These Moms Did A Sexy Boudoir Shoot Post-Baby, And The Pics Are So Empowering
After giving birth, the profound changes that occur across virtually every facet of your life can make the postpartum period feel raw and even disorienting — whether it’s your first child or your fourth.
All of these physical, mental and emotional shifts, coupled with the demands on your body, time and energy, can make it hard to connect with — let alone celebrate — this new version of yourself.
It’s not typically a time you’d think about getting in front of the camera for an intimate solo photo shoot. But according to moms who decided to do a boudoir session postpartum, it’s one of the most healing, empowering and invigorating things you could do for yourself.
Below, 14 moms share what drew them to boudoir at this point in their lives and how the experience turned out for them:
Responses have been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.
Rebecca Burt Photography
Nicole
"The shoot was a surprise gift for my husband’s birthday. But I also chose to do this for myself. I’ve thought of doing it for years and years, and, ironically, this postpartum period of my life was the right time for me.
After having a baby, it’s a process accepting the changes that come with pregnancy. It’s triggering, and it’s hard. But I believe it can also be a healing and liberating experience. For me, this shoot celebrates my arrival in finally getting to a point in my life where I can embrace and love my body unconditionally, just the way it is in this moment — its beauty but also its imperfections and its own journey.
My boudoir experience with Rebecca [Burt] was nothing short of professional, empowering and life-changing. I felt as if I walked away a changed woman. I felt so confident and empowered, and sexy and beautiful. And I realized that nothing had changed — no diets or hardcore workouts before my shoot, just my clothing and attitude. I learned that I can feel this confident, beautiful and happy every day if I want to, and I haven’t looked back." — Nicole L.
Empowerment Studio
Elise
"I was finally at the end of a difficult journey: infertility with recurrent miscarriages, then a high-risk pregnancy that had to be induced early due to me developing preeclampsia, an incredibly difficult 'fourth trimester.'
I wanted to do something to make peace with my body after feeling betrayed by it and resentful of it for a long time. I have also done photo shoots with Kinzie before, and I knew with their magic they would help me see my body through new eyes.
The experience was incredible! Kinzie, as always, made me feel so comfortable and at ease, both with them and with my own body. It felt so good to do something with my body that felt fun and empowering! It is also important to me to document the various stages of my body, every iteration of myself. To remember that each was special and beautiful in its own way. These photos were a wonderful way to document the postpartum period." — Elise H.
Jennifer James, Supernova Boudoir
Jennifer
"I was struggling with body dysmorphia after having my child about seven weeks prior. I didn't quite feel like myself or attractive. I wanted to do something that made me feel fun, hot and sexy!
The shoot was better than I could have imagined. I was nervous and unsure of how I would look or like my photos. I felt pampered and like I was the hottest mom around! I loved feeling excited and alive again." — Jennifer B.
Amorous Boudoir
Janee
"I decided to do a boudoir photo shoot after the pregnancy of my firstborn because it was another step in my healing journey. I experienced the mental, physical and emotional aspects of postpartum depression. After finally getting myself in a healthy place in my life, I wanted to honor my spirit and body for going through the beautiful process of becoming a first-time mom. I also had body dysmorphia, where I didn’t recognize myself with the changes my body went through during the pregnancy. I wanted an opportunity to honor all the ups and downs of postpartum, and the boudoir session allowed me to do that.
The boudoir experience was invigorating. It was a free-feeling experience that allowed me to step into the beauty of being a woman and have the opportunity to bring awareness to postpartum depression. Participating in the boudoir session allowed me to step into accepting my body for what it was and where I was in my life. It was a process that allowed me to accept my journey and allow myself to authentically love all aspects of my body because I have a precious son." — Janee R.
One Soul Boudoir
Miranda
"I did a boudoir shoot because I gave birth to my son at 27 weeks. He was a micro-preemie and spent about three months in the NICU. He came home and was on oxygen for the following year. I also had two little girls at home at that time. All of this was during COVID, so as you can imagine, it was super traumatizing. I felt like every single experience was aging me. I felt like my body was not my own. My mind was trying to process all of this trauma, all the while trying to be strong for all three of my babies and my husband. I needed to see myself again as a beautiful, sexy, confident woman. That is why I needed this boudoir shoot. I lost myself, and I have been on a mission to find me again.
The experience was something I can’t even really put into words. I was terrified to do the photos. I won’t lie. I required a little bit of liquid courage in the form of a mimosa! After I did the shoot, I felt so special, confident, and like I really had earned my tigress stripes of life. I am still learning to love myself. The shoot let me see that I am more than a wife and mother — I am a woman." — Miranda S.
Tami Keehn
Brooke
"I really just wanted to do the shoot for me! Being in the 'thick of it' as a stay-at-home mom with two littles, most days I’m just running all around in yoga pants with no makeup and hair that’s in desperate need of a wash.
I had always wanted to do a boudoir shoot, and I felt like it was the perfect way to give myself a boost of confidence and give my body the appreciation it deserved. My body has done so much for me, and I’m proud of it. It’s given me two healthy, beautiful babies and allowed me to breastfeed both times. I felt like it would be so fun to get all dolled up and put on something sexy and to just kind of freeze that moment in time.
This experience was SO fun! I think everyone should do it! My photographer, Tami, was amazing, she’s really great at what she does. She knows all the perfect poses and makes you feel so comfortable and so beautiful! Women can be so hard on themselves, and I feel like we constantly beat ourselves up over how we look. I remember thinking, 'I’m probably only going to like a small handful of photos,' and when I saw them, I couldn’t get over how many I loved." — Brooke S.
Black Lace Boudoir
Melanie
"After having my third baby, I naturally dedicated a lot of time to my family and career. I felt it was the right moment to focus on doing something for myself. Doing a boudoir shoot was a way to embrace my body after it has worked hard to create and home three beautiful human beings. It was a powerful reminder that self-love, care and confidence are essential, even with life’s demands. It’s a celebration of who I am right now: strength and femininity, something I felt was even more important at this stage of my life.
I remember walking in and feeling pretty nervous at first because I have had three children and my body was not what it was pre-children. However, I decided to really focus on embracing and appreciating all that my body has done for me instead of comparing it to a previous chapter/version of me. Our bodies are not meant to stay in the same chapter for our entire lives. I would not want to still have my teenage body!
So when you think of it like this, you remember how important growth and change are. I have a mom bod now, but I respect it, own it, and it defines my experiences and chapter I’m in. The experience was empowering. It allowed me to break from my usual routine and see myself through a different lens. It definitely boosted my self-esteem, and I left the session feeling proud of the woman I have become." — Melanie H.
Empowerment Studio
K.S.
"I've been a part of my photographer Kinzie's 'Empowerment Studio' Facebook group for a long time, and when I started making payments to reserve my spot with her, I became pregnant. I didn't want to do my luxe boudoir shoots during pregnancy, so I chose to wait until after the baby was born.
Kinzie made everything an incredible experience. I had modeled for a short time in my youth and was no stranger to taking selfies as a part-time influencer/blogger. Still, I was feeling insecure in my body, but I figured that because I'd been insecure about it since I was a teenager, there was no guarantee that I'd ever be truly happy with myself. I'm my own worst critic. But I knew that if I took these photos now, I would look back on the photos when I was older with much kinder eyes and say to everyone who would listen, 'Look at what a gorgeous thing I was.'
A part of me wanted proof that I was beautiful. Part of me wanted the record of how great I looked after the baby. I knew I looked great, but I had some sort of 'cognitive dissonance' nonsense going on in my mind that was telling me that I was gross. I figured that if anyone could make me see myself as how I am, Kinzie could. And she did. I have a few prints framed and put up in my house. I didn't even have to wait until I had wrinkles to realize that I was fucking gorgeous." — K.S.
Rebecca Burt Photography
Naomi
"Initially, I wasn’t intending on doing a maternity shoot. I had just weaned my fourth child a few months prior, lost the weight from my pregnancy with him, and booked the shoot as a 'look what my body has done.' But two days after booking it, I found out I was pregnant again, and I realized this presented an even better opportunity. I hadn’t seen many, if any, boudoir-style maternity photos that weren’t done by celebrities, and I really wanted to inspire other moms to document their pregnancies in a more intimate, raw way. Pregnancy, birth and postpartum are the most vulnerable times in a person's life, and they deserve to be seen and celebrated.
The whole experience was so incredibly empowering. I really wasn’t sure about it walking into the shoot. I was 36 weeks pregnant and incredibly uncomfortable, but my photographer did such an incredible job making me feel safe and seen. The second she showed me the first photo that she took, my confidence shot through the roof, and it made me so glad that I did them. They really forced me to sit with and appreciate the divinity that is creating a human life. I’m so thankful that I took the leap and have these memories of creating a life to look back on." — Naomi S.
Boudoir by Noel Nichols
Brittany
"This last pregnancy was going to be our final one. Much to our great surprise, we ended up getting pregnant with twins. My body wasn’t quite ready for the transition, and I ended up with a lot more postpartum scarring than with my first pregnancy. That withstanding, I was still very proud of what me and my body had accomplished and making these two beautiful twin girls. I felt like no better time to celebrate our triumph and document the miracle!
The experience was honestly so rewarding. While I was proud of my body, I hadn’t quite gotten over the body dysmorphia of looking different than I had before. Lucky for me, my photographer, Noel, created such a welcoming and positive environment. Not only did I feel comfortable in my body, I felt beautiful and elegant and sexy. The impact rippled into various other parts of my life, making my relationship with my husband a bit steamier and my overall outlook on life brighter." — Brittany T.
Jennifer James, Supernova Boudoir
Rania
"My baby was 17 months at the time I decided to do my boudoir shoot. Up until that point, I had been so engulfed into motherhood and it seemed as though I had neglected everything that makes me who I am mentally and physically in the process. I wanted to feel beautiful again and embrace the new changes my body has gone through.
I was hesitant before booking my session because I always thought I looked awkward in pictures. Also, I was in the beginning stages of appreciating the changes my body went through postpartum, which heightened my self-consciousness. But despite that, my photographer, Jennifer, made me feel so comfortable. And seeing the final product showed me the opposite of awkwardness — I was radiating confidence and felt more beautiful than ever." — Rania B.
Empowerment Studio
Chrissi
"Originally, I signed up for my photo shoot right around when COVID hit. By the time Kinzie was scheduling sessions again, I had found out I was pregnant. I decided to wait until after I had my kiddo to have my shoot so that I could celebrate the end of my pregnancy and arrival of my child. I wanted to really focus on getting back in touch with my body and making time for myself in the midst of postpartum chaos.
The photo shoot was incredible! Absolutely life-changing. From starting the day being pampered with a lovely hair and makeup session, to arriving at the studio and being greeted by Kinzie in all their bubbliness, to the actual photo shoot experience — it was all amazing. I really got a chance to reconnect with my body after having grown and sheltered a tiny human for months. I left Kinzie's studio feeling like I was walking on air. The positive way I viewed my body was reenergized. Then, getting to view my photos later down the road was just as incredible!
I couldn't believe the magical ways Kinzie captured me on camera. I'm genuinely obsessed! I love the pictures so much that the polaroids I purchased hang by my bedside, so they're the first thing I see when I wake up and the last thing I see before going to bed. Like a little shrine of self-love to remind myself that I am beautiful and worthy in every iteration of my body." — Chrissi J.
Jennifer James, Supernova Boudoir
Randi
"I was a year postpartum when I decided I wanted to book a boudoir shoot, and 18 months postpartum when I did the shoot. I did my research and found a photographer whose style I liked and whose energy I connected with. I had to wait six months, but she was absolutely worth the wait.
At the time, I was a year postpartum with my second child and wanted to do something for myself: a chance to find my identity again outside of being 'Mom' and to embrace my curves.
The experience was everything I had hoped for and so much more. I was pampered with hair and makeup when I arrived, and immediately felt at ease with my photographer, Jennifer. I left the session feeling empowered, confident and loving my curves.
I also had a renewed sense of appreciation for my body. Pregnancy and nursing are a beautiful experience, but some changes don’t 'bounce back,' and the photos made me appreciate that in a way I wasn’t expecting but was grateful for. For the first time, I had a booty, and I was looking at photos of myself and truly thought, 'Wow, I look beautiful.' For me, it was incredible to be reminded of another side of myself, the side that can be sexy and sultry and captured beautifully by an experienced photographer." — Randi B.
Allebach Photography
Makayla
"I did a solo boudoir shoot three months postpartum, mainly to give myself some love and feel my power again. I’d been sharing my body for almost a year at that point between pregnancy and breastfeeding. And anytime the baby wasn’t napping on me, I’d be sneaking to the bedroom for some much-needed mommy and daddy time (wink, wink). That doesn't leave much time to enjoy 'me time.' And it’s very easy to lose your sense of self when you’re depended on so much. I wanted to remember what it was like to enjoy my body as mine.
I compared my experience once to a spa day, and I still can’t think of anything more accurate. I got away for a few hours, with everyone focusing on making me feel and look my best, and we even did some chakra healing with crystal sound bowls. I now have one of the more mild photos on canvas hanging in my upstairs hallway, which was honestly nerve-wracking when thinking guests might see it.
But in the end, it’s been really empowering! My partners were both at the reveal and helped pick out the photo, and I was ultimately the one that decided where to hang it. I’m awkward with compliments, but it’s really a melt-your-heart moment when they show our son and tell him how beautiful his mommy is." — Makayla T.
