Thanks to the advent of the internet, the world has gotten much smaller, and an online baby book is the ideal way to share photos of your precious little one with loved ones from far and near. Online baby books have lots of advantages, and many are easy to create.
What Is an Online Baby Book?
An online baby book is your own personal digital baby book. It's a place to share photos and videos of your little bundle of joy. You can also track growth, milestones, and write journal entries to capture all the important moments in your baby's life. Baby book websites are typically password protected so your personal information stays safe.
What You Need to Create an Online Baby Book
Whether you use a website or an app, you'll need at least some basic digital equipment to create your baby book including:
- Computer or smartphone access
- Internet access
- Ability to digitize baby photos
Great Baby Book Websites to Try
If you're a web designer, you can create your own baby book website from scratch. For everyone else there are many companies specializing in online baby books that offer pre-made, customizable book templates. Simply add your own photos and text, and you're ready to go.
Shutterfly Baby Photo Books
As one of the top photo websites, Shutterfly offers tons of options for recording and sharing your child's special moments. Photo baby books start around $20 for an 8 by 8 book and run up to $75 for an 11 by 14 book. You can create a Shutterfly account for free so your photos and your baby book will be stored long-term. Once you've created an account, you can add to the book little by little or you can gather all your information and upload all your photos then create the book all at once.
- Start by choosing from over 25 different styles like "Classic Baby Boy" or "Baby's First Year."
- Pick the page layout for each page and add your photos and text.
- Add baby themed embellishments to pages and pictures.
- You can buy as many copies as you'd like and even share with family members.
My Own Little Story
My Own Little Story is free to use for two years after that you have to purchase a subscription plan to keep your online baby book going. What makes this site stand out is they send you emails based on your child's age, which they continually track, reminding you to record certain baby milestones.
- It covers pregnancy and your child's life outside the womb.
- Start by registering for a free account.
- Add photos and memories on your own or after email prompts.
- Print an eBook version of your baby book for about $30 that comes on a CD.
- Buy print books for $40 to $80 depending on length.
Baby Sites
Baby Sites offers a basic baby website free of charge. Since the company has to make money somewhere, free sites do have advertisements, but these are not overly obtrusive. You can choose from over 25 templates, with themes including Bees, Sports, Sunflowers, Dinosaurs, and holidays. If you need to add more photos or you desire more options, there is a "Premium Site" offered for less than $50 per year. Great features of the free website include:
- Comes with 5 MB of storage.
- You can upload up to 100 photos.
- The website has its own personalized web address.
- You can share on Twitter and Facebook.
Baby Jelly Beans
Baby Jelly Beans is not free, but it does offer a 30-day free trial. With a price tag of just under $10 per month, Baby Jelly Beans is definitely more expensive than some other companies, but its easy interface, creative themes, and fun options make it worth a look. All templates feature a polished, well-put-together look, with themes like "Little Angel in Blue" and "Secret Garden." Features that make this online baby book desirable are:
- The option to create an online adoption baby book, which includes pages such as "Journey To...," "Adoption Journal," and "Homecoming."
- No advertising on your personal baby website.
- You can order your entire website on a DVD for only $20.
- There's a guest book where friends and family can leave comments and memories.
Baby Book Apps
Modern and busy parents love the option of creating a memorable baby book straight from their smartphone. Thanks to these apps, anyone can start and update their baby book anytime and anywhere.
Qeepsake Text Message App
Dubbed "The Text Message Baby Journal," Qeepsake is about the easiest way to create a baby book right from your phone. For about $35 per year you can get the Plus membership where they'll send you two text message questions about your baby each day. You'll be able to upload unlimited photos using the app and purchase a tangible Qeepsake book. A few of the best features include:
- When you respond to the Qeepsake messages, your memories and baby's milestones are automatically added to your journal.
- From the website you can edit and expand your uploaded entries.
- If something memorable happens, simply text it to Qeepsake to have it uploaded to your baby book.
- Whenever you want, you can order a physical book that is expandable for an average of $40.
- The Premium membership options costs under $100 for the year and includes 4 questions per day and the ability to add your spouse's phone to the account.
Peekaboo Moments App
The Peekaboo Moments App is free and available on iTunes and in the Google Play Store, but you can upgrade for more features for about $30 per year. With a rating of over four stars from over 65,000 users, it's clear people love the app thanks to these features:
- You can share with friends and family when you decide.
- Uploads are automatically organized based on your child's age.
- You can add photos, videos, and audio files.
TinyBeans App
For the ultimate in versatility you can access your TinyBeans account on their website or use their app. The app is free, but for added features you can upgrade by paying $8 per month, $50 per year, or $250 for a lifetime subscription. TinyBeans is great because:
- Each person you share the book with gets their own login information to use via phone or web.
- You can have your memories printed into a real book starting at $20.
- You can add fun stickers, filters, and text to photos.
- Everything is organized by age, growth, and milestones.
Tips for Using an Online Baby Book
If you're more of a digital person than a crafty person, an online baby book can make the process of documenting your baby's life easier and more enjoyable. Keep in mind a few tips when creating your digital baby journal.
- Include pictures with captions and brief text to capture each memory completely.
- Organize the book by age for easy reading.
- When you take a picture with your phone, save it with a caption or file name that describes your baby's age.
- Only share with close family members to keep your online content safe and secure.
- Print a physical copy of the baby book where you can add physical keepsakes and mementos.
- Create a new book for each year of life or use a website that allows you to create separate tabs or pages for each year.
Document Your Baby's Journey
While your child is young, a baby book serves as a way to share their milestones and memories with other and a way for you to reminisce. When your child is older, he or she can look back on the baby book to better understand family history, family relationships, and his or her own development as it might relate to your future grandchildren.
