“When is the best time for a maternity photography session?” is something I get asked a LOT. One thing you most definitely need is a bump big enough to almost be the star of the show but neat enough so that you can still snuggle up with your other half without it requiring a series of complicated yoga poses to get there. Maternity photography sessions are really about you, capturing you as you bloom into motherhood. There’s a wonderful stillness about you when you are pregnant, an inward focus and contentment, a knowing that you are doing something so incredibly amazing, you’re creating new life inside your body.

It’s also about your journey as a family. I expect you have some amazing photographs of your wedding, so in a sense, that’s where your family’s journey began. A maternity session is documenting the next step, those weeks before you and you partner become a family, bound together forever through the wonderful moments and, let’s face it, trials of parenthood. So although you need a good sized bump to show off, during the last few weeks of your pregnancy your baby will grow a lot and your energy levels will flag a bit. We all have a beautiful vision of wafting through pregnancy with a wistful glow but (without wanting to burst any bubbles) many of us and I speak from experience, find that last month or so pretty hard going.

Around 30-32 weeks is a good rule of thumb.  All pregnancies are different, some women might have a large bump at six months, others are barely noticeable at 9 months.  It also means you should still have a nice high bump before your baby starts to descend which means you’ll be more comfortable for a little walk in the countryside.

You will also need to decide what to wear for your session, Pinterest is a great resource for outfit ideas and the earlier you start to think about having a maternity session, the more time you have to find something suitable that you feel fabulous in.

All in all, newborn photography will always steal the show (we all adore photos of tiny babies) but capturing that magical time when it’s still just the two of you, it’s a memory you’l want to go back to. If you would like to chat about how to book your session, please get in touch by email or call me on 01483 272016.