Pregnancy is a transformative journey that passes faster than you'd expect. Between doctor's appointments, baby preparations, and the daily experience of your changing body, it's easy to let moments slip by undocumented. A pregnancy journal preserves what you'll want to remember.
Why Keep a Pregnancy Journal?
For Yourself
Pregnancy brings an incredible range of emotions—joy, anxiety, wonder, frustration, love. Writing helps you process these feelings as they arise, creating space to experience them fully rather than pushing them aside.
For Your Child
Imagine giving your child a record of how much they were wanted, what you thought about during pregnancy, and the love that surrounded their arrival. A pregnancy journal becomes a meaningful gift.
For Memory
You think you'll remember the first kick, the cravings, the moment you chose the name. But details fade. Years later, your journal brings back specific moments with surprising clarity.
What to Record in Your Pregnancy Journal
Physical Experience
- How your body feels each week
- First movements and kicks
- Cravings and food aversions
- Energy levels and sleep quality
- How clothes fit (or don't)
- Physical symptoms and changes
Emotional Journey
- Your feelings about becoming a parent
- Hopes and fears
- How your relationship is changing
- Emotional ups and downs
- Moments of connection with your baby
Milestones
- Positive pregnancy test reaction
- First ultrasound
- Learning the sex (if you choose)
- Choosing a name
- Baby shower memories
- Setting up the nursery
- Feeling ready (or not ready!)
Practical Notes
- Doctor's appointment summaries
- Baby measurements and heartbeat
- Questions to ask at next visit
- Birth plan thoughts
- Nursery ideas and decisions
Pregnancy Journal Prompts by Trimester
First Trimester
- How did I find out I was pregnant?
- Who did I tell first, and how?
- What are my first hopes for this baby?
- How has my body surprised me so far?
- What am I most nervous about?
- What kind of parent do I want to be?
Second Trimester
- When did I first feel the baby move?
- What do I imagine my baby looks like?
- How is our relationship preparing for this change?
- What baby names are we considering?
- What am I enjoying about pregnancy right now?
- What do I want my child to know about this time?
Third Trimester
- What am I doing to prepare for birth?
- What wisdom have others shared with me?
- How do I feel about the upcoming labor?
- What does the nursery look like?
- What am I most excited about?
- A letter to my baby before we meet
Voice Journaling During Pregnancy
Voice journaling is particularly valuable during pregnancy:
- Low energy days: When fatigue or nausea makes typing difficult, speaking is easier
- Capture emotion: Your voice carries the feelings that words on a page can't
- Hands-free: Record while resting, walking, or during commutes
- Real-time moments: Describe the baby kicking as it happens
There's something special about having recordings of your voice during pregnancy—talking to your baby before they arrived, describing the anticipation, sharing your hopes. These become treasures.
Privacy Matters
A pregnancy journal often contains deeply personal content: health concerns, relationship dynamics, fears you haven't shared with anyone, medical details. This isn't content you want accessible to app developers, advertisers, or anyone else.
Choose a journaling app that respects your privacy with real encryption, not just promises. Your pregnancy journey is yours alone to share.
Including Your Partner
If you have a partner, consider having them contribute entries too. Their perspective during pregnancy is also worth preserving:
- Their feelings watching you change
- How they're preparing for parenthood
- Moments that moved them
- Their own fears and hopes
This creates a fuller picture of the journey and a meaningful record for your child.
Handling Difficult Moments
Not every pregnancy experience is joyful. Your journal is a safe space for:
- Anxiety about the pregnancy
- Complicated feelings about body changes
- Relationship tensions
- Health concerns or scares
- Ambivalent feelings that feel "wrong" to have
These entries are often the most valuable for processing. You don't have to share them with anyone, not even your child someday. They're for you.
Building a Habit
Weekly Check-Ins
Set a weekly reminder to journal—perhaps every Sunday evening. Write about the past week of pregnancy, how you're feeling, and any milestones.
After Appointments
Record your thoughts and feelings after each doctor visit while they're fresh. What did you learn? How did you feel seeing the ultrasound?
Milestone Moments
Some moments deserve immediate capture: the first kick, the gender reveal, the moment you finished the nursery. Don't wait—record when it happens.
Beyond Pregnancy
Many mothers continue journaling after birth, documenting the newborn phase, first milestones, and the transition to motherhood. Your pregnancy journal can become the first chapter of a longer story.
Start Today
Wherever you are in your pregnancy, this is the perfect time to begin. You don't need to backfill every week you've missed—just start from today. Record how you're feeling right now, what's happening in your body, and what you're looking forward to.