Pregnancy Planners and Organizers

A pregnancy journal or planner is a great way to help keep you focused on pregnancy. Believe me, you think nine months is a long time when the pregnancy test turns positive, but before you know it, the months have flown by and you feel very rushed to get things done. In this respect, the organizer part can be very helpful in keeping you on track. 

The journaling aspect is also wonderful. While you may want a lot of open space to write notes to your baby and remember parts of pregnancy, you might also want less. There isn't one perfect journal for everyone.

The Mother of All Pregnancy Organizers

The Mother of All Pregnancy Organizers
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Ann Douglas, the author of The Mother of All Pregnancy Books and more, is behind this gem of a pregnancy organizer. It's a compact 5 1/2" x 7" size may fool you but it's great for carrying in your purse or bag to keep with you as you need info or have info to write down, like numbers from your prenatal appointments.

However, if you're familiar with Douglas' style, you know she's down to earth, factual, and friendly. One mother said it was like having her best friend in her pocket.

This handy organizer has spaces for all of your basic pregnancy information but also has some practical things on planning for a childbirth class, building your nursery, and keeping track of baby names and gifts.

The What to Expect Pregnancy Journal & Organizer

The What to Expect Pregnancy Journal & Organizer
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If you are familiar with the What to Expect When You're Expecting books, this will be a walk in the park as you'll be familiar with the style and tone of these books. This one is no different.

You will be able to track information from your appointments, like weight changes, medications, and test results. You will also have a small square for journaling to write your thoughts and feelings down.

If you need more space, you can use the backs of other pages or add post-it notes to the pages. This makes it great for people who don't have a lot to say or don't wish to write a lot in the pages. It can also be a great memory book to look back on or to reference in future pregnancies.

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

The Belly Book: A Nine-Month Journal for You and Your Growing Belly
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If you are looking for a fun and humorous book, this is a great option.

There are many checkbox lists for you to describe how you are feeling or how you perceive the baby is developing, also with a dash of humor. Some mothers love the space for a weekly pregnancy picture, even if it serves only as a prompt to take the photo. You can also add other photos like those of ultrasounds, etc.

This book has also been noted as appropriate for unmarried people if the term husband is one you'd prefer to avoid.

The Ultimate Pregnancy Journal

The Ultimate Pregnancy Journal
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The Ultimate Pregnancy Journal is a combination journal and pregnancy sticker calendar. There are stickers to mark special occasions, 16 spots for photos, and many, many questions to answer to help you remember the details of your pregnancy. There is also a spot to keep things like baby shower invites, birth announcements and more.

This journal starts at the moment you decide to get pregnant and will carry you all the way until your baby joins you.

Expecting You: A Keepsake Pregnancy Journal

Expecting You: A Keepsake Pregnancy Journal
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If you really, really want a lot of journaling space and not much else, this book is probably your best choice. There are 9 months of chapters that include prompts to fill out as you go through pregnancy. This covers how you are feeling, how you are preparing, and other typical questions you might ask yourself at that point in pregnancy. The books do this without being too sappy.

This book is also big enough to add your own photos to it if that is what you're looking for in a journal.

The Pregnancy Journal: A Day-to-Day Guide to a Healthy and Happy Pregnancy

The Pregnancy Journal: A Day-to-Day Guide to a Healthy and Happy Pregnancy
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This day-by-day feature is a great way to experience a tiny bit of pregnancy every day. Many said that they used it as a way to connect with their partner often around the pregnancy.

There are prompts to answer to help you remember the minute details of pregnancy and to prompt you with other questions to ask. There is plenty of room to paste information or photos of you and baby inside. 

From Pea to Pumpkin: A Pregnancy Journal

From Pea to Pumpkin: A Pregnancy Journal
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If you are a fan of the weekly fruits and vegetables, this book will feel really familiar. Each week you're given a fruit or vegetable to read about in a beautiful watercolor graphics.

There are many easy to fill in prompts about your pregnancy, a ribbon to help you always find your place, and even nine spots for you to add photos or ultrasounds.

The Nine: Pregnancy Countdown Journal

The Nine: Pregnancy Countdown Journal
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This pregnancy journal is certainly one for the mother who considers herself to be hip and happening. It is also perfect for someone who wants to record the basics, but not spend a lot of time journaling.

There are a lot of checkboxes contained within the pages of this journal. This is done in a week by week format. There are some questions that surprised some users, like questions about their sex life.

When We Became Three: A Memory Book for the Modern Family

When We Became Three: A Memory Book for the Modern Family
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This book is more about after the baby is born, but focuses more on the family than simply the milestones of walking, talking, and teeth.

There is an area for both parents to talk about their thoughts and feelings on the journey to becoming a parent. This book is noted for making this an easy task.

My Twin Pregnancy Week by Week: The Ultimate Planner for Moms Expecting Twins

My Twin Pregnancy Week by Week: The Ultimate Planner for Moms Expecting Twins
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A twin pregnancy is different in so many ways. It's more than simply saying - you will do this milestone sooner, or twice. So this planner was made with the twin mom in mind. This has additional space for more prenatal visits as twin moms get to go more often.

It also talks about how different nutritional needs are and also it includes charts to help keep track of which baby ate what and did what in their diapers. The master list of everything you need to do before baby is also a bonus.

The Bottom Line

Remember, there is no one perfect planner. There will also be a question that you do a double-take on or wonder why it was included. It's okay to skip some questions or to leave photo spots blank, everyone has different needs. Do what works for you.

By Robin Elise Weiss, PhD, MPH
Robin Elise Weiss, PhD, MPH is a professor, author, childbirth and postpartum educator, certified doula, and lactation counselor.