When people hear the words breastfeeding photography, they might imagine photographs of a baby feeding and nothing more.
But for me, a breastfeeding photography session is about so much more than that.
It's about the relationship between you and your baby.
The little hands reaching for you. The sleepy cuddles. The way your baby looks at you. The tiny details that you'll wish you could remember forever.
And, of course, the breastfeeding itself.
As a family photographer in Dorset, my style is all about capturing genuine connection rather than creating lots of perfectly posed photographs. Breastfeeding sessions fit beautifully into that approach because so much of what makes them special happens naturally.
It's about the connection
There is something incredibly special about the closeness between a mum and her baby during breastfeeding.
Your baby knows your voice, your smell and your touch. You are their safe place, and sometimes you can see that connection in the smallest of moments.
Maybe they reach up and touch your face.
Maybe they hold onto your finger.
Maybe they look up at you while they're feeding.
Maybe they simply fall asleep in your arms afterwards.
Those are the moments I want to capture.
The things that might not seem significant at the time, but that you'll look back on years later and instantly remember how it felt to hold your baby.
You don't have to pose
One of the things I hear from families is that they're worried they won't know what to do in front of the camera.
You don't need to.
I'm not going to expect you to sit perfectly still and look at the camera throughout your session. Instead, I'll give you gentle guidance when you need it and let you interact with your baby naturally.
Feed them.
Cuddle them.
Talk to them.
Play with them.
Look at them.
Just be together.
Some of my favourite photographs happen in between the moments we might have planned.
The little details matter too
When you're in the middle of those early months, it can be easy to focus on the big things.
How much your baby is growing.
How often they're feeding.
Whether they're sleeping.
When they'll reach their next milestone.
But there are so many tiny things that you don't realise you'll miss.
The way their fingers curl around yours.
Their little feet tucked against you.
The softness of their hair.
The way they fit into your arms.
The sleepy expressions after a feed.
The little milk-drunk smiles.
These details become part of the story too. That's why I love including a mixture of close-up details, wider photographs and natural interactions during a breastfeeding photography session.
What if breastfeeding isn't perfect?
It doesn't need to be.
Breastfeeding can be a complicated journey, and everyone's experience is different.
It can be something that feels completely natural, something you've had to work incredibly hard at, or something that has had its ups and downs.
There is no perfect way to breastfeed.
And there certainly isn't a perfect way to look while doing it. You don't need to arrive at your session feeling completely confident. You don't need to know how to pose, and you don't need to worry about whether your baby will cooperate.
I breastfed my own children, including continuing until they were three, so I understand that breastfeeding is about much more than the photographs themselves.
My aim is simply to make you feel comfortable and allow you to be yourself.
What if my baby doesn't feed for the whole session?
That's completely fine!
Your session doesn't have to be one long feed. Babies are unpredictable, and that's part of what makes photographing them so special.
We can take breaks.
We can have cuddles.
We can photograph your baby exploring, looking around or simply being held.
If your baby needs a feed, we can pause and let them feed. There is no pressure to make anything happen at a particular moment.
You are part of the photographs too
This is perhaps the most important part.
Mums are often the ones taking the photographs.
You're behind the camera.
You're the one taking pictures of your baby's milestones, funny faces and everyday moments.
Which means that, when you look back through your photographs years from now, you might realise there aren't actually many photographs of you together.
Breastfeeding photography gives you the opportunity to change that.
Not because you need to have photographs showing what you looked like.
But because you were there too.
You were the person holding them.
Comforting them.
Feeding them.
Loving them.
And your child deserves to have photographs showing that connection.
There is no need to wait for the "perfect" moment
You might be waiting until you've lost the baby weight.
Until you feel more confident.
Until your baby is sleeping better.
Until the house is tidier.
Until you have your hair done.
Please don't wait for perfect.
Your baby is changing all the time.
The way they feed will change.
The way they fit into your arms will change.
Their little hands will grow.
Their expressions will change.
And eventually, this particular chapter of your relationship will come to an end.
The photographs don't need to show a perfect version of motherhood.
They just need to show your motherhood.
Breastfeeding Photography in Dorset
If you'd love to document your breastfeeding journey, I'd love to create something meaningful for you. My breastfeeding photography sessions in Dorset are relaxed, natural and centred around the connection between you and your baby.
Whether your baby is a tiny newborn, an older baby or a toddler, there is no "right" age for your session.
You can find out more about my breastfeeding photography sessions in Dorset, have a look through my portfolio and get in touch if you'd like to chat about your own session.
Because these moments might feel like everyday life now.
But one day, they'll be memories.
And you'll be so glad you photographed them.
