Essential Tips for Starting Your Pregnancy Journaling Journey

Introduction

After years of infertility I finally got pregnant! Yay!! I wanted to make sure I didn't forget a single moment. I'm going to be honest I didn't start it right away. I would make little notes in my phone of important things that happened but I didn't want to jinx my pregnancy. So I started filling in my journal in the second trimester.

I've never been big on journaling, ever. So if you are anything like me you probably have no clue where to start. That is where I come in. I have prompts and tools to help get you started on your pregnancy journey!

Getting Started with Pregnancy Journaling

You can start journaling whenever you want! This is your journey. For me, I waited until the second trimester. I still made little notes in my phone of important things, wrote a little about how I was feeling and such. Honestly if I am blessed enough to have another pregnancy I will start right away.

How do you want to journal? This is an important question. We live in a very digital world so do you want a digital app or book? Or are you a pen to paper kind of woman? For me I wanted it to also be a keepsake so I absolutely got a physical book. I still make notes in my phone because pregnancy brain is very real and I always have my phone.

How often are you going to journal? Be realistic with yourself! If you are chasing around other children, working full time, taking care of your home, etc you might not have time to journal every day or even every other day. I sure didn't! I put WAY too much pressure on myself in the beginning. It then became a chore instead of something I wanted to do. Then I got really real with myself. I set time aside every week to write in my journal. It has become something I actually look forward to again! And that is kind of the point isn't it?

Inspiring Prompts to Guide Your Entries

The nice thing about some of the pregnancy journals available is they give you some of the prompts! This was a lifesaver for me because I had no clue what I was doing. Obviously milestones are a given but what about the physical and emotional changes you are going through? Those are just as important.

Here are 25 prompts to get you started:

1. How did I feel the moment I found out I was pregnant?

2. What symptoms have surprised me the most so far?

3. What am I most excited about in this pregnancy?

4. What fears or worries am I holding onto right now?

5. How is my body changing, and how do I feel about those changes?

6. What has been the hardest part of being pregnant — emotionally or physically?

7. What is one thing I want my baby to know about me?

8. A letter to my baby: here’s what I hope for your life…

9. What cravings have I had lately, and what do they say about my mood?

10. How is my relationship growing or changing during pregnancy?

11. What does a perfect cozy day look like for me while pregnant?

12. What am I learning about myself during this journey?

13. What is one piece of advice I want to remember for future pregnancies?

14. My favorite pregnancy memories so far…

15. How I’m preparing my home for baby? (emotionally + practically)

16. What does my baby’s name mean to me?

17. The story behind how we chose the baby’s name.

18. What do I imagine my baby will look like, act like, or love?

19. What’s something my blue-collar husband has done that made me feel supported?

20. What is my current routine, and how is pregnancy shaping it?

21. What small joys am I finding in this season?

22. What do I want to remember about this trimester forever?

23. How am I preparing mentally for labor and delivery?

24. What traditions do I want to start as a family?

25. A letter to my future self on the day I give birth.

Exploring Premade vs Homemade Pregnancy Planners and Journals

Homemade journals give you the most freedom. You can do bullet journals, digital, changes in all the colors, and do all the cool word art. As much as I would LOVE to be able to do all the cool things with homemade journals I just don't have the time, patience, or skills for it. If you do great!

Regardless of digital or printed; premade pregnancy journals and planners can be helpful. They already have calendars, trimesters, medical information, and places to put pictures. I would have never thought of including pictures had it not been for these journals! This doesn't mean you can't still personalize these journals.

Here are some fun ways to personalize your journal, no matter which journal you choose:

• Start each entry with a prompt (like the ones above!)

• Pictures! All the pictures.

  • Bump log

  • Ultrasound prints

  • Wristbands from different appointments

  • Gender reveal invites/baby shower invites

• Letters to your baby - regardless of how long or short

• Add custom sections like cravings, name considerations, mood tracking, favorite baby kick moments

• Stickers, doodles, washi tape

• Document the little things: first time you heard baby's heartbeat, first movement (how did it feel?), the first thing you bought the baby, etc

• Quotes or affirmations

• Dedication pages: who was there for you during these moments. Let them write notes or predictions or words of wisdom and add it in!

• Birth story: what is your plan and how did it pan out? The first skin to skin, who all was there, the emotions, etc

Chose an option that works best for you and your journey! After all this is all about you and your pregnancy!

Essential Supplies for Pregnancy Journaling

• Choosing a quality journal or notebook with durable paper.

- Ensures longevity and pleasing writing experience.

• Pens and markers: importance of smooth writing and color coding.

- Using colors can help organize entries or highlight moods.

• Use of stickers, washi tape, and decorative elements.

- Adds creativity and personal touch, making journaling more fun.

• Optional supplies: camera or smartphone for photos, scanner for digital backups.

- Preserves visual memories alongside written ones.

• Storage solutions to keep the journal safe and accessible.

- Consider folders, boxes, or dedicated shelves.

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

I could make an entire post just about supplies! There are SO MANY! I am just going to give you the most basic of supplies: a journal, writing tools, and ways to add pictures.

• The Journal itself. You want something high quality regardless if you are making it yourself or getting a premade one. After all you want this to last. A hard back and thicker paper will definitely make it last longer. Check out this simple journal here

• Writing supplies. Sure you can use regular pens, you know whichever one you grab off your desk. Or you can use more fancy options with different colors. Personally for me I really like this calligraphy marker set. It has a fine tip on one end and an art brush on the other. This means I can add some fun doodles and word art (with my very limited skill set).

• Picture printers. You can obviously go to your local printer and get your pictures printed but I really like the HP Sprocket. It is bluetooth and prints on sticker paper which for me is a time saver. There is even a starter kit available which has additional paper and stickers.

Again this is the most basic of lists. It is just to get you started. When I started I started with a basic pen and journal and quickly upgraded my supplies.

If this inspired you, save this post and come back tonight when you have a quiet minute to write.

Happy Journaling!