Maternity Portraits

Maternity portraits can be a cherished memento for your family.

A lot of options are available for getting your portrait taken. Most women prefer to get the portraits done at some point in the seventh or eighth month. This is when they are showing a nice round belly, but before most stretch marks have appeared.

You can be fully clothed in photos or be fully nude. Something in-between is what a lot of women choose. Clothing options include:

• Dark pants with a white button-down shirt, open to expose the belly
• Long flowing skirt and mid-riff top (to show the belly) in bright colors against a dark background
• Sheer fabric wrapped around a mostly nude silhouette
• Simple plain colored tight-fitting t-shirt and jeans/khakis

Photos can be taken of just your belly, with your hands on your belly, from your waist up to your face, or of a fully body silhouette. The exposed belly with your hands on it and a shot of you looking down at your belly are two extremely popular poses.

Wind machines or fans are sometimes employed in the full body shots where sheer fabrics are loosely woven around your body for a special effect.

A lot of couples choose to do shots together. Depending on what the mom feels like wearing, the significant other should dress to compliment or match her clothing. If Mom wears a black top and jeans, so should the partner. Should you decide to go semi-nude, have your significant other wear dark colors to maximize impact of your baby belly.

Typical shots include:

• Both partners’ hands on the side of the mom’s belly. Usually, the man’s hands are covering the woman’s in this type of shot.
• Waist-up shot with the mom gazing at her stomach and her partner gazing at her.
• Standing shot of both people facing each other, with Mom placing her partner’s hands on her stomach.
• Mom lying on her side, with her significant other sitting behind her, touching her tummy.

Share the joy of your second, third, or fourth pregnancy with your other children and have them accompany you to your maternity portraits. When the time comes, have the photographer take a couple different snapshots of all of you.

One photo can be of the baby’s siblings kissing Mom’s belly. Another can be with all of them touching Mom’s belly with one hand, while the other embraces Mom or other brothers and sisters.

If you have several older children, take a photo with each of them separately. This can make each child feel special and more connected to the new baby.

Choosing to display your maternity portraits is a personal choice. Most women keep their nude or more exposed photographs in the family room; but it is up to your level of comfort.

A portrait sequence is a good idea, with one shot of just the baby belly, one of both partners, and one of just Mom looking at her tummy.

If you have had several children, considering putting all of the maternity portraits together in one display. This can be done by arranging several frames together or by using one frame that fits multiple images.

Black and white photos look classic and keep well over time. Display them in simple frames with minimal embellishments.

Remember to get newborn photos done once your baby arrives. Ask at your studio to see if they offer a discount for getting both sets of portraits done.

• Winter Maternity Clothing
• Maternity Polo Shirts
• Summer Maternity Fashion
• Gender Selection and Conception
• Conception Myths

• How Soon Can I Take a Pregnancy Test
• Natural Ways to Induce Labor
• How to Conceive a Boy
• How to Conceive a Girl
• Early Pregnancy Symptoms

• Canada Maternity Benefits
• Maternity Health Insurance
• Maternity Benefits
• Maternity Photography
• Maternity Pillow