Keeping a pregnancy journal can be a great way to remember your experiences during the pregnancy. It can also be a great way to pinpoint the causes of pregnancy related discomfort and illnesses. If this is your first pregnancy or your fifth pregnancy, a journal is something that can be very beneficial and valuable to you and your child.
Keeping a Pregnancy Journal
Keeping a pregnancy journal will start with the selection of a journal. You have several options when it comes to journals. Your first option is to buy a journaling book from a book store. These journals are bound and have blank or lined pages. There are also special journaling books designed for pregnancies. These books will guide you through your journaling exercises by asking you questions about how you feel, what you are thinking about, and how your pregnancy is progressing.
If you don’t have the money to buy a journaling book you can use a ringed notebook. These can be purchased for less than a dollar during school supply sales. Your final option is to create a digital pregnancy journal. This option will involve creating a file in Word or some other word processing program. You can add entries to your digital journal on a weekly or monthly basis.
Journal Entry Format
There are several different entries that you can make in your pregnancy journal. The first type of entry is a pregnancy update. These entries will list the date, how far along you are in your pregnancy, your weight, your abdomen measurement, and information about your latest doctor’s appointment. You can also attach ultrasounds and test results to these entries.
Another entry that you can create is an experienced entry. These entries will describe the experiences that you have during your pregnancy. For example, you can talk about how you felt when you first learned you were pregnant, you can discuss how you felt the first time you felt your baby move or you can talk about worries that you are having or hopes that you have for your future.
Pregnancy Journaling Topics
There are a lot of topics that you can cover in your pregnancy journal. You can create journal entries about:
- Cravings
- Morning Sickness
- Weight Gain
- Shopping
- Baby Names
- Preparations for the Baby
- Mood Swings
- Family Reactions
- Dreams
- Fears
- Childbirth or Parenting Classes
- Books You Read
- Thoughts About Being a Parent
- Siblings
