I just came across this photographer, who specialises in photographing pregnant women, touting for business on an expat website I used to be on. Fair enough, it's how she makes a living - and I'm sure there are women who like the idea of posing for photographs covered in Bio-Oil with their OH caressing the bump like it's the Holy Grail - but something about the bossy little instructions about exactly how to present yourself, bra-less, oiled up, and manicured, and about to be stuck into some kind of Appropriate Pregnant Earth Mother Boob Tube Uniform like a pregnant Borg army, really got on my tits. Would the world end if you hadn't timed it right, and you just looked a bit fat, rather than with a nice, identifiably pregnant, 'bump'?
Actually, I don't think I am being in the least unreasonable to find this irritating, but would be interested to see whether other people also rolled their eyes, or whether you think this all sounds lovely, and I am a sourpuss, because I have just thrown up my healthy breakfast and am craving a Mr Kipling's Iced Fancy.
*I can give you some tips for the shoot. You want your bump to look like a bump not just a big tummy , so wait until you are really big, this varies for different people, my bump was huge early on and I did my own shoot (with the aid of a timer) at 32 weeks, for other people its better days before you are due, 36 weeks is probably a good time on average.
Ideally you want to show a lot of skin, clothes tend to stand out in photos, so keep it very simple, don't worry about things like stretch marks, pretty much any photographer will give your skin a bit of a photoshop "glow" afterwards . I usually dress my mums in a white boobtube (if you wear a flesh-toned strapless bra underneath your boobs will look better ) pulled up to show the bump and wrap a white sarong under the bump or a pair of jeans unbuttoned. Try to arrive braless especially if you will be doing topless shots as otherwise you tend to have strap mark indents in your skin. I like to rub a very small amount of bio oil over the arms, body and bump, but keep your face matte.
as with any studio or flash photography make sure you don't have sunscreen on your face (even in foundation) as it will give you a ghostly glow when it bounces back the light. I personally think it is better to keep makeup looking natural, so stick to lipgloss etc and avoid bright lipstick unless you never leave the house without it.
Also consider a manicure (with no polish or clear polish, unless gain, bright nails are your signature), you are likely to pose in lots of hands on bump shots, so its nice to keep them tidy.
I really recommend the bump shots, but if you can manage, also get your husband in them too, I think the Daddy and the bump shots are really special, and if you already have a child, likewise, get them looking at and touching the bump. Also some photographers do a package, with bump and newborn shots, I love photographing a week old baby, they are just magic and they stay tiny for such a short time!*