The beginning of parenthood is the most challenging and wonderful time in any new mom or dad’s life. If you’re thinking of marking the start of this very special journey, then there are plenty of options to go about doing so. Depending on your preferences, family circumstances, and aspirations, choose something meaningful that reflects both your unique self and your newly expanded family. Use the six ideas listed below for inspiration on how to celebrate the arrival of your newborn both now and into the future.
Get A Beautiful Tattoo
A new tattoo can be a beautiful way to mark the beginning of your parenting adventure. Minimalist styles include children’s names in calligraphic writing along with their dates of birth or even an inky replica of their babyhood foot or handprint.
For a stunning visual commemoration of the birth of your new baby, you could also consider a highly realistic tattoo of your child’s face, designed to be a gorgeous celebration of your role as a new mom or dad. Alternatively, opt for a simple outline drawing of yourself holding your little one, surrounded by a mandala or flower pattern, for extra visual interest and beauty.
At-Home DNA Test for Siblings
If you’re unsure whether the father of your new baby is the same as that of an older child (or children), then this could be an ideal time to get an at home DNA test for siblings. This type of at-home test is a great option: it’s discreet, and taking a DNA swab from your kids is simple and painless, even for babies. You’ll receive everything you need in the pack to take the swabs, including full instructions and a prepaid envelope to send back the completed package.
Once received, the lab will conduct the DNA testing, and you may receive the results either via post or email in as little as a week.
Book a Family Portrait Session
If you love the idea of having a family portrait session but are worried about how well your newborn would cope with the situation, consider booking an experienced photographer to come to your home for a ‘new baby’ session. Many professional photographers now offer this, or a similar package, meaning there’s no need to schlep your new baby (and the tonne of stuff they require) across town to get some gorgeous photos taken.
Specific newborn sessions tend to be relaxed affairs, with the photographer understanding that, in all likelihood, you’ll need to stop multiple times to feed your baby or change her diaper. And the resultant photos are a wonderful keepsake to remember this precious time.
Choose a Personalized Piece of Jewelry
How about opting for a very special, personalized piece of jewelry to celebrate your journey into parenthood? This could be in the form of a bangle that features the birthstone of you and your new baby or a necklace incorporating their name and date of birth.
Another option for jewelry is a charm bracelet with meaningful charms, such as a pram, teddy bear, and a charm denoting your baby’s star sign or birthstone. This is a particularly good idea, as it can be added to over time with mementos of your child’s journey.
Create a Family Tree
If putting together a family tree is something that you’ve long been interested in doing but have never quite gotten around to, the arrival of a brand new member of the family could be the perfect time to complete this project. Find out as much as you can from family members about more distant relatives, or even consult a genealogy website to get the information you need.
There are many websites out there designed to help you create a family tree, where you’ll find many resources, including templates, to help you map out your ancestral branches.
Tick Something Off Your Bucket List
While looking after a newborn is likely to take up all your time – and then some – why not commemorate your entry into the parenting world by planning to tick something off of your bucket list? This could be scheduling a weekend break for six months time at a wellness retreat to learn yoga, signing up for a short-distance course in beginners’ French, or even looking into skydiving!
There’s no pressure to actually undertake the activity right now – simply making tangible plans for the future is a really positive way to congratulate yourself on the hard work inherent in the start of the parenting adventure.