Baby Books and Journals
Keeping a pregnancy journal or baby book is a great way to record events and milestones, as well as your own thoughts and reflections on pregnancy and parenthood. There are a wide variety of books you can purchase, or you can make your own.
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Pregnancy Journals
A pregnancy journal allows you to capture your experience daily or weekly throughout your pregnancy. There are a variety of pregnancy journals you can buy that contain prompts — thought-provoking questions or suggestions — to help you figure out what to write. You can also buy a blank book, use a notebook, or create a computer file for your journal. If you write your own, here are some things you might wish to include:
How you found out you were pregnant
How you told your partner and other people in your life
How you reacted to the news
Symptoms and emotions you are going through
Names you are considering
The first time you felt the baby move
Your reaction to hearing the heartbeat for the first time
Your reaction to your ultrasound
Your baby shower
Plans for the nursery
Your dreams and hopes for this baby
Your thoughts on becoming a mother
Your worries
Baby Books
Lots of mothers like to keep baby books that track their baby's development through the first year and possibly beyond. Many books have pages of specific questions and facts to fill out, as well as space to paste in monthly photos. Some books begin with your baby's birth, while others include some pages about pregnancy. The best way to find a baby book is to go to a bookstore and look through them so you can find one that fits your personality.
You can also make your own by using a blank book or even a computer file. Some things to include are these:
How your labor started
Where you gave birth and who was present
What time your baby was born and what he weighed and measured
Your thoughts and feelings at birth
What coming home was like
Baby's first visitors
Baby's first smile
The first time he slept through the night
Baby's first laugh
Visits with friends and family
Baby gifts you received
The first time he rolled over
The first time he crawled
First solid foods
Your first kiss from the baby
The first step
Baby's first word
Favorite toys
Games you play with the baby
Silly nicknames for the baby
The first birthday party
