Inspiring parents to treasure baby memories

Helen Stephens, Director at from you to me, was delighted when she discovered that she was pregnant with her first child aged 41.  ‘I was so amazed by what was happening to me, how I was feeling and how my baby was developing that I kept a weekly journal,’ said Helen. ‘Once my daughter was born I continued to record all those lovely details you hope you will remember, that with time you sadly forget.’

Helen shared her journal with many of her new mummy friends all of whom wished they had kept a record during their pregnancy, birth and first year.  They all said they would have benefited from a well designed and easy to complete journal particularly during those first few busy yet precious months. ‘I looked at what was available on the market and discovered that you couldn’t get a combined pregnancy and first year journal let alone one that helped you through the process,’ explained Helen. ‘I trained in podiatric medicine so I spent a year reading academic books, papers and talking to medical professionals so that I could make sure my journals were informative as well as fun to fill in.’

Helen worked with talented graphic designer Lucy, also a full time mother with two small daughters, to produce a beautifully illustrated, full colour journal called Bump to Birthday. It is a combined pregnancy, birth and first year journal that provides week by week information on the developing bump together with lovely illustrated space for parents to record their thoughts and feelings. There is space for photos and scan pictures as well as guidance on writing birth preferences, not to mention space to capture all those firsts – from first smile to first birthday. ‘I wanted to create something beautiful that mothers and fathers would want to contribute to – this is such a special time, and it’s so lovely to share these wonderful memories with your child as they grow up’.

However, it doesn’t stop there. If you have already had your baby then fear not! Helen and Lucy have also created a journal to help parents record all those amazing family events from the first to the eighteenth year together. This journal is called Our Story and is available in two designs: one for ‘my son’ and one for ‘my daughter’. ‘The aim of Our Story – for my son and for my daughter is to help parents capture their experiences in an easy and fun way,’ said Helen ‘I talked to so many Mums asking them what information they would want to record for their child, so each year consists of eight pages with prompted questions for a parent to answer. By the time your child is 18 you will both have the most amazing record of shared experiences and, of course, the journey to adulthood.’

Being a parent is fun, full-on and often frantic so with the best will in the world we can’t possibly hope to remember everything. These journals are quick to complete and will hopefully stimulate discussion and the recall of happy precious memories. As our children become parents themselves these wonderful journals will help them to appreciate fully the legacy of emotional history they have been given.

Thanks for reading ... and if you have already seen this fabulous new Journals, do let us have your comments and feedback.

The team at from you to me