When you have a baby you want to record and preserve as many things as you can. Babies grow so quick it is nice to have some type of book to keep the memories in. Scrapbooking is a good way to keep records of the important dates in your baby’s life and also to write down memories that you don’t want to forget. Making a baby book or scrapbook can be easy. Your baby grows so fast there are plenty of opportunities to take pictures. Your baby is also being shown so many firsts that it should not be hard to make a wonderful scrapbook of your baby.

Choosing your album to record these memories should be one of the first things you do. You will want to choose one with plenty of pages for journaling and pictures. You can use a traditional baby book but you could be limited on space on what you can record in these books. It is best to find one that is blank so that you can record all the facts that you want.

Things to consider adding into your baby scrapbook will include:
    When you found out you were expecting your baby. Journaling is great for this one; add the date and your feelings. Include a picture of you at the very beginning of your pregnancy.
    Include dates of your Dr. appointments. Record your weight and feelings at the appointment. Add any ultrasound pictures you may have taken.
    Take a lot of pictures of your growing belly. If you can then take them in the same place in the same pose. This will show exactly how much you grow in those 9 months.
    If you had a baby shower include the invitation and the guest list. Along with pictures of the refreshments served and the guests that attended.
    Record any nicknames you may call the baby already.
    You will also want to record the first kicks and movements you feel.
    Write down any names you may be thinking about naming your baby whether or not you know the sex or you name them any of those names.
    Take pictures of going to the hospital if you can. Sometimes in labor it is easy to forget. If not at least get a picture of the hospital your baby is born at.
    Don’t worry about how you look during labor. It is the memories that are important.
    Take pictures of your delivery room and the staff that is helping you. Include notes from the staff in journaling pages if you can.
    When the baby is born take pictures of the staff weighing and measuring your new baby add these statistics in a journaling box.
    Make sure you get a picture of the delivering doctor and staff with your newborn.
    You can then include the hospital bracelets that you all wore into the baby book.
    Add cards and pictures of any flowers or balloon bouquets you received while in the hospital.
    Record the day you brought your baby home. Including the trip home, the weather, and if you stopped anywhere to show off your baby.
    Make a montage of pictures of the baby’s room. Include all the walls if you can to give a full view of where your baby will stay.
    Just as you took your picture in the same place while pregnant you will want to do the same thing for your new baby. This will show how they grow so fast. Take it on a monthly birthday so it is easier to remember.
    Record all firsts: Sleeping through the night, visitor, outing, rolling over, sitting up, crawling and standing up. There are many more and extras that may be important to you. Do these in journaling boxes. The more you journal in a baby book the more intimate the book will feel.

Take plenty of pictures and record anything you want. Make these recordings fun with lists or as a news headline. Let your imagination run wild. There is no right or wrong way to make your baby book. Just make it special for you and your baby for memories to share.

Posted by Don under Scrapbook Embellishments , Scrapbook Techniques on Mon 10 Mar 2008