One of the questions that I probably get most often from other photographers right now is how I have dealt with the long hours and hot hot Atlanta summer heat while shooting Weddings in my last trimester. So, here are my Must Haves for Pregnant Photographers. Some of these things have been such lifesavers!!

1. Mama Spanx – Seriously. These things are a God-sent. When you are carrying around a watermelon sometimes a working mama just wants some SUPPORT to help her get through a long day. Enter these babies. Hallelujah. Amen.

2. Sugar Lip Balm – One side effect of baking this beautiful little boy has been that my lips get chapped so easily. I carry two of these puppies in my bag (and another one in our think tank) to have on hand at all times.

3. Toms Ballet Flats – Baby Hippos. That is the animal that my feet are trying to emulate right now. Which is a shame, because baby hippos aren’t the easiest or most comfortable animal to carry around. Butterflies would have been better. But, for now, they’re trying to be baby hippos, and these flat give me the kind of comfort and support that my baby hippos need while still being really cute.

4. Liz Lange Maxi Dress – I have worn this dress to every single Wedding since my 2nd trimester. It’s so comfortable, and it still gives me the freedom to move while knowing I have full coverage everywhere I need it. Also: air-flow. Magic.

5. Kelly Moore Songbird – This bag was a gift to myself right before Wedding season started this year. I wanted something smaller and lighter than the bag I had been using, but with enough room to hold all the lenses I would need to have at hand. Bonus points for the fact that it’s totally pulling double-duty as a diaper bag when Baby Boy gets here.

6. Honest Company Bugspray – It’s Atlanta. It’s Summer. I’m pregnant. Anytime I’m outside shooting, it’s like a feeding frenzy. This stuff is amazing – it keeps the bugs at bay while being completely safe to use.

7. Contigo Water Bottle – If the shooting-pregnant game had a name, it would be: HYDRATION. Seriously, it helps with energy, swelling, general comfort and prevents preterm labor (water is magic!). I carry this bottle with me at all times (and can be found sprinting to the bathroom at every single down moment in the day).

8. Clif Kids Bar – Because no-one wants a hangry pregnant wedding photographer. NO ONE.