A baby book is a book in which you can record memories about your pregnancy and the growth and development of your baby. They are common shower gifts, especially for first time moms who may want to chronicle every detail about a new baby, and dates when special milestones were reached, like first word, first crawl, or first laugh. Often the baby book has specially designated areas for writing about “firsts” or for pasting pictures. Any journal can function as a baby book, too, and might be better for the mom who wants to record memories in her own way about her new baby. There’s also a number of Internet baby book sites that allow one to keep Internet records of a baby’s development.
Some moms find that the baby book is a neat idea but is difficult to maintain after a while. Things like filling in family trees, or keeping track of every detail of baby’s life may be time consuming and detract from the actual care a baby requires. Other moms love the baby book as it gives them a chance to think about the progress their child is making. A well-kept baby book can also be a lifesaver when children go to school and might need to answer questions about when they first walked, or what their first present was. In addition to school assignments that might require a mom or dad to draw on their memory about “firsts,” children are usually quite curious about when they reached milestones. In these cases, having a completed baby book can be a big help.
Some moms feel that they do an excellent job of keeping a baby book for their first child, but with subsequent children, there simply isn’t enough time in the day to fill out baby books. It might help to write down a few “firsts” in a simple journal, since most children are curious about what they were like when they were very young.
For busy or working moms, it might also help to purchase a small journal that is more free form than the usual baby book. Then the mom can record random thoughts without having to paste pictures of first baths, or cutest outfits. Some baby books tend to guide the parent through the process of parenting, telling them exactly what they should record. These may suit some parents, but others may appreciate a more free form style.
A baby book can range in price from about 10-50 US dollars (USD). Good quality books can usually be purchased for about 20 USD. If a mom is expecting a child with disabilities, avoid purchasing a baby book unless it’s a specific request of the mother. Guided books with lots of instructions may make the mother feel badly that certain developmental milestones may never be reached. Instead, a blank journal where the mom can record her own thoughts is a better idea, since it won’t prompt a mother to consider the things her child cannot do.
