When to Take Maternity Photos (and Why Minnesota Winters Change the Plan)

Somewhere around week 18 or 20, most women realize they want maternity photos and have no idea when to schedule them. Too early and the bump looks more like a big lunch. Too late and you’re tired, achy and watching your phone for news from the hospital.

I get this question constantly, so here’s how I think about it, and what a Minnesota winter does to the math.

Why weeks 28 to 32 works

By week 28 your belly has popped. It’s round, it’s obvious, and nobody has to ask. By week 32 you’re bigger, but you can still kneel, turn and stand for a while without hating me.

That’s the sweet spot. You look pregnant, you feel mostly okay, and there’s still a cushion before baby shows up. Full term starts at week 39, but plenty of babies don’t wait for it.

I’d book in your second trimester, which runs roughly from week 14 through 27. The worst of the nausea is usually behind you, you have energy to plan, and the calendar is still open.

When to go earlier or later

• Twins or more. Multiples often arrive a few weeks early and the bump gets heavy sooner. Aim for the early part of the window, or a little before it.
• A smaller bump. Some women just carry small. If that’s you, we can wait until week 33 or 34 so the bump shows.
• A second or third baby. Bumps tend to show sooner the next time around, so you can book on the earlier side.
• Complications or activity limits. Do what your provider says. Tell me when we first talk and we’ll plan around it.

After about week 35 I get nervous. It can still work, but babies don’t read calendars and you’ll be more tired than you expect. If you’re already past 34 weeks, reach out anyway and we’ll see what’s possible.

What a Minnesota winter does to your timing

Here’s the math nobody does until it’s too late. Weeks 28 to 32 land about eight to twelve weeks before your due date. Count back from your due date and you have your window.

Look at the March, April and May rows. Those women get photographed in the middle of a Minnesota winter, and that’s where the plan changes.

The session itself is indoors, so snow never touches the photos. It touches everything around them: the drive, the parking, the coat, the boots, the hat hair. A few habits make it easy.

• Leave early. Drive time in a snowstorm is not drive time on a July Saturday, and nobody wants to arrive rattled.
• Pick a day that’s easy to move. A weekday gives us somewhere to land if a storm shows up on the weekend you wanted.
• Wear loose socks and slip-on shoes in. Boot and sock lines show on bare ankles, and late pregnancy feet already swell.
• Bring a coat you can drop in the changing room, and give your hair a few minutes to recover from the hat.

If the roads are bad that morning, call me. I’m not going to make you white-knuckle Highway 10 for a photo.

Outdoor maternity photos make the most sense in Minnesota from spring through fall. If a snowy field is your dream, tell me, but I wouldn’t build a winter plan around it. The studio works in any weather, which is most of why I like it.

A rough timeline, working back from baby

1. Second trimester: bookReach out around weeks 14 to 27. We talk about what you want and I check dates against your due date.
2. Around week 24: sort your outfitsShopping in the second trimester leaves time for returns and fit. I send a wardrobe guide and we go through your options before the session. There’s more in my studio wardrobe guide.
3. Weeks 28 to 32: the sessionPlan on 60 to 90 minutes. Eat first, and wear something loose on the way in so a waistband doesn’t leave marks on your belly.
4. About a week later: the revealWe go through your gallery together over Zoom and talk about printed pieces. Your digital gallery arrives within three weeks of the session.
5. Four to six weeks after you order: your printsAlbums and framed pieces take about four to six weeks to make, longer in busy seasons. A session around week 30 means they can be in your hands before your due date.

Questions I get asked

J

Written by Johanna K.I’m the owner and lead photographer at Studio Freyja. I’ve been photographing women and families since 2012, and my studio is in downtown Anoka, Minnesota. More about me.