You’ve received the most amazing news of your life! You’re pregnant!! You’re going to be a mom!!

Celebrate this most precious time in your life! Soak it in!!!

But let’s be honest here, for so many women, the bliss of pregnancy fades as the uncomfortable changes in the body start to occur. Women start feeling self-conscious about themselves and avoiding the camera. This creates a lot of challenges and sometimes even regrets after those feelings fade, and hormones go back to normal. So what are the 3 regrets that many moms have? Both Maternity and Newborn Photos are services that many moms think about long after the fact. Of course, you’re already 10 steps ahead, because you’re here! So let’s dive in!

1st: They didn’t schedule maternity photos.

Carrying a baby is one of the most precious gifts that we woman go through. Yet so many let their insecurities get in the way of one of the most miraculous time in their life,, trust me, I get it! From the water retention, to weight gain to ache, pregnancy has it’s challenges-bot don’t let that get in the way of capturing images you’ll treasure for a life time. So how to avoid this regret?

3 tips to over coming maternity session fears.
* hire a photographer that is willing to touch-up the images.
*schedule the session between week 32-36you’ll feel much more comfortable during the session.
.  *Where a support for your belly. It will smooth you out give you support.

2nd: They don’t schedule their newborn photos on time. 

Did you know that more than half of my newborn clients are for their 2nd child? Why, you might ask? Number 1 reason…. they didn’t realize the newborn session should be scheduled in the 1st 2 weeks of newborn baby’s life. After week 3. Baby starts looking & acting differently so those sweet poses aren’t available.
But no worries! After working with dozens of moms, I recommend 2 things to avoid missing out on these precious moment.

2 tips to avoid missing out on newborn photos.
*Book your maternity newborn session together. Many photographers, such as myself, even give discounts for bundling them together
*Start looking for a newborn photographer at least 2-3 month ahead of your due dale.
*Bonus tip, make sure that the photographer you hire does the style of photography you want. Such as posed sleeping photos vs. lifestyle.

3rd: They don’t ask the right questions. 

Unless you’re a mom or are close with a mom, you may not know everything that goes into a maternity and/or newborn session nor the pricing for those services. This is totally understandable. Newborn photography ranges from $600-1200 in the Bay Area and Maternity prices range from $250 – 600 on average.
Assuming of course that you’d like to hire an experienced newborn photographer. If your budget is less than $600, chances are you’ll be working with a new photographer. No worries, we all have different needs.

Many moms also don’t know what’s included in a session. Such as, is it a studio or do they come to their home? Does the session include props? Are there packages available? For maternity sessions, asking about dresses or outfits can be crucial to a successful session that you love.

3 Questions to ask before booking your maternity or newborn photographer. 
*Do they bundle maternity newborn its three a bonus for that?
*Do they came to your home and it so what’s included? Probs, outfits posed sleeping photos or just in home lifestyle photos?
*Is their a print package available? Do we need to purchase the digital images are their additional investments?

Well there you go, my cheat-sheet guide to avoiding the regret of not capturing one of the most precious magical moments in your life. So many clients chat with me about regretting not taking photos with their 1st child and I don’t want you to be one of them. I also don’t want you to be blindsided when you do hire a photographer.

If you’re interested in learning more about our services at Summer Bear Photography check out our Bumps to Baby Page Here!