How to Prepare for Your Maternity Session
Hydrate, take care of yourself, pack your outfit ahead of time, and prep the people coming with you. That's most of it.
This guide walks through the three things worth thinking about before your session: how to take care of yourself, how to prep your clothes and everything you'll bring, and how to prep your partner and kids if they're joining.
01 · Self Care
Don't try anything new the week of. Not a new skincare product, not a new lipstick, not a chemical peel. This isn't the week to experiment.
Don't feel pressure to "feel ready." Almost no client does. The bump, the body changes, the weeks of feeling like you don't recognize yourself are part of this season, and the photos you take in the middle of all of it are the ones you'll come back to. You don't have to look ready. You just have to be there.
This is the part most clients skip past, and it matters more than the rest. Maternity sessions photograph better when you feel good in your body.
Hydrate all week. Pregnancy swelling is real, and water helps. Aim for steady water across the week, not a last-minute push the day before. Skip alcohol and limit salty foods the day before, since both contribute to puffiness.
Get a good night's sleep. Or as good as pregnancy lets you. Tired photographs as tired.
Eat before the session. Not just coffee. Pregnancy plus an empty stomach plus camera time is a hard combination.
Hair and makeup tips:
Slightly more than your everyday look photographs best. Think "nice dinner out," not bridal.
Avoid heavy contour, very dark eyes, or anything matte and powdery that can read flat in photos.
Soft, glowy skin with a defined eye and a natural lip is the safest bet.
If you're getting it done professionally, build in extra buffer time.
Schedule any haircuts, color, lash fills, or nails earlier in the week, not the day before. They photograph better once they've settled.
02 ·Prepping Clothes and Everything You'll Bring
Pick your outfit (or outfits) at least a few days out. Try things on, take a mirror photo to see how it photographs, swap if something feels off. The wardrobe guide covers what works.
Try on the full outfit, including shoes. Make sure you can move, sit, kneel, and breathe comfortably. If anything pinches, restricts, or makes you suck in, swap it.
Pack everything the night before:
Outfit, shoes, and any accessories
Water and a snack
Lip balm, hair tie, anything you might need to refresh during the session
Comfortable shoes for walking in and out of an outdoor location (you can switch into your session shoes once we're there)
Meaningful pieces you want included (a robe, a wrap, an heirloom, anything that means something)
If you're outdoor: comfortable shoes for the walk in. You can switch into something else for the photos. If you have questions about your specific location (parking, walking distance, terrain), reply to your booking email and ask.
If you're at the studio: Spark Studios in Huntington Beach is fully set up, climate-controlled, and parking is straightforward.
03 · Prepping Your Partner and Kids
Maternity sessions are usually more nerve-wracking for the people coming with you than for you.
For your partner:
Tell them they don't have to know what to do. I'll guide them.
Their only job is to be there and respond to what's happening.
Most partners arrive nervous and leave saying it was easier than they expected.
Coordinate their outfit with yours (same color family, fitted but not tight, no logos or busy patterns). The wardrobe guide has the specifics.
For older kids (if they're joining):
We'll usually do the family shots first so they can be done early. Toddlers aren't asked to stand around for an hour.
Have someone available to help. A grandparent, a sitter, or your partner if the partner shots happen second.
Bring snacks, a tablet, lollipops, anything that holds them over. Bribes of any kind are fair game.
For toddlers, talk about the session ahead of time in simple terms. "We're going to take some pictures, then we'll go play."
For the unexpected: Kids melt down. Partners arrive late from work. Someone forgets a shoe. None of it ruins the session. Tell me when something is going sideways and we adjust.
A Few Other Things
Weather: For outdoor sessions, we'll touch base the day before if conditions look uncertain. Rain or extreme heat is a reschedule, not a push-through. The retainer carries over.
If you're not feeling well: Let me know as soon as possible so we can reschedule. Pregnancy is already hard on your body. We're not adding a session you don't feel up to.
If you're worried about anything specific: Tell me before the session. Swelling, fatigue, a body part you're self-conscious about, a pose you'd rather not do. Knowing ahead of time means I can adjust without you having to bring it up in the moment.