Agree or disagree: a handwritten letter from Mom, written while she was pregnant with her child, given to said child later in life is the most precious gift ever. (Not as precious as the gift of life, of course.)

I am a lover of all things pregnancy and the transition to motherhood, and I am a writer, so this project/gift gets me jazzed. I envision giving my daughter this letter on her first day of high school, or when she moves away to college, or on her wedding day, or while she is pregnant with her first child.

Cue tears.

Why might this be one of the most special gifts?

It helps you bond with your baby before birth.
You have a chance to write down details of your story that you may not remember later.
Your child will likely ask about specifics — especially once he or she prepares to be a parent.
This is a perfect way to read about pregnancy through your eyes.
For moms of more than one child, it makes this pregnancy experience unique.

I recommend copying and pasting the following letter into a document where you can type out your letter first, then transfer it by hand, keep it in your child’s baby book, and save it for the perfect moment. There’s something about having a letter in our loved one’s handwriting that makes it so authentic and real, yes?

Okay, let’s begin. (Obviously, feel free to tweak, add or subtract however to make your letter flow best and to really communicate your experience).

Dear Baby _________,

Today is (date) and I wanted to write you a letter to tell you how much I love you and how excited I am to meet you. I am (weeks) pregnant with you, only (months) left until we take on the world. You are due on (due date), which has quickly become the most important date of my year. I found out about you on (date). I was (emotion). [Talk about if the pregnancy was a surprise, how long it took to get pregnant, your immediate reaction].

I told your (co-parent) by (story). He/she was (reaction). We decided to tell our family and friends about you (right away / after ___ weeks / after ___ ultrasound), because (reasoning).

In the first trimester, my symptoms included: (list), which lasted until _____. I first noticed my bump starting around (__) weeks and felt your first kick at (__) weeks. Others were able to feel you at (__) weeks; they thought it was (reaction). We found out you were a (gender) on (date). I had a feeling you were a (gender), others thought you’d be a (gender). [Add how you announced to friends/family or more details if you’d like].

As both you and I grow, I love to think about the type of person you will become. I wonder about… [add details about who your baby might be: physical traits, personality, passions, career choice, interests, etc]. As your mother, I promise to always… [ideas: love you / be there for you / support you, etc].

If I am honest, there are some things about motherhood that I am fearful about. I’m afraid I… [ideas: won’t be as good of a mom as… / will make a lot of mistakes / won’t know how to best take care of you, etc]. But, even if I’m afraid, I promise I will never… [ideas: give up / walk away / not try, etc].

If there is one thing I hope most for you, it is that you… [ideas: love people well / find a career you love / live an exciting life, etc] . I promise to… [ideas: help / support / encourage] you. If there is one thing I hope for most for us as a family, it is that you always feel… [ideas: safe / comfortable / supported] and that your memories of our family are (emotion). I can’t promise you it’ll be perfect every day, but I will do my best to make it a place full of (describe your ideal home setting).

[Add this section if you have a positive relationship with your child’s father]. I need to brag about your dad a little bit. He is so (describe your partner’s personality). I can’t wait to see him as your dad. I hope you’ll love the way he (quirks) as much as I do and are at least mildly interested in (his passions). Go easy on him for me, okay? He loves you like crazy and would do anything for you. Between us, he’s a bit afraid of (describe Dad’s fears), too.

In the few short weeks until I get to meet you, I am so excited to (tasks to get prepared). Once you are here, I am most looking forward to… [ideas: watching you grow into yourself / showing you off to family and friends / seeing our family grow, etc]. As you get older, I am so excited about… [ideas: witnessing you become an adult / you getting married / you having babies of your own, etc]. There is nothing I want more than… (biggest desire for your child).

I love you, (nickname). You have been the most (___) part of my life so far and have changed it for the better already. I can’t wait to meet you. I will leave you with one last promise. As your mother, I promise to (make a vow regarding something you value deeply).

Love, Mom

So there you have it. We hope you gained a deeper sense of love and excitement for the day you get to meet your little one.

Have you checked out Thirty Days of Preparing for Birth? This powerful journal helps women approach labor and birth with confidence (not doubt), anticipation (not fear), and empowerment (not uncertainty). I think you’d love it.

Lastly, you may fall in love with a few of the journals we have for letter-lovers:

Thirty Days of Love Letters:

In Thirty Days of Love Letters, you will be given the opportunity to write thirty hand-written, personalized, meaningful, and special love letters to whomever you choose. The prompts will inspire you to reflect on your deep and powerful love story and express it. Some prompts are deep and vulnerable, others are light-hearted and fun; this journal guides you to say "I love you" in a way that lasts.

Thirty Days of Letters:

In Thirty Days of Letters, you’ll be given the opportunity to write letters to every important person in your life - both positive and negative - and even people you’ve never met. The journal prompts will give you space and freedom to write openly, honestly, and vulnerably to yourself and to those who have impacted your life. They will help you reflect, forgive, and dream.