If you’ve ever attempted to find the best pregnancy journal on the market, you were likely immediately overwhelmed by the number of options out there!
I mean…do you want more of a pregnancy diary? A memory book to store ultrasound photos? Do you want to document your bump photos? Your birth story? The body changes and absurd cravings on your pregnancy journey?! There are so many options!
But how do you know which pregnancy diary is the best pregnancy journal for you? We’re so glad you asked. Let’s dive in!
Choosing the Best Pregnancy Journal
When you’re expecting, capturing every special moment is important. The right pregnancy journal not only preserves your experiences and thoughts but also helps you navigate your pregnancy journey to motherhood.
Factors to Consider
When selecting a pregnancy journal, you’ll want to consider the quality and type of binding. Durability matters since you’ll be revisiting these memories for years to come.
It’s also important to consider the size of your pregnancy diary. Do you want a compact baby journal that can sit on your nightstand or one with ample room for writing?
The cost can vary, with some keepsake books starting around $10 and others going up to $120. You’ll want to strike a balance between what suits your budget and the journal’s quality.
Pregnancy Planner vs. Journal
A pregnancy planner typically offers structured layouts for tracking your health record and prenatal appointments, while journals offer blank pages for your notes, thoughts, and feelings.
Reflect on what you’ll use your pregnancy diary for, as well as what’s most important to you. If you want a mix of organization and more of a freeform writing process, look for options that integrate both features for more comprehensive use.
Journal Features for First Time Moms
If you’re a first-time mom, look for a first-time mom’s pregnancy journal that provides guidance and prompts for diary entries to help you document important milestones while keeping tabs on your mental health and emotional well-being. A structured journal that offers a few extra pages can give you plenty of space to expand on your thoughts when needed.
For a more elegant keepsake journal, choose one with aesthetic appeal and sections for adding weekly photos or mementos. This creates a beautiful and poignant record of your pregnancy journey.
Top 24 Best Pregnancy Journal Options
When you’re expecting, keeping a journal can offer the best way to track your journey. Amazon offers a diverse selection of pregnancy journals to pregnant women, each with unique features to suit your preferences.
Here are some you might consider in your quest for the best pregnancy journal:
The Classics
- The Pregnancy Journal: A Day-to-Day Guide to a Healthy and Happy Pregnancy: If you prefer a tried-and-true option, consider The Pregnancy Journal. It’s comprehensive and has been a favorite for years.
- The Oh Baby: Pregnancy Journal offers everything you could ask for in a classic pregnancy diary, including a family tree, weekly trackers, plenty of space for reflection, and even 16 pregnancy bump stickers.
Best Pregnancy Journal For Personal Reflection
- 40ish Weeks: A Pregnancy Journal: This pregnancy diary focuses on providing plenty of space for your thoughts and feelings, from positive pregnancy test to first kick to birth story, offering a great way to reflect on every special moment.
- Pregnancy Journal: This memory book includes 90 guide-you-through pages that document your pregnancy journey from your positive pregnancy test and morning sickness to delivery, and offers plenty of opportunities to capture your thoughts and emotions along the way.
For the Creative Soul
- If you enjoy scrapbooking, look for journals like the Pearhead My Pregnancy Journal, which includes pockets for keepsakes.
- Prefer the feel of scrapbooking? Pregnancy Journal: My Belly Book offers lots of fun, bright pages, 3 sticker sheets, and plenty of room for photos.
- As a website dedicated to journaling, we couldn’t live with ourselves if we didn’t also offer the option to create your own pregnancy journal! Using a blank journal to create your own memory book ensures that everything you want in a pregnancy journal is included and that your creativity can really shine.
For Organized Moms
- The Pregnancy Journal: A Modern Keepsake Journal offers planners, trackers, and checklists to help you plan for baby’s arrival.
- The Clever Fox Pregnancy Journal is sure to meet every die-hard journaler’s expectations with weekly pages, doctor’s visit health record, shopping lists and trackers, stickers, and storage pockets.
Best Pregnancy Journal For First Time Moms
- Not sure quite what to expect on your pregnancy journey? The Bibi & Beau Complete Pregnany Journal is ideal for first-time moms, as it includes progress checklists, packing lists & a scrapbook.
- Want to know how your baby is developing from week to week, track your prenatal appointments, and get a little help building out your baby registry? Welcoming You: A Pregnancy Journal will walk you through the entire journey!
- My Pregnancy Journal offers another great option for a first-time mom’s pregnancy journal, and includes a 12-month calendar, weekly tracker, baby shower and registry shopping lists, hospital bag list, birth plan, and loads of heartfelt prompts.
For Twins
- Expecting two? The Heart Twin Pregnancy Journal has got you covered with a gorgeous and timeless baby journal look.
- Twice as Nice: My Twin Pregnancy Journal offers twin pregnancy tracking with a more casual cover and simple black-and-white interior pages.
For Dads
- While most baby journal options focus on first time moms, there are even journals tailored for the special time dads-to-be face, such as the First-Time Dad Journal, which includes prompts and to-dos.
- The Dad Pregnancy Journal: Keepsake Diary with Prompts for Daddy-to-Be to Record Memories offers another great option to track mommy’s pregnancy and delivery and even share life advice with their child.
Baby Book Combos
- If you’re looking for a memory book that will follow your child beyond pregnancy, the Ziri & Zane Keepsake Pregnancy Journal records every major milestone up to age 5.
- The Baby Book Childhood Journal by Duncan & Stone will even carry your child’s story from pregnancy to age 18!
Budget-Friendly
- Bump For Joy: A Pregnancy Journal offers plenty of space for weekly notes, baby’s family tree, baby shower memories, and even pages for brainstorming baby names and their meanings, all at an incredibly reasonable price.
- From Pea to Pumpkin: A Pregnancy Journal walks mothers through baby’s growth week-over-week alongside guided prompts.
- The Pregnant and Bada** Pregnancy Planner is another economical baby journal that comes with pages to record memories, track doctor visits, plan a baby shower, and more.
For Rainbow Babies
- Pregnancy After Loss: A Day-by-Day Plan to Reassure and Comfort You offers a less traditional but oh-so-needed pregnancy diary alternative sure to help strengthen your mental health and emotional well-being and comfort your heart.
Luxury Pick
- Made with a premium quality linen cover with gold foil stamping, The Story of You captures your pregnancy journey with a gender-neutral, timeless look.
- The Miracle of You presents another timeless option, with a clean linen cover and plenty of room for ultrasound photos, bump photos, and more.
Documenting the Journey
Keeping a pregnancy diary is a great way to capture the unique moments of your maternity adventure. It serves not just as a record of your baby’s growth and development but also as a treasure trove of memories for years to come.
Weekly and Monthly Milestones
In a pregnancy journal, you’ll want to track both weekly and monthly milestones. This can include notable body changes, weight gain, strange cravings, morning sickness, and the first time you feel your baby move. (That first kick is incredible!)
Use a structured format such as tables or lists to note down things like cravings, moods, and symptoms.
Ultrasound to Birth Story
Ultrasound photos are key highlights in your pregnancy journal.
Create a special section where you can attach ultrasound photos and bump photos alongside dates and personal notes. Many journals provide pockets or sleeves for this purpose.
As you progress toward your due date, transition to documenting your birth story. This could include your feelings and experiences during labor and delivery.
Personal Message and Journal Entries
For a truly personal touch, include journal entries and a personal message to your baby. Reflect on your hopes, dreams, and the world you want to welcome them into.
You can write letters to your baby, expressing your anticipation and love. Bold or italicize special sentiments to make them stand out.
Making It Personal
Creating a pregnancy journal offers a unique opportunity to capture the intimate moments of your journey to motherhood. An elegant keepsake journal can become a cherished narrative that encompasses the joyous contributions of your friends and family members and the custom details that make your story truly yours.
Friends and Family Members Contributions
Your family members and friends play a significant role in your pregnancy. One great way to capture their love for the new baby is to encourage them to write a personal message, share weekly photos, and contribute their own recollections in your baby book.
For example, they could describe their reaction to witnessing your baby move in your belly or recount fond memories at your baby shower. Creating a space for their words transforms your journal into a collective celebration of the new life you’re about to welcome.
Customizing Your Journal
Personalizing your journal means making choices that reflect your style and preferences.
Choose a first-time mom’s pregnancy journal that offers flexibility for customization. Some journals allow you to choose the cover design, but even more standard journals can still be customized with markers and stickers.
Whether you prefer prompts to guide your writing process or blank extra pages for freehand drawing and notes, select a great option that resonates with the way you wish to remember and share your pregnancy story. Use stickers, colorful pens, and even thematic decorations to make each entry pop and bring your unique journey to life.
So…which is the best pregnancy journal for you and your little one? We can’t wait to hear all about it.
Happy journaling!
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