By Dana DeMercurio
The most cherished gifts a mother can give to her unborn child aren’t found in the store; they don’t come wrapped in blue or pink ribbon, and they don’t have a hefty price tag. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement, worry and hope that comes along with pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood. And while those 9 months pass before your eyes, you’ve managed to create a new life worthy of more than just a plush crib and overpriced onesies.
Throughout this journey, a woman’s mind has been running wild with thoughts of her family’s future and how she will be as a parent once the big day arrives. But what about all of the days that led up that one magical moment? Those are magical moments too, and they should be preserved and celebrated long after childbirth. Here are some examples of how you can preserve your pregnancy journey and share it later with your child and family.
Write your baby a letter:
Children often know very little about their parent’s personal lives until much later in life when secrets and stories are finally revealed. Writing a letter to an unborn child is a personalized way of sharing with them the tremendous experience of pregnancy. It is a story solely about their immediate family and the bond shared between mother and child. It’s recommended to write the letter over the entire course of the pregnancy rather than power through it in one day. Writing a few lines every week or month will help preserve the precious nuances of the pregnancy and leave the child with a unique story of their journey with their mother. A few things the letter can include would be important doctor visits, purchasing the first baby clothes, setting up the nursery, special events like baby showers or surprise parties with family and friends and, of course, the first baby kick. These are moments a mother will enjoy sharing through her letter which will live on long after childbirth. Compile these letters together or even keep a journal of the pregnancy that can later be gifted to the child.
Make a music album:
From Mozart to Michael Jackson, a mother’s musical taste is often quite unique and eclectic. During pregnancy, harnessing the belly with headphones and feeding a baby’s brain and soul with music is a precious time for mothers. Aside from talking directly to the baby in the womb, sharing music is another way to allow them to hear voices, melodies and abstract tones for further brain development. The music a mother chooses can range from classical to modern, yet regardless of what is chosen, the songs should be recorded and added to a compilation CD later given as a gift to the child. “Mommy’s Music with Baby,” if you will. It’s a heartfelt token that a mother and child can share long after giving birth.
Make home videos:
While snapping photos is a truly integral and precious piece of the pregnancy process, putting your experience on film is also an excellent way to preserve this special time in a mother’s life. With daddy behind the camera asking questions or simply filming ad-lib sequences of daily life, a video such as this will become a memento that can be shared over and over and over again. A fun take on this gift would be to create a time-lapse video of the pregnant belly and its growth over all three trimesters.