How far along should you be for your maternity photos?

Caroline Austin
Mar 31
2 min read

Updated: Sep 25

Everything you need to know about timing your maternity session.

There are several things you should consider when you are booking your maternity session.

The first thing to know is, while we'll get to the timing of the actual session - the answer to the question of when you should BOOK your session is - as early as possible.

Many photographers book out months in advance and especially if you'll be booking a session for a busy season like fall or spring, you'll want to get your date booked and reserved early to ensure your photographer will have availability. Given the time sensitive nature of maternity sessions, if you wait too long you may not be able to get in in time.

I recommend getting your session booked at least one to two months in advance, but earlier is better. A good rule of thumb is, if you've entered your second trimester, it's time to start thinking about inquiring with your desired photographer.

Now to the question of when to schedule your session for. The short answer is ideally between 28-36 weeks. The longer answer is that there is no right or wrong time - it's about what you want and how you feel!

The primary considerations are:

BELLY

What kind of look are you going for? If it's important to you to have that big round belly you'll want to schedule on the later timeframe - probably 33+ weeks. If that sweet spot where you are fully showing and it's finally obvious you are pregnant but you aren't too round yet, is more the vibe you are going for then 28-30 weeks might be a good timeframe.

CONDITION

Do you have a high risk pregnancy? If this is not your first pregnancy, do you have any history of having your baby early? If so, you may want to get your session in earlier - 28-30 weeks or so.

ENERGY

How have you been feeling? If your pregnancy has been very draining you may not want to wait too long, as you may not feel up to it at a late stage of pregnancy. Generally speaking, you may have low energy and feel very tired in your first trimester, then you may have such renewed energy in your second trimester that you feel like a new woman, and in your third trimester you may feel your energy declining again as you near your due date. Keeping that in mind, listen to your body and plan your session for when you think you'll be able to enjoy it and have fun!