Tips for documenting your pregnancy

Monica Reyes resides in Vancouver with her husband and neurotic dog. She’s also a soon-to-be first-time mom who is excited and terrified about her new life. Follow along as she shares her pregnancy journey.

Baby keepsakes are pretty common. I wrote about what I’ve made, but I've also been documenting my pregnancy process as well. Here are my pregnancy keepsakes:

Ultrasound pictures:

I have kept all my ultrasound photos. I love seeing the progress in the ultrasounds and how the baby was once just a tiny blip compared to my 20 week ultrasound where it looks like an actual tiny person growing inside of me. I didn’t opt for a 3D ultrasound, but I know many women who have loved the seeing the extra details of their baby.

Belly photos:

Since I was 15 weeks pregnant, I’ve done weekly belly photos. It’s always in the same spot, but for awhile I didn’t wear the same clothes. From 20 weeks onward I wear the same tank top and leggings. If I were to do it over again I would have used the same outfit from the beginning for consistency.

It’s amazing to see the change from 20 weeks to 25 weeks. During that time, I really popped and became very pregnant looking.

You can also have a sign showing how far along you are. You can get creative with the design and it adds a fun element to the photos.

Maternity photos:

I got a lot of questions asking if I was going to do maternity photos. I didn’t want to hire a professional because I wasn’t sure if I’d be comfortable enough with my pregnant body to have someone take photos of it. Later on, I thought I might regret not having the memory captured so I did some DIY maternity photos. My husband took the pictures and we brought a tripod so that he could be in some of the photos too. I’m glad I did it because the photos are a wonderful memory and will be a great addition to the baby photobook I plan on making.

Tip: If you do go the DIY route, it’s recommended to do your photos between 28-30 weeks when you’re at the optimal stage — you’re feeling at your best and your bump isn’t too small, but not so large that you’re uncomfortable.

Blogging:

I would say that writing here is another way I’ve been preserving my pregnancy journey. I’ve written the good and the not-so-good that portrays pregnancy in a more realistic manner.

Read more: Baby gifts through the generations >

Other ideas I’ve seen on the web for pregnancy keepsakes:

Maternity photobook:

Usually the photobook is all about the baby. I saw this maternity book and I love the idea. You can jot down a few sentences to capture how you felt during the week and it makes for a nice album for your child to look through when they’re older. I only became curious about my mom’s pregnancy when I became pregnant. So when I asked about her pregnancy, she couldn’t remember much. Only a few memories stand out for her, like how she thought it was my full head at birth that made her belly so itchy during pregnancy.

Belly casting:

Have you ever wanted a replica of your big pregnant belly? If so, belly casting is for you. There are home kits so you can create a plaster cast of your bump. I’m not sure where you would display this, as it’s a bulky item, but a lot of women seem to like this idea.

Read more: How to turn baby things into baby keepsakes >

Do you have any pregnancy keepsakes?

Originally published in October 2013.