Having a boudoir photo session after children

You wake up and everyday feels like a rush of the same. You run to work and bounce between activities for kids. You’re a Chauffeur, a Cook, a Housekeeper, a Wife, a Mother, a Caretaker.

You put everyone’s needs before your own. You are compassionate and love helping those around you. Whether it be at work or at home or both. And that is what makes you so amazing.

You manage a home, a family, a job and you want to be everything to everyone. You are selfless and self sacrificing. Always.

And…You love it. 

You do. 

Because family is important and nothing will ever be more important to you than your family. And when it comes down to it, even on the worst of days, you wouldn’t change it for the world. 

But, somewhere along the way to I-Can-Do-It-All-Super-Mom you lost yourself. 

It wasn’t sudden. 

It wasn’t all at once. 

But, slowly, bit by bit, your new role of ‘Mother’ chipped away at the person you once were. 

While becoming a Mother is one of the greatest gifts, and you know that, I know it, the world knows it…you’ve woken up and noticed that months, or maybe even years, have passed.

You can barely recognize the person staring back at you in the mirror. 

You rarely have time to get dressed up and go out. It’s dance recitals and soccer games and doctors appointments. It’s take out for dinner and dishes and never ending laundry. 

(Seriously, what in the actual fuck is with all the laundry!?)

As Mothers, we put ourselves last. Always. We fade into the background and some days, let’s be honest, we feel like nothing but noise. We don’t even know what it feels like to be human some days. It’s all just a blur. 

Whether it’s habit or nature, it doesn’t matter. 

You might be afraid to admit it, worried that the other Mom’s will judge you. Will think less of you. The truth, though, is they are all feeling it too. 

Many of us think of the word postpartum and the first things that come to mind are those awesome white mesh underwear and giant hospital pads. When you think of all the words we associate as a society with postpartum, hair loss, depression, bleeding…it’s kind of sad.  

While the above are all very, real things in life, there is so much more to the postpartum stage in our life than depression and weight gain. 

I read a quote the other day and it almost brought me to tears because it encapsulated everything I wanted to say so eloquently.

‘Isn’t it shameful how they all put focus on what pregnancy did to her body, instead of what her beautiful body just did’.

Regardless, whether you have had one kid or four, your body isn’t the same. 

It’s changed. It’s created something beautiful.

But it can be hard to come to terms with body image after baby.

Our skin is stretched and marked. Things have moved and changed in ways we aren’t familiar with. 

How does one ever become comfortable again in their own skin after baby? 

A woman said to me recently, “I had always wanted to do a boudoir session, but I thought I had lost my chance because I didn’t do it before I had children.”

I thought I had lost my chance at a boudoir session because I didn’t do it before I had children. 

Wow. 

This statement resonated with me on so many levels. 

Many women think of boudoir when they are getting married. A gift for their husband to be. They think of it for an anniversary gift for their boyfriend. 

But after children? 

Nah. No way. Shit’s just ‘not the same’ or ‘as good’. 

And, not for a gift for anyone specific, but boudoir…for myself?

Why would I do that for myself? I don’t even like looking at myself in the mirror naked.

And that is exactly why you should do it.

Postpartum boudoir (and I use the term boudoir, oh SO loosely!) is all about embracing the journey of Motherhood and who WE are outside and after our children. 

Our entire life has become centered around nourishing and caring for these amazing, beautiful people that we have brought into the world. 

But postpartum boudoir, this isn’t for them. It’s not about the kids. It’s not for your husband. It’s not about his favorite part of your body or wearing his favorite jersey from his favorite football team. 

It’s not about being hot or even sexy. It’s not about sex. 

It IS about empowerment.

It IS about self confidence and self esteem.

It IS about accepting the changes you’ve endured and embracing them.

It’s seeing yourself in a new light. It’s seeing yourself the way others see you.

It IS about self care. It IS about creating art.

It’s showing our daughters that they didn’t ‘ruin’ our bodies, and that, we are strong and confident. 

Too many women think they have ‘missed out’ on their opportunity at documenting who they are because they’ve already had children. They aren’t 21 anymore, or even 30. They aren’t a size 2 or maybe even a size 10.

Fall in love with yourself again.

Or, maybe, you’ll be falling in love with yourself for the first time. That’s okay too.

Connect with the woman you are today. Come feel human for a day. Allow yourself this moment. This moment to be taken care of, to be pampered and catered too.

I know how hard it is to ever put yourself first. All time, money and resources go to our children once we become Mother’s. But we owe it to ourselves, and to them, to also take care of ourselves. Because the happier we are, the better we are FOR them.

My boudoir is artistic, creative and is for any and every woman. Especially women who have had children. I am passionate about helping women reclaim a little piece of themselves after becoming a Mother. My goal is for women to leave my studio with more confidence, self worth and creative art pieces capturing her authentic self.

If you are ready to take the next steps and spend the day with me connecting and creating, I would love to chat with you more about all the experience I have to offer entails. I can’t wait to hear from you.