Milk baths are a beautiful and simple way to add dreamy florals to your maternity or infant photos. A milk bath is a warm, comforting bath with added whole milk that creates a creamy white appearance to the bath water. During a milk bath session, flowers are placed in the milky water. The milk and flowers create negative space in your images and put the emphasis of your photos on your baby bump or your precious little one, as well as the beautifully arranged flowers. These sessions are a calming way to celebrate new life and create stunning lasting memories to treasure forever!
Where Do Milk Baths Come From?
Milk baths were said to have been commonly used by royalty in Ancient Rome, Egypt, and England. Milk baths were believed to give the skin a "youthful and pale" appearance, and were often combined with honey for added skin benefits. There has been some speculation by historians as to the true origin of this bathing ritual, but whether these benefits and origins are true or not, one thing can be said about them for sure--milk baths make for some truly gorgeous photos!
How Do You Make a Milk Bath?
Milk baths are actually very easy to make, and they're absolutely worth the effort! All you need to bring to your photoshoot is between 1-2 gallons of whole milk (the more milk, the more opaque the bath) and your chosen flowers. I recommend choosing flowers that coordinate with the outfit(s) you plan to wear for your photos. Once you arrive for your session I'll draw the warm bath, add the whole milk, and trim your flowers leaving an inch or so of stem to help them stay afloat in the water. (If you prefer silk flowers, you can bring those instead, but please be aware that silk flowers tend to sink faster than real flowers.) And that's all there is to it!
What You Should Wear for Your Maternity Milk Bath Session
Maternity milk baths are all about emphasizing your bump or your infant, so what you choose to wear will play a part in getting the most from your photos. Lace gowns, lingerie sets, Kimonos, and strategically placed fabric pieces are all wonderful options for creating a stunning and dreamy photo design. What you choose to wear for your maternity milk bath session is ultimately up to you, but I do highly recommend planning your outfit to coordinate with the flowers you'll use, as well as choosing an outfit that will emphasize your baby bump or your infant.
When You Should Schedule Your Milk Bath Session
If you're hoping for a maternity milk bath session, you'll want to schedule your photos for between 30-35 weeks of pregnancy. If you're hoping for an infant milk bath session, these can take place just about anytime after baby is born!
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