Journaling can be a great method for remembering important moments in your pregnancy. Baby books often include spaces for things like first kick or what dad said when he found out, but journaling can provide a much fuller, detail-filled means of recording. Keeping a pregnancy journal will also help keep these memories alive, and can be a great present when your child is older (although you may prefer to keep it just for yourself). Here are a few tips regarding what to include and how to write your pregnancy journal.
Getting Started
For moms who haven’t written much before, it can be hard to know where or how to start. A great first entry might detail the day you realized you were pregnant and how your partner reacted to the news. Try writing about what pregnancy and being a parent means for you. Some moms like to start by writing a letter to their child, sharing hopes and dreams for the little one. It’s important not to feel nervous -- you don’t have to show anyone, and you can always start over.
Including fun activities you did while you were pregnant, funny stories (like sending your partner to the store in the middle of the night to satisfy a craving), or important firsts (hearing the heartbeat or seeing the ultrasound) are also great for a pregnancy journal. Don’t be afraid to write about your emotions -- how you felt when you found out the gender, or why you chose not to know the gender. It’s okay to include bad days or experiences, too. Pregnancy isn’t always good, and that’s okay.
Writing Prompts
If writing isn’t really your thing, having a specific prompt or design to your journal can be helpful. Some notebooks come with prompts specific to pregnancy at the top of each page; all you have to do is answer the question. Alternatively, you can find a variety of prompts online, or sit down and write out a few of your own to get started. A journal for the best part of your day can also work well; you simply write down one thing that happened every day. It doesn’t have to be more than a sentence or two, but it’s a great way to remember milestones, in particular.
Letters
If you can't really put into words what you’re truly feeling, writing little letters to your unborn child can be easier. Write a letter each week, stick it in a fancy envelope, and store it in a decorative box. You can tell them anything you want them to know -- how excited you are, what you think your little one will grow up to be like, or just leave bits of advice. These letters can also be intended for specific dates, like a sixteenth birthday or your own child’s first pregnancy. No matter how you choose to write it -- in letters, a blog, or a feature film length script -- it’s a wonderful keepsake to share.
