Maternity photos or 3D ultrasound?

[Jengerbread88]

Okay, so, I'm trying to decide which I should get. I can only afford one or the other. I even made a list of pros and cons.

Maternity photos

Pros: Self confidence booster?, scrapable, cool record of how my body changed during pregnancy, I have NO high-quality photos of Pregnant me.
Cons: I can't exactly hang up some picture of myself, and it's not like I have a partner to be in it with me, do I really want them or do I just want them because everyone else has them?

3D Ultrasound

Pros: I get to see Zach really up close and personal, I can bring family and friends along with me, scrapable
Cons: I've already seen him in Ultrasounds. Mind you, I'd rather see him again and again, but... it's not something I haven't seen.


Which would you do? What was your experience (with either or both?)? If you had to choose just one, which would you choose? HELP!!! I have to decide THIS WEEK so I can get an appointment in the right time frame.

[ColleenSwerb]

I'm not pregnant and haven't been, but for me the maternity photos win hands down.

[Megan Turnidge]

Maternity photos. But I think the 3D ultrasounds are kinda creepy. Am I the only one? lol

[mdb21]

Another vote for Maternity photos. (I thought I was the only one who thought the 3D ultrasounds were creepy - glad to know I'm not!) You will have tons of photos of Zach after he's born but you'll only be able to capture that maternity glow while he's in your belly once. When he's older he'll realize by seeing those photos how special that time in your life was and he'll be able to see the love through the pictures.

[dana]

ditto to the comments above :) i vote for the maternity photos too!

[MommaTrish]

Another vote for Maternity Photos

[nesser1981]

Maternity pictures.

[emmasmommy]

maternity photos for me too.

[scrapperjade]

Hands down Maternity Photos. I wanted them with DD#1 and didn't get them, and always wished I did. When I got pregnant again, I got them done. I have no regrets at all... I am SO thrilled with them. Most of them are just of my & the belly, so I wouldn't be too concerned about not having a boyfriend with you.

[SweetMelissa]

Maternity photos without a doubt. I wanted to do them so bad when I was pregnant but my DH was completely against it. I wish I had just went and done it.

[AmberK]

I LOVED my 3D/4D ultrasounds with the boys. I didn't have maternity photos and don't regret that at all. I would vote for the u/s.

[Sarah8914]

maternity photos!!

[cbettua]

Maternity photos. But I think the 3D ultrasounds are kinda creepy. Am I the only one? lol

Ditto this! I never got the 3d U/S with any of my children because I thought they looked creepy. I got maternity photos with my first and I am so glad I did.

here are some photos of just me from my maternity shoot with my first son.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Cbettua/mp2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Cbettua/mp3.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Cbettua/mp7.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/Cbettua/mp8.jpg

[nikkiARNGwife]

I voted ultrasound and this is why.... (this is a REALLY old layout lol)

DS's 4d ultrasound on the left and a photo of him the night we came home from the hospital.. :)

http://i53.tinypic.com/2vwg1o2.jpg

[eranslow]

For me personally I would go for the ultrasound. I got one done for Blake and it was so cool. :)

Nikki - that is amazing!!

[newfiemountiewife]

I never had either done, but of the things I wish I could do over, it's the maternity photos. I REALLY wish I had that documented other than the occasional one I made DH take.

[Lukasmummy]

I am guessing you don't have a friend who you could trust to take some photos for you so you could have both? There is no way I would willingly show anyone my rolls :p so no maternity shots during any of them and we don't do 3D/4D ultrasounds here but I have lots of regular ones every single time I am pregnant not really any help am I sorry. Hugs Crystal xx

[*Celeste*]

maternity photos - i regret that i didn't take more. i wasn't a scrapper back then. the photo ops i've missed in my life!

[heathergw]

I never had either done, but of the things I wish I could do over, it's the maternity photos. I REALLY wish I had that documented other than the occasional one I made DH take.

ditto

[glumirk]

Neither? Seriously, I'm not doing either. DH took a profile picture of me every week when I was pregnant with DS and I guess it's cool, but I have no desire for any more pregnant pictures of me. I hate watching my boobs grow because they are the bane of my existence. I'm beyond ready for this baby to get out, and pictures just don't even sound appealing to me, even watching other ladies who get them and love them, I'm just not a huge fan of maternity shots. Now, newborn shots, I will never have enough. I love my children (DD is due in 6 weeks), but I do NOT love pregnancy.

[MamaBee]

Hmm... I didn't have either done professional... I had one 3D done at the doctor's... but it was a bit earlier than they normally did them (we had to work around my hubby's travel schedule and I had a business trip too) so it really looked scary, but I could see my hubby's chin which was funny... as for maternity photos - I'm a big girl to begin with, so I just looked heavier the more I went along... yet, I have to say that when I was doing my pregnancy book, I wish there were more photos of me prego - fat cheeks and all. :) But I'm not a big fan of photos of seeing belly shots, truthfully.

ETA - after seeing Megan's response - I would also put my money toward really good newborn photos.. :)

[Megan Turnidge]

Neither? Seriously, I'm not doing either. DH took a profile picture of me every week when I was pregnant with DS and I guess it's cool, but I have no desire for any more pregnant pictures of me. I hate watching my boobs grow because they are the bane of my existence. I'm beyond ready for this baby to get out, and pictures just don't even sound appealing to me, even watching other ladies who get them and love them, I'm just not a huge fan of maternity shots. Now, newborn shots, I will never have enough. I love my children (DD is due in 6 weeks), but I do NOT love pregnancy.

:D *high five* lol I personally don't really care that I only have a couple pics I took in the mirror... they just weren't important to me. I took them because everyone else was asking me to post pics of my belly! lol

[LenaGardner]

I vote neither and save your money for a profession newborn shoot! We lucked out and only paid like $100 for a service that came to your hospital room...nothing like getting pics that soon! It was called Bella Baby (http://www.bellababyphotography.com) and they are national, I think.

She did like a 30 minute shoot with her own props and his baby blanket, etc, and then edited them and brought them back to us in an hour along with a DVD and copyright release. They were beautiful, like this one :wub:

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j171/bellagypsy_lena/0518parkerb042_edited-1.jpg

Once the baby is here, you'll need all your money for diapers and important stuff. Setting the money aside now might be smart! :)

[Kara]

Newborn pics, totally! I wish I had!

[kscwgirl]

I vote neither and save your money for a profession newborn shoot!

This.

[eranslow]

K - I would totally do the newborn shots. And I will be saving up for that this time around! :)

[terrab]

maternity photos - i regret that i didn't take more. i wasn't a scrapper back then. the photo ops i've missed in my life!

Exactly how I feel. I really wish that I had more than just a couple iPhone photos of myself pregnant. I had the option of getting a 3D ultrasound but after seeing others I thought they were a little creepy and decided not to.

[Traci Reed]

I took a belly shot every week of my pregnancy and LOVE them. I scrapped them in groups of three and wrote a letter to Finn on each layout. If you think about it, your kids are going to care so much more about the handful of layouts and pictures of you they'll have as adults than the 4 million pics of themselves, so I would take this ONE opportunity you have to be pregnant with him and document it.

[Jengerbread88]

I already have newborn pictures covered, so that's not the issue. I was just trying to decide between the maternity and U/S...

Someone (I don't feel like scrolling back and quoting cause I'm exhausted) suggested I have a friend do maternity ones. My best friend is a photographer, and I asked him, but we both agreed it would be awkward and uncomfortable for him to photograph my bare belly. We used to be an item ages and ages and ages ago, and he's still my best friend-- I'm even naming my baby after him (middle name, anyway). But there are some lines that have to be drawn, and photographing my bare belly just isn't something he feels comfortable with, and I'm in the same boat as him.

My mom offered to take some photos of me with her point and shoot, and if nothing else I can edit them, so, we're probably going that route. It's not my favorite idea, but, it's the best I'm going to get I think, if I choose the ultrasound.

[farrijc]

I vote maternity pics. The ultrasound would be really cool now, but I think in the long run I would definitely appreciate having the maternity pics more. I didn't do either with my pregnancies... although I did make a point to take some pics at home with my second pregnancy because I was irritated by how few pics I had of myself from the first time around! I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything by not having the 3D ultrasound.

[NeverendingJen]

Maternity photos. The really cool part of the baby comes after they are born, this is your chance to document the pregnancy and look and feel amazing for photos.

[Shawna]

I vote for maternity photos!

[hmlentz]

Maternity photos.

[hollyxann]

Sweetheart go with maternity photos!! You will regret not documenting this time in your life!

[Jengerbread88]

My only fear with maternity photos is this: who do I even show them to?
No one is going to want to look at my pregnant body... and I feel like I can't exactly display them. It's not like a family photo where I can hang up a picture of me IN the photo... it's a photo of JUST me. Which, seems really a narcissistic thing to hang.

I don't want to pay that much for something that will just sit in a box- I have enough of those kinds of pictures anyway.

At least a 3D ultrasound is something I can share with other people. I feel like I won't share the maternity photos with anyone. It's not like I have a spouse to give them to as a gift, or any place that I would feel comfortable displaying them. My parents certainly aren't going to hang them up.

I just fear that they're going to be fun for the first hour, and then a total waste of money later, and I'll regret getting them instead of a 3D ultrasound.

[adrianka]

Maternity photos. But I think the 3D ultrasounds are kinda creepy. Am I the only one? lol

You are not alone. I agree.

I vote for maternity photos. Who cares if there's no partner with you in them? It's about you and the baby, and the memory of the time being pregnant.

[adrianka]

My only fear with maternity photos is this: who do I even show them to?
No one is going to want to look at my pregnant body... and I feel like I can't exactly display them. It's not like a family photo where I can hang up a picture of me IN the photo... it's a photo of JUST me. Which, seems really a narcissistic thing to hang.

I don't want to pay that much for something that will just sit in a box- I have enough of those kinds of pictures anyway.

At least a 3D ultrasound is something I can share with other people. I feel like I won't share the maternity photos with anyone. It's not like I have a spouse to give them to as a gift, or any place that I would feel comfortable displaying them. My parents certainly aren't going to hang them up.

I just fear that they're going to be fun for the first hour, and then a total waste of money later, and I'll regret getting them instead of a 3D ultrasound.

I have a loads of photos of myself (not maternity ones, but photos of myself are photos of myself, pregnant or not), and until I started "fashion-scrapping", there was nobody to look at them, too. It was about remembering my clothes, and how I looked in them. Granted, I didn't pay for the photos, but even if I did I wouldn't care.

As I said above, it's YOU and YOUR BABY they are for. One day Zach will have pictures of you pregnant with him. If it doesn't appeal to you, don't do either. If everybody's doing them, you don't have to. You can save the money for something else. But all this "share" thing isn't really as important as it seems to you - in the end, we're all alone, and sometimes it's nice to have something private.

[adrianka]

I took a belly shot every week of my pregnancy and LOVE them. I scrapped them in groups of three and wrote a letter to Finn on each layout. If you think about it, your kids are going to care so much more about the handful of layouts and pictures of you they'll have as adults than the 4 million pics of themselves, so I would take this ONE opportunity you have to be pregnant with him and document it.

Amen.

[hollyxann]

Maternity pictures don't just have to be bare belly shots. Look at mine in my flickr...I did them myself with my dslr, a tripod and a remote.
I bought a collage frame that I put them in to show off. I don't care if I have no one to share them with or not I still like to look at them.
It's a great moment to document.

[crecia27]

My only pregnancy regret is not wanting pictures of me taken, I wish I could go back and change that now! I don't think you will ever regret taking that route!

[chloe]

When (and not if, still trying to be positive! LOL) I finally get pregnant, I definitely want to have maternity pix done, if budget allows. I think even if you don't show them to anyone (and as Holly said, you could have different pix than the bare belly ones, if you're uncomfortable with that), it's part of your story with Zach, it's the beginning of your relationship. I have pix of me as a newborn, like right out of my mom's belly, but since I'm on her and she's half naked, I haven't shown these to anyone. Yet I love those dearly since it's one of our first moment as mom and (not in her belly anymore) daughter.

[lovely1m]

maternity photos.

[HeatherKS]

Maternity photos here too. I did a 3D u/s with one of my pregnancies and I don't regret not doing it with the others. It was cool but I don't know if it was cool enough to justify the expense, kwim? On the other hand, I didn't have maternity photos taken with any of my pregnancies and I really regret not capturing that time. I have snapshots, of course, but not even very many of those and I really do regret that.

[maryinaz]

But I'm not a big fan of photos of seeing belly shots, truthfully.

ETA - after seeing Megan's response - I would also put my money toward really good newborn photos.. :) This and this.

I only took staged photos when I was pregnant with the twins because people were fascinated with how big I was. And I just had my 3 and 6 year old take them the day before I delivered. LOL I took some in a one-piece swimsuit and no one gets to see those, and then I took ones in regular clothes - those were seen by all Creating Keepsakes subscribers. :)

[Jengerbread88]

I think I have made a final decision.

1. Get the 3D ultrasound.

2. Have my mother take photographs of me, outdoors, of my belly, with an actual camera, not just a cell phone.

3. Take the newborn photos I had planned on taking.

4. Invest in really good photos of Zach and I together after he is born.

Here's the deal. I talked about it with my mom, and she said "What do you regret about your childhood? Do you regret not having photos of me during pregnancy?" I told her that I more regretted not having any photos of her, or any photos of us together. She and I had such a special bond, because it was just the two of us, and I only have one photo of just the two of us. I would like to have more pictures of the two of us, and I felt like THAT was the area I missed out on moreso than the maternity photos.

I don't care if I have really nice, really expensive maternity photos. That's not to say I don't want to commemorate the belly, which is why I've decided to have my mom use my camera to take some good photos. I think our problem is we haven't taken the time to take decent photos that we really put thought and effort into, instead of just taking quick snapshots. I think if we really put the effort into them, I'd enjoy them just as much as I would going any paying for them.

Finally, I want to do the 3D ultrasound, mostly as a "gift" to my friend. My close friend has offered to be a part of my birthing process since I don't have a partner to help me, and she is offering to do that. I told her that I wish there was some way I could repay her, and she said "If you get another ultrasound, I want to be there. That's all I ask." I plan on asking her to be the godmother of my baby, and I know she really is being genuine about only wanting an ultrasound photo in return for all her generous help with the whole thing. It's something I can share with my family and closest friends- both the experience AND the photos after. I feel like, after talking to everyone, it would be a good "thank you" for the support to be invited to this very personal event in my life. The studio said I could have up to 20 people (it's on a big screen), so I'd like to invite my closest friends and family that are playing a huge role in Zachary's life so far to be a part of it (no more than about 5 people, though).

Anyway, that's what I've decided, I think.

Thank you, ladies, for helping me out with the choice.

[adrianka]

yet, I have to say that when I was doing my pregnancy book, I wish there were more photos of me prego - fat cheeks and all. :) But I'm not a big fan of photos of seeing belly shots, truthfully.

I know it's already decided, I just wanted to add - I'm not a big fan of bare belly shots, either, and I'm no prude (very, very far from it)! I think the belly is just as nice when in clothing. I really have no idea why people insist on photographing bare bellies, LOL (no offense meant, each to his own). And maternity photos definitely don't need to be done professionally if you have someone who is ready to take photos of you. :-)

[Ginger_79]

Quick tip: If you're mom isn't too sure how to get the best photos, here is a tip I used myself. When my sister once wanted a kind of photos I had no experience with and no idea what exactely she wanted, we looked up pictures on the internet and pretty much copied the poses, positions of the camera ect.

As there are tons of maternity pics on the internet, maybe you can dig out a couple and bookmark them before you do the shoot. That way your mom will know what you envision for them and you have an idea for posing.

[Jengerbread88]

Quick tip: If you're mom isn't too sure how to get the best photos, here is a tip I used myself. When my sister once wanted a kind of photos I had no experience with and no idea what exactely she wanted, we looked up pictures on the internet and pretty much copied the poses, positions of the camera ect.

As there are tons of maternity pics on the internet, maybe you can dig out a couple and bookmark them before you do the shoot. That way your mom will know what you envision for them and you have an idea for posing.


Great tip! Thank you!

[SmallMoments]

Definitely maternity photos. I regret not getting them with Luke- I don't even have many snapshots of it, really. I've never once regretted only getting a regular ol' ultrasound of him.

[SmallMoments]

Oh. LOL You already decided. Sorry.

[ColleenSwerb]

I know you already decided, but I just wanted to add that I hope you take a favorite photo of the shoot with your mom, and frame it and hang it in the nursery. I love love love seeing maternity photos in nursery's. You and Zach are going to share an amazing bond, a bond that is happening right this very second, and I love seeing that in a nursery. I don't think it's self-centered at all, and I bet that when Zach grows up he will love to have that photo to look back on.

[jessica31876]

Maternity photos defenitely! I avoided the camera whenever I could while pregnant but now I wish I had not done that. Back then digital cameras were not as common as they are now though. I dont think anyone I knew had digital cameras when I was pregnant with my last child (1997). So I would say maternity photos. You have a camera Im sure and can do infant portraits yourself and will probably take a million pictures once he is born but you only have a short window of time to get pictures of yourself while pregnant

[kim21673]

I would vote for the maternity photos!!! I would have LOVED to have had maternity photos of me. I had to BEG DH to take my monthly belly photos.

My doctor's office does 3D u/s pictures now so I was pretty excited. I never had them with the other boys (doctor didn't do them and we wouldn't pay to have them done)...b/c I always thought they were kind of creepy...looked like a clay baby....but I have to say that the color of the 3D pictures make the world of difference....we had them done at my 28 week appt in my doctor's office and got some adorable pictures of Derek...he had the chubbiest cheeks and still has them! LOL

I would still vote for the maternity photos though!!! :thumbup: