Preparing to give birth is undoubtedly going to be one of the most wildly emotional times in your life; all of it simply a waiting game as you live according to your little one’s timeline. Whatever this time may look like for you, you deserve to have it all documented just as it is; to remember this season for the rest of your lives and cherish each and every moment through memories & photos. To help you plan a maternity session that’s easy, seamless, and stress-free, I’ve compiled my top maternity session tips that you can take into account as you prepare. Cannot wait to tell your story and give you the magical maternity experience that you deserve!

8 Tips to Prepare for Your Maternity Session

1. Book an experienced maternity photographer

Having an incredible maternity session truly begins with hiring the right photographer. Maternity sessions can be a vulnerable, emotional experience, so it’s important to make sure that you invest your time and money into a skilled photographer who you feel like you can fully put your trust into. The last thing you want to be doing while preparing for your maternity photos (and for your baby to make its grand entrance into the world) is worry about picking the right location, finding the best lighting, or looking coordinated in your outfits—the right photographer will guide you through the planning process and support you every step of the way with their knowledge, support, and years of experience.

And on that note, working with an experienced maternity photographer is going to be essential to a smooth, stress-free process! When you work with somebody who has plenty of experience photographing maternity sessions, you can trust that they’ll know exactly how to take care of you; how to pose you, prompt you, find the most flattering lighting for you, and make you feel completely comfortable. An experienced photographer will also more than likely have a seamless booking & planning process to make it all a breeze for you—I even have a full planning + prep guide that all of my clients get access to!

The reason I recommend booking your dream photographer as the very first step to your maternity session is because chances are, they may only have certain dates open on their schedule. By reaching out first and then finding a date that works for the both of you, rather than nailing down a date and then reaching out, you won’t risk them being unavailable on the date you chose. Plus, the earlier you book, the earlier they’ll be able to start helping you plan, and you won’t have to do it all on your own!

2. Pick your date & time of day

Like I said, once you’ve booked your photographer, you’ll want to work with them to choose a date and a time that works for everyone. This will depend on a few factors, including the location you select + what the weather will be like, any activities you’d like to include, and, most importantly, your due date! Together, we’ll decide what date will be best and whether your session should take place earlier in the day, when we can get that soft morning light, or in the evening at golden hour.

Morning sessions are great for a little coffee shop hang before, during, or after your session if you’d like to turn it into a little date, while evening sessions are ideal for that dreamy golden glow we all love, plus the opportunity to maybe enjoy a nice dinner afterward. After all, you deserve to treat yourselves during this rollercoaster of a time!

Now if you’re planning to have an in-home session, we’ll most likely want to plan for a midday time that will give us plenty of flattering, natural light to use inside of your house. Don’t worry too much about all of this right now, though—again, this is something I’ll be able to help you with as your photographer!

3. Choose a location you love

Location is everything for any kind of session, because it’s what’s going to really determine the mood + vibe of your photos. There are a few different ways you can approach picking a location for your maternity photos:

Option A: Choose a location that's meaningful to you

The first way to go about choosing a location is to find somewhere that is meaningful to you! This could be a session in your own home, because maybe it’s the home you’ve been building together that you’re excited to be bringing a brand new life into. I once had a client do their maternity pictures in the park that they knew their daughter would play in as she grows up—how sweet is that? Maybe you go to the park where the two of you had your first date, or the place you got engaged; maybe it’s as simple as having your session in your backyard. Choosing a place that holds some sort of special sentiment in your life is the easiest way to add extra special meaning to your photos.

Option B: Choose a location based on the vibe you want

If you have a certain picture in your mind of what you want your maternity photos to look like—maybe you’ve had a set of photos saved to your Pinterest board forever that you’re dying to recreate, or maybe there’s a certain mood you really want to bring out in your images—you can also pick your location based on that! I work with lots of clients who come to me wanting a western vibe for their session, so I’ll take them to a spot that often has cows grazing, or just has a country feel. If you want more of an industrial feel, maybe we head to downtown New Braunfels and explore the charming streets, alleyways, and shops along the way. Want a cleaner, more contemporary vibe? We can book a studio with bright white walls and an abundance of natural light! Or if you’d prefer your session to feel more cozy, intimate, and personal, we can do your session in your home.

Option C: Choose a location you love the scenery of

Finally, you can simply choose somewhere that you think is pretty! There’s no harm in picking your location just because it’s got gorgeous views, beautiful trees, scenic landscapes, colorful flowers; after all, who doesn’t love a picturesque backdrop for the photos they’re investing so much in?

No matter which of these approaches you take, you can sit back & relax knowing that once you book your session, I’ll talk through all your location options with you. If you have any specific requests that don’t fit the locations I recommend, I can absolutely try to look into a new location that fits your vision. The main thing is that you should never have to feel like you’re required to come up with locations on your own; I’ll never ask that of you. Another benefit of hiring someone who is local to & experienced in your area!

If you’re in the greater Austin region and are on the hunt for the perfect place to take your maternity photos, browse through the three location guides I’ve put together below:

Best Family Photo Locations in Austin, Texas

Best Family Photo Locations in New Braunfels, TX

Best Family Photo Locations in San Antonio, TX

4. Consider incorporating activities

One of the EASIEST ways to make your maternity photos feel incredibly unique and personal to you is to include activities in your session! Think about what you and your partner love to do together, or what you’ve been spending your time doing during your pregnancy—maybe that looks like enjoying a romantic dinner at your favorite restaurant, walking around a certain park by your home at sunset, cozying up and reading books together on your couch, spending time together in your garden… if it’s special to you, then it’ll add a super special touch to your photos.

5. Plan your outfits in advance

Outfits are a key part of your maternity session, as they can really add a lot to the vibe of your photos & help you bring out your one-of-a-kind personality. I highly recommend making a moodboard on Pinterest that encapsulates your vision, with outfits that you love, colors you’re drawn to, patterns you’re curious about incorporating into your look—and no worries if you don’t know what you quite want yet. Pinterest is the best place to find inspiration, and I’ll also be here to help guide you in the right direction if you need some help!

My top tip is to prioritize comfort when it comes to planning outfits for your maternity session. For example, if you’re not really someone who wears dresses but you feel like that’s the “typical” maternity session outfit, opt for something that you do feel comfortable & yourself in, instead; maybe some unbuttoned jeans, or a flowy skirt! A great rule of thumb is that if it doesn’t feel like something you would normally wear (either on a regular day, or a fancier night out), then it might not be the best option for your session—I’d much rather you be totally comfy than constantly worrying about your dress that is too tight, or the pants that don’t actually fit you very well.

Here are some stores that I love and would recommend shopping at for your maternity session outfits:

Women:

Men:

Baby/Kids:

I’m also a HUGE fan of thrifting outfits for your session if you’d rather not buy brand new pieces; in fact, I put together an entire guide to How to Thrift the Perfect Outfits for Your Family Photos. Definitely give it a read if you’re interested in shopping secondhand for your maternity session!

6. Pack a bag to bring with you

If you’ll be doing your session anywhere other than your own home, I recommend packing a bag beforehand to bring with you, with both practical and sentimental items: this might be an ultrasound you want to hold up during your photos, a baby onesie your family gifted you, or maybe a pair of tiny shoes that you bought for your soon-to-be little one. You’ll also want to pack practical items for yourselves, such as more comfy shoes to put on once we’re done with your photos (or while we’re walking between different photo spots), a bottle of water, a snack, whatever you need to feel comfortable during the entirety of our session!

7. Take the pressure off

I always tell my clients that the ultimate way to make sure your photos feel authentic and completely you, is to take away any pressure or expectations before you even arrive at your session. I know that photoshoots like this can sometimes make people feel as though they need to perform in front of the camera; when, in fact, the ONLY thing you need to do in front of the camera is be yourself. I know how cheesy that might sound, but it’s true: if you come into your session with wild expectations or pressure on yourself to look/act a certain way, your photos are going to have a very different vibe than if you were to just, well, relax! Your maternity photos shouldn’t be about looking “perfect;” they should be about documenting exactly where you’re at in this super special time of your life, whatever that may look like to you and you alone—not the women you saw on Pinterest or all over your Instagram feed once the algorithm knew you were planning a maternity shoot. We’re here to document the perfectly imperfect, so allow yourselves to release the pressure and just enjoy.

8. Embrace the moment

On a similar note, I want you to get into the mindset before your shoot that you will embrace the moment no matter what happens! No matter the weather, no matter if we have to suddenly change locations at the last minute, be ready to embrace whatever comes, take a deep breath, and know that you’re in the good hands of a photographer you trust. I’m here to adapt, adjust, and support you as needed so that all you need to do is go with the flow, be present, and embrace this beautiful time in your life where you get to be present and capture the magical season you’re going through.

New Braunfels Maternity Photographer

Speaking of having a photographer by your side who you can trust to take care of you, I’m Madison, a New Braunfels based maternity photographer obsessed with capturing the ordinary moments of your life. The cozy snuggles on the couch, the free-spirited walks through the park as you enjoy beautiful views, the little ones jumping around on your bed because they can’t wait to have a new sibling. . . I’m here to help you remember it all. Reach out now to book your maternity session; I cannot wait to capture this wild season of life for you!

Planning to have your maternity session in your own home? Check out this guide for my best tips on how to prepare for in-home photos.

How to Plan & Prepare for Your Maternity Session: My Top 8 Tips