Whether a pregnancy was unplanned or highly hoped for, it can be easy to become overwhelmed by the whirlwind of checklists and to-do’s from the first trimester through delivery; without taking the time to cherish, document, and savor this sweet period of time. The most important factor in switching one’s mindset, is to embrace this nine month journey as a blessing; and though life-changing, the changes this child will bring will include joy, hope, and love that will fill a life more immensely then can even be fully understood until one experiences it personally. Though the belly grows externally for all to see, pregnancy is a very intimate experience; one that requires internal growth and strength.
Let us encourage you to embrace this time and actively choose to cherish each stage and milestone while they last; because truly the days are long but the weeks go fast. Despite the morning sickness, swelling, and mood swings; you will eventually find yourself missing the sweet intimate moments of pregnancy, but thankful for any documentation you have to reminisce upon.
One of the most popular forms of documentation, due to its ease and effectiveness in capturing each phase; is to simply create a culmination of bump progress pictures. Whether you choose to take these once a week, or every couple weeks using your camera to capture the stages of your ever growing belly will serve as a sweet visual collage that follows your journey.
A more intentional form of documentation is to create a pregnancy journal, here you can recall your experiences from the time the stick turned pink all the way through your birth story. The beauty of this method is that you’re able to make it unique to your aesthetic and include any details you want to remember. From symptom changes through the trimesters, the craziest cravings, or adding ultrasound pictures and recalling the feelings from each appointment, this journal will serve as a sweet and intimate capsule, sure to elicit all the love and sentimental emotions.
With the ease and accessibility of modern technology, even capturing babies kicks and hiccups on video is easy, and even if they’re not beautifully organized in an Instagram worthy collage, having your phones photo app full of random moments and milestones captured on photo or video will serve as a sweet reminder to scroll through and reminisce.
Regardless of your chosen method, we urge you to make the most of this chapter, and while taking it all in moment by moment, try to document your journey in a way that is personal, special, and realistic for you. We promise you’ll be thankful you can cherish such moments and milestones for years to come.