternity Photos To Flaunt Your Baby Bump?

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Do you want to know when to take maternity photos before your darling baby comes into this world? We’ll guide you.  In this article, let us explore when to take maternity photos and why it is a hit among soon-to-be moms.  Without further ado, let’s get started. 

1. What is a Maternity Photo Session?

A time when wedding photo shoots and baby photo shoots are in vogue, maternity photoshoots have also taken the world by storm, particularly among pregnant women, to capture one of life’s phases.

 A maternity photo shoot is basically capturing the moments and creating new memories before your baby is born.  It has become a huge hit nowadays among couples to cherish their relationship timeline. 

It is usually done to celebrate soon-to-be moms who have cared for their child during pregnancy.  Maternity photos are mostly done when the baby bump is visible. So, flaunt your baby bump without hesitation to embrace the whole pregnancy journey forever!

2. Why Should I Have a Maternity Photo Session?

The entire journey of pregnancy is something beautiful that is worth anything in this world.  You are a part of something incredible that only few are gifted to do so. The whole nine months of creating and carrying a living being is truly amazing.   So, before your baby arrives, try having a maternity photoshoot to cherish this time forever. 

In this section, let us explore the 8 reasons to take maternity photos.  Let’s dive in!

2.1. Bond With Your Unborn Baby

Having a maternity photoshoot is a great time to bond with your unborn baby as a family.   Medical experts often say that unborn babies can experience life and are intuitive enough to feel their mother’s love.  So, if you have a maternity photoshoot, this might be a great excuse to bond with them before they officially arrive. 

2.2. Strengthen the Loving Relationship With Your Partner

Pregnancy journey is not easy.  Proper physical and mental support is very important for both the baby’s and mom’s health.  A good, supporting partner will be the ultimate guide in this life’s quest.

From taking care of you to interacting with the baby as the other parent, they are an important part of your life.  Having a maternity photoshoot will surely increase the bond between you and your partner.  Also, doing this can become one of your many family portraits as well. 

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2.3. Seize the Last Moment Before Your Family Grows

After your baby is born, there will be a lot of changes in your family.  From the food choices to decorating the nursery, change will surely happen.  Before all this, take maternity photos to seize this last moment before everything changes.  You can also take family photos to cherish this moment forever.

2.4. Flaunt Your Bump!

Gone are the days when women were shy of their pregnant bodies.  Women nowadays have started embracing their curves as a part of this pregnancy journey.  You have the gift of bringing something new to this world.  Should it not be celebrated with a maternity photo shoot to show off your bump?

2.5. Missing Being Pregnant

Most of the moms out there will miss this pregnancy period.  They usually think about the time before and during pregnancy and what they have come through.  Some even have regretted not having captured that phrase before.  To avoid regretting the lost time, take maternity photos before it’s too late!

2.6. Perfect Opportunity to Dress Up

Maternity photo shoots are the perfect time to dress up and look elegant and powerful at the same time, while giving away the pregnancy glow! Some of us might be anxious about the bodily changes happening. But, by dressing up, you can feel confident about your bodily changes during pregnancy and can embrace the positive side of pregnancy1.  

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2.7. To Capture the Whole Journey of Pregnancy

It takes nine whole months to bring a living being to this world.  Isn’t a maternity photoshoot2 a better way to capture the whole pregnancy journey from the first day to the last?  Most couples do this to document the entire pregnancy journey to avoid missing out on anything. 

2.8. Share the Memory with Your Children and Family

Maternity photos are a great way to create memories with your children, who might be curious about their origins.  Showing these photos and sharing experiences can greatly deepen relationships with your kids and extended family.  You might even inspire your friends or family to take maternity photos, right?

3. When to Take Maternity Photos?

Now that you have decided to conduct a maternity photoshoot, the ideal time to do this is very important. This section lets us know when to take maternity photoshoots to show off your beautiful baby bump. 

3.1. The Ideal Time Period to Have a Maternity Photo Session

Expert photographers often say that the correct time period to conduct the photo shoot is between 30 to 36 weeks, between the seventh month and the eighth month of pregnancy.  

This time period is where the bump is prominent and at the same time, you won’t be feeling uncomfortable.  During this period, you will find it free to move around and pose for photographs.  

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3.2. In Case of More Than One Baby

When you are having more than one baby; expecting twins or triplets in a single pregnancy, the timings have to be adjusted accordingly.  Instead of the ideal 30 to 36 weeks time period, you can start doing maternity photoshoots from the 28th or 29th week itself.  However, it depends from one mother to another, based on their health and comfort level. 

3.3. In Case of High-risk Pregnancies

Not all pregnancies can be easy.  You may be wary of the high-risk pregnancies and will worry about the time and the poses to do to ace this photo shoot.  But our recommendation is to always consult with your gynecologist before booking any maternity photoshoot session.

They will give you guidance on when and how to pose.  Mostly, they might ask you to do the session before 30 weeks and with expert guidance to prevent mishaps.  Discuss this situation with your photographer to move forward without any trouble. 

3.4. Taking Maternity Photos After 36 Weeks

You should not consider taking maternity photos after 36 weeks because the delivery date will be fast approaching, and you might go into labor anytime. 

Also, you may feel uncomfortable after 36 weeks, as your belly might have become bigger than before. But if there is no time, talk to your gynecologist3 to consider further steps. 

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3.5. For Official Announcements

If you are planning to send your maternity photos for the official announcement, the ideal time period will be between 27 to 28 weeks.  The baby bump will be slightly visible in this period, the perfect time to show off! Your announcement photos will surely become a huge hit among your family and friends.

4. Some Tips to Ace Your Maternity Photo Shoot

You have learned why and when to take maternity photos from the previous sections.  In this section, here are some tried and true tips to ace your maternity photo shoot, to feel confident and chic, without any hassle!

4.1. Eat, Sleep, Repeat

Pregnant women should always eat and rest properly, for the overall health of both the child and the mother.  Before taking maternity photos, eat properly and rest well as you need to look and feel good to bring forward your A-game. 

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4.2. Prepare a Tailor-made Budget

Having a maternity photoshoot can be exciting, but do not go overboard.  Prepare an overall budget to do this cost-effectively.  Before booking a maternity photographer, compare and contrast the prices offered by various agencies to choose the right one. 

After booking a particular maternity photographer, sit down with them and prepare an effective budget that is beneficial for both parties. 

4.3. Moisturize Your Visible Baby Bump

Your baby bump will be the center of attraction in your photo shoot.  So, before taking maternity photos, moisturize your baby bump with olive or coconut oil for the bump to look more round and glowy. 

4.4. Avoid Tight Clothes

Please refrain from wearing tight clothes before the photoshoot because it might cause elastic marks around your belly. Instead, wear-free flowy dresses or pajamas to look both elegant and comfy. 

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4.5. Wear Bright Colors

Pregnancy is all about embracing positivity.  Opt for lighter, pastel colors during outdoor shoots when choosing a wardrobe.  Depending on the background color and mise-en-scene, choose the appropriate dress color to be the center of attention for indoor shoots. 

4.6. Plan for Matching Outfits

Our recommendation while your partner and kids are posing is to ask them to wear matching outfits similar to yours to give away family vibes!  If there are no matching outfits at the last minute, choose complementary colors to match the photo shoot vibe. 

4.7. Styling and Make-Up

Opt for minimal makeup and don’t go overboard with the blush and the highlighter.  Sometimes simple makeup can complement your look while posing with your baby bump.  Regarding hairstyle, choose breezy, flowy, loose curls with a half-up to look both elegant and comfy. 

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4.8. Location Scouting

The location for the photo shoot can be anywhere: be it a beach or an art studio, it is your wish.  Also, discuss the location’s access to appropriate lighting and background color with your photographer. 

4.9. The Right Decor

The decor of the photo shoot, whether indoor or outdoor, has to match the mom-dad-baby bonding vibe.  The decor has to correspond with a certain theme and should not deviate from it.  Your photographer will have some ideas to make this day even more special. 

4.10. Use Props

Isn’t using props a fun way to switch things up while doing the maternity photo shoot?  Props can be anything; graffiti like Waiting, Forever, etc are quite popular.  Flower crowns, bouquets, toys, etc can make excellent props to make your photos pop! 

Whether you are not interested in using props, try discussing this with your photographer to find another way to make your photos special. 

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4.11. Experiment While Posing

Posing while pregnant can be challenging.  Don’t worry. Listen to your photographer and do what is comfortable for you. You don’t have to overtax yourself to get the ‘perfect’ shot. Just breathe and enjoy the process. Some easy poses that we recommend are bending arms and legs, hand positions, and facial expressions. 

4.12. Pose With Your Family

Family is everything. They are the constant pillars of your life, present with you in all ups and downs.  For one of the poses, bring your partner and your children as a group family photo before the baby arrives. 

5. D.I.Y Maternity Photo Shoots 

If you don’t want to spend money on maternity photos, you can have your photo shoots without a professional by using your phone camera and wardrobe. With the technology industry booming, lots of opportunities and features are available.

  But remember the following points to have perfect photos to create future memories. 

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5.1. Correct Photograph Equipment

Prime Lens is the best camera lens to be used for maternity photo shoots. Other camera lenses might not deliver the expected result.  If you don’t have a D.SLR, use a smartphone with an excellent camera to give D.S.L.R4-worthy photos. 

Mostly, smartphone brands like iPhone and Samsung have excellent camera lenses built into the phone itself, with manual contrast and aperture settings. Invest in a good photograph stand to place your phone or camera.  If you find box lights to be expensive, try shooting in natural light or invest in a cost-effective rim light. 

5.2. Rent Your Wardrobe

Instead of buying new gowns, you can rent them for maternity photo shoots!  There are a lot of clothing websites that offer renting services for a certain fee for a fixed time period. All types of fabrics and dress styles are available for rent.

You can also buy these clothes during discount sales to get quality wear at affordable prices. 

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5.3. Style Yourself

You can do it yourself when you are not interested in spending money on a makeup artist.  With your daily use products and with proper angles and lighting, you will appear radiant without spending too much money. 

Choose simple hairstyles that you can do on your own, as we are here to celebrate you, not your styling choices. 

5.4. D.I.Y Props 

You can make your own D.I.Y props like paper bouquets, flower crowns, etc., by watching tutorials online.  The materials are easily available in art supplies stores to do it cost-effectively.  If you are interested in craftwork, this might work for you. 

5.5. Ask Your Friends or Family For Help

If you are a photo newbie and have no idea what to do, ask your friends or family for help, when on a budget.  For a considerable amount of fee, they might give new insights about the lighting, location and poses to make this day memorable for your family. 

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6. FAQs

6.1. What is a maternity photo shoot?

 The maternity photo shoot captures the moments and creates new memories before your baby is born.  It has become a huge hit nowadays among couples to cherish their relationship timeline.  It is usually done to celebrate soon-to-be moms who have cared for their child during pregnancy.

6.2. Why should I have a maternity photo shoot?

 You should consider having a maternity photo shoot to bond with your unborn baby and partner, to feel confident, to flaunt your baby bump and to seize one last moment before your family dynamics changes. 

6.3. When to take maternity photos?

Expert photographers often say that the correct time period to conduct the photo shoot is between 30 to 36 weeks, between the seventh month and the eighth month of pregnancy. When you are having multiple babies; twins or triplets in a single pregnancy, you can start doing maternity photo shoots from the 28th or 29th week itself. For high risk pregnancy, consider doing it before 30 weeks and for official announcements,  the ideal time period will be between 27 to 28 weeks.

6.4. What are some of the tips to ace my maternity photo shoot?

Eat and rest properly, moisturize your baby bumps, avoid wearing tight clothes, prepare a tailor-made budget and choose the appropriate wardrobe and styling.  Consult with your photographer to make the necessary changes. 

6.5. Can I do maternity photo shoots by myself?

Yes, you can.  When you don’t want to spend so much money on this, call on your friends or family for help.  Choose the correct lenses, angles and lighting to create professional photos.  If you don’t have a D.S.L.R, invest in a good smartphone with a high-end camera. 

Also, assuming you are a crafts lover, you can do your own props for the photo shoot. 

7. Bottom Line

Prepping for maternity photo shoots can be both exciting and daunting.  Remember that this moment is to appreciate you, your unborn baby, and your family before stepping into the next chapter of your lives. As maternity photo shoots are done to create new memories, enjoy every moment before the due date. 

We hope that we have cleared your doubts about when to take maternity photos. The above mentioned tips and suggestions are for reference only.  If you have further queries, sit down with your doctor or gynecologist to consider opting for this photoshoot. 

  1. Patanè, Luisa, et al. “Vertical transmission of coronavirus disease 2019: severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 RNA on the fetal side of the placenta in pregnancies with coronavirus disease 2019–positive mothers and neonates at birth.” American journal of obstetrics & gynecology MFM 2.3 (2020): 100145. ↩︎
  2. Podnieks, Elizabeth. ““The Title Role of ‘Mother’”: Silent-Film Stardom and Celebrity Maternity in Photoplay Magazine.” Maternal Modernism: Narrating New Mothers. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2022. 129-168. ↩︎
  3. Smid, Marcela C., and Mishka Terplan. “What obstetrician–gynecologists should know about substance use disorders in the perinatal period.” Obstetrics & Gynecology 139.2 (2022): 317-337. ↩︎
  4. Lim, Seokjae, and Wonjun Kim. “DSLR: Deep stacked Laplacian restorer for low-light image enhancement.” IEEE Transactions on Multimedia 23 (2020): 4272-4284. ↩︎

Last Updated on by Sathi Chakraborty

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