Krystan & Maddox

Krystan contacted me for maternity and newborn photos. I got her booked and we began planning her sessions. To say her maternity session surpassed expectations would be an understatement. She showed up looking gorgeous and we got to town putting on the gowns she had chosen for her session. She knocked the whole thing out of the park! Then fast forward to when Maddox arrived....he was an absolute rockstar for his session too! Slept like a champ and we were able to get through a variety of setups within an hour! 

As always, here's a little Q&A so Krystan can tell you a little more about her experience and then of course the photos! Enjoy!

What is the first thing that ran through your mind when you found out you were pregnant?

We couldn't believe it. I thought I had the stomach bug and had to call off work. I started calculating some timing and thought oh maybe I better check. We never thought we would get pregnant this fast or that we could. At first the second pink line took a while to show up as it was still very early. Then when it did I shouted to my husband "do you see that too?!" He asked me "what does that mean?" I said "I'm pregnant!"

What have been the most memorable parts of this pregnancy?

Feeling Maddox move! He was always a wild man in utero so it was so much fun for me to watch my belly move and feel him grooving inside. Maternity pictures also were one of my most favorite moments. I was not into them but boy I am so glad I did them. I felt so beautiful looking at the pictures Angie did!

Did you have any pregnancy cravings? What were they?

Fruit, corn on the cob and smoothies! I also craved a primo hoagie but resisted!

Do you have a favorite photo from your session? If so, which one?

My favorite maternity photos are the ones with the pink gown and dream lighting. It's so ethereal.

What would be your advice to someone getting maternity photographs taken?

Do it! Don't let your hesitation stop you. These are once in a lifetime pictures. I miss my pregnant belly but I always have the pictures!

Please tell me some small details of your birthing process. When did you go into labor? Time of birth? Who all was at the hospital with you?

I was in prodromal (early) labor for almost a week before he finally decided to make his appearance. We visited triage 7 times before they decided to admit me. He was born at 2:02pm after 32 minutes of pushing. I shared the moment with my sister in law Brittni and my cousin Charity got to be the baby nurse. It was so special.

What was the first thing you thought when you saw your baby for the first time?

I said to my husband "he looks just like you!" He has my husbands big lips.

What was your favorite part about your newborn session with AEP?

There were laughs and teary eyes you may not have noticed. With all the chaos after delivery it was easy to lose sight of what is really important. The newborn sessions has helped keep things in perspective.

Just taking the time out to enjoy my baby. These first 2 1/2 weeks were very stressful and really tugged at my heart. I got time away from worrying about specialist visits or if I would ever be able to breast feed or have enough of a milk supply. Just being able to let my guard down and marvel in the child my husband and I created was so worth it. Angie was so encouraging too. She understood how I was feeling and offered support. Needless to say I pumped on the car ride home and it was the first time I had gotten a substantial amount of breast milk and it just made everything more perfect.

Do you have a favorite image from your session? Was there any favorite setups or props used?

The hunk hat! I loved the bean bag positioning aide. It was so cute to see them all snuggled in.

How did you prepare for your newborn session? How was your experience? Were you nervous or worried before? How did it turn out?

I showered. That truth is a feat for new moms. I washed my hair and put on makeup and a normal outfit and thought to myself wow okay this is good. I was nervous for my maternity shoot but once you put one of those gowns on you feel like a million bucks. Both sessions have surpassed outstanding!