While her last name may ring a bell — her father is fashion photographer Arthur Elgort — Sophie Elgort is an established fashion and portrait photographer in her own right. Inspired by her father, she has pursued and carved her own creative path within the fashion industry, having worked with brands like Cushnie et Ochs, J.Crew, Ralph Lauren, and Topshop, and publications such as VOGUE Thailand, Elle, Glamour, and Teen Vogue.

But the thing we love most about Sophie — aside from the fact that she is an RTR Unlimited member, of course — is that she has channeled her time, talent, network, and experience into Through Our Lens, a non-profit she co-founded to provide access and mentorship to teen girls through photography with the ultimate goal of fostering more inclusion and diversity in the fashion industry.

Now, with newborn daughter Stella (born in February!), Sophie has taken on the role of “mom” with the same grace and style as she has with everything else. We checked in with her about motherhood, making time for the important things, her bump-friendly style picks, and why renting is a total lifesaver. Keep reading.

DUSTER: BYTIMO

What does it mean to be a mom in 2018?

I think it means something different to every mom. For me, it’s being able to be a mom to my daughter Stella while also continuing my career. As a photographer, I’m grateful for the brands and magazines that continued to book me almost up until my due date when I was pregnant and now again after a few months off. Still, even in 2018, I recognize not everyone has the option to have both and I feel lucky to be able to do both. 

As a working mom, what’s the most rewarding part of your job?

Getting to collaborate with different creative teams every day. Creating beautiful images and telling stories through pictures and film. 

We, as a society, place a lot of importance on “having it all.” Do you think there’s such a thing?

I think “having it all” should be rephrased to “having everything important to you”. Now that I have a baby, I have to prioritize more than ever in every aspect of my life. It’s impossible to do everything, but it is possible to make time for everything and everyone that is important to you — you just have to say ‘no’ to all the other things and be a bit more selfish with your time.

What are your go-to self-care rituals that keep you happy and healthy?

I got into getting monthly massages when I was pregnant and now I’ve continued the way-over-the-top tradition, but it’s so worth it. I make the time to work out. I love doing SoulCycle classes with friends — it’s a great way to keep in touch while doing something good for your body.  And I love playing my guitars. It helps me zone out and not think about anything else for a while.

DRESS: TANYA TAYLOR

Why do you love renting?

Renting gives you the freedom to not have to worry about shopping each time I need to attend an event or go somewhere.

For expecting moms, what are the best trends to rent during pregnancy? 

For me, I always wore fit-and-flare silhouettes before I was pregnant — it’s what flattered my body most. Then, once I started showing, all of a sudden I realized that bodycon looks worked best on me so that people knew that I had a bump. 

And what are the best wardrobe essentials to own during pregnancy?

A few pairs of black leggings, I basically lived in these the last month when nothing else was comfortable. Also, James Perse ribbed tank tops. I lived in those — wore them under everything or on their own.

DRESS: SALONI

Best piece of advice for new moms?

Have a support network in place. The first few months can be really isolating so it was so nice and helpful to have friends and family make time to stop by and keep me company and hold the baby to give me a break for a moment. Another piece of advice is: if you have a partner, let him or her do things even if it’s not in the same way that you would do it. So what if they don’t change the diaper the same way you would do it? Try not to micromanage everything and you will enjoy it a lot more. 

Follow Sophie on Instagram (@sophieelgort) for more inspiration.

This story is part of the series Women of the Future. We believe in women supporting other women and in this series, we focus on the exceptional women who represent innovation, risk-taking, leadership, and style. These women raise the bar for themselves and others, redefining motherhood for the better as they pursue their professional careers and personal projects. They are the Women of the Future.