With so many modern moms recording their baby’s first steps, words and days of school on Facebook or Instagram, it may not be immediately obvious why having a physical memory book for your baby is important. A baby memory book is a beautiful way to connect with your child, and can be a precious thing to pass down to your child when they are all grown up, without the threat of forgotten passwords and hacked accounts.
A baby memory book should have plenty of room for pictures and written diary entries to personalize your baby’s story, which is why the C.R. Gibson Perfect-Bound Memory Book for Newborns is the best way to record your baby’s big moments.
What to know before you buy a baby memory book
Layout
Baby memory books usually follow a standard layout, offering room for photos and journal entries. Depending on the story you want to tell of your baby (and the ability and convenience to get photo prints), you may opt for a memory book that is more photo heavy or text heavy.
Binding
The binding of a baby memory book can impact both the durability of the book and help with ease of writing. A fabric spine can create a finished look to the book and make the pages far less likely to be torn out accidentally. However, this kind of spine can prevent the pages from lying flat when writing. It’s not a huge issue, but it can get frustrating over time. The alternative is a spiral spine, which can make the pages significantly easier to turn and write on. This convenience comes at the cost of page flimsiness.
Page count
How long are you planning on keeping this baby memory book? Do you want a new one for each year? Depending on how much you plan on writing, you may fill an entire journal with memories before your baby’s first birthday. Keep in mind the page count to ensure that the baby memory book you choose can capture everything you want, for as long as you need.
Baby memory book features
Prompts
Not sure where to get started? A blank page can feel daunting to many people, especially when you will be writing something that will capture a significant time and be shared and read for decades to come. To help with that, some baby books come with special prompts like a family tree, asking questions about your baby’s favorite things or to share specific memories like the first day of daycare.
Gifting
Baby memory books are often given as a gift at births and baby showers. The design and presentation of the book can make this a gift to be proud of. Baby memory books can come in beautiful covered boxes to make the gifting more special.
Covers
Fabric and printed cardboard covers protect your memories but also add cute designs to your book. Covers can come in solid color, print and floral patterns. There is no advantage of choosing one kind of color over the other; it’s a matter of personal preference because they have no consistent difference in price or protection.
Baby memory book cost
The cost of a baby memory book can vary, depending on the book’s page count, the different features or prompts included, the strength of the spine and the quality of the fabric or outer cover. Cheaper, shorter memory books will cost as little as $15, while more premium, elegant memory books can be as much as $50.
Baby memory book FAQ
Is there anything else I need to decorate my baby memory book?
A. While some baby memory books come with corner stickers to keep photos in place, it’s not standard. Using clear scotch tape or a simple clear glue stick can work just as well. For extra flare, you can buy sticker packs to add a little whimsy and personality to your entries.
Can I buy additional pages for my baby memory book?
A. The large majority of baby memory books do not supply or are even capable of adding pages to your baby memory book. That’s why you should consider page length prior to purchase, or just be comfortable with several volumes if you want to keep your baby’s memories for a longer period of time.
Which baby memory book should I get?
Best of the best baby memory book
C.R. Gibson Perfect-Bound Memory Book for Newborns: available at Amazon
Our take: This beautifully bound but gendered memory book is a perfect gift for new parents, for its easy to fill out pages and small details.
What we like: It includes prompts and special areas to record memories, family history and development milestones. It has a fabric spine for easy opening and page durability and is available in a version for baby girls and boys. Includes a cute ribbon bookmark.
What we dislike: Pages have a lot of room for writing, not as much for pasting in photos.
Best bang for your buck baby memory book
Pearhead First 5 Years Chevron Baby Memory Book: available at Amazon
Our take: A widely popular baby memory book option that is expected to last new parents all the way to kindergarten.
What we like: Includes a unique section on the front cover for a print of a baby’s hand or footprint (also includes ink and paper to make the print). Layout allows for a nice balance of writing and photos or other keepsakes. The cover also has a window to place a picture of your newborn.
What we dislike: The pages are quite plain and don’t contain other fun prompts.
Honorable mention baby memory book
Lucy Darling Little Camper Baby Memory Book: available at Amazon
Our take: This adorable baby memory book comes with extra gifts for your baby and makes for a fantastic themed photo op.
What we like: A full nature-inspired theme throughout the contents of the memory book. Book also comes with a teddy bear, little hat, banner and brush for a photo shoot. Printed ethically and responsibly.
What we dislike: Mainly focused on year-one, without writing prompts to keep you inspired.
Daisy Kelly is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
