Intimate Portraits of Sleeping Pregnant Couples by Russian Photographer Jana Romanova

When Russian documentary photographer Jana Romanova’s friends started getting married and having children, she started looking for a way to deal with this sudden change in her life. The product of her efforts was an extraordinarily intimate and tender portrait series of young sleeping pregnant couples called ‘Waiting’.

It's interesting to see the varied positions that these women and men sleep in. It's generally recommended for pregnant women to sleep on their side, as almost all of the women in the series of 40 couples (for 40 weeks) do, though it's the men who often seem to follow suit even though they don't have to. 

Additionally, it's especially interesting to see that there are a number of photos of these fathers-to-be unknowingly placing their hands by the woman's belly. Even in their sleep, they offer a protecting hand.

Romanova is currently raising money to fund a book of Waiting. Preorder it here.


Intimate Portraits of Pregnant Couples Sleeping Together© Jana Romanova / Anzenberger / Via janaromanova.com

Intimate Portraits of Pregnant Couples Sleeping Together© Jana Romanova / Anzenberger / Via janaromanova.com

Intimate Portraits of Pregnant Couples Sleeping Together© Jana Romanova / Anzenberger / Via janaromanova.com

Intimate Portraits of Pregnant Couples Sleeping Together© Jana Romanova / Anzenberger / Via janaromanova.com

Intimate Portraits of Pregnant Couples Sleeping Together© Jana Romanova / Anzenberger / Via janaromanova.com

Intimate Portraits of Pregnant Couples Sleeping Together© Jana Romanova / Anzenberger / Via janaromanova.com

Intimate Portraits of Pregnant Couples Sleeping Together© Jana Romanova / Anzenberger / Via janaromanova.com

Intimate Portraits of Pregnant Couples Sleeping Together© Jana Romanova / Anzenberger / Via janaromanova.com

Intimate Portraits of Pregnant Couples Sleeping Together© Jana Romanova / Anzenberger / Via janaromanova.com

Intimate Portraits of Pregnant Couples Sleeping Together© Jana Romanova / Anzenberger / Via janaromanova.com

Intimate Portraits of Pregnant Couples Sleeping Together© Jana Romanova / Anzenberger / Via janaromanova.com

Intimate Portraits of Pregnant Couples Sleeping Together© Jana Romanova / Anzenberger / Via janaromanova.com

Intimate Portraits of Pregnant Couples Sleeping Together© Jana Romanova / Anzenberger / Via janaromanova.com

Intimate Portraits of Pregnant Couples Sleeping Together© Jana Romanova / Anzenberger / Via janaromanova.com

Intimate Portraits of Pregnant Couples Sleeping Together© Jana Romanova / Anzenberger / Via janaromanova.com

Intimate Portraits of Pregnant Couples Sleeping Together© Jana Romanova / Anzenberger / Via janaromanova.com

Intimate Portraits of Pregnant Couples Sleeping Together© Jana Romanova / Anzenberger / Via janaromanova.com

Intimate Portraits of Pregnant Couples Sleeping Together© Jana Romanova / Anzenberger / Via janaromanova.com

Intimate Portraits of Pregnant Couples Sleeping Together© Jana Romanova / Anzenberger / Via janaromanova.com

Intimate Portraits of Pregnant Couples Sleeping Together© Jana Romanova / Anzenberger / Via janaromanova.com