Maternity Photos

wifeinraleigh28 · February 2017

Hello ladies and happy Saturday! Just wondering when y'all would recommend scheduling a maternity photoshoot? I'm a FTM so this is all new to me. DH and I decided on a photographer and she offered me 2 dates. One when I'll be 35 weeks and another when I'll be 37 weeks. I'm leaning towards 35 weeks. It will be the very end of April (the 30th) so the weather should be nice with lots of pretty blooms, so I'm very excited. Trying to figure out the perfect outfit is so hard, since I have no clue how my body is going to feel when I'm that far along!

Just wondering what everyone has done in the past or plans to do now! TIA

n0soup4u · February 2017

I have never done maternity photos just because I prefer to spend money on birth photography. My photographer recommends maternity photos anywhere from 34-38 weeks. If I were in your shoes I would jump at the 35 weeks appointment. That way you will have time to get your photos back before baby arrives!

wifeinraleigh28 · February 2017

Thanks @itsfine! By birth photography do you mean of the labor/delivery? I'm pretty sure my hospital doesn't even allow that!

JessyKV · February 2017

I second 35 weeks. You'll have a full on bump but hopefully not feel swollen or miserable. Plus you could miss out if you wait too long.

ashleyl31 · February 2017

We will do ours the beginning of May, which will be around 36 weeks. I did mine last pregnancy around the same time and liked the result.

n0soup4u · February 2017

wifeinraleigh28 said:

Thanks @itsfine! By birth photography do you mean of the labor/delivery? I'm pretty sure my hospital doesn't even allow that!

Yep! Some hospitals are ok with it and some are not. Worth checking if it's something your interested in

MithK · February 2017

I'm sorry to crash in on this, but just wondering if you guys usually do maternity shoots as well as shoots of the LO after they're born? For those who do the shoots of the LO, at what age is this usually done?

@wifeinraleigh28 was having the same issue with outfits for the maternity shoot! I'm hoping I don't look like a complete whale too by the time the shoot comes along, or they're not going to be photos I want to necessarily look at lol

swanbrooner · February 2017

@MithK I met with my photographer yesterday, and she recommended newborn photos within the first week of the baby being born. She said they are easier to pose, and so very sleepy still that the session goes smoother.

ETA: I'm due June 8, and she suggested the last week of March or the first week of April for my maternity pics.

wifeinraleigh28 · February 2017

@itsfine I checked. My hospital doesn't allow photography during labor or delivery. I think I'm okay with that though since it doesn't sound like a very comfortable time!

@MithK My photographer is giving me a package that includes the maternity shoot and newborn shoot in our home within the first week that we bring the baby home. I'm really excited to have these photos taken professionally since I believe it makes such a huge difference. I'm hoping that even if I feel like a whale during the maternity shoot that the photographer's talent will still create some photos that I will love and cherish for years to come, hah!

@swanbrooner Wow, I'm due June 3rd and my photographer suggested either last weekend in April or 2nd weekend in May! (35 or 37 weeks along for me). Funny how they are recommending such different times.

amberp1528 · February 2017

I am having mine done may 1st so I will be about 36 weeks. I also was given a package where we get both materinaty and baby photos and his photos will also be done in the first week. We are too call when he is born to set up a time. We have no professional photos as we did not have a wedding so we are really looking forward to it.

wifeinraleigh28 · February 2017

I'm thinking of wearing one of these dresses for the shoot:

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/0y/gt4qayb1l8t9.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/th/ckl0tvhmb8xx.jpg

I'm hoping the long/flowy look will help me feel less whale-ish, lol. And then I was thinking of maybe doing a more casual jeans/t-shirt series of photos too to give some variety.

ama7165 · February 2017

Last time I did mine around 31 weeks. I felt I was really showing and wanted to do them early so I didn't look huge. My son came 2 weeks later, so I am glad I did them so early!

We did newborn pictures 1 week after we came home. Professional photos are definitely worth it! I LOVED our newborn photos

NarrowHouses · February 2017

I think I was about 34 weeks with DD. I was happy with the result. Big belly, no swollen ankles, hands, face.

We booked our photographer for maternity, newborn (around 4 or 5 days) and 6 months (she was sitting independently but we would have waited if she wasn't). She gave us a discount for booking all three.

eta: spelling

MithK · February 2017

So I have some possibly stupid questions about the newborn shoot, but I'm a FTM, so please bear with me:
1) If the newborn shoot is held a week after they're born, as a FTM, are we going to be in any state of mind to be able to do anything with the shoot? I've just sort of prepared myself for crazy sleepless nights and an overall state of zombie-like movements for the first few weeks (may be a tad bit dramatic here lol)

2) How many outfits will you guys be getting/ did you get for the newborn shoot?

3) Did you have little trouble with LO posing? Just wondering about crying fits during the shoot.

Thanks in advance ladies!!

ama7165 · February 2017

@mithk with our newborn shoot I really didn't do anything besides show up and say what I wanted taken. He was mostly naked and they had props like blankets and wraps. I think I maybe had 1-2 outfits. My son slept most of the time. She had warming lights so he was comfy and she basically just posed him and he cooperated. Maybe we were just lucky

ashleyl31 · February 2017

@mithk my son was born on a Saturday, and we had our photos the following Friday. I was in some, as well as my husband, and we were fine. We did it in the afternoon so we had plenty of time to get ready. My child didn't sleep well either, so we were definitely sleep deprived, but don't look terrible.

halfthetree · February 2017

I'm doing mine at 32 weeks, because twins. I also have a birth photographer and a "Fresh 48" shoot happening. I've never done any of them with either of my older two, one of the biggest regrets I have about their births! I do have photos of my seconds birth and I LOVE them. It's funny to look back and be like "wait.. what... when did this happen?!".

I would stick to the 35 week one, you might not feel super chipper for the 37 week one!

hopeful808 · February 2017

@halfthetree what is a fresh 48 shoot?

lmudra · February 2017

We did a lifestyle photo shoot at our home which I highly recommend. Very relaxed, just us and our babe hanging around plus then we got pics of the nursery etc...
This pic was on our bed

DewyK · February 2017

Our photographer suggests around 32w for maternity pictures. I'd definitely do 35w for you - at 37w you may be a little swollen.

@itsfine - We also choose to do birth photography instead!

mamaelle27 · February 2017

I had a close friend with a good camera take our maternity photos and our newborn photos for free. Maternity we did around 35 weeks, the day of my baby shower so I was already dressed up. Newborn we did when the baby was about a week old, I felt human enough to blow dry my hair and put some makeup on, and it was sweet to have our home as the backdrop, plus convenient that it wasn't timed. Not paying for them felt like a lot less pressure because you may or may not be feeling pretty that day, and the baby may or may not cooperate.

Our hospital also has a photographer that goes room to room and does a 20 minute shoot if you want it (the day after birth). At the end they show you the photos and there are various packages. I think we paid about $100 to get digital versions of all the photos. We got a few cute shots of the baby but me and my husband both look terrible, like dirty hair, no makeup, exhausted. Looking back I don't think this was necessary. My dad took a perfectly nice photo of the three of us, and a whole slew of cute baby photos, in the hospital and that was free.

I do believe in professional photos in general, we had an awesome Christmas mini session this year with a really talented professional photographer, but I felt a lot more like myself and my daughter was old enough to cooperate (mostly), so I plan to continue that tradition.

anitamargarita_82 · February 2017

Ladies can I ask what is everyone paying for your maternity/newborn photos? I'm looking online and the prices are ridiculous. Like over 1k ridiculous. Maybe it's just the area I'm in?

teacher mom-2 · February 2017

Wearmi1 I am not getting them done, but our photographer charges $200 for maternity, $325 for newborn, or $500 if you buy both.$200 for fresh 48

anitamargarita_82 · February 2017

@teachermom does that include prints? Most of the places I'm looking at don't even include prints.

mkrel · February 2017

@Wearmi1 They are expensive here as well. Most photographers have a session fee of $250 to $350, then outrageous fees to purchase prints, like $500 for rights to 5 to 10 digital images. I found one newborn photographer that will do the session and 10 digitals for $350 or the session with 35 digitals for $550, so I may be going with her.
I am not doing maternity photos because I always think they are awkward and wouldn't be worth the money for me personally. I told DH that the newborn photos are non-negotiable though. I'll have my parents take a few pictures of us on the beach when we visit them at 32 weeks and hopefully have a good one with my bump.

wifeinraleigh28 · February 2017

@Wearmi1 I had the same problem when looking for photographers on google, holy cow expensive! So instead I asked on a local mom's Facebook group for recommendations and found one who is amazing that is only charging us $450 for both the maternity and the newborn shoot (1.5 hr for maternity shoot, 2 hr for newborn shoot) and over 30 digitals from each shoot. I feel like I hit a gold mine, because everyone else seems to charge upwards of $1k for a combined package. And no, none of the packages include prints, just the digitals. Prints are cheap enough to order online though. I like to use nations photo lab (used them for our wedding prints).

@lmudra Love the lifestyle photos, this is exactly what we're doing. Our photographer is coming to our home (rather than doing them in a studio with hats and props) so we'll get plenty of photos of the nursery and such. I like this idea better.

teacher mom-2 · February 2017

Wearmi1 said:

@teachermom does that include prints? Most of the places I'm looking at don't even include prints.

The newborn one comes with an 11 x 14 and the rest is just digital rights to them so you can print them anywhere.

BellaO21 · February 2017

I'm going back and forth on whether or not I want a birth photographer AND newborn photos. Has anyone done both or is it an overkill and waste of money??
I am not planning on actually having professional maternity photos taken... I always feel super awkward posing for pictures by myself.
I do have to see if my hospital even allows a birth photographer in L&D so this whole post might not even matter- but I can't be the only one contemplating both.. lol

halfthetree · February 2017

@hopeful808 It's a newborn shoot within the first 48 hours of birth, but not the typical staged newborn shoot. It's a family shoot at our home, in bed or wherever.

@BellaO21 we are doing both! No regrets haha Birth is really important to me, and I LOVE my birth photos from my first two! I love action shots, but I'm a doula and think it's all beautiful haha

DewyK · February 2017

@BellaO21 - We do birth photography + newborn pictures and I don't find it to be overkill. The newborn pictures for us were nice because we were able to have all of our kids in the pictures and get some awesome posed pictures of the new baby. Our birth photography photos were more of the process of labor and delivery, skin to skin, first time BF'ing, baby getting weighed and checked, etc.

BellaO21 · February 2017

@halfthetree thank you, I agree!!! I want to document everything about it.
@DewyK those are exactly the types of shots I was thinking and wanting to do! Hopefully the hospital allows it!

lmudra · February 2017

BellaO21 said:

I'm going back and forth on whether or not I want a birth photographer AND newborn photos. Has anyone done both or is it an overkill and waste of money??
I am not planning on actually having professional maternity photos taken... I always feel super awkward posing for pictures by myself.
I do have to see if my hospital even allows a birth photographer in L&D so this whole post might not even matter- but I can't be the only one contemplating both.. lol

I'm doing both, my photographer does a package $500 and gives me all the digital negatives. Clarification- Not doing maternity but doing birth photos and a fresh 48 session at our home.

mamaelle27 · February 2017

@Wearmi1, I think price varies greatly based on location. I also live in a high cost of living area, and shoots like these cost close to $1000 for each shoot. Another reason I went with the option of having a friend shoot for free. However, if I lived somewhere where I could find it for under $500, I'd definitely consider it.

BellaO21 · February 2017

lmudra said:

BellaO21 said:

I'm going back and forth on whether or not I want a birth photographer AND newborn photos. Has anyone done both or is it an overkill and waste of money??
I am not planning on actually having professional maternity photos taken... I always feel super awkward posing for pictures by myself.
I do have to see if my hospital even allows a birth photographer in L&D so this whole post might not even matter- but I can't be the only one contemplating both.. lol

I'm doing both, my photographer does a package $500 and gives me all the digital negatives. Clarification- Not doing maternity but doing birth photos and a fresh 48 session at our home.

If I could find a deal like that I will jump all over it!! Photographers, that I've found, in my area aren't that affordable unfortunately! Fresh 48 at home sounds way more convenient than packing everyone up to go to a studio too!

lmudra · February 2017

@BellaO21 where I live they're usually thousands of $. I was lucky to find a girl who's a SAHM and is just starting her business so her prices are still reasonable. Maybe ask in a local mommy group for recommendations. I find googling it only brings up the expensive more popular photographers.

lmc929 · February 2017

@Wearmi1 - it is crazy expensive here too, same ballpark as you are seeing.

BellaO21 · February 2017

@lmudra thanks for the tip!

danij0 · February 2017

One of the main reasons I got in to photography was to get my own family photos. I've been learning for about 5 years now and I think I'm good enough to be happy with them.
I will be doing maternity photos around 34 weeks. My sisters will do it with all my photography equipment. I set up all the camera settings for them and they shoot. I edit. It's a good enough system. For L&D I will have my camera all setup and let DH take some photos during labor - but I'm not that interested in having every little moment captured so DH should do fine. Then after birth when I've recovered enough I will be taking a bazillion photos of baby every chance I get. I can't wait!

lovesclimbing · February 2017

lmudra said:

We did a lifestyle photo shoot at our home which I highly recommend. Very relaxed, just us and our babe hanging around plus then we got pics of the nursery etc...
This pic was on our bed

Aww, so sweet. I LOOOOOVE lifestyle newborn photography. If we decide to do any professional newborn photography, it will definitely be lifestyle/journalistic rather than the posed portraits.

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