Pregnancy is special time in a woman’s life; it is a time of transformation and change in which an expanding belly leads to a whole new outlook on life. Many women record and reflect their experiences by keeping a journal. It’s easy to start a pregnancy journal, whether it be a traditional paper journal or a digital one. By recording your feelings and experiences you will create a keepsake that you cherish for years to come.
Choose a traditional paper-based journal if you want a memento you can pass down to your child. It is also a way to unplug from the digital world and focus on your pregnancy experience. While each journal will have a different style, feel and focus it should be a space to record your thoughts and experiences during pregnancy.
Creating a digital journal, on the other hand, is easy to add to and has the benefit of accessibility and permanence. It enables you to document your pregnancy in real time through digital devices that make it easy to create text and add videos and pictures. You can also share a digital version of a pregnancy journal with others who aren’t nearby. Most sites that offer digital pregnancy journals are free and allow you to download it as an eBook or PDF once you’re done.
You can also make your own physical journal or scrapbook, which is a great option if you want to document your journey creatively. There are pregnancy journal templates available online that you can download, but all you need is a blank scrapbook, acid-free paper and your imagination. You can add as many details, photos, experiences, and mementos as you like in whatever style you like.
You should split up the journal based on each trimester of the pregnancy. Each trimester has its special moments that you can capture to show the transformations involved. You can mark your calendar dates to keep track of important moments such as:
• When you discovered you were pregnant
• The date you told your parents
• When you consulted an obstetrician
• The date you felt your baby move for the first time
• The first day you knew the gender of your baby
You can make journal entries as often as you like, but making entries at a regular time will enable you to be consistent. You can, however, journal as much or as little as you like – there are no rules and your journal needn’t feel like a chore, but a representation of a special time in your life.
