One of my biggest regrets when pregnant with my 2 girls is the lack of photos of my baby bumps.  I don’t have any of my first pregnancy and maybe one photo the 2nd time around.  Why?  Because I felt like a whale and was really self concious.  With my eldest I put on a lot of weight, and I mean a lot and I hated the way I looked.  It was mainly water retention so my whole body was swollen, I even went up two shoe sizes!  When I told Elizabeth this tale she laughed and asked if I have a picture,  and it breaks my heart that I had to say No!   With Alyssa it was the complete opposite, I gained very little weight and had the tiniest neatest bump ever but I was so busy running around after a 1 year old that I never made the time to record my journey.

With my own expereince at the forefront of my mind I want to share 5 great reasons why you should make sure you don’t end up with the same regrets as me.

1.  Pregnancy is a thing of beauty, awe and amazement.    You might feel tired, nauseous, sore, aching and frumpy, but those on the outside don’t see  the things that may lead you to think that you look terrible! Instead, your loved ones see a beautiful woman bringing a new life into the world, with a gorgeous little baby inside of her.

2.  If you don’t have pregnancy photos, you’ll lose the chance to create once in a lifetime memories – you can’t get back.  Photos also trigger memories, feelings, emotions… they help you remember more vividly. Even if you don’t care for the memory for yourself, I can promise you that when your children are older, they will be delighted to see the photos of their pregnant mummy, while they were growing inside of you. They won’t care, or see that you felt tired or frumpy, all they will see is the magic of pregnancy and the love you had for them before they were even born.

3.  Whether it is just the two of you, and bump, or if you have older siblings to join in on the fun, I’m a firm believer that you cannot  have too many photos of your family. Plus, if you already have little ones it’s a beautiful opportunity for them to bond and interact with your belly, all while being captured on camera.

4.  For most woman pregnancy is full of ups and downs, I know both my pregnancies were.  At times you will feel worn out, achy and fed up, and at others time gorgeous, excited, and on top of the world   Although it may feel a long time while your  baby is growing inside you, it is actually such a short journey, and that in itself is a reason to have that time photographed.  I think that it is wonderful to be able to look back once your baby is here, and have some beautiful images to do that with. 

5.  I think, finally, I just simply believe that pregnancy needs to be celebrated. It is such a precious gift to be carrying your baby.   Just as families will choose to have a baby photoshoot of their newborn baby, to celebrate their little one’s arrival, pregnancy is amazing and should be celebrated too.  I adore pregnancy photos for that reason, they are always full of excitement, happiness, anticipation, and love.  You have made a new life, and are keeping your baby safe until they are ready to be born and meet you.  Seriously, that amazing!

So if you are pregnant, please do get in touch to talk to me about a pregnancy photoshoot, and celebrate the little miracle growing inside you.