Posing Tips for New Moms

Newborn

When I went to the delivery room to have my first child, I naively packed my pre-pregnancy jeans in my hospital bag. I was going to have a baby! Didn’t that mean I would come home in my pre-pregnancy JEANS!? Absolutely no one warned me that I would be coming home looking six months pregnant, holding a newborn. So if you are preparing for your newborn session and beginning to worry about how you might look in the pictures, here are some posing tips for new moms to help put your mind at ease. 

You Just Had a BABY! 

Before I go any further, I feel the need to yell from the rooftops: “YOU JUST HAD A BABY!” Absolutely no one is expecting you to look like the baby fell from the sky. Please give yourself some grace, mama. I remember panic-scouring my closet the day-of my daughter’s newborn session because absolutely nothing fit. I ended up in jeans (NOT my pre-pregnancy ones) and a sweater. If you book your newborn session with Sharon Leger Photography, you don’t have to worry about searching your closet for a magical outfit. You will have a whole rack of them available to you at the studio, in all sizes. My client closet is a complimentary service where you can try on anything you need. And because I have every size, you don’t need to worry about finding something in the days between leaving the hospital and your session. I just recommend bringing a strapless bra (nude color, ideally) and a cami to go underneath. 

Posing Tips for New Moms: Arms

The first self-conscious area for many new moms is their upper arms. When pressed up against your side, your arm tends to spread out and look larger than it actually is. My first tip to combat this is to cover it up! All of my Client Closet dresses have coverage of your upper arms for exactly that reason. Second, I encourage my clients to pop their elbow and will pose you accordingly. This way, your arm is not pressing against your torso.  

Tummy Posing Tips

The area that most new moms are nervous about at their newborn session is their midsection. Again, I was SHOCKED to find out that your baby weight didn’t just fall off, so I’ve been there, done that. One of my posing tips for new moms to avoid showing your mid-section with a flowy dress. The looser the dress is, the more coverage you’ll have. That being said, I have photographed many new moms. I alway use strategic cropping and angles to make sure that you are really only shown on camera from the bust up. So no worries, mama, I got you! 

Posing Tips for New Moms: Neck

Finally, the third area of concern for new moms is usually their neck area.  My favorite tips for avoiding the double chin is to extend your neck slightly forward towards the camera and angle your head towards your baby. I will walk you through that, step-by-step, but this will help to avoid any folds you don’t want to see. When I’m giving posing tips for new moms, I also encourage them to use their hair strategically. A photographer who works with postpartum moms knows to arrange a new mom’s hair so that the hair is carefully placed over any lines that want to be avoided post-partum. And of course, it’s always about the angles. This is why you’ll find me up on  a stool for a majority of your parent pictures. Angles help all of us! 

These are just a few of my favorite posing tips for new moms. My babies are 4 and 6 now and I am still grateful that I powered through my insecurities at the time and was in the pictures with them. With time, I got my body back and those memories will never be able to be re-created. If there is an area that you are nervous about, feel free to mention it to your photographer. Our job is to help you look your best and I take my job very seriously!

If you want to see what some parent poses look like from recent sessions, you can see them here. Also be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram to keep up to date with recent work!

"I am so happy to have had Sharon capture photos of my family. She was so easy to work with, from scheduling to planning and coordinating, she could not have made the process more simple. She showed up on the day-of super prepared, with a whole wagon full of stuff just in case, including snacks for my kids! 

Kim

4 / 15

She worked so well with my children: she truly understands that children are going to get bored fast and she worked around their moods perfectly.

I love that she captured my kids' candid smiles, and not just the posed ones. To top it off, the final product was beyond my expectations and delivered in under a week! You can tell that she loves what she's doing and it shows in her work. She is truly a gem and I can't wait to work with her again as my children grow up!"

"We loved how simple and stress-free our son’s cake smash session was—we didn't need to worry about props or set-up. 

Alexis

When we showed up, Sharon had everything ready for us and we got to just be present in the moment. 

The portraits captured all the sweet little details we want to remember from his first birthday, and we were so happy to share them with our family. It was the perfect way to celebrate this milestone!" 

2 / 15

"Sharon was absolutely lovely to work with. I'm not the type of person who particularly enjoys photoshoots, but she is exceptionally adept at putting her clients at ease. Her studio is equal parts tranquil, tasteful and casual so that my wife and I were not in the least bit overwhelmed.

Kevin

Sharon anticipates every possible need and plans accordingly so that you don't have to. 

She is able to maintain the pace of her shoots, moving them forward judiciously without making the client feel rushed or unappreciated. She was completely down-to-earth and personable. It sounds cliché, but talking with her felt like catching up with an old friend – exactly we needed after the hectic experience of bringing our first child into the world. Sharon was more than worth the cost."

3 / 15

"Sharon was amazing to work with during our recent newborn session! She was very responsive with any questions I had before the session, and even offered advice on outfits for my older children. I borrowed a gorgeous dress from her client closet, which helped me feel more confident and comfortable for photos. 

Amanda

I was nervous about how the session would go with two young children and a newborn, but Sharon had everything so organized and prepared, that everything went flawlessly.

She was so calming and kind, and her studio felt so welcoming! The finished photos are all so beautiful, that I can't even come close to picking a favorite!"

4 / 15

"I was first introduced to Sharon in 2024 when I did a session of personality portraits, and I was instantly impressed. A few friends had used her before and raved about her work, and now I completely understand why! Sharon truly works magic behind the camera. She is incredibly organized, answering all questions and planning every detail ahead of time. 

Merissa

There’s never a need to stress about locations, directions, or even bad weather—she has a backup plan for everything!

One of my favorite parts of working with her is the dress consult to help plan outfits. She has such a great eye for style and helps put together looks that photograph beautifully."

5 / 15

"Sharon and Amy were fabulous! Right from the initial booking they made me feel special. I wore three beautiful dresses that Sharon already had available for me to wear from her client closet (I LOVE this feature!). We tried on several dresses until I found one that fit comfortably and I felt fabulous in.

Nicole

Amy & Sharon were great at communicating with me every step of the process.

Amy didn’t go overboard with the makeup, she made me look like myself but a little extra glam. An elevated version of myself. They were so fabulous and I would absolutely book them again. I 10/10 recommend Sharon and Amy for maternity or family photo sessions."

6 / 15

"Scheduling was super easy through her website and Sharon is very communicative. Sharon offers a dress consultation so you can go to her studio and try on multiple dresses that fit whatever theme you choose for your photo day.

Nicole

I've never seen a photographer offer a whole closet of dresses to choose from and this takes out ALL the stress of picking an outfit for pictures.

Another priceless offering when it comes to taking the stress out of family photos is hair and makeup (additional fee). I scheduled with Amy for a few hours before my shoot. Amy was so easy to talk to and did a fantastic job with the look I wanted. I'm already looking forward to another booking and have referred her to my friends and family. I cannot recommend Sharon and her team more."  
 

Kind Words

7 / 15

"We recently had our second family session with Sharon and 

Jenna

we were yet again blown away by the entire experience. 

From her expert outfit planning, to making the journey to join us at our beach for photos, Sharon created a relaxed, fun environment from beginning to end. The photos we received were beyond what I could have imagined! She captured our family perfectly!!"

8 / 15

"I recently had the pleasure of working with Sharon for a family beach session, and she was amazing from start to finish! Sharon's attention to detail and professionalism made the entire process seamless. Her empathetic and supportive nature made a world of difference, and the photos turned out beautifully. 

Alexis

I highly recommend Sharon to any mom looking for a talented and compassionate photographer, who takes the stress out of planning.

Her work is exceptional, and she truly cares about her clients. Thank you, Sharon, for capturing these moments for us!"

9 / 15

"Sharon is the absolute best! We worked with her for our maternity photos, newborn photos, and our cake smash one-year-old photos. Each time, Sharon is so professional and friendly, makes us feel right at home, and take the most beautiful photos. We are blown away every time! The client closet is awesome and Sharon really went the extra mile to find gowns that complimented me. 

Jen

We had so much fun taking all of these photos and can’t wait to work with her again!

We will cherish these photos forever."

10 / 15

"We did personality portraits for the second time with Sharon and they came out so well! 

Kelsey

The kids had such a blast and she really captured their unique personalities!"

11 / 15

"We did both our maternity and newborn photos with Sharon and she made each experience beyond amazing. I met Sharon first at our dress consultation and knew we were going to work well together. It’s incredible that she gives you access to some many dresses and really knows how to make a pregnant lady feel beautiful.

She made my husband (who admittedly did not want to take the pictures) feel so comfortable, got him laughing and even looking forward to the newborn shoot.

Then, at the newborn shoot Sharon was so patient with us (it was our first trip out) she again made me feel so beautiful in her huge selection of dresses and was so good and rocking out baby boy to sleep."

Alexa

12 / 15

"Stop reading reviews and just book your session with Sharon Leger Photography right now. Sharon has been there for my family even before we were an official family. She poetically captured our engagement, maternity and our newborn’s first photos.

I couldn’t imagine trusting anyone else with these precious moments.

I am not an easy client. I am nervous, unsure of myself and overly aware of every physical flaw (especially postpartum). Sharon made me feel comfortable and beautiful every step of the way. We love Sharon Leger Photography, especially the woman behind the lens! Thank you for everything, Sharon!"

Dawn

13 / 15

"Sharon is an absolute gem! It has been 3.5 years since I found her and since then she has captured the most adorable and perfect pictures of my two sons and our family.

From newborn sessions, cake smashes and family photos, not one detail has ever been overlooked. Her process is seamless and she makes everything so accessible and easy.

She offers so many options for photo opportunities and has perfected a style that really is timeless! She was so wonderful with each of my children when they were newborns, that it made the experience so worth it! Couldn’t recommend enough!"

Melissa

14 / 15

"It’s hard for me to find the perfect words to describe what Sharon has given me.

I reached out to her when I was thinking about doing maternity photos, and she quickly convinced me that I would not regret it. She was right. Not only do I not regret my maternity photos but I actually love everything about them. Every time I look at them, all of those amazing feelings I felt while I was pregnant come right back as if I’m still in the moment. They are something I will cherish forever."

Kimberly

15 / 15

Kind Words

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