Rather than suddenly realising that your 8lb baby is no longer that small, here are five ways that you can record their growth.
Chart their height
Until your baby is old enough to stand against a wall to measure their height, you will need to be a little creative. Get a long, thin piece of wood at least a metre in length and lay your baby down beside it. Put their feet touching the bottom of the plank and, with a marker, note where their head falls. As your child grows you can secure this to the wall and continue keeping track until they reach the end of their teen years.
Hand and foot prints
This one is a little tricky to do with wriggly babies but is really quite effective. Each month, get your baby’s hand or foot print by using washable paint or even clay - just make sure you are careful to wash your infant’s hands or feet thoroughly after use. Mark the date and age of your baby under each print.
Record them
At the same spot each day take a video recording of your baby. It doesn’t have to be long - just 10 seconds of film should be enough. At the end of your 365 day project put all of your recordings together and watch how your baby grows and changes throughout their first year.
Take a picture in the same spot
You can do the same thing with a simple camera or your smartphone. Make sure you take the picture in the same spot each day and at the end of the year or just before your little one’s first birthday put all the photos together. You will end up with a great collection of snaps that document all of your baby’s physical changes.
Take a picture of them beside their teddy
Another fun way to chart your baby’s growth is to take a picture of them beside a teddy. Once a week take the same photo in the exact same position of your little one beside their toy. At the start your baby will no doubt be smaller than the teddy but over time they will gradually get bigger than it.
