Maternity Boudoir in Jacksonville: Embracing Your Body and Overcoming Pregnancy Struggles

Hi, I’m Marcella, the studio manager at Hype Girl Boudoir in Jacksonville, Florida, where I’ve worked for almost four years! I’ve seen countless women come into our studio, unsure and nervous about their changing bodies, only to walk out glowing with newfound confidence. But when it came time for me to step in front of the camera for my own maternity session, I found myself wrestling with a lot of the same emotions. But now looking back, the amount of love I now have for the girl in these photos, the amount of respect I have for my body that created real magic, it just reiterates the incredible transformation- one that, even after years of working for Hype Girl, I’m not immune to!

My husband and I faced years of infertility struggles when we first decided to start our family. It was heartbreaking, draining, and left me questioning if it would ever happen for us. After what felt like a lifetime of waiting, we finally got pregnant with our baby girl. I was overjoyed—excited to step into motherhood—but also terrified. I thought the hardest part was over, but then came the challenges of pregnancy itself.

I’ve always had a complicated relationship with my body. To be completely honest, I never expected pregnancy to make me feel more connected to it. In fact, as my body started changing faster than I could keep up with, I felt even more distant from it. My mind was flooded with doubts- Would I ever feel good in my skin again? Could I love my body when it didn’t look or feel like the body I had before? I couldn’t shake the fear that pregnancy had changed me in ways I wouldn’t recognize.

On top of that, physically, I was struggling. My pregnancy wasn’t filled with that glowing, “breezy” energy people sometimes talk about. I had morning sickness—except it wasn’t just in the morning. It lasted all day, every day, well into my second trimester. I was constantly exhausted, and when the nausea finally subsided around 28 weeks, I was met with back pain, round ligament pain, and hip pain that felt like they were my new full-time companions. My body wasn’t just changing—it was uncomfortable, unfamiliar, and it honestly felt like it was betraying me.

The idea of having a maternity session felt bittersweet. I wanted to capture this time because, despite the physical struggles, I knew deep down that this was a chapter of my life I would never get back. I wanted to remember it, even though in the moment it felt hard to appreciate. Working at Hype Girl Boudoir in Jacksonville, Florida, meant that I was surrounded by empowering maternity boudoir sessions every day, and I had seen how transformative the experience could be. But even though I knew maternity boudoir would help me see myself differently, I was still scared.

Could I really see my body as beautiful during a time when I didn’t feel beautiful at all?

When the day of my session finally arrived, I was nervous but determined. One of the most incredible parts of working at Hype Girl Boudoir is getting to see firsthand how powerful the experience is for our clients. Our team, from the hair and makeup artists to Tiffany herself, has a way of making you feel seen and valued, no matter what insecurities you’re carrying. I had watched it happen for other women so many times, and yet, as I sat down in that makeup chair for my own maternity session, I realized I wasn’t immune to the nerves.

But here’s the thing: the nerves start to melt away once you let yourself be taken care of. Our makeup artist worked her magic on me, turning my tired, stressed-out self into someone who looked like she had finally caught that elusive pregnancy glow. I felt like I was being reintroduced to a version of myself I hadn’t seen in a long time—a version of myself that felt good. Slowly, those doubts I had about my body started to fade, and I found myself opening up to the experience.

Originally, I had planned to keep my maternity session modest—soft, flowing dresses that would cover me up a bit. But as I started to feel more confident, I realized I wanted to push myself outside my comfort zone. I started to embrace the idea of doing more boudoir-inspired photos. I swapped out some of the full-coverage dresses for sheer fabrics and lingerie that highlighted my growing bump, and even braved a few nude shots with just a silk sheet or some delicate body jewelry. And you know what? It felt empowering.

For the first time in a long time, I wasn’t focused on how uncomfortable my body felt. Instead, I was appreciating what it was doing—nurturing life, growing my daughter, and doing something truly incredible. Including my husband in some of the photos added another layer of connection that I hadn’t realized we needed. The shoot became more than just a way to capture this fleeting time in my life—it became a way for us to reconnect during this crazy transition into parenthood.

We stood there, celebrating how far we had come—our long struggle to get pregnant, and now, the reality that we were finally about to meet the baby girl who had been worth every bit of heartache. It was an intimate reminder that, no matter how hard the journey had been, we were about to create something beautiful together.

One of the most special parts of the session was including my husband in some of the photos. We’re in such a crazy life transition right now, and the shoot gave us a chance to pause and reconnect in a way we hadn’t in months. We’re so caught up in preparing for our little one that we forget how this whole journey started with just the two of us. Those photos captured a moment of love and connection that I’ll cherish forever—two people who’ve been through so much, now creating a new life together. It was powerful, emotional, and grounding.

When the session was over, I was still anxious about how I would feel when I saw the photos. Would I only see the discomfort and the insecurities that had haunted me throughout pregnancy? Or would I be able to see myself differently? When Tiffany revealed the photos to me, it was like seeing my body through a completely new lens. I didn’t see the tired, aching woman I had felt like throughout pregnancy. I saw strength, beauty, and a body that was doing something miraculous.

That moment was life-changing for me. I had spent so much time focusing on what pregnancy was taking from me—my energy, my comfort, my pre-pregnancy body—that I hadn’t fully appreciated what it was giving me. My body, despite all its changes, was capable of something incredible. Seeing myself through those photos gave me a new sense of respect for what I was going through.

I’m sharing this story because I know I’m not the only woman who has struggled with infertility and then found pregnancy to be just as challenging, if not more. It’s hard to feel beautiful when your body feels foreign to you. But I’m here to tell you that a maternity boudoir session can help you see yourself in a way you never thought possible. It can help you embrace the beauty of this moment, even if right now it feels like a struggle.

So, if you’re a mom-to-be in Jacksonville, Florida, and you’re wrestling with your body image, I want to encourage you to consider a maternity boudoir session. It’s an opportunity to see your body in a new light—to honor the hard work it’s doing and celebrate the life it’s creating.

If you or someone you know is expecting, let’s chat about how we can create a maternity session that makes you feel empowered and beautiful, just as you are.

Tap the button below, and let’s start this journey together!