Keeping pregnancy journals serves many purposes. It can be as complex as keeping a daily record of your diet, weight, and personal thoughts to as simple as an outlet for those uncertainties that roll around in your mind.
Traditional Journals for Moms-to-Be
In reality, all it takes to keep a pregnancy journal is paper and a pen. If you plan to keep the journal and pass it on to your child, then you may want to invest in a lovely pregnancy journal designed to inspire you to share those private thoughts your child will appreciate so much when she is grown.
Journals are available in most traditional bookstores in the journal or pregnancy section of the store. They are also found at specialty maternity and baby gear and clothing stores. Each journal offers something a little different, so be sure you flip through the journal or read the description online before you purchase. Get started by checking out these journals available at Amazon.com:
- The Belly Book: A Nine-Month Journal for You and Your Growing Belly is divided by trimester and features writing prompts and guides. There are also places to put bump and ultrasound photos, too.
- My Pregnancy Journal not only has traditional guided pages for recording memories, it also has 24 photo frames for use throughout the book. Add your favorite photographs to the journal from your 40 weeks using these special frames.
- The What to Expect Pregnancy Journal & Organizer not only has places to put down special thoughts about your pregnancy, but also an organizer for keeping track of all your important appointsments and showers.
- Ann Geddes's My Pregnancy Journal features writing prompts with plenty of room for response, plus many beautiful photographs for which she is so famous.
Many moms combine traditional journaling with their love of scrapbooking. The article Pregnancy Scrapbook Ideas offers plenty of great ideas to get you started on your scrapbook filled with thoughts and memories about your pregnancy.
Online Pregnancy Journals
Reading the pregnancy journals of other women is a bonding experience. When you feel like the only woman who can no longer see her toes, when you have received disturbing news from the doctor, or when you just can't see carrying the baby one more day, it pays to know other women are going through the same thing. Read through a few pregnancy journals on websites like StorkNet and TheParentSite.
Once you have read through some online journals, you may be ready to start your own. Sign up at these websites to get started:
- BabyCrowd--features a forum for expectant moms to connect with one another
- Fischer-Price--has a simple template to set up for the not-so-tech-savvy moms
If you want to continue journaling your chid's life online, consider starting a blog instead of a specfic pregnancy journal. This way, you can easily transition from pregnancy journaling to blogging about family life. Get started at Blogger or WordPress.
More Than a Collection of Thoughts
Many pregnancy journals offer more than just space to write. They feature pregnancy tips, a pregnancy calendar that highlight week-by-week details into the development of the baby, and pregnancy tips to help you make it through difficult times.
It is not always easy to come up with something to write. You sit down in front of a blank page, and your mind becomes as empty as the page. This is where a pregnancy journal that offers writing prompts comes in handy. And, if you still cannot find the words to express what is inside, consider adding some of these to the journal:
- A sample of the nursery wallpaper
- List the nursery items you need to purchase before the baby arrives
- A packet containing your baby shower cards
- Pregnancy ultrasound photographs
- A picture your older child drew for his new baby brother or sister
- A picture of dad putting together the crib
- List of the foods you are craving
Record Your Happiness
A pregnancy journal is a wonderful place for expectant moms to record their happiness, excitement and even a few fears about their new role in life. Pregnancy ends when the baby is born, so get your thoughts recorded before you forget them.
