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If there’s ever a time in your life where you change and evolve drastically, it’s during the pregnancy and postpartum periods.

Each week and each month bring about so many unique thoughts, feelings, emotions, and physical evolutions that it can feel almost overwhelming to keep everything bottled up inside.

That’s why so many expecting parents choose to keep a journal throughout pregnancy. Journaling can be a wonderful way to keep a record of all the experiences you’re going through (both the amazing and anxiety-inducing) and your hopes and dreams for life with your child.

A pregnancy journal is a diary that you keep during the course of your pregnancy to detail your experiences, emotions, milestones, and memories.

From the excitement leading up to your first ultrasound to the nervousness you feel as you inch closer to your due date, it’s a place for you to share everything you’re feeling.

A pregnancy journal not only can become a keepsake for you and your family to look back on for years to come, but it can also be a wonderful way for you to manage the plethora of emotions you may feel over the course of your pregnancy.

It’s completely up to you whether you choose to keep a pregnancy journal. The decision is a personal one. However, it’s always easier to start a journal and stop along the way than look back at your 9-month journey and wish you had!

And, if you’re seeking additional tips and week-by-week guidance throughout your pregnancy, sign up for our I’m Expecting newsletter.

To create this list of pregnancy journals, we reached out to expectant and new parents to find out which journals they used to document their pregnancy journey.

We also factored in customer ratings and reviews to see what users loved most about their journals and what they thought was missing.

Price guide

  • $ = under $15
  • $$ = $15–$30
  • $$$ = over $30

Best hand-drawn illustrations

As You Grow: A Modern Memory Book for Baby

Price: $$$

The modern, timeless, and gender-neutral design of this memory book and journal is one of the reasons why it’s so popular among those who are expecting. It guides you through pregnancy, birth, and all the way through year 5 of your child’s life with sections full of gorgeous, artistic designs.

You can personalize it any way you like, and the spiral binding allows you to remove certain pages that may not apply to you (i.e. certain holidays) with ease.

It’s worth noting, however, that many pages in this book reference the two parents as a unit, so it may not be ideal for single parents.

Pros

  • It includes hand-drawn illustrations.
  • The journal includes pockets to safely store keepsakes.
  • It has a quality linen cover and thick pages.

Cons

  • It’s difficult to remove pages you don’t want to use.
  • It’s designed for couples, and may not be the best pick for single parents.
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Most customizable

Pregnancy Journal: My Nine Month Journey

Price: $$

This pregnancy journal offers plenty of space to write your most intimate feelings as an expectant parent, as well as document some of your most special moments (like ultrasound photos and bump dates) along your 9-month journey, making it a great pick for anyone who’s pregnant.

The journal prompts you to get creative with your train of thoughts through a myriad of questions including how you found out you were expecting, who you first told the news to, and more. It also includes fruit and veggie size comparisons of your growing baby along the way.

Pros

  • This journal isn’t too gender specific.
  • It makes keeping track of progress and milestones easier.
  • It has places for pictures each step of the way.

Cons

  • Some reviewers wish it had more room for detail.
  • Reviewers note that the text throughout has a few typos.
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Best spiral-bound

My Pregnancy Journal from Pearhead

Price: $$

If you’re looking for fewer prompts and more free space to express your thoughts and feelings throughout pregnancy, this is the journal for you.

This journal has 74 pages that are broken down into sections where you can write specific details about your pregnancy, including how you shared your special news and your first prenatal visit. There are even places to include some of your favorite pregnancy photos, such as your sonograms and bump dates.

Pros

  • It’s spiral-bound and includes 74 labeled and tabbed pages.
  • You can buy it in a variety of color schemes.
  • Each section highlights a new trimester or important milestone.

Cons

  • Some reviewers say that there’s not enough space to write things down.
  • A handful of reviewers note that the sections felt repetitive at times.
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Most awards

Bump to Birthday, Pregnancy & First Year Baby Journal

Price: $$

This journal is a hit with moms from all over the world, and it’s easy to see why. It not only guides you through each week of pregnancy (starting from week 9), but it also continues all the way through your child’s first birthday, prompting you to record special milestones like your baby’s birth, first smile, first steps, and more.

It’s received several awards, including being deemed an international best-seller, Gold at the Independent Publisher Book Awards 2014, and Winner at the Loved by Parents Awards 2012.

It’s worth noting that there are many references to “father” or “daddy,” so certain same-sex couples may find it limiting, and single parents may not like it as much, either.

Pros

  • It’s received many accolades.
  • The book is high quality and will hold up for years.
  • There’s a limited amount of free space for blank journaling, which may appeal to parents who don’t want to be promptless, or who aren’t sure how to fill space.

Cons

  • The book isn’t designed for same-sex couples or single parents.
  • Some reviewers complain it has a lot of repetition.
  • It starts at week 9 of pregnancy.
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Most modern

The Belly Book: A Nine-Month Journal for You and Your Growing Belly

Price: $$

Written by beloved children’s books author Amy Krouse Rosenthal, this pregnancy journal is entirely devoted to your ever-changing bump.

It has some unique features, including a section of pages where you can put in photos of your growing belly to create a “time-lapse,” and prompts throughout to keep track of unique pregnancy experiences, like your prenatal visits and how you told your friends and family.

Pros

  • The book is organized by weeks, not months, which may make it easier to navigate.
  • It features clever and oftentimes funny wording.
  • It has pages where you can add photos of your growing baby bump.

Cons

  • It only goes up to 39 weeks.
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Best daily planner

Planning for Joy from Bloom Daily Planners

Price: $$$

If you’re less of a journaler and more of a planner, this is a great choice for you. In both monthly and weekly planner views, you can keep track of everything from your pregnancy plans to your medical stats, all the way up to your child’s first birthday.

There’s plenty of room to share special details and, as a fun bonus, there are two full pages of colorful stickers that you can scatter throughout.

Pros

  • This book allows you to keep daily notes, rather than weekly or monthly ones.
  • The tracking begins at week 4, which is earlier than many of the other options on our list that don’t start until week 7 or later.
  • It has a hard cover, which makes it more durable for storage.

Cons

  • Some reviewers say that the font is too light.
  • It doesn’t have storage pockets like other journals.
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Most affordable

40ish Weeks: A Pregnancy Journal

Price: $$

The adorable front cover of this whimsical pregnancy journal tells you most of what you’ll need to know about what it contains inside. Its casual nature offers just enough structure while giving you encouragement to explore your inner thoughts and feelings freely.

There are sections for you to share your important pregnancy photos and milestones, track your progress, and even a few extra pages in the back for baby shower guests to share some sweet sentiments.

Pros

  • It features fun, whimsical prompts.
  • It includes plenty of pages with lots of space for notes and jotting down thoughts or ideas.
  • It’s divided into three sections, one for each trimester.

Cons

  • While there’s a lot of space, some reviewers wish there were more spots for photos.
  • Some reviewers received products with certain pages ripped out.
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Best for dads-to-be

First-Time Dad Journal: Monthly Prompts and To-Dos for Pregnancy and Beyond

Price: $

Most pregnancy journals are designed with moms in mind, but this one caters to dads, which is refreshing. It provides explainers for major pregnancy milestones and allots spaces for dads to fill out information for each trimester.

Many dads who reviewed the journal appreciate that it prompts them to share their feelings and emotions about the becoming-a-dad experience, and that it has a host of writing prompts to foster thought and creativity.

The design is simple and straightforward, making this a great pregnancy journal for just about any expecting dad.

Pros

  • This book helps encourage dads-to-be to share their feelings and emotions.
  • It provides educational information about each trimester of pregnancy.
  • It’s easy to organize and curate.

Cons

  • There aren’t many places to add photos.
  • There isn’t much space for freestyle writing.
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Most classic

Expecting You

Price: $

This is the most classic-looking pregnancy journal that we came across in our research. It’s small, simple, full of open pages and provided prompts, and it even has a built-in bookmark so you can always easily find your spot.

This journal is more inclusive than many others on the market, so it’s a great choice for single moms who don’t want to constantly be reminded of their partner (or perhaps lack of one). It’s also good for same-sex couples, as there aren’t multiple references to “mommy and daddy.”

Pros

  • It’s great for single moms and same-sex couples.
  • It’s small, so you can easily pack it in your bag.
  • The journal includes inspiring quotes that can be a source of motivation.

Cons

  • It isn’t broken down by week.
  • Some reviewers find that the questions and prompts are repetitive.
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Best for adoptive parents

Promptly Adoption History Journal

Price: $$$

The overwhelming majority of pregnancy journals on the market cater to expecting parents who are carrying and are biologically related to their baby. This leaves out thousands of parents who adopt children each year.

That’s what makes this journal so special: It caters specifically to those on the adoption journey. It’s designed to capture each stage of the child’s life, including a family tree, and has several sections that prompt details about the adoption process itself, including the birth and the day the adoptive parents met the child for the first time.

We love that it encourages note-taking all the way up until your child’s 18th birthday.

Pros

  • It caters to adoptive parents and their unique experience.
  • It incorporates thoughtful prompts.
  • The journal encourages you to write down thoughts through your child’s 18th birthday.

Cons

  • It’s pricier than most pregnancy journals.
  • Most reviewers wish there was a section that covered the period before they welcomed their baby.
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Best for beyond babyhood

Chronicle Books Mom’s One Line a Day: A Five-Year Memory Book

Price: $$

If you’re looking for a journal that will help you keep track of more than just your baby’s first year, this could be the right journal for you. It incorporates enough space to include a thought, milestone, emotion, or experience on each day of your child’s first 5 years.

It doesn’t have as many prompts as other journals on our list. But busy parents may appreciate the small space dedicated to each day, as it takes some pressure off, while still providing the opportunity to share whatever is on their minds.

Pros

  • It tracks more than just your baby’s first year.
  • It’s not too large, so it’s easy to travel with.
  • It takes the pressure off parents who don’t want to write more than a sentence or two a day.

Cons

  • Some reviewers find that one line a day is too limiting.
  • A handful of reviewers say their journals arrived with scuffs and stains.
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Best for Black mothers

Expecting The Black Woman’s Pregnancy Diary

Price: $

This pregnancy journal was created and curated with Black mothers in mind.

It also provides plenty of organized pages that encourage parents to keep track of everything from major milestones to funny firsts.

The checklists are also useful, as well as the mom-to-be plans for the delivery and postpartum period.

While the cover features a black woman who is pregnant, a number of reviewers hoped there would be more inside, such as quotes from famous black women or other references to black culture. While they emphasized they still liked the product overall, they wished there were more elements specific to Black parents throughout.

Pros

  • It’s made for Black parents-to-be.
  • It prompts you to keep track of each stage of pregnancy.
  • The cover is soft but also very durable.

Cons

  • Some reviewers wish it had more space to share photos.
  • It’s not as lengthy as other pregnancy journals.
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When shopping for a pregnancy journal, it’s important to feel a connection to it — not only in terms of its design, but also with regards to how it curates information during your pregnancy.

For example, if you’re someone who likes to jot down notes on a daily basis when you’re expecting, you might want to shop for a journal that incorporates daily notes and not just weekly or monthly ones.

Additionally, if you’d like to include bump pictures or images from ultrasounds, you’ll want to look for a journal that has spaces for those, or a pocket in the back where you can store extras.

When should I start a pregnancy journal?

You can start your pregnancy journal whenever you feel comfortable. Some parents prefer to wait until they’re a few weeks into their pregnancy while others like to start one the moment they find out they’re expecting. There’s no right or wrong answer about when to start a pregnancy journal — do what’s best for you.

What should I write in my pregnancy journal?

You can jot down anything that you feel compelled to write in your pregnancy journal: your thoughts, feelings, symptoms, emotions, etc.

It can serve as a sounding board and way to process your feeling, or as more of a document so you remember what the pregnancy was like. It’s up to you to decide what makes the most sense and feels right.

Most expectant parents like to highlight key milestones, including the first time they feel their baby move or the details from certain ultrasounds.

Should my partner keep a pregnancy journal?

You can choose to keep a pregnancy journal together or opt to have separate pregnancy journals to track your individual experiences — the choice is up to you and your partner.

A pregnancy journal is a wonderful way to track your pregnancy and keep certain notes and photos that you might otherwise forget or neglect to do.

There’s no right or wrong way to track your pregnancy, but these journals often make the process easier and more streamlined.