Blake Lively shares her own pregnancy photos so paparazzi will leave her alone

What would Serena van der Woodsen do if paparazzi camped outside her home for pregnancy pictures? She’d go one step further and release the pictures herself.

In true Gossip Girl style, that’s exactly what Blake Lively did by sharing pictures of her growing baby bump before the paparazzi could do so before her.

The mum-of-three, who recently revealed she is expecting her fourth child with husband Ryan Reynolds, said paparazzi have been lurking outside her home.

Blake, 35, took to Instagram to share how the paparazzi have tried to catch a glimpse at her during her current pregnancy and why she decided to share the photos on social media.

The Instagram post includes 11 pictures taken throughout the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants star’s pregnancy. From mirror selfies, pictures by the pool with her husband and memories with loved ones – including Taylor Swift - Blake has covered all bases.

"Here are photos of me pregnant in real life so the 11 guys waiting outside my home for a unicorn sighting will leave me alone," the star said.

"You freak me and my kids out."

Blake also thanked her fans and followers for avoiding media outlets that upload paparazzi pictures of her family.

"Thanks to everyone else for all the love and respect and for continuing to unfollow accounts and publications who share photos of children,” she added.

"You have all the power against them. And thank you to the media who have a 'no kids policy'.

"You all make all the difference."

The actor announced her pregnancy on the red carpet for the 10^th Annual FORBES Power Women’s Summit on Thursday, 15 September.

She wore a stunning mini dress inspired by the 70s with a white neck scarf and a satin headband with matching earrings.

Blake and Ryan met when they both starred in the critically panned DC comics film Green Lantern in 2011 before getting married in 2012.

Together they already have three daughters, James (born December 2014), Inez (born September 2016), and Betty (born October 2019).

Blake spoke to Vanity Fair on the red carpet about being a working mother.

"My family is the most important thing to me, and they always have been. I grew up in a family of five, and my mom is the hardest working person I’ve ever met," she said.

"I grew up watching a woman be everything: be a mom and also be the hardest working business woman I knew. So it’s important for me for my kids to see that you don't have to choose one or the other.

"I don't need them to choose to be a business woman or mum,” she added.

"They can be both or neither, but [I want] them to see that anything is possible."