The 20 Best Baby Memory Books for Marking All Their Milestones
April 4, 2022
It’s the longest and shortest year of your life, or so they say. You spend months preparing for baby’s arrival and before you know it, you’re singing “Happy Birthday” to a bright-eyed one-year-old. So how do you hold onto all those little moments that make up the first 365 days and beyond? Many parents turn to a baby keepsake book to record milestones, photos and stories. We’ve rounded up a few of the best baby memory books, from easy-to-tackle one-liner journals to scrapbooks with completely customizable pages.
The best baby books are hardbound volumes filled with writing prompts, slots for photos and acid-free envelopes for storing keepsakes (like ultrasound pictures and hospital bracelets). Keep scrolling to discover our favorite memory books for recording your little one’s first year.
Lucy Darling “Baby’s First Year” Little Camper Memory Book
Lucy Darling creates baby memory books with some of the trendiest themes out there—this woodland version is really just one shining example. There’s a dedicated page for each of baby’s first 12 months, with concise writing prompts and a blank spot for a photo. There are also a bunch of blank pages for you to use creatively—plus a section dedicated to your family tree that fits in with the whole forest theme.
Buy it: $39, Nordstrom.com
Chronicle Books Le Petit Baby Book
Log milestones and photos as your little one grows in this whimsical baby memory book. Boasting charming drawings and rhymes, it’s organized into handy sections for pregnancy through the first year. Additional envelopes are perfect for storing extra keepsakes, like a lock of hair from the first haircut or a letter to your child. Other features we love include pop-up illustrations, a family tree page, a spin-wheel to display baby’s star sign and a pull-out growth chart for your little one’s room.
Buy it: $30, BarnesandNoble.com
Artifact Uprising The Story of You Baby Book
This gender-neutral favorite makes it easy on parents, thanks to prompt-filled pages. The fabric binder comes with a pen, adhesive for pictures and mementos, and a free set of Everyday Prints to get you started. Choose from a range of timeless color palettes with luxe foil detailing.
Buy it: Starting from $99, ArtifactUprising.com
Ronica First Year Baby Memory Book and Journal
Think of this next option as a photo album and diary in one. The illustrated baby keepsake book has places for notes, pictures and other memorabilia from pregnancy through age 5. It also has unique charts to document baby’s first scribble, tooth and holiday celebration. Choose from boy- and girl-specific designs or gender-neutral animal themes. Bonus: This journal comes with stickers to customize each page.
Buy it: $40, Amazon.com
Peep’s Paper Baby Book
The best baby books will last a lifetime. Case in point: Peep’s Paper safari-themed journal. It’s made of all natural materials—bound in Japanese asahi cloth and printed on Mohawk superfine paper—allowing it to last over 300 years to become a treasured family heirloom. Inside you’ll find beautiful watercolor animal illustrations on pages devoted to each major milestone. Yes, it’s pricey, but the quality speaks for itself.
Buy it: $125, Maisonette.com
RubyRoo Baby First Year Baby Memory Book & Journal
This baby photo book was created with inclusivity in mind. The binder-style format makes it easy to include only the pages that apply to you, with language and scenarios that accommodate LGBTQ+, adoptive and single parents. It’s adaptable for every type of family and captures your child’s first five years.
Buy it: $36, Amazon.com
Lucy Darling ‘Baby’s First Year’ Honey Bee Memory Book
Lucy Darling’s baby memory books are so charming we couldn’t resist adding another option to the list. This bee-autiful journal is decorated with honeycombs and beehives with a neutral cloth-bound cover. The 48-page book includes two pregnancy pages for photos, ultrasound prints and notes, plus pages to document baby’s growth and development month by month.
Buy it: $49, Nordstrom.com
Want to go the extra mile when it comes to customization? These brands let you design a bespoke baby keepsake book by personalizing the text, colors, layout and more.
Made With Love Personalized Baby Memory Book
Here’s a baby memory book you can really make your own. Personalize the cover with baby’s name, birth date and weight (or any details you’d like). Then slot in a picture of your new arrival on the front cover. This option has handy journal prompts and enough space to record all of your highlights from the first five years of parenthood.
Buy it: $44, buybuyBABY.com
Rag & Bone Bindery Personalized Baby’s First Book With “Zodiac Blue” Cover
Personalize the front of baby’s first year book with their name, birth date and a beautiful illustration. There are different themes to choose from, but this stellar one is centered around baby’s zodiac sign. Interior pages include prompts and plenty of room for photos and big milestones, and vellum envelopes are spaced throughout to store mementos.
Buy it: $90, Etsy.com
Shutterfly Modern Baby Photo Book
Leave it to Shutterfly to give parents an extensive amount of personalization options. Upload your favorite snapshots from baby’s first year, type in whatever text you wish, accessorize the pages with cute frames or digital stickers—it’s really all in your hands. This baby photo book is as customizable as they get.
Buy it: Starting from $20, Shutterfly.com
Print Smitten Custom Adoption Baby Memory Book
This Etsy seller makes beautiful personalized baby books for adoptive families. Pick the color scheme, and request additional customization on the cover. Better yet, all of the wording is gender-neutral—for baby and their parents. You can even tear out certain pages if they’re not applicable to you.
Buy it: $65, Etsy.com
Mixbook Photo Co. Baby Magazine
Baby can star in their very own glossy with this completely customizable baby photo book. Pick the size, shape, paper type and cover type (from softcover to leather jacket-bound), then get to work designing what’s inside. This is the ideal baby memory book for ultra-creative parents who want to wrap up baby’s first year with the ultimate keepsake. (FYI: Mixbook also sells adoption photo books.)
Buy it: Starting from $16, Mixbook.com
Signature Gifts Personalized Baby Record Book
How about a maritime-themed baby book? Have your little one’s moniker printed on the front cover and the bottom margin of each page, for a truly personalized pick. Classic nursery rhymes appear throughout, and there are sections to record all the memorable moments from baby’s first year. Not quite what you’re looking for? Signature Gifts creates a few different options for newborn girls and boys.
Buy it: $50, Maisonette.com
Don’t want the standard baby scrapbook? These books break the mold with their original designs. From a structured keepsake library to a letter-writing set and a soft book for baby, these options are as unique as your little one.
Promptly Childhood History Journal
If you love to journal, this is the baby record book for you. This prompted diary will take you from pregnancy through baby’s 18th birthday (there’s also a book for adoptive parents). But what really sets it apart is the tech it comes with. Download the Promptly app to get reminders to add to your baby keepsake book, so you never forget to record special milestones. How genius is that?
Buy it: $35, PromptlyJournals.com
Uncommon Goods Baby Keepsake Library
Next up on our list of the best baby memory books is something a little different. This unique keepsake library is just the thing to keep all of your precious mementos organized. It comes complete with labels, envelopes, files and acid-free drawers; so you can store everything from sonograms to their graduation certificate.
Buy it: $90, UncommonGoods.com
Tree by Kerri Lee Welcome Home Baby Album
How sweet is this house-shaped baby photo album? It has slip-in sleeves to store notes, photos, cards and other precious keepsakes. And the hand-painted album is made from responsibly harvested wood, so it’s sturdy enough to keep all your precious memories safe. And, yes, it’s pretty enough to leave out on display.
Buy it: $50, Maisonette.com
Little Pickle Memories New Baby Book Gift Box Set
Here’s a baby book gift set that offers serious bang for your buck. Each gift-wrapped set includes a baby record book, a scrapbook and sticker sheets. Parents can record their happy memories and create a custom scrapbook that they’ll cherish forever. Inclusive language is used throughout, making this set the perfect gift for all types of families.
Buy it: starting from $70, Etsy.com
Chronicle Books “Letters to My Baby”
Capture baby’s first years with the help of this unique writing set, composed of a series of fold and “mail” letters. The letters can be post-dated for your child to open in the years to come. Helpful prompts make the words flow easily even for less-experienced writers.
Buy it: $15, UncommonGoods.com
Rockridge Press “Baby, You’re Here! A One-Line-a-Day Baby Memory Book”
Short on time? This one-line-a-day book will take you through baby’s first year, highlighting all of the early emotions and memories without too much pressure. It’s a great way to record the smaller, everyday moments you might not think to put in a traditional baby book.
Buy it: $14, Amazon.com
Mudpie Hello World Baby Book
Last up on our list of the best baby books is this sweet keepsake by Mudpie. It’s designed to look like a classic board book, with slots for photos and notes that remind you of your little one’s first days. Sit baby on your lap and flick through the soft sensory pages for a magical walk down memory lane.
Buy it: $20, Nordstrom.com
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