You're pregnant! Congratulations! You're somewhere in that exciting, overwhelming, beautiful stretch of growing a person and trying to figure out approximately one thousand things at once. Maternity photos may or may not be at the top of your list yet. But if you're wondering when to book your maternity session, I want to give you a real, practical answer — not a vague "sometime in your third trimester!" that leaves you with more questions than you started with.

Here's the honest breakdown, from a Seattle maternity photographer (and a mama of two who has been exactly where you are).

The Sweet Spot: 32-34 Weeks

The ideal time to have your maternity session is around 32-34 weeks pregnant. This is genuinely the sweet spot for a few reasons.

At 32-34 weeks, your bump is full and gorgeous - unmistakably pregnant in photos. You're past the early pregnancy tiredness and the awkward "maybe she's pregnant, maybe she just had a big lunch" stage. And you're not yet at the point where you're counting down the hours until this baby is out.

Most mamas feel their best in this window. You've got energy. You can walk to a location without it being a production. You're not anxious about labor being imminent. It's genuinely a really good time to show up, feel yourself, and enjoy the experience.

That said, every pregnancy is different. Some mamas feel amazing at 36 weeks and want to wait. Some have a condition that makes earlier timing smarter. I always recommend talking to your provider if you have any health considerations, and I'm flexible when life calls for it. The 32-34 week guideline is a starting point, not a hard rule.

When to Actually Reach Out: Your Second Trimester

Here's the thing that surprises a lot of people: while you have your session at 32-34 weeks, you should reach out to book it much earlier than that - ideally in your second trimester, around 20-24 weeks.

Why so early?

A few reasons. First, my calendar fills up - especially during the most popular seasons (spring and fall in Seattle are extremely popular for maternity sessions). If you wait until you're 30 weeks to reach out, there's a real chance your preferred dates are already gone.

Second, booking early gives us time to actually plan together. We can talk through locations, think about what season will be at its most beautiful when your session falls, and make sure we have a rain backup if needed. That planning time makes for a better session.

Third - and this is the part I really love - booking early means you get to look forward to it! You have something fun on the calendar during the months of waiting and wondering and nesting. I love that for you.

How the Seattle Seasons Factor In

One of my favorite things about photographing maternity sessions in the Pacific Northwest is that every single season is beautiful in its own way. I genuinely mean that. I'm not just saying it.

I love leaning into what nature is doing during your particular chapter - it makes your images feel stamped in time in the best possible way. You can look back on your photos and think: that was the summer I was pregnant. Those were the cherry blossoms the spring our family grew. That was the moody, cozy fall light.

Here's a quick feel for each season for Seattle maternity sessions:

Spring brings cherry blossoms at the Arboretum, the most incredible soft pink light, and that feeling of everything coming alive at once. Sessions fill up fast in spring, so if you're due in early summer, reach out early.

Summer means golden hour at Golden Gardens, open skies, warm evenings at the waterfront, and that long Pacific Northwest light that photographers dream about. Summer sessions tend to book up quickly too — Seattle summers are precious and everyone wants them.

Fall is rich and warm and moody in the very best way. Green Lake, Discovery Park, the Arboretum again with all that golden color. If you love warm tones and gorgeous foliage, a fall maternity session is something special.

Winter is underrated, honestly. Seattle winters have a softness to them — overcast skies create naturally diffused light that's incredibly flattering. Snowy mountain sessions at Alpental or Snoqualmie Pass are an option for the adventurous. And cozy in-home sessions during fall and winter are some of my absolute favorites.

You can see examples of all four seasons from real client sessions in this post — it might help you visualize what your session could look like depending on when your baby is due.

What If You're Already Further Along?

Please don't panic if you're reading this at 28 weeks, or 30, or even 33. Reach out anyway! I always do my best to accommodate families, and sometimes I have openings that aren't showing online. The worst I can say is that a specific date isn't available - and we can usually find something that works.

If you're in the final stretch and starting to feel like you missed your window: you haven't. A beautiful maternity session at 35 or even 36 weeks is still absolutely worth doing. Your bump is magnificent and this season of your life deserves to be documented.

A Special Note for Second-Time Parents

If this is your second (or third, or fourth!) pregnancy: this section is specifically for you, because I see it happen all the time.

Second pregnancies fly by. You are chasing a toddler, you are tired in a different way, and somehow the weeks disappear faster than they did the first time. It is so easy to look up and realize you're 36 weeks pregnant with almost no photos of yourself this pregnancy.

You deserve photos this time too. Every pregnancy is its own chapter. Your older child is going to treasure photos of them with your bump someday. And honestly? There is something so beautiful about documenting a second pregnancy - you know so much more about what's coming, and that knowing shows on your face.

Don't let this one slip by undocumented. Reach out early, even if it's just to get on my calendar.

The Bundle Discount: Maternity + Newborn Together

If you're thinking about newborn photos too (and I really hope you are!), this is worth knowing: I offer a baby bundle discount for families who book both their maternity and newborn session together.

Booking both at once is a great idea for a few reasons. It locks in your newborn session before baby arrives, which matters a lot because the newborn photography window is short - ideally within the first two to three weeks of life. It also means you get to build a relationship with your photographer before you're in the newborn fog, which makes everything easier. And the discount doesn't hurt either.

You can learn more about my maternity sessions here, and when you're ready to book, my online booking system makes it easy to choose your session, pay your deposit, and sign your contract in one place.

Ready to Lock In Your Date?

If you're expecting and thinking about maternity photos, the best time to reach out is now. Whether you're 16 weeks and planning ahead like the organized person you are, or 31 weeks and just realizing you should probably get on this - I'd love to hear from you!

Book your session here, or feel free to email me at meredith@meredithmckee.com with any questions. This season is worth celebrating, and I would be so honored to be the one to document it for you.