One eternal truth about becoming a mom or dad is that there are certain moments that you will never ever forget: when you both looked at the positive pregnancy test, the first time you see your baby on the ultrasound, the first time you hear the heartbeat, the first kick, the way your baby reacts to you in the womb and when you can “touch” him or her from the outside and feel a foot, the back or the head. Although nothing beats the moment you hear your little munchkin’s first cry after delivery and get to see and hold your baby. This second is when you transform from being just you to being mom or dad – the best job position you will ever hold in your life and one you will never retire from.
And while you do not need to conserve the feelings you felt in those moments, as they will be engrained in you forever, there are some things worth conserving for the future. When I learned about our baby, I started a diary that covers our daughter’s story, from when she was a little womby, a.k.a. a belly inhabitant, and will stretch over her first year with us. When she turns 18, she will get it as a nice piece of personal history, as she will obviously have no conscious memory of that time. Thereby, she can learn how she looked on her ultrasounds, about her birth and all the important milestones in her early life. My mom did this for me and later for my brother, when we were born and throughout the first year. There are plenty of cute books available that guide you through the writing of such a diary; alternatively, get a nice book with plenty of empty pages to fill. I chose the latter, as I am better with writing freely than following a specific red line. And no worries, you do not need to make this a daily commitment, which – let’s face it – you will probably anyhow not manage with a little mini-me to look after. But it’s a great way to preserve all those “firsts” that happen, like her first walk in the park, the first growth spurt, the first tooth, etc. and – yes – even a short recap of the first rough night.
Diary recommendations
- Suggestion for a book with empty pages for letting your own creativity define the outcome, click here.
- Suggestion for a book that allows you to follow a narrative to make sure you capture all the important milestones, memories and moments of your pregnancy and your baby’s first achievements, click here. by Fabula Mundi.