What Month Should You Take Maternity Photos?
One of my most frequently asked questions as a maternity and newborn photographer is what month of pregnancy should you take maternity photos and when should we schedule a newborn session.
The answer to that question, as with many things about maternity, newborn and family photography is ‘it depends’. Deciding when to take maternity photos is a personal decision and unique to your family, but here are some thing you should consider:
Belly size- Some expectant moms show early and have a sizeable belly by 30 weeks (I was one of these!). You want to make sure your belly size is large enough to really convey that you are pregnant. If you are a mom-to-be that has a smaller belly, you can schedule later in your pregnancy and wear more form-fitting clothing to really showcase the bump. In general, I recommend scheduling your maternity photos for 32-36 weeks of pregnancy. I also recommend trying to hit the earlier part of that window just in case you have any unexpected issues later in your pregnancy or if we have to reschedule due to illness or weather.
Comfort- Some expectant mothers could schedule their maternity photos in their 9th month and still be able to get up and down from sitting easily and be able to run around with their kids. If this is you, awesome. However, if this was me (and it was, twice), I was down for the count by about 36 weeks. I was less agile, got winded easily, and wasn’t able to move around super comfortably. Things can also change with how you feel in the course of a week as the baby grows, so I would recommend no later than 36 weeks of pregnancy if you can avoid it. If you are 39 weeks and just thought of maternity photos, I’ve still totally got your back! But, if you are thinking about it and in the beginning stages, I would definitely try to stay within that 32-26 week window, especially if you are going to a location that requires you to walk through sand or hike up a hill.
Family dynamic- For those of you with other kids or milestones you want to announce, you may choose to deviate from that window, and that’s a-okay. The family featured in this post scheduled their photos earlier in their window because they had fall family photos already scheduled for their Christmas card. Because they had two other kiddos, it was more of a family session with a few moments for the bump, versus the main focus of the session. Your family’s needs ultimately are the most important part of your maternity photos and they always come first!
After you’ve decided what month you should take maternity photos, you may set your sights on newborn photos. Maternity and newborn photos pair perfectly as a bump-to-baby package with a discount for booking multiple sessions in a year. To read more about first year packages, click here, and for overall pricing click here. This family sceduled their newborn photos within the typical window (click here for my advice on scheduling) and then pushed it to later based on their needs, which ended up being perfect for them!
To book your very own maternity session, click here!
