Whether you decide to keep one as a memorable keepsake to look back on or as an easy way to record your medical history, keeping a pregnancy journal should be easy, fun, and joyful. “A pregnancy journal is a beautiful, simple way to acknowledge the process and honor the good, the interesting, and memorable moments of pregnancy,” says Jennifer Jolorte Doro, certified doula, lactation counselor, clinical nutritionist, and co-founder/chief culinary officer at Chiyo. When searching for the right pregnancy journal for you, it’s important to consider your intentions. “Deciding to keep a pregnancy journal is entirely a personal decision. There are many positives, but expectant mothers already have a lot on their plate, so only choose to keep one if you want to do so,” Marter adds. She recommends considering what type of journal you’d like to keep, whom you’d like to participate in the journaling process, and any special features—like prompts or slots to hold photos or sonograms. When searching for the best pregnancy journals, we relied on personal experience, industry research, and expert advice. Based on our research, here are the best pregnancy journals for expectant families. Overall, this is a versatile book that is a good choice for many types of families. It has multiple blank pages and a few pages with guided questions, so it’s open-ended with a few extra details. It’s not particularly specific or geared toward a certain demographic, so it’s a great option for a variety of families. This journal is not broken out into weekly logs, which means you can start it whenever you like, and you don’t have to worry about skipping pages or entries. Price at time of publication: $15 We love that this book has slots and storage pockets to hold pictures, sonograms, and other small items. That means you can save it as a keepsake for years to come, and thanks to the extended period of time it covers, you can even keep writing after the new baby is born. Keep in mind that this book is specifically geared toward expectant mothers, so it isn’t ideal for dads or adoptive parents who might be looking for a more inclusive book. Price at time of publication: $10 This book has a hard cover that is durable and sturdy, but the interior spiral binding makes the pages easy to turn. It’s easier to write in, too, because the pages lay flat against the book. It features spaces for 4x6, 3x3, and 4x4 photos, so you can include full pictures of mom and dad as well as sonogram images. This is a beautiful keepsake that can be cherished for years to come, and the thoughtful design serves as a reliable account of the details of the pregnancy. Price at time of publication: $35 This book is broken out week-by-week, with sections for recording mom’s thoughts, cravings and aversions, and notes on names, things to do, and more. It also features pages that are dedicated to the initial doctor’s appointments, the “home stretch,” and a hospital bag checklist. Keep in mind that this planner doesn’t have a hard cover, so it might not be as durable or sturdy as some other brands. Although it has pages where you can tape photos, it doesn’t have dedicated slots to hold them in place. Price at time of publication: $37 Because this is a prompted journal and activity book, keep in mind that there isn’t as much space for open-ended journaling as in some of the other options on our list. It’s also designed for the pregnant mom-to-be, so there isn’t a ton of space for dad to participate. Price at time of publication: $15 This is a spiral-bound book with a hard exterior, so the flat surface makes it easy to write. The hard cover is durable and sturdy, so you can carry it around with you and hang on to it for years to come. Price at time of publication: $35 With 100 pages, there is space to add photographs, sonograms, and even a letter to the new baby. The hard cover is sturdy and durable, and the linen construction is soft and attractive. This book is made with a spiral spine that can open and close like a binder, so you can easily take out pages. It comes in seven gorgeous colors. Price at time of publication: $99 This is a thoughtful gift for new dads to help them process the news of the pregnancy. It’s a helpful way to record memories and gain necessary guidance while remaining thoroughly immersed and involved in the journey. Price at time of publication: $15 This spiral notebook is designed to keep parents organized, but it isn’t particularly sentimental or memorable. If you’re looking for a special keepsake item, this probably isn’t your best bet. Price at time of publication: $45 This special book also includes advice from industry professionals. For example, it contains a checklist of the most important items to pack in your hospital bag. Although it doesn’t have special slots or pockets to hold photographs, it does have designated areas where you can easily tape them in. Price at time of publication: $40 This is a scrapbook-style baby book, so there are pages and sections to tape in photographs and sonogram images. It also has a section to record a family tree, details about the child’s nursery, and a section for footprints. The spiral binding means the pages lie flat, so you can write easily. Keep in mind that this book is more of a baby book rather than a pregnancy journal, so there are more pages dedicated to the child’s life once he or she arrives. Price at time of publication: $40 The planner also has empty space for open journaling, as well as areas to tape in photos and sonogram images. This practical book has a section to track baby shower gifts and brainstorm baby names. This compact journal is small enough to keep in your purse, so pregnant parents can carry it around to appointments and meetings to take notes when needed. This is more of a practical organizational tool rather than a sentimental keepsake, so it’s a great gift for parents looking for a little help with planning—whether it’s their first, second, or third baby. Price at time of publication: $25 The woodland theme is perfectly charming, and the sweet design is suitable for both baby girls and baby boys. This is a small, classic pregnancy journal that’s simple and sweet. Price at time of publication: $30 This is a sweet, classic book that has plenty of prompts to help busy moms keep a thoughtful, meaningful log of their pregnancy that they can look back on each year. The illustrated book even comes with plenty of slots to hold photographs and keepsakes, so it acts as a scrapbook, too. Price at time of publication: $20 Price at time of publication: $28 Though this book is a pregnancy scrapbook, it’s also a baby book. That means it has sections dedicated to mom’s hospital stay, with space to list who visited and what presents they bought. This sweet scrapbook goes all the way up to a child’s fifth birthday, so you can record all of the baby’s “firsts,” like first word and first food. Keep in mind that this is not a planner, so there isn’t space to track appointments or meal plans. Price at time of publication: $20 The hardcover book is coated in linen, which gives it a soft, elegant feel. The book includes a keepsake envelope in the back for storing photos. Though this is a pregnancy journal, it also includes a few pages dedicated to the baby’s first years. That way, you can record things like their first food, first steps, or first words in the book as well. Keep in mind that this isn’t a pregnancy planner, so it doesn’t have a calendar to track appointments. Price at time of publication: $30 This food journal is also a great way to learn about all of the different body changes that come with pregnancy. However, it’s not designed to be a sentimental keepsake, so keep in mind that it’s more of a practical, organizational tool rather than a special memento. Price at time of publication: $18 This is a classic, tasteful photo book that your family can cherish for years to come. Keep in mind that this is a visual diary rather than a journal, so there isn’t space for open-ended journal writing, and there aren’t journal prompts to fill in. Price at time of publication: $120 This book includes over 100 prompted pages that help moms record the most special memories from pregnancy. There are sections for baby names, ideas, letters to baby, and a family tree. Though it is a guided, templated book, there are also open-ended pages to write and add photos and other images. Keep in mind that this is a true pregnancy journal, so it’s not ideal for non-birthing parents. Price at time of publication: $30
What to Look for in Pregnancy Journals
Preferences
Pregnancy journals come in many styles, so make sure to assess your goals in order to properly select one. “There is a type of pregnancy journal for everyone,” says Jolorte Doro. “If you’re looking for a memory keepsake, there are specific ones that truly allow you to capture every single moment of a pregnancy,” she adds. “There are others that provide writing prompts to help put onto paper the emotions and moments throughout a pregnancy. There are also others which are more detailed and ask about doctor’s visits, appointments, and even remind you the size of the fruit the baby is compared to,” says Jolorte Doro. Make sure to consider how much you’d like to write in each entry, too. If you want to keep detailed notes of the baby’s progression, finding a more open-ended journal with plenty of space to write would be a good choice. If you want to include pictures, sonograms, and keepsakes, selecting a scrapbook-style journal, like the “Pearhead Hello Beautiful Scrapbook,” would be a better fit. Additionally, Marter recommends considering whom the pregnancy journal is for, and who in the baby’s life would like to participate. “Some pregnancy journals are just for the mothers, a few are just for fathers, and others are for couples,” she says. “It might be nice to ask your partner if they would like to be included or would rather pass. This gives them the opportunity to be included if they would like to,” Marter adds. If dad wants a journal all to himself, the “First-Time Dad Journal: Monthly Prompts and To-Dos for Pregnancy and Beyond,” is specifically designed for him.
Inclusivity
The right pregnancy journal should be a good fit for you and your family. It should serve as a useful tool that’s geared toward you and your needs, so make sure to consider inclusivity or specific demographics before purchasing one. “Ask yourself if you have any special demographics that you’d like to be taken into consideration. For example, if you are part of a same-sex couple, you’d want to make sure that the one you select is not geared toward opposite-sex couples. Or perhaps a pregnancy journal for Black moms, first-time moms, adoptive parents, or a Christian-focused pregnancy journal would be a good fit for you,” says Marter. Whichever type of pregnancy journal you choose, make sure it is one that will suit you and your family on a more inclusive level.
Prompts
Though having a completely open-ended journal can be great for long diary entries, pages and pages of blank space can be intimidating and overwhelming for busy parents. Having a journal with some thoughtful prompts, like the “Sweet Beginning Keepsake Journal,” is a great way to start the writing process. “There is a type of pregnancy journal for everyone,” says Jolorte Doro. “The journals that provide writing prompts help pregnant mothers put onto paper the emotions and moments throughout a pregnancy,” she adds. Before selecting the best journal for you, consider if you’d like more space to document your emotions, thoughts, and stream of consciousness. If that’s the case, it’s best to select an open-ended journal with a lot of blank space and minimal instructions. If you’re looking for an easy, approachable way to document the many milestones of pregnancy, finding a journal with thoughtful prompts, like the “Becoming Mama Keepsake Book,” is a great idea. Our list includes options for all tastes and preferences. If you’d like more free writing space, our top pick, “Expecting You—A Keepsake Pregnancy Journal,” offers plenty of room for creativity and is small enough to carry around with you so you can write when inspiration strikes. But if you’re more of a photography person and don’t really want to write much, the “Shutterfly Modern Baby Photo Book” lets you create a visual account of your journey.
Features
“When considering pregnancy journals with various features, you might ask yourself what is the intention of your journal,” Marter says. “For example, if you are using it as an emotionally cathartic release, you might want more free writing space or prompts. If you are keeping it as more of a scrapbook, you might want more space for photos, ultrasounds, and other keepsakes. Or perhaps you really want to keep good track of your medical and health records, either for your own reference or for your children’s,” she says. A few options on our list are specifically designed to help moms stay organized throughout their pregnancy, including the “Bloom Daily Pregnancy Planner” and “The Healthy Pregnancy Journal.”
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Laura Denby is a product reviews writer who covers everything from food to kitchen products to parenting and child-development products. She is a trained chef with a degree in culinary arts from the Institute of Culinary Education, and she has over five years of experience working as a chef in professional kitchens. Through her product reviews, Laura seeks to help her readers run a more organized, efficient, and happy home. Laura is mom to a 16-month-old daughter and a three-year-old German Shepherd mix. Her product reviews can be found on FoodNetwork.com, Food & Wine, Parents.com, Forbes Vetted, Real Simple, and Taste of Home.
