5 Intentional Ways to Remember Your Pregnancy

Being pregnant is such a special and short time, even though it can feel like a long time. There are so many amazing things happening that you think you’ll always remember, but they do get lost if you don’t capture them along the way. Now, maybe this is a first-time-mom thing, but I really wanted to be intentional and try to document and do special things along the way. Today, I’d like to share five ideas for ways you can remember your pregnancy.

1. Photos: Weekly, Monthly, Maternity 

Progress/belly photos are fun to look at but for me, they weren’t much fun to take. I at first wanted to take weekly photos, but I was very sick for the first 18 weeks, so that quickly turned into monthly photos. Even that was hard for me to remember to do. Some moms get really into this idea with different sayings, themes, or comparisons. Any photos you can take to show progress will be fun for your little one to see and for you to compare your tummy to future children.

Another photo idea is maternity photos. I hired a professional photographer to take photos of me, my bump, and hubby at 37 weeks. I LOVE to look at these photos to remember my pregnancy. They also made great gifts for grandparents before my baby was born!

Photo credit: Portraits by Jeanna in North Liberty, Location: Wilson’s Orchard

2. Make a baby blanket 

Before we were even pregnant, I bought gray and white variegated yarn, knowing I wanted to crochet a baby blanket for our firstborn. I really enjoyed relaxing at night with my husband and crocheting a couple rows while we watched TV. I would get lost in my head dreaming about our baby and thinking about if it was a boy or girl, who it would become, how much our lives would change, etc. Plus, we can use the blanket and always know mommy made that with love just for her! If crochet isn’t your thing, you can sew, quilt, knit, or even do a no-sew option. 

3. Memory book 

I wanted to do something with all the photos I was taking. I also wanted to remember all the little moments, like cravings and when I first felt her kick, to the big moment–my labor story. When I first found out we were pregnant, I started a book on Shutterfly and would add photos and update it about once a month. It was so much easier and less overwhelming to do it during the pregnancy. Best of all,  I’ve had her baby book done and able to look at since she was two months old! You can also scrapbook where you manually write everything in and jazz up pages with stickers and photos. These make great shower gifts for new moms!

Pages from Brookie’s baby book.

4. Pick a scent 

My friend mentioned she did this for each of her four children, and I thought it was the sweetest idea. When I was pregnant the lilacs were blooming, which made me so happy. Once they were done blooming, I found some lilac candles and bought those and a lilac lotion. Smelling is often an overlooked sense, but as pregnant women, we know how much smell can affect our moods or even trigger memories. Schedule time to think about what scents you enjoy or that are seasonal to your pregnancy–pumpkin, evergreen, lilac, etc. Have fun figuring out ways you can enjoy that scent your entire pregnancy and beyond!

5. Have a shower 

So many people want to share in the joy of a new baby, and showers are a fun way to do that. Hopefully, if this is your first, someone is wanting to throw a shower for you. It doesn’t have to be fancy or over the top–just a way to get some essentials and be excited about your new addition.

My shower was book themed. We asked guests to bring a book, not a card, and to write a message in it. Today, I enjoy reading books to her, including the note the giver wrote, and then telling her a little bit about the person who gave it.  

For our guest book we had guests pick a letter and draw/color a picture that goes with that letter. After the shower, I had all the pages bound into a book that is in her nursery. What better way to learn your ABCs then from a book created by your village?

Doing these things during my pregnancy not only felt more intentional, but it also gave me so much more gratitude. I’m looking forward to the day that my daughter asks me about before she was born or what I remember and I can share these things with her. Even today, I often find myself looking back at my pregnancy like it was years ago, when really it was only seven months!

I would love to hear the creative ways YOU remember your pregnancies! Leave me a comment below.


 

Mandy
Mandy welcomed her Rainbow Baby, Brooke Lynn, October 2016 and has been enjoying all that motherhood has to offer since. A North Liberty native, Mandy has spent almost her entire life in the Corridor. She took a brief hiatus and lived in Chicago for 5 years where she met her fun-loving husband, Tom. For work, Mandy is building a Corporate Innovation program to give Iowa businesses the tools they need to digest and implement new concepts. She recently named her passion for helping others by founding Huddle Line, a side hustle consulting company that works with local businesses to create unique game plans to achieve their goals. Mandy loves to spend time with loved ones, play and watch sports, hours of euchre, crochet, and bonfires. 2 things that will always win Mandy over? Cupcakes & corny jokes

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