"why would I want photos of my body right now!?"

My family members (those > 5o years old) are perplexed by the idea of maternity photos. To quote my dad, "Back when your mom was pregnant, women would never have wanted their pregnant body documented!" Per my grandma, she wasn't allowed to show up to work in maternity clothing, so as soon as a pregnant person was showing in her work place, that was their sign that it was time to be done working. For good. WHAT!?!?! It wasn't ~that~ long ago that pregnant folks were deemed unfit to work in a public space while visibly pregnant. If that isn't enough reason to celebrate your pregnant body & capture the phenomena of pregnancy, I will give you 5 more reasons....

1) Your body is a f*cking miraculous treasure

Ok, I don't know if you need this reminder, but just in case that you do, THE BODY YOU HAVE BEEN LIVING IN YOUR WHOLE LIFE IS CAPABLE OF CREATING ANOTHER HUMAN LIFE!!!??? I'm sorry, but this will never NOT be cool AF. You're in a season of your life that's fleeting. It might be miserable, you might hate how foreign your body feels, you might be scared. With all of those things, I encourage you to feel empowered, strong, and proud as all heck. I'm sure proud of you. Capturing these moments might seem like the last thing on your to-do list, but TRUST me, you'll be glad that you did. To look back for years to come and remember just how incredible you are. You won't regret it. Make it a boudoir session, or a nature & sun-filled session. There's no wrong answer here.

2) It's a great pregnancy-friendly date!

If you have a partner by your side during pregnancy, this can be a great way to spend some uninterrupted time together before your newest addition shows up! Your maternity session can be intimate in your home, or spent in your favorite park, on the beach, or swimming in the lake. These quiet moments before your life changes, where it's just you two together, are priceless. Especially with the chaos, emotions, hectic pre-baby life! Time to do nothing but celebrate your pregnancy might be just what all parents-to-be need!

3) It's a great activity for soon-to-be siblings!

Family maternity sessions are some of my favorites. Those moments where the big brother/sister whispers to their little sibling through mom's belly. The gentle kisses. The gender guesses (if it's a surprise!). Above all, these are super special moments before your family grows. It can be really special to spend some uninterrupted time with your littles before their sibling arrives and their world all of a sudden changes. It can be just about them for a little longer!

4) It can be really special to show your kiddo what it was like when they were growing in your belly!

I always wish I had MORE photos of my mum when she was pregnant with me! I might be projecting here, but the older I get, the more I want to hear about my parents before I was around. It's so easy to forget that our parents were kids, just like us, before we came crashing into their lives! Now that I am getting closer to wanting kids of my own, I am more interested than ever about my parents when they were pregnant + new parents with me. It's also a great way to eventually explain to your kids that babies don't come from a stork, if that's on your to-do list LOL!

5) You don't need a reason "why."

Honestly, you don't need me to convince you! You don't need anyone's approval. If you WANT maternity photos, take them. It doesn't matter if your mom thinks it's ridiculous or if your partner is annoyed at the idea of a photoshoot. Take them for yourself. Take them to look at as your little one grows up and you feel reminiscent of when they were growing inside of you. Despite popular belief, it DID really happen even if you didn't post it on Instagram. These photos are yours to do with as you please. Who cares what anyone else says?