If you’re pregnant and wondering when you’re actually supposed to take maternity photos, you’re definitely not the only one.
Pregnancy has approximately 900 things to think about at any given time. Between appointments, figuring out what you still need for baby, trying to find something comfortable to wear, and Googling every random pregnancy symptom at 2 a.m., maternity photos can easily become one of those “Oh wait…when am I supposed to do that?” things.
So, mom to mom, here’s what I usually recommend.
The sweet spot for maternity photos is around 28–34 weeks
For most moms, somewhere between 28 and 34 weeks is a really beautiful time for maternity photos.
Your belly is usually nice and round and obviously baby, but you hopefully haven’t reached the stage where putting on shoes feels like an Olympic event yet.
And I say hopefully because every pregnancy is different.
Some moms feel amazing at 34 weeks. Others are absolutely DONE by then. Neither is wrong.
That’s why I don’t think there’s one magical week when every pregnant woman needs to have her maternity pictures taken.
The goal is really to find that little window where your bump is showing beautifully and you still feel comfortable enough to enjoy yourself.
You don’t have to wait until you’re huge
This is probably one of the biggest misconceptions I hear about maternity photos.
You don’t have to wait until you’re 36+ weeks pregnant to have a “big enough” belly.
Your maternity session isn’t about proving how pregnant you are. 😂
It’s about remembering this season.
The way your body changed to make room for this baby. The anticipation. Your older babies loving on your belly. Your partner’s hand resting on your bump. The fact that, for this tiny stretch of time, you were carrying this little person everywhere you went.
A slightly smaller bump at 30 weeks doesn’t make any of that less meaningful.
And personally, I’d much rather photograph you when you’re comfortable enough to move around, cuddle your kids and actually enjoy the experience.
When should you book your maternity photographer?
This is different from when you actually take the photos.
You don’t need to wait until you’re 28 weeks pregnant to start looking for a photographer.
If you know maternity photos are important to you, I recommend reaching out sometime during your second trimester.
That gives us time to choose a date, talk about location, figure out outfits and make the whole thing feel intentional instead of realizing at 35 weeks that you really wanted maternity photos and scrambling to find someone available.
And if you’re reading this at 35 weeks thinking…
Well, crap. 😂
Still reach out.
If I have availability, we’ll make it happen.
Should you schedule earlier than 28–34 weeks?
Sometimes, yes.
If you’re expecting multiples, have a history of delivering early, or your provider has told you there’s a possibility you’ll deliver before your due date, scheduling toward the earlier end of that window can make sense.
And sometimes it has nothing to do with pregnancy complications.
Maybe you’re traveling.
Maybe your husband works a weird schedule.
Maybe your toddler has approximately 14 activities despite being three years old. 😂
Real life matters when we’re choosing your date, too.
We’ll find the timing that makes the most sense for your family, not just whatever a generic maternity-photo timeline says you’re supposed to do.
Studio or outdoor maternity photos?
This is another question I get a lot, and I genuinely love both.
Studio maternity sessions
If you love that soft, simple, timeless look, the studio might be perfect for you.
There’s no worrying about weather, wind or whether Kentucky decides it would like to experience three seasons in the span of six hours.
Studio sessions can also feel a little more intimate and focused on you, your bump and your connection with your family.
Outdoor maternity sessions
Outdoor sessions have a completely different feel.
They’re beautiful if you want movement, golden light, room for little kids to run around and more of that relaxed family-session feeling.
I photograph maternity sessions at several locations around Louisville, and we can choose somewhere that fits the look you’re imagining and the season you’re in.
And if you don’t know which one you want?
That’s completely fine. I’ll help you decide.
What am I supposed to wear?
Please don’t let this be the reason you don’t book maternity photos.
You don’t have to go buy an entirely new wardrobe or spend hours trying to coordinate everyone.
I help my clients with styling, and I also have a client closet with dresses available for moms as well as clothing options for babies and little ones.
We’ll look at the location, the season, what your family already owns and the overall feeling you want from your photos.
My biggest advice?
Wear something that lets you feel like yourself.
These aren’t supposed to look like photos of some perfectly styled family you found on Pinterest.
They’re supposed to look like you.
Should I include my husband and kids?
YES.
Or at least, please don’t feel like maternity photos have to be just you standing in a field holding your belly.
I love photographing mom by herself, but some of my favorite maternity images are the ones that include the whole family.
Your toddler kissing your belly.
Dad holding you from behind.
Your baby’s little hands resting on the bump.
The chaos of trying to get everyone to cuddle at the same time.
Because this pregnancy isn’t happening in isolation.
It’s this weird, beautiful in-between season where your family is still exactly as it is right now…while you’re all waiting for someone new to join it.
And that is worth documenting.
Maternity photos hit differently after your baby is here
I think this is the part that’s hard to understand until you’ve experienced it.
Pregnancy can feel SO long when you’re in it.
Then the baby arrives and somehow that giant belly you’ve been carrying around for months is just…gone.
Suddenly you’re holding the person who was in there.
And looking back at your maternity pictures feels completely different.
That’s them in there.
That’s the baby whose little face you know now.
That’s you before you knew what their cry sounded like or how their hair would lay or whether they’d look like you or Dad.
And someday, your child gets to see those pictures too.
They get to see how loved they were before you’d even met them.
That’s why I love maternity photography so much.
Maternity + newborn photos
If you’re already thinking about maternity photos, this is also a really good time to start thinking about your newborn session.
Newborn photographers often book babies based on their due dates rather than waiting until baby is actually born, so you can reserve your spot while you’re still pregnant.
Then when baby arrives, we’ll figure out the actual session date.
I offer both studio and in-home newborn photography in Louisville, so we can choose whichever experience feels right for your family.
And honestly, I love when I get to photograph both.
There’s something really special about photographing a family while they’re waiting for their baby…and then getting to meet that little baby a few weeks later.
So…when should you take maternity photos?
If you want the short answer:
Around 28–34 weeks is a great starting point.
But the better answer is:
Whenever you feel beautifully pregnant, your bump is showing, and you can still comfortably enjoy the experience.
Don’t get too caught up in finding the “perfect” week.
And please don’t skip maternity photos because you don’t feel completely like yourself right now.
Pregnancy changes your body. It’s uncomfortable. It’s exhausting. Sometimes you feel beautiful, and sometimes you absolutely do not.
You don’t have to love every part of pregnancy to want to remember it.
You might be surprised by how much these photographs mean to you once the little person you’re carrying is finally in your arms.
Looking for a Louisville maternity photographer?
I’m Andrea, the photographer behind Andrea Powell Photography, and I photograph maternity, newborn and growing families throughout Louisville, Kentucky and the surrounding areas.
My sessions are relaxed, family-friendly and very much built around real life—toddlers, snack breaks, pregnancy exhaustion and all.
If you’re expecting, I’d love to help you document this part of your family’s story.
