Mum, you are always beautiful!

As a photographer I get to meet mums on all stages of motherhood. I watch them carry their sweet bumps, I marvel at their precious babies only days after delivery and as life goes on I continue capturing photographs of their families through the years. I often meet them at their most vulnerable moment, when they struggle with how their bodies had changed and find it difficult to accept extra weight, stretch marks and wrinkles on their once smooth skin and grey hair poking out unruly. Often times it takes only one of these reasons to make them hide from the camera and ask to only photograph their baby. And it's deeply saddening that we get swayed to hate our bodies so easily the moment they don't match the almighty stereotype.

I want to tell you that I get that. I really do. I was in this sad place too and it took me years to crawl out that dark hole. You need to know that you're not a cookie cutter and you were never destined to repeat shapes of other women’s bodies through your life. Your body is a unique work of art, with all it's markings and so called flaws it's a gracious map of your life's events of which bringing a new human being to this earth will forever land one of the greatest achievements on your list. This body of yours just made another human being, it deserves recognition, affection and appreciation. And this might surprise you but all this should come from you first. You are the first and most important person to realise and acknowledge your value. To deeply honour your being. No one will fill that cup for you mama, we all come with an inner refill.

I want to tell you that being who you are right now, you are simply perfect. This is what my children taught me and I will be forever grateful for this lesson from them. I booked myself an appointment for a professional make up one day and the moment my 8 year old daughter saw me, she said: ‘mummy, why did you put all this make up on your face? You’re always beautiful!’

To our children we are already those perfect women we want to be so madly. When you’re reading a story with your little one, you are perfect. When you go for a walk with your baby, you are perfect. No matter how tired, stressed and overwhelmed you are at times, your little one can hide in the safety of your open arms, and for this you are simply perfect.

There’s a human being to whom your hugs are home and your kisses are the most effective pain relief medicine has ever invented. You’re a super woman, mama!

So next time you book a photo session for your little ones, and your photographer asks you to pop in front of the camera with your children, don’t hide away. Embrace yourself, hug your little people with all that love you have for them and let your photographer capture these moments for you. Chances are you'll absolutely love your photos and you’ll be amazed at how beautiful you are, with all the landmarks of pregnancy, tiredness and time on your body included.