Preparing for your Maternity Session

When to Book

A question that comes up a lot is, “when is the best time to book maternity photos?” This is an important one to get right – most people aren’t up for booking two maternity sessions in the same pregnancy. But the answer isn’t so clear cut. It’s different for everyone. So, how do you know?

As a rule of thumb, anytime between 28 and 34 weeks is a good time. But babies will arrive when they want to, so if you’re having twins or you suspect your little one might be making their big entrance into the world early, it’s safer to do it sooner rather than later. If you’ve been pregnant before, chances are you’ll show earlier, so you could book earlier. The earlier you book, the more options we’ll have with posing and location.

What to expect

If you feel a little nervous, just know that this is totally normal. Most of us feel a little awkward in front of a camera!

During the photoshoot, don’t worry if you don’t know what to do. It’s my job to direct you so you don’t feel awkward or uncertain. Most people just automatically look at the camera and smile, but I’ll probably tell you to look down towards your belly, or up to the sky. I’m sure you have lots of photos in your phone of you looking at the camera and smiling – I want this to be different.

I find that some of the most authentic images come when you’re absorbed in whatever it is you’re doing, whether that’s making your partner laugh, talking to the little guy in your womb, or picking flowers. I promise I’ll let you know when it’s appropriate to look at the camera. Until then, just do your thing and let yourself be however you want to be.

How to prepare

Depending on how your pregnancy is unfolding, doing a shoot could be really empowering or really exhausting. Sometimes, it’s a combination of the two. I feel confident in my ability to take gorgeous photographs of you regardless of whether we are in a field or on the beach – but I don’t want to push you beyond your physical capacity. I’d rather play it safe so that you feel relaxed enough to focus on just enjoying yourself and capturing this super special time in your life.

The day before the shoot, throw some things in a bag that will support you during our session. These things could be the following, or whatever else comes to mind.

• Extra clothes for if the weather changes
• Snacks and water
• Hairbrush, extra makeup
• A Towel is always handy incase we enter the water
• Dont forget to moisturise!

What to wear

To dress or not to dress… is always the question.

For maternity shoots, nude and raw images can be incredibly stunning, enhancing your expectant curves and featuring your blooming belly. But depending on how you want to remember your pregnancy and who you expect to see the images, there are a couple of things to consider.

If you want to keep your clothes on, here’s what we recommend wearing:

• Maxi dresses
• Dresses that have a high waistline or slit. Fabrics with lots of texture, like lace or sheer fabric
• Long flowy skirts with a crop top or bandeau bra
• Cozy, knit pieces

To help with the stress of outfits i have created the Milly & Me Client closet, this is full of beautiful boho dresses, gowns, lace robes and more extravagant options.

The Closet ranges from sizes 8-22 and has been specially curated to photograph best and suit every body type out there. I always suggest 2-4 outfit changes to give beautiful variety to the gallery. Find the Client Closet guide on the portal Home Screen.

For significant others and children I suggest choosing your dresses first and working from there. Avoid clashing patterns or writing on shirts. Nice, neutral and simple are always best!

If you’re leaning towards your birthday suit, I’d advise you to moisturise your belly and stay tuned into your comfort levels.

Here’s what I promise you:

• You can change your mind at any point.
• I will continuously check in with you to make sure you’re still comfortable.
• I will listen. Please feel free to let me know about the borders of your personal space – I’m always happy to put a zoom lens on my camera if at any point it feels a little bit confronting to have a camera so close to you

Hair, Nails and Makeup oh my!

If you’re not one of the lucky ones blessed with that pregnancy glow – or if you are but just want to take the opportunity to get pampered – I’d recommend getting your makeup done. Whether you’re doing it yourself, or whether you treat yourself to a professional, it’s always a bit fun to get gussied up.

Why not go get a subtle manicure while you’re at it? I’ll be getting you to frame your belly with your hands at least a couple of times during the session and being self-conscious about flaky nail polish or chipped nails is not what I want you to be

thinking about. but obviously this is not an essential so dont stress if you dont get the chance!

And as for hair, I’m a sucker for the way a wild mane blows in the breeze. If you’re going to go and get your hair done, steer clear of the up-do. With your hair down, you get movement, romance, and some perfect slices of imperfection in the best possible way.

Don’t forget we’re here to capture you as you are. The goal is to still look like yourself.

After the session

I’ll send you some sneak peeks 48 hours after your session via our message, and the full gallery within three weeks via a downloadable web gallery. You’ll be able to create favorites lists, share online, or download your images to frame and gift to family. I also have a printing shop connected to your online gallery so ordering prints are only one click away.