From the second you see those two lines, your world shifts in a heartbeat — part thrill, part "wait, is this really happening?" One beautiful way to bottle up this fleeting season? Snapping the photos you'll treasure long after your bump has turned into a baby in your arms.
Save this pregnancy shot list — suggested by moms, for moms — to make sure you don't miss a single milestone along the way.
The positive test
There's so much to love about Janelle Batucan's (@mrsnellybelly) photo of her positive pregnancy test. Those two lines are in focus, no doubt, but the pure joy on her husband's face in the background is beyond precious.
"We had been praying fervently," Batucan says of their trying to conceive (TTC) journey and IVF process. "With everything, there's never a guarantee. But to be able to pull this out and show him meant the world."
Whether your two lines came after years of hoping or on the very first try, that moment deserves to be remembered.
Fruit for scale
When you're tracking a pregnancy on the What to Expect app, you'll know how big your baby is each week, not only in inches but also in a much more tangible way: their size approximated by a piece of fruit.
For Breely Cleveland (@journeytobabycleveland), it was important to bring a produce prop, an orange, on a visit with her surrogate. "Since I wasn't able to do the traditional 'bump' pictures, I still wanted a way to document some of our milestones through the pregnancy," Cleveland says.
You can take a photo like this each week, or choose a few special weeks to bring out the fruit or veggie that matches your growing baby's size. Hold up that lemon, orange, or mango and imagine the tiny heartbeat growing right alongside it.
The "we told them" moment
There's something unforgettable about the split second before the squeals — when your secret becomes shared joy. For Kayla Studach and her husband, Lucas, their big reveal synced up with when they closed on their first home.
"It felt so surreal to have two of the biggest milestones of our lives happening at once," she says. "In the middle of all the unpacking and house projects, we had some extra paint sitting around, and on a whim, I painted 'Baby Stu due January 2026' on one of the walls of the future nursery. So when our friends and family came over to see the new house for the first time, they were actually walking into two surprises: our home and our baby."
To prepare for your big reveal, set up a camera in the room where you plan to share the big news, and record your loved ones' reactions on video. As a bonus, task your partner or a close friend with taking "before" photos, like the Studachs' painted message, along with your post-announcement, blissed-out smiles after.
The halfway mark
Cue up Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer" — because whoa, you're halfway there! There are so many clever ways to mark the 20-week milestone with photos, but this football-forward idea from Sydney F. (@sydiie_) is positively adorable. With a Chicago Bears onesie, sonogram, and her bump, she celebrated with her own halftime performance. For a similar bird's-eye view, lay everything out and ask a loved one to snap the photo from overhead.
The first holiday season
The holiday season is even more magical when you're expecting. What to Expect Community member Clarie092 gave the perfect example by using her Christmas tree as a backdrop for her bump.
"I did some [maternity photos] in front of the Christmas tree last pregnancy (due end of January) and really liked them," she shared with her birth group. "The tree was lit but I was basically a shadow in front."
If you're planning to recreate this photo, get your tripod or partner ready to take it after the sun goes down to avoid any extra light from creeping into the frame. And this is only one holiday-focused idea — you could take photos of your bump at a pumpkin patch for Halloween, an egg hunt for Easter, or alongside fireworks on the Fourth of July.
Last bump before baby
You might not feel like a "glowing goddess" at the end of pregnancy … but one day, you'll want to look back at the amazing changes your body went through to deliver your beautiful baby. Snapping a pic before you go into delivery will be one way to look back at the most pregnant you ever were.
As a professional photographer, Chaveli Muñoz (@chavelimmunoz) spends most days behind the camera. But for this special shoot, she asked her husband and fellow photographer, Brandon, to take photos of her during her third trimester.
You don't need to be a pro to host your own final bump date shoot. Even posing for a selfie in front of a body-length mirror and hugging your bump is a special way to document where you were before delivery day.
9 months in, 9 months out
Jessica Cervantes (@drjessicacervantes) says she wanted to keep her photoshoot at nine months pregnant as simple as possible. "I wanted to pause time before everything changed — to honor my body, this season, and the quiet bond we already shared," she says.
Then, nine months later, she revisited the moment with her baby as part of the popular, oh-so-adorable "nine months in, nine months out" trend. By taking two pictures nine months apart, you can see just how much everything has changed.
One day, your baby will fit in your arms instead of under your heart. These photos? They’ll be your time machine back to the season when it all began.
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