Table of Contents
- Cradle Your Bump with Both Hands
- Show Off Your Beautiful Profile
- Let Your Partner Wrap You in Love
- Invite Your Little Ones to Kiss the Bump
- Walk Hand in Hand Together
- Stand Tall and Look at the Camera
- Sit Comfortably with Your Legs Crossed
- Trust the Process
The poses you choose during your maternity session help tell the story of this moment in your life, documenting not just how you look, but how you feel. Finding maternity poses that feel authentic to you matters more than anything else. As a professional Portland maternity photographer, I’ll guide you through each movement, but knowing what feels comfortable and meaningful to you beforehand can help you relax and enjoy the experience.
These suggestions for maternity poses are meant to inspire you, to give you a starting point as you imagine what your maternity session might look like.
Pose #1. Cradle Your Bump with Both Hands
Some of the most powerful photos from maternity sessions in Portland come from the simplest moments. Placing both hands gently on your belly creates an immediate connection between you and your baby. This pose needs no embellishment or complexity. Your hands naturally cradle the life growing inside you, and that gesture alone tells a complete story.
Closing your eyes while holding your bump adds another layer of intimacy to this moment. The camera preserves a private conversation with your little one—a quiet exchange shared between just the two of you. Many expecting parents find this pose feels the most natural because it mirrors what they already do throughout their day.
Pose #2. Show Off Your Beautiful Profile
Your silhouette during pregnancy is unlike anything else. Positioning yourself at an angle to the camera, with your bump in profile, celebrates the beautiful curve of your changing body. This classic approach works beautifully both in studio settings and during outdoor sessions throughout Portland.
Arching your back slightly and placing one hand under your belly creates a graceful line that draws the eye to your baby bump. The other hand can rest on your hip, reach up to touch your hair, or simply hang naturally at your side. As your Portland maternity photographer, I will help you find the exact angle that feels most comfortable while showing off your gorgeous shape.
Pose #3. Let Your Partner Wrap You in Love
Your partner’s involvement in these photos adds depth and emotion to your maternity photography in Portland. Having them stand behind you, wrapping their arms around your belly, creates a visual representation of the support and love surrounding this pregnancy. Their hands can rest on top of yours, forming a protective circle around your baby.
Foreheads touching while you both look down at your bump documents anticipation in its purest form. This pose requires no forced smiles or choreographed movements. The genuine connection between you speaks for itself, creating images that will mean even more as the years pass.
Pose #4. Invite Your Little Ones to Kiss the Bump
If you have older children, including them in some poses adds sweetness and authenticity to your session. Having them gently kiss your belly or place their small hands next to yours creates tender moments that document their excitement about becoming a big sibling. These interactions often produce the most genuine smiles and expressions.
Sitting or crouching down to their level while they interact with your bump creates intimate images that feel real and unposed. Children bring spontaneity to maternity sessions, and some of the most treasured photos come from their unrehearsed reactions and natural curiosity about the baby.
Pose #5. Walk Hand in Hand Together
Walking hand in hand with your partner creates movement and life in your images. Your Portland maternity photographer might document you mid-step, looking at each other or gazing down at your belly. This approach feels less formal and more like a genuine moment stolen from your everyday life together.
Swaying gently or slow dancing together adds romance and intimacy to your session. These poses work especially well during golden hour sessions at outdoor Portland locations, where the warm light enhances the emotional quality of the images.
Pose #6. Stand Tall and Look at the Camera
Some poses focus solely on you, celebrating your strength and the amazing work your body is doing. Standing tall with your hands resting gently on your belly, looking directly at the camera, creates a powerful portrait of maternal confidence. Your gaze can be soft and contemplative or strong and direct, depending on what feels true to you in that moment.
This straightforward pose honors exactly who you are in this season of life. There’s something deeply moving about an expecting parent meeting the camera’s gaze with openness and presence, hands lovingly placed on the life growing within.
Pose #7. Sit Comfortably with Your Legs Crossed
Sitting poses offer comfort while still highlighting your beautiful bump. Cross-legged positions or having one leg extended create visual interest while keeping you relaxed. Your hands can cradle your belly, rest in your lap, or touch your face as you look down toward your baby.
These seated poses work wonderfully when you need a moment to rest during your session. They also create a softer, more intimate feeling in your images, showing a quieter side of pregnancy that deserves to be remembered.
Trust the Process
Everybody carries pregnancy differently, and what feels comfortable and beautiful for one person might not work for another. As your professional maternity photographer, I understand this and will adapt each pose to suit your unique shape, comfort level, and vision. My goal is always to help you feel confident and celebrated, creating images that reflect your genuine experience of pregnancy.
These weeks of carrying your baby are fleeting. They deserve to be remembered with tenderness, honesty, and beauty. The right poses will help you tell your story exactly as it deserves to be told.
You can view more of my maternity portfolio here.
Click here to reserve your session
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