Maternity photos can be such an incredible experience. But how do you document the tender day-to-day experience of pregnancy without having a live-in photographer? We've rounded up our favorite DIY pregnancy photo ideas. Use them to creatively commemorate the sweet whirlwind from that positive pregnancy test all the way through the arrival of your little one.
7 Inspired Pregnancy Photo Ideas
1. Classic Silhouette
Most pregnancy photo sessions include a silhouette for a reason. It's a dramatic way to document the changes that pregnancy brings. It can be so exciting to see your little one growing! For a defined silhouette, stand in front of a bright window. The backlighting will create the effect you're going for.
2. Sibling Belly
Pregnancy photo ideas can include siblings, too. It's such a fun way to make them part of getting ready for the new baby. Have your older child show their tummy next to yours. Be ready to click! Their candid expressions will delight you.
3. Pregnancy-to-Newborn Series
Can you tell a story in three pictures? That's the goal with the pregnancy-to-newborn photo series. Take pictures with your positive pregnancy test, your baby bump, and your newborn. Bonus if you take all three photos in the same spot in your house!
4. Reading a Book
Pregnancy photo ideas should include the playful side of preparing for your little one's arrival. Try posing with a favorite children's book. Baby Notebook co-founder Davia read Everything is Mama by Jimmy Fallon.
5. Pregnancy Moments
We've all seen the precious photos of babies taken each month after their birth. You know, the ones with the infant on a pastel blanket with a board announcing how many months old they are. There's a version of that for pregnancy too! We call it “pregnancy moments,” and it's one of our favorite pregnancy photo ideas. At important milestones in your pregnancy, hold up a card beside your growing bump.
We created free, printable pregnancy moment cards. Get your pregnancy moment cards here, and start documenting your milestones.
6. Monthly Bump Pic
While pregnancy moments are about commemorating the important weeks in your pregnancy, monthly bump pics can be a simpler approach to tracking your change over time. Choose a neutral space that doesn't distract from you as the focus of the photo. Try using the same clean background every month. Davia stood in front of a white curtain that had good lighting.
When you're doing monthly bump pics, it's a good idea to wear a very neutral outfit, like leggings and a sports bra. Choose clothes that can grow with you. Wearing it for each monthly photo makes your growing bump even easier to see.
Want more tips on the logistics of DIYing your pregnancy photos? This blog post gives you a rundown of pro tips on lighting, location, and more. Create frame worthy images you'll want to share with your little one someday.
7. Nine Months In, Nine Months Out
If you're looking for pregnancy photo ideas to capture the before and after of your baby's birth, this is perfect. Find an outfit you can wear at nine months pregnant and nine months. Take a bump pic at nine months. When your little one is nine months old, take another picture in the same outfit in the same spot. You won't believe how big your little one is! The contrast will melt your heart.
At Baby Notebook, we see a lot of pregnancy photos in our customers' baby books. We're always collecting new inspiration on our Pinterest boards. You can find even more pregnancy photo ideas on our Pinterest board!
More Ways to Tell Your Family's Story
Once you start accumulating these sweet photos, you'll want a place to put them all. This is your family's story, your child's beginnings. You'll want to be able to share it with them when they're older. You can't do that if the pictures are lost among thousands in the cloud.
Baby Notebook offers an easy way to incorporate your bump pics into your baby book using our convenient app. The first chapter of your baby book tells the story of your pregnancy in a unique combination of pregnancy journal and photo album. In just a few minutes a week, you can upload your latest pictures and answer fun, heartfelt prompts. Your whole family will appreciate having this first chapter in your child's baby book.
Download Notebook and preserve those inspired pregnancy photos!