A Baby Book is a Keepsake your Child will Cherish Forever

Tips for Choosing the Best Baby Book

A baby book - also known as a baby memory book, baby keepsake book, baby record book or baby first year book- is a beautiful way to store a selection of your baby’s photos and record memories and milestones. It will become a family heirloom.

Here are some ideas and tips to help you select the best baby memory book.

Style

What style do you prefer? There are a few different styles to choose from.

You might prefer a traditional book which may be either book bound, spiral bound or loose-leaf.

Another option is a baby book scrapbook where the pages are protected behind protective plastic.

A baby first year calendar is another alternative. I guarantee you will find it very easy to record your baby’s milestone events in a baby first year calendar. A baby first year sticker calendar is even easier - just stick on a sticker when your baby starts rolling over, crawling etc.

Many parents find it useful to buy both a baby first year calendar and a book. You can use the calendar to record when your baby reaches different milestones and then transfer the dates to your book at a later date.

I personally love baby first year calendars!

Color

What color do you prefer? Do you like the idea of a gender specific color such as pink for a baby girl memory book or blue for a baby boy memory book.

Perhaps you would prefer a gender neutral color like pale yellow or green. Gender neutral books are also great for a baby shower gift!

Consider also whether you prefer pastel or bright colors and modern colors or antique colors.

Binding style

You can choose from the following binding styles: book bound, spiral bound or loose-leaf.

Book bound memory books have their pages sewn into the spine. When buying one, check that all the different sections and questions are relevant to your family to avoid having blank pages.

Spiral bound books are great because you can lay the pages flat when you write and the book will expand easily when you add keepsakes.

Loose-leaf books are either post bound or ring bound. Loose-leaf books allow you to remove pages if they are not relevant, add baby book pages or rearrange pages.

Cover

What type of book cover do you prefer? You can choose from a number of different options including fabric, paper or wood covered books, padded cover books, hard or soft cover books.

Some books have a die-cut recessed window or photo frame where you can insert a photo of your baby. Some books also have an elastic strap attached to the cover so you can keep the contents of the baby book contained.

Some books have different kinds of materials on the cover for example:

• Ribbon trim
• Buttons
• Embroidery

Design

What sorts of illustrations or art would you prefer on the cover and inside? Perhaps an illustration-free book appeals to you more?

There are so many different types of illustrations available that it will be easy to find one that suits your taste.

Here are a few examples:

• Baby carriage
• Train
• Rattle
• Onesie
• Block letters
• Vintage toys
• Photographs of babies eg. Anne Geddes
• Photographs of baby toys
• Victorian illustrations
• 50s illustrations
• Teddies
• Disney characters
• Animals
• Race neutral illustrations
• Contemporary graphics
• Children’s book characters such as Peter Rabbit and other Beatrix Potter characters, Winnie the Pooh, The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Eric Carle), Guess How Much I Love You

Poetry, rhymes and verses

Some books include poetry, quotes, rhymes or religious verses. Religious verses may not suit all families so check this before buying.

Text

What font is used for the text? Is it modern, classic or nostalgic? What font do you prefer? What color is used for the text? Check that you can read the writing. Some colors are hard to read.

How large is the text? Check that the text isn't too large or too small for your liking.

Stickers

Does the book include stickers?

Paper quality

Check that you can easily write on the pages of the book. Some paper can be waxy which makes it difficult to write or print a footprint without smudging.

Personalized

Some book sellers allow you to personalize your baby’s first year book with your baby’s initials or full name. Some books emboss your baby’s name and others embroider. A choice of fonts is usually provided.

Years covered

How many years do you want to record information about your baby? All books cover the first year of your baby’s life but some cover up to the first five years of your baby’s life. A first five years baby book is a great option if you want to record firsts that happen in your baby's toddler years and beyond.

Baby keepsake pockets

Do you want to include baby memorabilia or baby keepsakes in the book? What sort of baby mementos do you want to include?

Most books include pockets for various types of baby memorabilia such as a hospital bracelet, a lock of baby’s hair or ultrasound photo. Before buying, check whether keepsake pockets are included and what type of keepsake they are for.

Matching baby keepsake products

Some baby memory books have matching baby keepsake products such as a baby photo album, baby keepsake box or baby first year calendar.

As books can only allow space for a limited number of photos it is useful to also have a baby photo album to store the many other photos you have of your baby.

A baby keepsake box is useful to fit larger baby keepsake items such as baby booties. A baby first year calendar is useful to record all the milestone dates.

Before buying a book check whether you can purchase any matching keepsake products and what type?

Page themes

If you are buying a bound book it is particularly important to check the page themes that are included so you can avoid having blank pages in your book. Some page themes such as “Baby’s Christening” are not relevant to every family.

Questions or prompts

• How many questions are asked in the book? Do you want a comprehensive book that asks a lot of questions or a book that just asks the basics?
• How much detail do you want to record? For example, do you want to include detailed information like the dates each of your baby’s teeth appeared? Or perhaps you are happy to just record the date your baby’s first tooth appeared?
• How much space is provided for you to answer each question? Are you the sort of person who wants to write short and sweet responses or would you like space for longer journal entries? Some baby books include tick boxes for really busy parents!
• What style of questions are asked in the baby book? Are the questions funny eg "baby's first tantrum in crowded grocery store" or sentimental eg "My first thoughts when I met you were..."? What is your preference?
• Do you want pages that allow you write about individual days in your child’s life or perhaps you would prefer pages for journaling about each month in your child’s life?
• How are the questions worded? For example, are the questions formal – “Baby was born on….” or personal “You were born on …..” or narrated by your baby “I was born on…”
• How does the baby book refer to parents? “Mom/Mum and Dad”, “Mommy/ Mummy and Daddy”, “Mother and Father” or "We"? What wording do you prefer?
• Are there any country specific questions in the baby book? The question “Who was the President of the United States when you were born” will not be relevant to a baby growing up in Australia!

Photos

• On which pages of the baby book is there space for photos eg. a space for a photo on the "Day you Arrived" page but none on the "About Your Name" page? Are you happy with where space for photos is provided?
• Are there captions under the spaces for photos? Or are the photo spaces caption-free which means you can put whatever photo you like in the space? What photos are suggested in the photo spaces provided eg. baby's very first photo, baby on holiday in... etc
• Is there any space provided for extra photos? Some baby books provide a number of pages at the back of the book for extras.
• Are the photo spaces provided for vertical or horizontal photos? Check the orientation of your own photos. If you mainly take horizontal (landscape) photos and the photo spaces in the baby book are for vertical photos you will have to crop your photos to fit.
• What size photos are required to fit the photo spaces? Are the spaces a standard 6x4 size or some other size?

Family situation

There are books that suit all different family situations. Baby record books that are suitable for single mothers, books for families of specific religions such as a Jewish baby book. Some books suit same gender parents. It is also possible to buy baptism memory books. If your new little bundle of joy is adopted an adoption baby book will be a good option. For parents of twins a twin baby book is a great alternative.

Book dimensions

A first year baby book is available in all different sizes. Some are A4, some are square shaped and some are a smaller landscape size.

Protective gift box

Some books come packaged in a protective gift box. The gift box can be used to store and protect your baby book after you have completed it.

Baby book sellers

Do you prefer a particular baby record book seller? Here are a few book sellers:

• CR Gibson
• Carters
• Aimee J
• Rag and Bone Bindery
• Molly West
• The Story of Me
• Way Cool Designs

Best wishes in your search for the perfect baby book.

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