Make Your Own Baby Book

Perhaps you would like to create a baby book scrapbook or make a baby book photobook?

You will find some great baby book page topic ideas and baby book question ideas here to get you started with creating a baby book.

Here are a few things to consider before deciding on the wording of the page headings and questions in your baby’s memory book.

First, how would you like to refer to your baby in your baby’s record book?

For example, on a page that refers to your baby’s arrival in the world, you could name the page heading in a number of ways:

• Your Arrival
• Baby’s Arrival
• (Insert name of your child)’s arrival
• My Arrival

How you refer to your baby may depend on how formal your want your baby’s memory book to be.

Secondly, how do you want to refer to yourself and your partner in your baby's memory book. You could refer to yourself as:

• Mum/Mummy, Mom/Mommy or Mother
• Dad, Daddy or Father

Thirdly, decide what topics you would like to include in your baby’s memory book.

Here are some baby book page topics, page headings and question prompts to consider and choose from when you make your own baby book:

Pregnancy Stories

Other page title ideas:

• Getting Ready
• Pregnancy Memories

Question prompt ideas:

• When and where we were when we found out we were having you...
• This is what happened when Mommy told Daddy the news...
• Who we told first...
• Our first reaction to the news...
• Mommy and Daddy celebrated by...
• Expected due date/ You were due to be born on...
• Our reaction to the sonogram...
• Did we find out whether you were a boy or a girl...
• What we did to plan for your arrival...
• Foods your mom had to have/Mommy’s pregnancy cravings...
• Foods and smells your mom had to avoid...
• When your Mommy began to change...
• Your Mommy’s favourite maternity outfit...
• Your Mommy thought the best part of being pregnant was...
• Mommy’s changes in sleeping patterns...
• Funny and memorable pregnancy stories...
• Mummy gained ___ pounds/kilograms...
• We read the following books and attended the following classes to prepare for your arrival...
• What Daddy has to say about your pregnancy...
• Feelings about having a baby...
• When we first heard your heartbeat...
• Mommy first felt me move...

Baby photo ideas for this page:

• Photo of Mom pregnant
• Pregnant belly photos (mom facing sideways to the camera) taken every month of pregnancy
• Photo of Mom pregnant with Dad
• Photo of Mom pregnant with baby’s siblings – siblings kissing Mom’s tummy

Baby keepsakes for this page:

• Doctor appointment cards
• Sonogram picture

Baby Shower

Some question prompts:

• Who hosted your baby shower(s)...
• When was your baby shower(s) held...
• Where was your baby shower(s) held...
• Who was at your shower(s)...
• Games played...
• Gifts received...
• Advice received...

Baby photo ideas for this page:

• Photos of guests
• Photos of baby shower cake, food and gifts

Baby keepsakes for this page:

• Baby shower invitation
• Cards

My Family Tree

When creating a Family Tree page for a baby book, display the names of your baby’s family in the shape if a tree. An easy way to create a family tree is to use your computer.

Here’s how you create a family tree using text boxes in Microsoft Word.

First open Microsoft Office Word. Then click on “Insert” on your toolbar at the top of the screen. Then scroll down until you see “Text Box”. After you click on “Text Box”, click on a blank page and create a box by dragging the cursor across the page.

You can resize the box to suit the size of box you require. Copy and paste that box so that you have one box at the bottom of the page and ten boxes above it in the shape of a family tree.

Start by inserting baby’s name in the bottom box and then the names of parents, grandparents and great grandparents above.

On the left side of the family tree insert the names on the paternal side of your baby’s family:

• Father’s Name
• Paternal Grandmother
• Paternal Grandfather
• Great Grandmother
• Great Grandfather
• Great Grandmother
• Great Grandfather

On the right side of the family tree insert the names on the maternal side of your baby’s family:

• Mother’s Name
• Maternal Grandmother
• Maternal Grandfather
• Great Grandmother
• Great Grandfather
• Great Grandmother
• Great Grandfather

Underneath the family tree you could list:

• baby’s siblings
• names of Dad’s sisters or brothers (baby’s uncles and aunts) and the names of baby’s cousins
• names of Mom’s sisters or brothers (baby’s uncles and aunts) and the names of baby’s cousins

Baby photo ideas for this page:

• Photos of baby’s family members

All About Mommy

Other heading ideas:

• My Mom (Mommy/ Mother)
• All About My Mom (Mommy/ Mother)
• About Mom (Mommy/ Mother)
• Your Mom (Mommy/ Mother’s) Story
• Your Mom (Mommy/ Mother)

Some question prompts:

• Mommy’s Full Name is/ Your Mother’s Name...
• Maiden name...
• But everyone likes to call her...
• She was born on/ Her birthday is… /When and where she was born...
• She was born in...
• She grew up in...
• Places she lived...
• Her brothers and sisters...
• She went to school at/ Where she was educated/ Where she went to school…/ Schools she attended...
• After school she went to...
• Her first job...
• Her current job/ Her occupation...
• Her special talents and interests...
• A description of her...
• You take after your Mom/Mum in the following ways...
• One of Mom’s favourite memories of growing up is/ Special memories growing up...

Baby photo ideas for this page:

• Photo of Mom as a baby

All About Daddy

Other heading ideas:

• My Dad (Daddy, Father)
• All About My Dad (Daddy, Father)
• About Dad (Daddy, Father)
• Your Dad’s (Daddy’s, Father’s) Story
• Your Dad (Daddy, Father)

Some question prompts:

• Daddy’s Full Name is/ Your Father’s Name...
• But everyone likes to call him...
• He was born on/ His birthday is… /When and where he was born...
• He was born in...
• He grew up in...
• Places he lived...
• His brothers and sisters...
• He went to school at/ Where he was educated/ Where he went to school…/ Schools he attended...
• After school he went to...
• His first job...
• His current job/ His occupation...
• His special talents and interests...
• A description of him...
• You take after your Dad in the following ways...
• One of Dad’s favourite memories of growing up is/ Special memories growing up...

Baby photo ideas for this page:

• Photo of Dad as a baby

Mummy and Daddy’s Story

Other heading ideas:

• Mother and Father’s story
• Your Parent’s story
• Our Marriage

Question prompt ideas:

• This is how Mommy and Daddy met/ This is how your Mother and Father met/ This is how your Mom and Dad met/ When and where we met...
• Here’s a story about our proposal...
• We were married on_____ at ______/ When and where we got married...
• For our honeymoon trip we went to...
• Special memories together before you were born...

Baby photo ideas for this page:

• Photo of Mom and Dad on wedding day
• Photo of Mom and Dad before baby was born

Grandma and Grandad (Insert Last Name)’s Story

Other heading ideas:

• All About My Grandparents (on my Mother’s side)
• All About Grandpa, Pop, Nanna, Nan, Gran, Granny

Some question prompts:

• Grandma’s Full Name is/ Your Grandmother’s Name...
• Maiden name...
• But everyone likes to call her...
• She was born on/ Her birthday is… /When and where she was born...
• She was born in...
• She grew up in...
• Places she lived...
• Her brothers and sisters...
• She went to school at/ Where she was educated/ Where she went to school…/ Schools she attended...
• After school she went to...
• Her first job...
• Her current job/ Her occupation...
• Her special talents and interests...
• A description of her...
• You take after your Grandma in the following ways...
• One of Grandma’s favourite memories of growing up is/ Special memories growing up...

Baby photo ideas for this page:

• Photo of Grandma as a baby

Repeat the above for each grandparent, you might want to also want to create a page for each great grandparent.

Your Birth

Other heading ideas:

• Your Birth Day
• Baby’s Birth
• Your Arrival
• The Day You Arrived
• Here at Last
• Welcome to the World
• Your Delivery/ The Delivery
• The Story of Your Birth

Question prompt ideas:

• Day you were born/ Birth Date
• Time you were born
• You were born on … At ____ o’clock
• Place you were born...
• Town you were born...
• Mum’s labour and delivery story...
• Delivery doctor and midwife…
• Who else was present at your birth...
• Memories of our first moments...
• Memories of our first night together...
• Weather on the day of your birth...

Baby photo idea for this page:

• A photo of your baby soon after birth
• Mom and Dad cuddling baby

All About You

Other heading ideas:

• All About Me
• All About Baby
• The New Arrival
• Our Beautiful Bundle of Joy

Question prompt ideas:

• Your Name (Baby’s Name, My Name)...
• Birth weight...
• Birth length/ height...
• Hair Color...
• Eye Color...
• Skin Color...
• Apgar score...
• Your first response...
• Who you looked like when you were born...
• Your Zodiac Sign...

Attributes

Other heading ideas:

• Who you look like

Question prompt ideas:

• Your hair is like...
• Your skin is like...
• Your nose is like...
• Your eyes are like...
• Your mouth is like...
• Your chin is like...
• Your cheeks are like...
• Other attributes...

Your Name

Question prompt ideas:

• Why your name was chosen...
• Other names we considered for you/ You could have been called...
• Your name was chosen by...
• Your name means/ What your name means...
• Nicknames...

Hospital Stories

Other heading ideas:

• Visitors and Gifts

Question prompt ideas:

• Cards and gifts from...
• Visitors...
• Who sent flowers...

Baby keepsakes for this page:

• Identity tag from hospital
• Pressed flowers
• Hand print
• Foot print
• Birth announcement
• Cards
• Birth Certificate

Messages for You

Ask your baby’s visitors to write a message to your baby. They could write a comment about who baby looks like and/or their hopes and dreams for baby. Leave space on the page for the following people to write a message:

• Mom/Mother
• Dad/ Father
• Grandparents
• Siblings
• Other relatives
• Friends

Your Hands and Feet

You might like to create a separate page especially for your baby’s hand and footprints.

On the Day of Your Birth

Other heading ideas:

• What’s going on in the world
• The World Around You

Question prompt ideas:

• News headlines...
• Weather report...
• Famous people born this day...
• World leaders...
• No. 1 in the music charts...
• Popular singers and musicians...
• Famous actors and actresses...
• Blockbuster movies...
• Hit television shows...
• Sports heroes...
• Best selling books...
• Fashion trends...
• Famous events in history which happened on this day...

The price of a:

• gallon/ litre of milk
• loaf of bread
• gallon/ litre of gasoline/ petrol
• soda/ softdrink
• candy bar
• postage stamp
• movie ticket
• car
• house

Baby keepsakes for this page:

• Newspaper on the day of baby’s birth – you could include a photocopy of the front page of the newspaper reduced in size

Coming home

Other heading ideas:

• Going Home
• Welcome Home
• Home Sweet Home

Question prompt ideas:

• You come home on… or Date, Day, Time...
• Weather...
• Address of family home / Our (My) address...
• Who was there to welcome you...
• You were wearing...
• How did you get home...
• Reaction to trip home...
• This what you did on your first day in your new home...
• On the first night home you fell asleep at...
• You woke at...

Baby photo ideas for this page:

• Photo in car seat on first trip
• Photos of baby on first day at home
• Photos of baby on first night at home
• Photo with Mum, Dad and baby outside family home

First Home

Other heading ideas:

• Your First Home
• Baby’s First Home
• My First Home

Question prompt ideas:

• Address...
• Description of your first home...
• Description of your nursery or where you first slept...

Baby picture ideas for this page:

• Photos of baby’s first home
• Photos of baby’s nursery

Naming Day/ Christening

Other heading ideas:

• Your Naming Day/ Christening
• Baby’s Naming Day/ Christening
• My Naming Day/ Christening

Question prompt ideas:

• Date of Christening or Name Day Celebrations
• You wore
• Godparents
• Gifts received

Firsts

Other heading ideas:

• Your Firsts
• Baby’s Firsts
• My Firsts
• When you first

Question prompt ideas:

• First smile
• First laughed
• First rolled over
• First sat up by yourself/ sat up unaided on
• First crawled
• First stood by yourself
• First took steps…toward
• First walked unaided
• First danced
• First slept through the night
• First bath
• First bath at home
• First hair wash
• First bath in big bathtub
• First ate solid foods
• First tooth
• First waved bye bye…to…
• First said a recognizable word… it was…

Instead of having one "Firsts" page you might like to create separate baby book pages for different firsts such as baby's first bath or baby's first haircut. A few examples follow.

Bathtime

Question prompt ideas:

• First Bath Date/Time/Place
• Your reaction was...
• First hair wash...
• First bath at home...
• First time in the big bath...
• Your favorite bath toys...
• Funny bathtime stories...

Baby photo idea for this page:

• Photo of baby’s first bath
• Photo of baby first time in the big bath
• Bath photos- playing with bath toys, getting hair washed, bubble bath photos, baby splashing water, cuddled up in a towel afterwards, baby bathing with siblings, holding a toothbrush.

Bedtime

Question prompt ideas:

• Sleeping times
• First slept through the night
• Moved to a cot
• Favorite bedtime toys
• Favorite bedtime stories
• Favorite lullabies

Baby photo idea for this page:

• Photo of baby sleeping

First Mealtime

Other heading ideas:

• Your First Mealtime, Baby’s First Mealtime, My First Mealtime
• First Foods

Question prompt ideas:

• You had your first meal on/ You started eating solid foods on...
• This is what you had for your first meal...
• Here’s how you behaved during your first meal/ Here’s how you reacted to your first meal...

Baby photo idea for this page:

• Photo of baby having first meal

Baby keepsakes for this page:

• Baby jar wrappers

Mealtime

Other heading ideas:

• Eating Habits

Question prompt ideas:

• You were breastfed until...
• Weaned from the breast/bottle on...
• First held a bottle...
• First ate solids…it was...
• First used fingers...
• First held a spoon...
• First drank from a safety cup/sippy cup...
• First drank from a cup alone...
• Food liked/ Favourite foods...
• Food disliked/ Least favourite foods...
• Funny eating stories/ Memorable eating stories...
• Your meal routine...

Baby photo idea for this page:

• Photos of baby eating different foods
• Photo of baby with food all over face!
• Photo of baby using fingers to eat
• Photo of baby using a spoon
• Photo of baby drinking from a cup

Teething

Other heading ideas:

• Baby Teeth

Question prompt ideas:

• First tooth Position/Date/Age...
• Second tooth Position/ Date/Age...
• Other teeth Position/ Date/ Age...
• First started brushing...
• First dentist visit...
• How you reacted...

Baby photo idea for this page:

• Photo of baby smiling showing first teeth

First Outing

Other heading ideas:

• Your First Outing
• Baby’s First Outing
• My First Outing

Question prompt ideas:

• Date...
• Day...
• Your Age...
• Where you went...
• What you did...
• Who you met...
• What you saw...

First Vacation

Other heading ideas:

• Your First Vacation, Baby’s First Vacation, My First Vacation
• (Your/Baby’s/My) First Holiday - for those of you in the world who call a family trip a holiday

Question prompt ideas:

• Age and Date...
• Where it was spent/ Where we went...
• How did we get there/ Travelled by...
• How you reacted to trip...
• Favourite activity...
• Favourite outings...
• Favourite memories of the holiday...

Baby photo idea for this page:

• Baby on holiday in...

Your First Christmas

Other heading ideas:

• Baby’s First Christmas
• My First Christmas

Question prompt ideas:

• Age…
• Description of Christmas Day...
• Where was Christmas spent...
• Who was Christmas spent with...
• Our presents to you...
• Stocking gifts...
• Other gifts you received...
• Your reaction was...
• Where Boxing Day was spent...
• Who was Boxing Day spent with...
• Description of Boxing Day...

Baby photo idea for this page:

• Photo of baby sleeping on Christmas Eve
• Photo of baby under the tree amongst the presents with and without siblings
• Photo of baby opening Christmas presents
• Photos of baby’s first Christmas gifts
• Baby sitting in the middle of Christmas wrapping paper
• Photo of baby with Santa hat or toy reindeer antlers on head
• Photo of baby in Christmas outfit or Christmas bib
• Photo of baby eating Christmas dinner (if your baby is older and eating solids)
• Photo of baby sitting on Santa’s lap

First (Insert Name of Holiday or Celebration)…

You may like to create a baby book page for any of the following holidays and celebrations:

• First Fourth of July
• First Halloween
• First Thanksgiving
• First Easter
• First Mother’s Day
• First Father’s Day
• First St Patricks Day
• First Valentines Day
• First Hannuka
• First Memorial Day
• First Autumn Moon Festival

Special Events

You may like to create a baby book page for any special events that your baby attends such as a Wedding.

Your First Birthday

Other heading ideas:

• Baby’s First Birthday
• My First Birthday

Question prompt ideas:

• How your birthday was celebrated...
• Where we spent your birthday...
• Who was there...
• Description of birthday cake/ Who made your birthday cake...
• What did you wear...
• Gifts received/ Your first birthday presents...
• Favourite gifts...
• What you enjoyed most...

Baby photo ideas for this page:

• Photos of baby wearing party hat
• Photo of baby in front of birthday cake
• Photo of baby opening gifts
• Photo of baby’s first birthday cake, photo of baby eating cake
• Photos of first birthday party guests, first birthday gifts and decorations

Baby keepsakes for this page:

• First birthday party invitation

Your First Haircut

Question prompt ideas:

• When you had your first haircut...
• Who cut your hair...
• Where you had your haircut...
• Your reaction...

Baby photo ideas for this page:

• Before photo of baby
• Photo while having hair cut
• After photo of baby

If your baby has their first hair cut at home, you may like to also include a page on their first haircut at the hairdressers.

Take Dad or another person along with you to take the photos because you may need to cuddle your baby while the hairdresser cuts your child’s hair. Here’s hoping your child likes visiting the hairdresser!

Baby keepsakes for this page:

• Lock of baby’s hair

Health

Other heading ideas:

• Your Health, Baby’s Health, My Health
• Doctor’s Visits

Question prompt ideas:

• Name of your pediatrician (U.S.)/ paediatrician...
• Immunisations – Type and date...
• Medical info/concerns...
• Blood type...
• Illnesses in first year...

You could have separate pages for doctor visits and immunisations.

Growing

You can create a page to document baby’s growth in a number of ways. One option is to have four columns and head the columns with Date/Age/Height/Weight. Leave blank lines under each column to fill out as your baby grows.

Another option is to have three columns, one column labeled “Age” and the second and third columns labelled “Weight” and “Height/Length”. Under the Age column list the following ages Birth, One Month, Two Months etc down the column. Leave the weight column blank to be filled out as your baby grows.

I prefer the first option where you can fill your baby’s details in at any age. I didn’t visit the child health nurse every month with my second child and I rarely visited right on the day my children reached each monthly milestone.

Baby photo ideas for this page: