Intimate Maternity Session with the Simpsons | Kentucky Motherhood Photographer | Monticello, KY
YOU GUYS!!!!!!!! I am beyond excited to share these images with you all. When Shawna reached out to me to photograph a more intimate at home maternity session for her I wanted to scream for joy! This is the session to my heart. There is just something so magical about photographing a Mama connecting with her unborn child in a more raw form of skin to skin.
Have you ever heard of the amazing benefits that Skin to Skin care has not just for a newborn but for the mother as well?
Researchers say a baby during skin-to-skin contact with thier mother stimulates a specific part of the newborn’s brain. The baby is stimulated to move to mom’s breast, attach, and begin breastfeeding. This first step – getting sustenance – encourages physical development. Then the baby will open his or her eyes and first gaze upon thier mother. This encourages emotional and social development. For the baby this also helps with better body temperature maintenance, experience more stable heartbeat and breathing, higher blood oxygen levels, more successful at breastfeeding immediately after birth, and stronger immune systems
Also, think about the benefits for Mamas! Those skin to skin moments help mothers to experience a more positive breastfeeding journey, improved breast milk production, and helps reduced postpartum bleeding and lower risk of postpartum depression! Skin to skin is so important and these raw moments really reflect that one of a kind connection between mother and child. Plus pregnancy bellies are beautiful!!
Below is some of my favorites from Shawn’s Session! She was so kind to allow me to share and I am so grateful. I hope this collection of images and a piece of her motherhood story helps to inspire others. Thank you gorgeous Mama, for trusting me, feeling comfortable in front of my camera, and allowing me to document these moments for you to treasure forever. <3
How did you feel in the moment you found out you were pregnant?
JOYFUL. I was so excited to begin this new journey as parents with my husband. I felt instant gratitude that God gave me the opportunity to have a baby and chose me to carry this specific baby.
How did you tell your husband?
He just had got home from work when I had taken the test & I wanted to surprise him with a gift box so I gathered my emotions together told him I was going to town to go get pizza LOL. It was also right before Christmas so I ran to the store and bought a Christmas box & a onesie. I put the positive pregnancy test and onesie into the box and told him I had an early Christmas present for him & so it turned out to be the best surprise Christmas present ever. ☺️
How did you all tell your family the exciting news?
- We waited until I was around 10 weeks to tell friends & family. It was so hard to keep a secret but honestly it was pretty sweet to share that secret between me & my husband for awhile. We went to our first appointment together and got to see baby. We told everyone individually with a onesie and ultrasound pictures. Everyone cried happy tears. It was seriously something I’ll treasure forever.
Was the first trimester hard on you or was it an easy trimester? Any tips for future Mamas on how to survive that first trimester?
The first trimester wasn’t easy but it wasn’t the worst thing ever either. The nausea was manageable and the fatigue just resulted in lots of naps. The worst thing was the food aversions. I absolutely did not want any kind of meat and wanted cold food for every meal. I’m pretty sure I survived on cold fruit. The first trimester is often an anxious time for many mommas and I know I prayed everyday to make it to that 12 week milestone. Advise for other mommas: Rest whenever you feel tired (don’t apologize for an 8PM bedtime lol, i sure didn’t). Invest in a pregnancy pillow now, you won’t regret it! Eat whenever you are hungry and whatever you are hungry for. Your energy will return, I promise. ☺️
How did you all plan a gender reveal party and reveal the sex of your baby?
We planned for a friend to go with us to our 20 week anatomy scan to find out the gender but due to COVID-19 my doctors office stopped allowing visitors so I had to go into my anatomy scan alone (Kevin on FaceTime) and I came out with an envelope holding the gender. We had a large party planned but canceled due to CDC guidelines. We found out the gender together with confetti poppers and it is one my favorite memories, Kevin’s reaction to becoming a boy dad was priceless.
How did you feel in the moment you discovered you were going to have a son?
-I was SO excited. We would have been happy regardless the gender as long as we have a healthy baby but, I always knew I was made to be a boy momma. 😉
What are you most anxious about with the birth experience?
I am most anxious about the unknown. Everyone plans for a specific kind of delivery and has an idea of what they would like post delivery to look like but as working as NICU nurse I saw anything can happen in an instant. I know it’s important to trust the doctors and nurses because you & baby are their best interest.
Any tips on creating a birth plan?
Write out what you want or what your expectations are. Although things might not always go as planned with delivery you can still give the staff an outline as to how you would like to do things including delayed cord clamping, skin to skin with momma and dad, and if you would like to give baby the first bath or let the nurses do it. These are all things you can specify regardless of the type of delivery.
What are you looking forward to the most about when your son is born?
I am most looking forward to holding baby boy in my arms. I just want to kiss his sweet face and get all the newborn cuddles.
Any goals for your first year of motherhood?
I don’t want to set specific goals for my first year of motherhood other than soaking up all the little moments and connecting with my baby boy. We will learn things together as we go.
