“I Don’t Feel Like Myself” ~ And That’s OK
“I don’t feel like myself.”
It’s something I hear from new mums more than almost anything else. Sometimes it’s said quietly. Sometimes apologetically. Sometimes through tears.
Your body has changed.
Your identity has shifted.
You’re running on little sleep.
And suddenly the idea of being photographed feels very confronting.
If this is you, I want you to know this first: this feeling is incredibly common.
Your body has done something amazing & simply incredible
Our bodies aren’t meant to snap back or feel familiar straight away after giving birth.
They’re soft, healing, changing, and carrying the evidence of something extraordinary. But that doesn’t always make it easy to recognise yourself when you look in the mirror.
Many mums worry they should “wait until they feel better” before having photos taken. But here’s the truth… that time you’re waiting for doesn’t come quickly, and this season passes by so fast!
Newborn photos aren’t about how you look
The most meaningful images I deliver are rarely about appearance.
They’re about:
how your baby curls into you
the way your hand instinctively supports their head
the quiet calm of being together
its about capturing how it feels; the love that you didn’t know you could feel
These are the things you’ll notice years from now. Not whether your jeans fit. Not whether you looked tired. Just the love you felt.
A gentle, supportive approach matters
I don’t pose bodies into shapes that don’t feel natural.
I don’t ask you to perform or smile through discomfort.
I guide softly, work with natural light, and let moments unfold.
Most mums tell me afterwards, “I didn’t expect to feel okay being photographed, but I did.”
And that’s always the goal.
If you’re feeling unsure
If you’re hesitating because you don’t feel like yourself yet, please know that you don’t need to wait to be “ready”.
You already are.
And one day, you’ll be so grateful to have photos of the version of you who loved your baby exactly as you were.
