Maternity Photo Prop Ideas (15 Cute Ideas)
Is there a little one coming soon in the family? Or have you been asked to do some maternity shots for a friend? If you are looking for some maternity photo prop ideas, you have come to the right place!
Maternity sessions are so fun. There are so many different poses you can try and themes you can incorporate. This is where you can really capture the personality of the family and create special images for them to cherish.
Depending on the type of maternity session you are doing (indoor, family, color scheme, etc.) you can find a bunch of different props that you can use. For this article, I chose maternity photo prop ideas that could be used in many different settings. But you can have fun and use this chance to be creative!
If you are looking for advice overall on a maternity shoot, please check out my other article Maternity Photoshoot Guide.
Here is a list of maternity photo prop ideas:
- Baby Shoes
- Sonogram photo
- Bows
- Stuffed Animal
- Letterboard
- Flowers
- Balloons
- Food
- Chalkboard
- Baby bottle
- Rattle
- Onesies
- Large Letter
- Books
- Pets
Below I go into each maternity photo prop idea in more detail:
Baby Shoes
This is a classic! And you can use them for the baby once they arrive. You can use baby shoes in a variety of poses:
- Have the mom lay on her back and place the shoes on top of the belly.
- Have the parents hold hands and hold the shoes in their fingers. Take a close shot of just the hands holding the shoes.
- Set the shoes on the ground, and have the parents stand a way in the back. Focus on the shoes while the parents are blurred in the background. You can include a sign that says, “Baby due on this date.”
- Set the baby shoes next to the parents’ shoes and get a long shot of all pairs. If there are any siblings, include those as well!
A cute idea is to have the mom stand and hold the shoes in front of her belly. Once the baby arrives, repeat the pose except this time have the baby wearing the shoes. It makes for a fun before and after!
Sonogram photo
Sonogram photos are the first glimpse of the little one before they arrive. Parents love these images, and it is fun to include them in maternity shots. A popular pose involves the mom holding the sonogram image over her belly and getting a close-up of it.
Bows
The most common way to incorporate a bow is to wrap a ribbon around the mom’s belly and tie a big bow on the front. You can include a tag that says “Do not open until due date.”
Stuffed Animal
If you already have some cute stuffed animals for your little one, you can include them in your maternity images. If the parents still have their childhood stuffed animal (or if there are any siblings), you can do a side-by-side comparison of all of them.
Letterboard
A letterboard can convey so much information in a session like this! Name, gender, due date and more can be added into the image. You can also add cutesy little sayings with a letterboard to add some personality. For ideas on how to use a letterboard and what phrases you can use, check out my other posts Maternity Phrases for a Letterboard.
Flowers
Flowers can be used in a variety of ways: The expectant mom can hold them in front of her belly or face, the flowers can be placed on top of the belly, and more. You can use flowers to make a “belt” of sorts that goes around the top of the belly. This is a popular trend among expectant moms.
Balloons
Balloons are fun for almost any shoot! If the couple knows the gender of their baby, you can use pink or blue balloons to reflect that. Or, if the gender is a surprise or unknown, you can use both pink and blue.
If they are also going to be using this as a gender reveal, you can take some shots with both color of balloons. Then, pop the balloons you don’t need. This will leave them holding just the color that represents their baby’s gender. Be sure to get some shots of the balloon being popped! That will make for some fun images.
Food
When someone is pregnant, food is a big deal! For some lighthearted images, include food and cutesy little sayings. Some ideas are:
- Have the mom eating her favorite cookie and surrounded by other food she likes to eat.
- Have chicken nuggets or drumsticks, with a sign that says, “Little nugget coming.”
- Use watermelons with a sign that says, “Don’t eat watermelon seeds.”
Chalkboard
A chalkboard has a similar effect to a letterboard. However, if you are going for a more chic or rustic vibe, the chalkboard will help with that feel.
Baby bottle
If the expectant parents are already stocking up on baby bottles, include it in the shot. Balancing it on top of the baby bump makes for a cute image. This prop also works really well for pregnancy announcements.
Rattle
This is similar to the baby bottle in a lot of respects. This one works well for close up images, or if you are using building blocks to spell the baby’s name.
Onesies
Does the mother to be have a precious onesie she would like to use in the shoot? Go ahead and add it! A fun idea is to have her drape it over her belly bump for a picture. Then, when the baby is born, put the baby in the same onesie and have the mom hold the baby in front of her belly. A fun before and after picture!
Large Letter
A large letter is a way to really personalize the photoshoot. You can use either the first letter of the last name, or the first letter of the child’s first name. The benefit to using the first letter of the last name is that it can be used again if there are multiple children.
Books
Books are a popular choice for many expectant moms: Both avid and casual readers! You can have the mom reading a “mom” themed child book in one hand, while holding her belly with the other. Some good choices for a mom themed child book are:
- Are you My Mother?
- Love you Forever,
- Guess How Much I Love You
- What to Expect when you are Expecting
- Is your Mama a Lama?
Pets
While not an actual prop, you can include furry friends in the shoot as well! Many people love including their dogs, cats and other animals in their photo sessions. For tips on preparing your pet for a photoshoot, check out Travit Photography’s Blog Post Preparing for your Pet’s Photoshoot.
If the pet is cooperative, try some of these poses:
- While the mom is sitting, have the pet snuggle up against the belly and get a close shot. It will create a precious moment.
- Have the mom stand and have the pet look up at the belly. With this pose, you can try doing a silhouette technique.
- While the mom is sitting, have the pet put it’s paws or nose on the belly. If you can manage to have the nose on the belly, the end result looks like a belly kiss from the pet!
- Have the pet sit on the ground, and have the parents stand a way in the back. Focus on the pet while the parents are blurred in the background. You can include a sign that says, “New baby coming.”
Do you have a prop you like to use that didn’t make it on the list? Drop it in the comments below! I am always looking for new ideas for upcoming shoots.
If you liked this Maternity Photo Prop Ideas post, please check out some of my related articles:
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