The best baby journal is the one you'll keep using once the baby arrives. That sounds simple. But baby journals differ in ways that are hard to see on a product page.
Some cover only the first year. Some run to age five. One runs to 18. Some ask you to print photos and stick them in. Others let you add photos from your phone. Some give each baby month four pages. Some give it one.
We compared 10 baby journals sold in Australia. We looked at the things that change how a journal feels to use: how long it lasts, how much room each month gets, how photos go in, and what it costs.
Disclosure: Makia publishes this guide and makes one of the journals below. We have not named Makia the winner. Several journals here suit some parents better, and we say where.
Quick answer: which baby journal suits you?
| If you want… | Look at… |
|---|---|
| The most room for each month of the baby year, in a paper book | Write To Me, Baby. First Year Of You |
| One paper book from birth to school | Forget Me Not, Your First Years, Vanda Baby Memory Journal, Write To Me, Baby. Birth To Five Years |
| One book that lasts until your child turns 18 | Truly Amor Bebé Baby Book |
| Room for photos of any size, plus an envelope for keepsakes | Peachly Olive Baby Memory Book |
| An heirloom-style book just for pregnancy and the first year | Bespoke Press Heirloom Baby Memory Journal |
| To type on your phone and get a printed book, for the lowest total price | Memorised Bump to Birthday Book |
| To type on your phone, keep a PDF, and choose later whether to print | Makia First Year Journal |
| The lowest price up front | Any paper book here (A$60 to A$95) |
How we chose and checked these journals
We started with the journals that show up when Australians search for baby journals on Google. Then we made sure the list covered three time spans: the first year, the first five years, and up to 18. We also included two journals you fill in online that become a printed book.
For each journal, we read the brand's own product page on . We noted what the brand says about time span, pages, photos, keepsakes and price.
- We haven't used the other journals. We haven't held, filled in or photographed them. Everything here comes from what each brand says about its own book.
- A “page” means one side of paper. Brands don't say this, so it is our reading.
- “Not stated” means the brand doesn't say. It doesn't mean the journal lacks that feature.
- Prices change. We checked them on , in Australian dollars.
We make Makia, so we know our own journal far better than the others. We've tried to hold it to the same standard.
Sources and research notes
Product facts come from each brand's own product page, linked in the comparison table and in each review. Page counts, page sizes and prices are as each brand states them on . We did not check them ourselves.
- A4 share: the brand's stated page size compared with an A4 page (297 × 210 mm).
- Makia: our page counts come from our own book design. We make Makia.
- Parent concerns: the falling-behind section draws on public parent discussions about baby books that we read for our earlier research. They show common worries, not a survey of all parents.
First year, five years or longer?
This is the biggest choice, and it's easy to miss.
A journal that covers five or 18 years has to share its pages across all those years. So each month of the baby year often gets less room than it would in a first-year book.
That isn't bad. It's a trade. A longer book gives you one book on the shelf, with room for school photos and later birthdays. A first-year book gives the busy baby months more space. If the baby year is what you care about most, our First Year Journal is one option built only for it.
Most brands don't make this easy to compare. Of the nine journals here that we don't make, five say how many pages each baby month gets. Four don't.
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Write To Me, Baby. First Year Of You. Covers before birth to age 1. Each baby month: 4 pages: 1 to write, 3 for photos. 230 × 190 mm, 0.7 of an A4 page.
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Forget Me Not, Your First Years. Covers arrival to age 5. Each baby month: 4 pages (months 1 to 11). Page size not stated.
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Makia First Year Journal. Covers birth to age 1. Each baby month: 2 pages: 1 for prompts, 1 for photos. A4.
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Write To Me, Baby. Birth To Five Years. Covers before birth to age 5. Each baby month: 2 pages: 1 to write, 1 for photos. 210 × 285 mm, about one A4 page.
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Truly Amor Bebé Baby Book. Covers pregnancy to age 18. Each baby month: 2 pages. 227 × 150 mm, about half an A4 page.
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Bespoke Press Heirloom Baby Memory Journal. Covers pregnancy to age 1. Pages per baby month not stated. The brand says “monthly spreads”. 232 × 272 mm, about one A4 page.
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Vanda Baby Memory Journal. Covers pregnancy to starting school. Each baby month: 1 page. A4.
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Peachly Olive Baby Memory Book. Covers pregnancy to age 5. Pages per baby month not stated. 8.5 × 11 in, about one A4 page.
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Written With Love Baby Memory Book. Covers pregnancy to age 5. Pages per baby month not stated. Page size not stated.
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Memorised Bump to Birthday Book. Covers pregnancy to age 1. Pages per baby month not stated. 8.5 × 11 in, about one A4 page.
Each block is one page. Page sizes differ, so each row also gives the page size. Page counts and sizes are as stated by each brand on and not checked by us. Makia's figure comes from our own book design.
What stands out:
- In longer books, later years get more room than baby months. Forget Me Not gives each later year 8 pages, twice the room of one baby month. Truly Amor gives each year from 1 to 3 ten pages, five times the room of one baby month.
- The same brand doubles the monthly room when the book is shorter. Write To Me's first-year book gives each month four pages. Its birth-to-five book gives each month two.
- Page sizes vary a lot. The largest page here is nearly twice the size of the smallest. Two small pages hold about as much as one A4 page.
How photos get into each book
Photos are where many baby books stall. With a paper book, you choose photos, print them, then stick them in. With an online journal, you upload them from your phone, and the book is printed later.
Picture a month with ten photos you love on your phone.
Paper book
- Choose the photos
- Print them
- Trim if they don't fit
- Stick them in
- Write the month by hand
Online journal
- Choose the photos
- Upload from your phone
- Pick a page layout
- Type the month
- Print the book when you're ready
Neither is better for everyone. Printing can be part of the ritual. Uploading removes a step.
In a paper book, Write To Me suggests photo dots, double-sided tape or acid-free washi tape. Peachly's pages have no photo borders, so any size fits. Hallmark's first-year book uses cut-out photo windows, so photos need to suit the window.
In an online journal, you add photos from your phone. In Makia you add a whole chapter's photos at once and pick a layout for the page. Memorised says it lays out your book for you, with a live preview.
Paper has a real upside here. Some parents enjoy printing photos and sticking them in. A paper book also gives you a place for things a phone can't hold, like a hospital band or a lock of hair. Peachly includes an envelope for these. Truly Amor has a page for a first lock of hair.
If you fall behind
When we read parents' public discussions about baby books, falling behind came up again and again. A month gets missed. Then two. Blank pages start to feel like a job.
Here is what each brand says about catching up:
- Memorised says you can hide pages, swap topics for photo pages, and edit nearly every question. It also sends reminder emails every couple of weeks.
- Makia lets you add or change entries any time before you print, and hide chapters or prompts you don't need. On a busy day, a Quick Thought takes a line or two and the date it happened.
- Forget Me Not says on its blog that you can start at any stage and fill in what you remember.
- The other paper journals don't say. In a paper book, gaps stay visible, though you can always go back and fill them in.
A few things help, whichever journal you choose:
- Start with what you have. You don't need to begin at page one.
- Your phone's photos have dates. They can help you rebuild a month you missed.
- An approximate date is fine. A journal with gaps is still a journal your child will treasure.
Baby journal comparison
Prices checked on , in AUD. Paper books also need photo prints.
| Journal | Covers | Pages per baby month | Photos | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Write To Me, Baby. First Year Of You (opens in a new tab) | Before birth to age 1 | 4 pages: 1 to write, 3 for photos | Print and stick in | A$69.95 + A$12.95 postage |
| Forget Me Not, Your First Years (opens in a new tab) | Arrival to age 5 | 4 pages (months 1 to 11) | Print and stick in | A$79 |
| Makia First Year Journal | Birth to age 1 | 2 pages: 1 for prompts, 1 for photos | Upload from your phone | A$100 digital and PDF. With print: A$303 at sign-up, A$356 later |
| Write To Me, Baby. Birth To Five Years (opens in a new tab) | Before birth to age 5 | 2 pages: 1 to write, 1 for photos | Print and stick in | A$59.95 + A$12.95 postage |
| Truly Amor Bebé Baby Book (opens in a new tab) | Pregnancy to age 18 | 2 pages | Print and stick in | A$94.85 (sale) |
| Bespoke Press Heirloom Baby Memory Journal (opens in a new tab) | Pregnancy to age 1 | Not stated. The brand says “monthly spreads” | Print and stick in | A$59.95 |
| Vanda Baby Memory Journal (opens in a new tab) | Pregnancy to starting school | 1 page | Print and stick in | A$59.95 (sale) |
| Peachly Olive Baby Memory Book (opens in a new tab) | Pregnancy to age 5 | Not stated | Any size, no photo borders | A$59.95 + A$7.95 postage |
| Written With Love Baby Memory Book (opens in a new tab) | Pregnancy to age 5 | Not stated | Not stated | A$64.95, or A$79.95 with box |
| Memorised Bump to Birthday Book (opens in a new tab) | Pregnancy to age 1 | Not stated | Upload from your phone | A$199 including the printed book and delivery |
The reviews follow the order of the Space Map, from most room per baby month to not stated. It is not a ranking.
Journal 1 of 10
Write To Me, Baby. First Year Of You
Best for: the most room for each month of the baby year, in a paper book
At a glance
- Covers
- Before birth to the first year
- Pages per baby month
- 4: one to write, three for photos
- Photos
- Print and stick in
- Writing style
- Guided prompts and open pages. Handwritten.
- Keepsake extras
- Comes in a matching linen box
- Price
- A$69.95, plus A$12.95 standard postage
Write To Me's First Year Of You (opens in a new tab) is a linen journal from a Melbourne brand. It has 96 pages, with a contents page, holiday pages, first birthday pages and milestone pages for things like first steps and a first haircut.
What stands out
- The most room for each baby month of any book here.
- Each month gets four pages. Three of them are for photos, which suits parents who take a lot.
- It lies flat for writing.
- The book is case bound with a lay-flat binding, so it stays open on a table.
- It suits many kinds of families.
- It's gender neutral, with two “About My Parent” pages.
What to consider
You'll need to print photos and stick them in. Write To Me suggests photo dots, double-sided tape or acid-free washi tape.
It ends at the first year. There's no name personalisation, though you can add a gift message at checkout.
Price when checked: A$69.95 plus A$12.95 standard postage
Best choice if: you want a paper book that gives the baby year plenty of room, especially for photos.
Journal 2 of 10
Forget Me Not, Your First Years
Best for: a five-year book that still gives each baby month real room
At a glance
- Covers
- Arrival to age five
- Pages per baby month
- 4, for months 1 to 11
- Photos
- Print and stick in. Space for photos and mementos throughout and at the end.
- Writing style
- Guided prompts with watercolour illustrations. Handwritten.
- Keepsake extras
- Your baby's name or initials on the cover
- Price
- A$79
Forget Me Not's Your First Years (opens in a new tab) is a 120-page linen book from a family business. It's one of the few that sets out its page plan: 32 pages for the arrival and first times, 4 pages for each month from 1 to 11, and 8 pages for each year from 1 to 5.
What stands out
- It tells you exactly how its pages are shared.
- That makes it easy to judge before you buy.
- Generous room for each baby month, even in a five-year book.
- Four pages a month matches the most room of any book here.
- The name on the cover is done by hand.
- The brand monograms your baby's name or initials in gold foil.
What to consider
Each later year gets 8 pages. That's twice the room of one baby month, but not a lot for a whole year.
The brand doesn't state the page size. Check stock before you buy: on the day we checked, the product page showed it as both sold out and available.
Price when checked: A$79
Best choice if: you want one paper book to age five, with a clear page plan and a personalised cover.
Journal 3 of 10
Makia First Year Journal
Best for: writing on your phone, keeping a PDF, and choosing later whether to print
At a glance
- Covers
- Birth to first birthday. Pregnancy is a separate journal.
- Pages per baby month
- 2 A4 pages: one for prompts, one for a photo collage
- Photos
- Upload from your phone, a chapter at a time. Choose a collage layout.
- Writing style
- Short monthly prompts, plus Quick Thoughts: dated one- or two-line notes for any day. Typed on your phone.
- Keepsake extras
- None. The book is printed when you're ready.
- Price
- A$100 digital and PDF. Printed book extra.
Makia's First Year Journal is the journal we make. You fill it in on your phone's browser, so there's no app to download.
The book starts with the day your baby arrived: the birth story, the day they were born, the story of their name and the first day home. Then each month asks short questions: how big your baby is, three words for their personality, what soothes them, what a day with them is like, and that month's firsts. Then you add the month's photos.
Quick Thoughts catch the small things you'd forget by next week: a first laugh, a new tooth, a bedtime battle, who they smiled at. You write a line or two and the day it happened. In the printed book, they become a dated timeline of little moments.
The year ends with the first birthday, photos from the year, and a “One year on” reflection. It asks what made them laugh, who they look like now, how life has changed, and what advice you'd give yourselves back when you were expecting. Last comes a letter to your baby.
When you're ready, you can download a PDF or order a printed A4 linen hardcover with your baby's name on the cover. Printed books ship free in Australia and New Zealand.
What stands out
- Quick Thoughts keep the days that don't fit a prompt.
- They're dated, so they print in order.
- Every month has a list of firsts.
- Milestones stay in order, month by month.
- The year ends with a reflection and a letter to your baby.
- Not just a birthday page.
- Photos come straight from your phone.
- You can change anything until you print, and hide chapters or prompts you don't need.
What to consider
It costs much more than a paper book if you print. Memorised costs less for a similar online-to-print book.
It's typed, not handwritten, and has no pocket for keepsakes. It covers the first year only.
Your online access lasts 18 months from purchase. After that, you keep your journal as a PDF.
Current Makia pricing:
- Digital First Year Journal, including a downloadable PDFA$100
- Printed hardcover ordered at sign-up, save A$53A$203 extra
- Printed hardcover ordered laterA$256 extra
Best choice if: your photos live on your phone, you'd rather write in short bursts, and you want to decide about printing later.
Journal 4 of 10
Write To Me, Baby. Birth To Five Years
Best for: one paper book from birth to starting school, from the same maker as the first-year book
At a glance
- Covers
- Before birth to age five
- Pages per baby month
- 2: one to write, one for photos
- Photos
- Print and stick in
- Writing style
- Guided prompts and open pages. Handwritten.
- Keepsake extras
- None stated
- Price
- A$59.95, plus A$12.95 standard postage
Write To Me's Birth To Five Years (opens in a new tab) has the same 96 pages as the brand's first-year book, but stretches them to age five. It includes a birth story, monthly pages, the first birthday, “One to Five Years” and “Days to Remember”.
What stands out
- One book from birth to starting school.
- From the same maker as the first-year book, so the style matches.
- A larger page than the first-year book.
- About the size of an A4 page.
- It lies flat for writing.
- The same lay-flat binding as the first-year book.
What to consider
Each baby month gets half the room of the first-year book. The brand doesn't say how many pages each year from one to five gets.
Photos need to be printed and stuck in.
Price when checked: A$59.95 plus A$12.95 standard postage
Best choice if: you want a simple paper book that lasts until school.
Journal 5 of 10
Truly Amor Bebe Baby Book
Best for: one book for a whole childhood, ready to give as a gift
At a glance
- Covers
- Pregnancy to age 18
- Pages per baby month
- 2
- Photos
- Print and stick in. Set places each year for school, Santa and family photos.
- Writing style
- Prompts and lined pages. Handwritten.
- Keepsake extras
- Linen box, rose gold pen, handprint and footprint pages, a first lock of hair page
- Price
- A$94.85 (sale price)
Truly Amor's Bebé (opens in a new tab) is a 304-page cloth book that comes in a linen box with a pen. It's the only journal here that runs all the way to 18.
What stands out
- One book for a whole childhood.
- Ages 1 to 3 get 10 pages a year. Ages 4 to 18 get 8.
- A letter every year.
- Plus yearly spots for school photos, Santa photos and family photos.
- It comes ready to give.
- A linen box, a rose gold pen and a booklet of journaling tips.
What to consider
The first 12 months get 24 pages in total, about 8% of the book.
The pages are small, about half the size of an A4 page. It's the most expensive paper book here.
Sale price when checked: A$94.85
Best choice if: you want one book from pregnancy to 18, and the baby year is one chapter of many.
Journal 6 of 10
Bespoke Press Heirloom Baby Memory Journal
Best for: an heirloom-style book just for pregnancy and the first year
At a glance
- Covers
- Pregnancy to first birthday
- Pages per baby month
- “Monthly spreads”. The brand doesn't give a page count.
- Photos
- Print and stick in. “Dedicated space for photographs.”
- Writing style
- Guided prompts. Handwritten.
- Keepsake extras
- Gold-gilded edges and ribbon markers. A name can be added for an extra cost.
- Price
- A$59.95
Bespoke Press's Heirloom Baby Memory Journal (opens in a new tab) is a letterpress, linen-bound journal. It covers pregnancy, the baby shower, the birth story, your baby's name and home, monthly spreads, and a “My Family” section with a family tree.
What stands out
- A beautiful, heirloom-style finish.
- Gold foil, gilded edges and satin ribbon markers.
- Inclusive wording.
- It uses words like “parent” and “grandparent”.
- A large page.
- About the size of an A4 page.
What to consider
The brand doesn't give a page count, and the book ends at the first birthday.
Photos need to be printed and stuck in.
Price when checked: A$59.95
Best choice if: you want a beautiful paper book for pregnancy and the first year.
Journal 7 of 10
Vanda Baby Memory Journal
Best for: a large A4 book with family stories, from pregnancy to school
At a glance
- Covers
- Pregnancy to starting school. The title says “Birth to 5 Years”, but it includes pregnancy and baby shower pages.
- Pages per baby month
- 1
- Photos
- Print and stick in. “Lots of room for photos.”
- Writing style
- Guided questions. Handwritten.
- Keepsake extras
- Family tree and baby shower guest book pages
- Price
- A$59.95 (sale price, usually A$62.95)
Vanda Baby's Memory Journal (opens in a new tab) is an A4 linen journal that covers a lot of ground. Pages include the baby shower, the bump, the day your baby was born, a family tree, and the first day of kindy and school.
What stands out
- Large A4 pages.
- The biggest page size here, shared with Makia.
- A strong focus on family stories.
- Pages for how the parents met and the parents' own stories.
- One book from pregnancy to school.
- The school pages work for every state's name for the first year.
What to consider
One page per baby month is the least room for the baby year of any book here that says.
Some page titles assume a mum and a dad. There's no personalisation.
Sale price when checked: A$59.95 (usually A$62.95)
Best choice if: you want a big-page book with family history, and fewer pages for each baby month is fine.
Journal 8 of 10
Peachly Olive Baby Memory Book
Best for: photos of any size, plus an envelope for keepsakes
At a glance
- Covers
- Pregnancy to age five
- Pages per baby month
- Not stated. 60 pages in total, including 5 blank pages.
- Photos
- Any size. The pages have no photo borders.
- Writing style
- Simple prompts with open space. Handwritten.
- Keepsake extras
- An envelope for things like hospital bands and locks of hair
- Price
- A$59.95, plus A$7.95 postage
Peachly's Olive Baby Memory Book (opens in a new tab) has a linen cover, botanical illustrations and thick 200gsm pages. It covers pregnancy, birth, months 1 to 12, the first birthday, firsts, and yearly pages for ages 2 to 5.
What stands out
- Photos of any size fit.
- The pages have no fixed photo spaces.
- A keepsake envelope.
- For hospital bands, locks of hair and small treasures.
- Thick pages and inclusive wording.
- 200gsm pages that won't bleed with a normal pen, and no “mum” or “dad”.
What to consider
60 pages for five years is not much room, and the brand doesn't say how many pages each month gets.
The spiral binding is fixed, so you can't add pages.
Price when checked: A$59.95 plus A$7.95 postage
Best choice if: you want freedom with photo sizes and a place for physical keepsakes.
Journal 9 of 10
Written With Love Baby Memory Book
Best for: lots of pages in a five-year book
At a glance
- Covers
- Pregnancy to age five
- Pages per baby month
- Not stated. 178 pages in total.
- Photos
- Not stated
- Writing style
- Guided prompts with watercolour illustrations. Handwritten.
- Keepsake extras
- Comes in a linen bag, or a keepsake box for more
- Price
- A$64.95, or A$79.95 with a keepsake box
Written With Love's Baby Memory Book (opens in a new tab) is a linen journal with 178 pages, more than any other five-year book here that gives a page count.
What stands out
- More pages than the other five-year books that give a count.
- 178 pages from pregnancy to five.
- Suitable for same-sex couples.
- The brand says so on the product page.
- A keepsake box option.
- Handy if you're giving it as a gift.
What to consider
The brand doesn't say how the pages are shared across the five years, or how photos fit.
Some colours were on pre-order when we checked.
Price when checked: A$64.95, or A$79.95 with a keepsake box
Best choice if: you want a roomy five-year paper book and don't mind not knowing the page plan.
Journal 10 of 10
Memorised Bump to Birthday Book
Best for: typing on your phone and getting a printed book, for the lowest total price
At a glance
- Covers
- Pregnancy to first birthday
- Pages per baby month
- Not stated. Up to 96 pages in total, across 48 topics.
- Photos
- Upload from your phone. Space for up to 244 photos.
- Writing style
- Guided questions you can edit. Typed.
- Keepsake extras
- None stated
- Price
- A$199, including the printed book and delivery in Australia
Memorised's Bump to Birthday Book (opens in a new tab) is an Australian online journal. You answer questions on its website and add photos as your baby grows. When you're done, it prints your book in Melbourne with a personalised linen hardcover.
What stands out
- One price covers the printed book and delivery.
- That's the lowest total of the two online journals here.
- Reminder emails.
- Every couple of weeks, matched to your baby's stage.
- Flexible pages.
- Edit nearly every question, swap topics for photo pages, and hide pages you don't need.
- Extra copies.
- A$99 each, including delivery. Handy for grandparents.
What to consider
You pay up front, before you've filled anything in. It offers a refund if you're not happy and haven't ordered your print yet.
It's typed and has no pocket for keepsakes. It covers the first year only.
Price when checked: A$199, including the printed book and delivery
Best choice if: you want an online journal with a printed book included, at the lowest total cost.
Paper or online?
Neither is better for everyone. It depends on how you like to keep memories.
A paper journal may suit you if
- You like writing by hand, and want your handwriting in the book.
- You enjoy printing photos and sticking them in.
- You want a place for physical keepsakes.
- You don't want another account or screen.
- You want to spend less up front. Paper books here cost A$60 to A$95.
An online journal may suit you if
- Your photos live on your phone and printing them keeps getting put off.
- You'd rather write in short bursts, like during a feed.
- You want to fix or change things before the book is printed.
- You're happy to pay more for a book laid out and printed for you.
Some parents do both. They type notes on their phone as things happen, then copy the best ones into a paper book.
