While the flurry of flashbulbs often beings the minute the baby's born, the nine months previous to the little one's birth shouldn't be overlooked as an important journey on it's own. While some pregnant mommies may shy away from the camera during this time because they don't want pictures of their ever growing body, many women look back on this time with fondness and even show their kids what mommy looked like while carrying their little selves.



During the nine months of pregnancy, a woman's body changes so much that it can be fun to look back and see the progress in pictures. Many expectant mommies even like to document this change by taking pictures of themselves and their bellies ever few weeks. This can be a fun way to show family from away how quickly the little guy or girl is growing. It's also fun because every pregnancy is different, and some mommies gain all of their weight towards the beginning of the pregnancy, while others gain it all in the last month. Either way, taking pictures is a great way to document this once in a lifetime journey.

Many expectant couples also like to hire a photographer towards the end of the term to capture mommy and belly at their biggest. This can be an artful way to commemorate the wonderful journey of pregnancy.

Ultrasound photos make a great companion to pregnant belly photos. It's fun to see the little one in utero and the way mommy's belly has grown to accommodate him or her. Many couples carry around these first pictures of baby, showing them off to family and friends, and some even make their way into the annual Christmas card. Ultrasound pictures have also made great steps and many can now be printed off high quality and 3-D, showcasing baby's every facial detail.

Another way to capture the moment to remember forever is to film or have pictures taken at the birth. Some women find this a highly personal and intimate time and choose to not document it, others, however, love the idea of having footage of the moment their little one enters the world. This also comes down to personal preference; if you do choose to do it though, make someone very close to you the camera operator. If dad doesn't want to spend his time at delivery behind the camera, enlist the help of mom or sister.