Pregnancy journal: DIY ideas for mums-to-be
Pregnancy is a wonderful yet turbulent time. Never again will your body change so quickly and drastically. Pregnancy can be an emotional rollercoaster. During these nine months so many exciting and important things will happen that you will certainly want to remember in the years to come. That’s why you should think about how you would like to capture these magical moments at the beginning of your pregnancy. We have put together a few ideas to inspire you.
Pregnancy journal: creative pregnancy photo ideas
When you look through your old clothes one day, it may seem totally unreal that your maternity trousers ever fitted you. You may ask yourself was your baby bump really that big.
You may quickly forget all about your sizable baby bump after your little angel has arrived. That’s why it is a wonderful reminder if you keep a diary during your pregnancy. Be sure to take photos of the development of your baby bump. This way you can capture these moments in time and look back on these wonderful memories with your child.
DIY pregnancy photos: weekly baby bump pictures
You only need a smartphone with a good camera and a suitable place to create these beautiful memories of your pregnancy. Ask your partner to take a photo of you every week on which your bump is clearly visible. Side poses are particularly suitable for this purpose.
To ensure that your growing bump is truly the focus of the picture, it is a good idea to always strike the same pose and wear the same outfit. By the end of your pregnancy, you will have created lasting memories of every week of your pregnancy.
With a suitable app, you can easily create a cute GIF with the baby bump pictures on your smartphone. Simply select your favourite images and choose “create GIF” from the options and a time-lapse recording of your growing bump will appear.
DIY pregnancy photos from your perspective
Another great DIY-idea for cute baby bump photos is to take pictures from your own perspective – that is, from above. It’s your own personal view of your bump and it is easy to photograph with your smartphone. This way, you can still look back on this special time many years later.
DIY pregnancy photos: turn your baby bump into a work of art
There are no limits to your creativity with this photo idea. With non-toxic finger paints or make-up, you can transform your belly into a work of art. Every baby bump photo is sure to be a unique eye-catcher, whether you want to write a cute saying, paint a funny figure or a beautiful pattern on your stomach. Simply grab your favourite colours and get started!
Your pregnancy photo album highlight: a professional maternity shoot
A lot of couples decide to have a professional baby bump photo shoot. The right time for this depends on how big your baby bump is and how you are feeling . Generally, the period between the 29th and 36th week of pregnancy is suitable. By then, your bump will be nicely filled out and rounded and you'll still feel great.
It's best if you make an appointment with the photographer beforehand. This way you can get to know each other, discuss your ideas and check out your possibilities at the location. The pictures will be particularly beautiful if you include your partner and any children you may already have. This is a lovely way to create lasting memories.
You can also plan a photo shoot with a photographer after giving birth to match your pregnancy photos and capture the first moments with your little angel. Some great ideas for a photoshoot with your baby include:
On a bed of flowers
A seasonal theme
A photoshoot with the whole family
It looks particularly sweet if you dress your baby in a cute outfit that is neutral and doesn't draw attention away from your baby.
Pregnancy journalling: record your pregnancy memories in writing
A scrapbook combines the advantages of a diary with those of a simple photo book and creates a completely new form in which you can express your feelings and experiences. You can collect and record everything that has moved you during your pregnancy in your scrapbook such as new experiences you have had and things you never want to forget. Below you will find some ideas for your pregnancy scrapbook.
A dedicated page for every week of pregnancy: news and highlights
Create a separate page in your scrapbook for each week of pregnancy. It's great if you record information about your baby's development and your own experiences. For example, make a note of how big your baby is, the size of your bump and the highlights you experienced during this week of your pregnancy. You can also add snapshots or other reminders such as tickets or shopping lists to personalise each page.
A theme page for deep thoughts and memories
Alongside recording the weekly developments of your pregnancy, you can also create various themed pages. But don’t worry about finishing any one page right away. Sometimes it is worth leaving a bit of space to add new experiences and thoughts later on.
The following ideas are particularly suitable as theme pages:
When I found out about you…Dedicate a page in your pregnancy scrapbook to the day you found out about the wonderful news. How did you feel? How did you tell your partner about it? How did your family react? This is also a good place to add a photo of your positive pregnancy test.
The perfect nursery: Next to creative design ideas for your baby’s nursery, you can also save sketches or colour swatches. Don’t forget to leave space for photos of the renovation work and the finished nursery.
Our list of names: During your pregnancy, you and your partner may give a lot of thought to baby names that you like. Write down the names that you like the most. Your child will find this quite exciting later on!
My birth plan: Make a birth plan in which you can make a note of everything that is important to you. In which hospital would you like your baby to be born in and how would you like to give birth? This is also a good place to save your checklist for your hospital bag. Make sure to leave enough room to add these details later on.
My pregnancy favourites: Make a note of your favourite songs, food or sweets during pregnancy. You can look back on this and see whether your taste has changed over the course of your pregnancy!
Our first baby clothes recommendations: a special highlight during pregnancy is buying cute baby clothes for your little treasure. Keep a record of which shoes, rompers, underwear and jumpers you have chosen for your baby so that you will always remember them.
A lot of apps and websites offer weekly updates on the development of your baby. The information on size and weight are merely average values but they give you a good idea of what is going on inside your tummy.
DIY craft ideas for your pregnancy keepsakes
If you enjoy crafting and would like to create some more mementos of your pregnancy in addition to your beautiful baby bump photos, you'll find some ideas in this section. We'll show you how you can record your pregnancy with personalised keepsakes.
Pregnancy journal: a plaster mould of your bump
You can capture the shape of your baby bump easily with a papier-mâché or plaster cast. It is particularly worthwhile to do this in the last trimester of your pregnancy. It can also be a cute way of documenting the progress of your pregnancy if you make a mould of your baby bump for each trimester. You can then individualise the finished mould by adding paint and designs to it. For example, you could place a copy of your ultrasound image on it or put your handprints on it.
Ultrasound images are usually printed on thermal paper, so don’t try to laminate them. They may also fade over time. So make a digital copy of the ultrasound image right away. This way you can print it out time after time and never lose it.
Pregnancy journal: make a memory box
If you are looking for an alternative or addition to you pregnancy scrapbook, where you can collect all your mementos in one place then you can make a box of memories. This is a great way to store the highlights of your pregnancy such as ultrasound pictures, photos, cards, completed checklists and milestone cards.
For your memory box, you can either paint a gift box in your favourite colour or you can decorate a storage container or a jewellery box just the way you like it. Either way, this box of keepsakes will not only be an eye-catcher but it will also be your little treasure chest.
Exchange letters with your partner or family
You could also compile a book of letters. You can record your thoughts and favourite moments of your pregnancy in this book. You can choose to either keep your letter book between only you and your partner or include the whole family. This way you can record different perspectives, well wishes and helpful thoughts.
The process is very simple. You write a letter to a family member or your partner and pass the book on to them. They write a reply and pass the book on to the next person. In no time at all, this little book will be filled with beautiful and very personal thoughts and memories of your pregnancy that you will certainly enjoy reading in years to come.
You can also write letters to your unborn child. In the letters you can write down everything that is important to you. Write to your child about the things you are looking forward to, what is on your mind and what wishes you have for them. You can read these letters together with your child later on.
Conclusion: record your pregnancy memories
Every pregnancy is unique and these fantastic moments are often forgotten far too quickly. Use this time while your baby bump is growing to creatively and lovingly record everything that is important to you. Your little family will have lots of fun remembering this exciting and wonderful time.
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The image sources in this text are in chronological order:
Cover photo & 1. Image in text: C&A
2. Image in text: iStock.com/Baltskars
3. Image in text: iStock.com/SanyaSM
4. & 5. Image in text: C&A
6. Image in text: iStock.com/Prostock-Studio