Maternity Milestones | Michiana Maternity Photography

If you've had a baby before, there are certain things I can say and you just know that it's a milestone, a step in the right of passage of having a baby. I recently asked on my Facebook page how many milestones you could think of and here's what three of you came up with.

• The rollercoaster that is "trying to get pregnant".

• The first negative pregnancy test.

• The first positive pregnancy test.

• Telling your partner that you're pregnant.

• First bout of morning sickness.

• Telling friends and family.

• First doctor's appointment.

• First ultrasound.

• Showing.

• Weird cravings.

• Weird dreams.

• Maternity clothes.

• Hearing the baby's heartbeat.

• Feeling the first kick.

• Someone else outside of your body feeling the baby kick.

• Finding out the gender.

• Using your stomach as a table.

• Heartburn.

• Picking out a name.

• Baby showers.

• Baby responding to loud noises and flashlights.

• Watching the baby roll over inside of you / seeing a foot pressing through your stomach.

• Developing a pregnancy rash. (okay, this is only 1% of us)

• Swollen ankles.

• Braxton Hicks.

• False alarms & being sent home.

• Making your birthing plan.

• Taking a birthing class / lamaze class / hypno class.

• Bloody Show.

• Water breaking.

• Ice Chips.

• Labor.

• The Birth.

• C-section.

• Wondering why no one told you about delivering the placenta.

• Wondering why no one told you about pooping during labor.

• Wondering why no one told you you would still look 4-5 months pregnant after the birth.

I think we covered most of them!! What did we miss?

How many of these milestones have YOU experienced?

0–5: "Still in the TTC trenches" You’ve dipped your toes in the wild world of pregnancy. Whether you're still trying or planning, your journey is just beginning—and that's powerful in itself.

6–15: "Second Trimester Energy" You've had your share of pregnancy highs, lows, and “WTH” moments. You're seasoned, but there's still more in store!

16–25: "Pregnancy Warrior Level Unlocked" You’ve survived the strange cravings, foot-in-the-ribs kicks, and awkward ultrasounds. You’ve basically earned a PhD in pregnancy.

26–35: "Walking Birth Encyclopedia" Have you considered writing your own pregnancy book? You’ve experienced it all—from swollen ankles to surprise pooping in labor. You're a walking tribute to the chaos and beauty of creating life.

36+: "Call Me a Pregnancy Unicorn" You’ve checked nearly every box on this list. Either you've had one wild ride, multiple pregnancies, or you just really won the pregnancy experience lottery—good, bad, and unforgettable. Seriously, send me a message, because I want to interview you for my podcast, "Between Contractions" !

The next time you're pregnant and any one of these milestones crosses your path, think to yourself, "YEP. I'm pregnant!"

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I hope you found the Maternity Milestone list helpful and fun. You are welcome to book a birth with me anytime between "The first positive pregnancy test" and "making your birthing plan". "Bloody show" is probably too late, but hey, it's worth asking me about it. The best time to schedule a maternity shoot is probably around "baby showers" - when you're pregnant enough that anyone can tell but not too pregnant that you're very uncomfortable. Assuming that sometime around those "wondering why"s is after much rest, it's a good time to think about reaching out that the baby has arrived and coordinating with me about when I should arrive for a Fresh48 session. No matter which one is yours - you can find all of them on the booking page! It all starts with Michiana Maternity Photography!

This blog post was written by Michiana Birth Photographer Andrea Hartstein, who proudly serves growing families across the Michiana region—including LaPorte, Michigan City, South Bend, Mishawaka, Granger, Elkhart, Goshen, Bremen, Walkerton, North Liberty, Plymouth, Niles, St. Joseph, Benton Harbor, and New Buffalo. Andrea has also traveled beyond Michiana to photograph births in Fort Wayne, IN, and Grand Rapids, MI. Wherever your story begins, she’d be honored to help you document it. Expecting? Reach out today!