Pregnancy is a wonderful, exciting and sometimes scary journey. Want to keep this time fresh in your memory? Or just keep information about events that occurred during this time? Document the journey in a pregnancy journal.
How to Journal Your Pregnancy
The reasons for journaling during pregnancy are many. Keep notes on nutrition and changes such as weight, mood and whether you were upset or not is important information not only for you, but for your doctor as well.
Tips for Journaling
Here are some common journaling tips that can be applied to your pregnancy journal.
-Start each day by journaling your feelings and thoughts about the pregnancy.
-Journaling at approximately the same time each day can help you maintain the journal.
-Writing the date and time of each journal entry is important. It helps keep the journal and activities such as nutrition and weight organized. If it’s well organized, it will be easier to relay that information to the doctor.
-A common journaling prompt is the phrase, “I remember . . . ” Use this phrase to start an entry if you get caught up or can’t figure out what to write.
Make Your Own or Buy a Journal
You have two main choices when choosing a journal. You can make your own journal through a variety of techniques or you can obtain a store-bought journal. Either way is acceptable because it is a personal choice when choosing a journal.
Make Your Own Journal
Making your own journal gives a personal touch to your journal. You can decorate it just about anyway you’d like to and you can even add things that some other journals might not have such as a place for pictures. Think of it more as a scrapbook and journal together.
There are kits available at most craft stores to make your own journal. But really all you need for a simple journal is paper and something to fasten them together such as glue, staples or a binding strip such as they use in notebooks and other journals. The easiest is stapling the pages together if you’d like to fasten them permanently. But the downside to this method is that you can’t add any new pages without first ripping out the staples.
Try using a binder and then adding pages as you go. You can decorate the front and back of the binder. Even the inside of the binder can be decorated. Most office supply stores sell binders at discounted prices.
You could use blank or notebook paper. Invest in a three-hole paper punch and you could use just about any paper that will fit inside your binder. Use pretty, festive paper for any holidays that might occur while you are pregnant.
There are so many options for making your own journal. Just explore these options and get the creative juices flowing. Ask your local craft store for other ideas and options. They may also give some very good advice.
Buying a Journal
If you don’t feel like making your own journal, there are many good journals that you could buy. You could go the cheapest, easiest route and just buy a notebook. There are many different sizes of journals too. Think about what size you’d like to have. Would you like to carry the notebook everywhere you go? If so, then think about buying a smaller pocket sized journal. That way it’s easier to carry around with you.
Other Journaling Supplies
You need a good pen, one that writes fast and is comfortable for your hand. You don’t have to spend a fortune though on a pen. Buy one that can be refilled so that it can be reused over and over.
You might want a book light to fasten to your journal. This allows you to write at night or in places where the lighting may be poor. You can find these in your favorite book store or at most department stores.
Continuing the Journal Once the Event Happens
The birth of the baby doesn’t mean that your journaling has to stop. You can continue the journaling process. You may want to continue in the same journal. Or perhaps you might consider starting a new one. Just follow the same procedure for journaling during your pregnancy. Find a notebook or journal that speaks to you, that fits you. Journaling brings together your ideas and thoughts. It can help you through mixed feelings and emotional events. It can help you remember things that you might want to tell your children when they are older. There is so much that can be found from journaling. Journaling is a rewarding experience.
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