Belly Pics

Now, from reading previous posts I'm sure you have an accurate impression of my daily struggles & frustration with my body. I love my belly, don't get me wrong, but its everything else that frustrates me. Having been pregnant for 1 1/2 years & really not being able to exercise during either pregnancy has taken a toll on my morale. There seem to be lumps & bumps in places I never knew could get lumps & bumps. My sweet husband always denies that I have anything but the "perfect" pregnant body, but when I point out an area that has never seen cottage cheese before he always reminds me that I have had a different path than most. His encouragement along with the many kind comments from friends & family members still isn't enough for the harshest critic of all, ME! I decided not to do maternity photos because in my mind, why would I ever want to remember such a frustrating time with my body. You have read the rest of my posts & know that those thoughts classify me in the temporarily insane category. Those thoughts really aren't ME. Fortunately I have a husband and a girlfriend who set me straight & talked me into doing maternity photos.

I found a wonderful photographer who works full time as a NICU nurse & does belly & baby photos on the side. I e.mailed her links to photos I found online & liked & she came to my house for the photo shoot armed with additional poses, a backdrop & an amazing eye behind the camera. We took lots of photos with & without clothes, with & without Frank & Maya (our dog) then headed up the hills to my parents home where we did some amazing outdoor photos. The entire experience was not only very comfortable but also a lot of fun. At one point she suggested doing some partially nude photos, I contemplated her suggestion, then said, "heck you see boobs all day long at work, why not". It turned out to be extremely liberating & resulted in some incredibly intimate & stunning photos of me & of Frank & me, all of which I will cherish. I truly think the photographer could make or break the experience & ours certainly made it! The next day she e.mailed me a link to her blog where she posted some of our photos & I literally burst into tears when I saw them. Having been so self-critical even I couldn't deny the beautiful images she had posted. It all sort of hit me that no matter what size you are used to pre-pregnancy & to whatever degree your body has changed during pregnancy there is no question that the pregnant body is simply beautiful! Immediately, I not only changed my whole Debby Downer perspective on my body, but felt an overwhelming boost in self-confidence. Doing these photos & seeing them on my computer screen reminded me that pregnancy is beautiful & special & the pregnant body (even your own) is meant to be loved & appreciated no matter what lumps & bumps have appeared out of nowhere. I e.mailed our photographer & thanked her for making the experience so comfortable & for literally boosting my beaten up body image. My husband replied to my e.mail (and made me cry): 'Sentiment expressed by Dana rings very true for me as well. Thank you for making this a great experience for my wife, now she can see how beautiful she looks with our baby. -Frank'

So there you have it, please do maternity photos. If hiring a professional isn't within your budget or your comfort level, have a friend or even your husband do them. You will not regret it & they will become a beautiful memory for you & your child of one of the most beautiful states your body will ever see.

Here is the link to Jennifer's blog. I hesitated letting her keep the non-clothed photos on her blog, then I remembered how much time I spend on this blog singing the "embrace you body" tune & decided that I better put my money where my mouth is. So, enjoy! And, again, enjoy your beautiful pregnant body!!!

Scroll down to "The G family is expecting"...
http://jenlschow.bigfolioblog.com/