You’re in the final stretch of your pregnancy. It may be your first baby or your last, or somewhere in between. Maybe you’re feeling great. Maybe you’re feeling like a whale. I’ve been there, done that. Either way, I have a track record of making pregnant mamas look and feel amazing. Between a stunning gown, flattering natural light, and the following tips, you will have a photo you can cherish forever.

What to Wear for Your Maternity Photos

As a maternity client, you will have a pre-appointment to come to my Lake Dallas studio and choose from over 30 maternity gowns and flower crowns. If you want to buy your own gown, I do have a trade-in program. Depending on the gown you choose, you might need to purchase some other accessories:

BRAS

Most of our gowns are off the shoulder. You must wear a supportive, strapless bra under the gown. Please avoid regular bras, bralettes, sports bras, or anything with no support. Wearing a regular bra will create bulges on your armpits when you stuff the straps down. Wearing non-supportive bras will make your breasts look flat and unsupported.

BODY SHAPERS

If you choose a fitted gown, you must wear a body shaper. Trust me. They are tight and can be uncomfortable, and you might need a whole team to get them on and off, but you will thank me when you see your photos. You can find these at Motherhood Maternity for about $20. If you decide to skip the body shaper, consider skipping panties as well so that you don’t have panty lines in your photos.

Please keep in mind that making major edits because of improper undergarments takes me a lot of extra time. As such, I charge an extra fee per image to correct panty lines, lift breasts, and erase bra straps.

The Day Before Your Maternity Photoshoot

Go get your nails done. Take your mom. Take your friends. DIY if you must. Just do it. I may take some close-ups of your hands on your belly, so make sure your nail polish is fresh and your hands are well-moisturized. If you are a nail-biter or picker, wear gloves or whatever you have to do to not mess up your nails for one day.

Wash and moisturize your face. This might be a fun night for facials with your friends, your hubby, or just you. Just be cautious about using new products on your face that could have an adverse reaction.
Drink plenty of water. You want to be well-hydrated for your photo session, but you don’t want to be looking for a bathroom the whole time. The best solution to this is to hydrate really well the day before you can hold off on drinking too much right before the shoot.
Get plenty of sleep. I know this is no small task for the third trimester, but rest is important for you, your baby, and your smiling face during a portrait session.
Pack your bag. If you’re worried about forgetting things, pack them the night before. Extra makeup, safety pins, bobby pins, shoes, etc. If you have it all together the night before, you’ll sleep much better and have less stress the day of your session. If your husband or other children are participating in the session, lay out their outfits as well.

The Day of Your Maternity Photoshoot

Pamper yourself. Go and get your hair and makeup done if you can. I do have these services available for an extra fee. You will feel so much better not having to worry and stress about this, especially with pregnancy hormones raging. Just make sure you schedule your appointments early enough to account for any delays.

Give yourself plenty of time. Add 30 minutes to whatever driving time you have planned. This gives you a cushion in case you need to go to the bathroom, stop to get gas, get stuck in traffic, etc. If all goes smoothly, and you get there 30 minutes early, then that’s 30 minutes to touch up your makeup and take a few deep breaths to relax.
Bring a helper. It’s usually helpful to have a husband, friend, or another family member come along to hold your bag and encourage you along the way. If you are bringing other children, you will want someone to take them away after they are done with their photos.
Trust the process. Once we get started, all you have to do is follow my instructions. I will guide you through flattering poses that accentuate your belly.

After your maternity session, all that’s left to do is go home and wait to see which will arrive first, the photos or the baby (usually it’s the photos). If you gave me permission, you might see a sneak peek on my Facebook and Instagram accounts. Once I am done editing your photos, you will receive an email with a gallery to view your photos and a link to download your photos. You can print your download, frame it, hang it, and cherish it forever.