At eight months pregnant I looked hot (not in the good sense), huge and clumsy. I had mastered the duck waddle, side bend pick-up and ‘rocking launch’ manoeuvre to propel me off the sofa. When John booked photographer, Sarah Mackenzie, as a birthday gift, I was apprehensive. “You gotta be kidding? If you hadn’t noticed, the only look I’m working right now is the beached whale!”
Contrary to expectations, the photo shoot gave me a boost during the late stage of pregnancy. It gave me an excuse to visit the hair dresser, polish, preen and prance around in my best Isabella Oliver glad rags.
The photo shoot took place in the comfort of our home to the beat of my chill out mix. During a cup of tea we discussed ideas. As it was cold and dark outside Sarah suggested we use the living room curtains as a backdrop. Before I knew it she had taken over 200 photographs. We even managed to persuade John to get involved in a couple of shots too.
Sarah’s professionalism, photography skills and quiet calm produced so many wonderful pictures. During the last month of my pregnancy they gave me a glance of how others might actually see me, rather than the skewed ‘over heated’ version in my head.
The bump has now transformed into a fast growing baby boy and I am so pleased to have captured the pregnancy on print. The pregnancy photographs remind me of the excitement I felt to be expecting a baby; the lists of names, guessing the gender, being made to feel special, smiles from strangers, kicking to Daddy’s voice and ultimately feeling full of baby. 
