Years before I ever pictured myself as a mom, my vanity told me that pregnancy was just not going to happen. Stretch marks? Um, no thanks. Now I realize that stretch marks don’t mark all moms. Whipped belly butter can help! I’m astoundingly grateful that God changed my heart about motherhood and happy to tell…
How to Write a Birth Plan Fast
Short on time, but still hoping to write a birth plan? Make it easy on yourself by following along with these easy-to-follow guidelines for how to write a birth plan fast. Talk to your spouse about your birth preferences, feelings, and anxieties. Determine as a couple what your best-practice birth plan might look like. Pray…
My Birth Playlist
When Summer Elizabeth was born, I had a playlist ready to go, stereo loaded. We used only one of those CDs before my midwife arrived and determined the music not “soothing” enough. The rest of the birth went on under the approved calming harp melodies that the doula had in her handbag. Not my cup…
Labor-Friendly Natural Massage Oil
Show me a pregnant woman who doesn’t like massage, and I’ll show you a…. wait a minute, I’m not sure what I would show you. Anyway, most pregnant women in labor appreciate the relaxation benefits of a massage given with strong hands and a labor-friendly natural massage oil. Source With our first child, our sweet…
How to Pack a Hospital Bag for Birth
Oh, how the tables have turned for the birth of baby Elijah. This time around, in contrast to Summer Elizabeth’s home water birth, I’ll be giving birth in a public Costa Rican hospital. Dun, dun, dun… Source Although I did have some items packed away in case of an emergency with my homebirth, this time…
Baby Belly: 24 Weeks
Yesterday someone asked me how my pregnancy was going. “Good,” I replied. She probed. Was it really going well, or just okay? It made me think. Not only has God blessed me with two incredibly smooth & easy pregnancies, but this one even trumps my first pregnancy in terms of comfort, energy, and feeling great….
Pregnancy Belly Butter
I’m a sucker for skincare products. There’s just something luxurious about silky smooth skin. My preference for natural skin care products that don’t contain chemicals, colorings, and ingredients that I can’t pronounce is especially true during pregnancy, when I’m growing a sweet innocent baby inside. That’s why I use this natural pregnancy belly butter for…
Healthy Pregnancy Dessert: Chocolate Banana PB Smoothie
source Since I’m pregnant, good nutrition is really important for both baby’s and my own health. That doesn’t mean my sweet tooth just vanishes, however. A girl’s gotta have a few healthy pregnancy desserts on the menu to satisfy those sugar cravings. Is it just me, or do those come every single day? For the…
Postpartum Healing Pads
Postpartum recovery is a toughie for most of us. Our bodies are recovering from the toughest task that being a woman lends us: birth. If you didn’t think it was difficult, high five to you. For this lady, my baby’s birth was no walk in the park. Following vaginal birth, these postpartum healing pads were…
What a Mom Wants
Now that Summer Elizabeth is nearing 4 months, I feel I now merit the official “Mom” title. As such, I’d love to suggest several products that have been incredibly useful-helpful-essential to our family’s existance the past few months. When your next baby shower invitation arrives, don’t forget that mom deserves her share of gifts too!…
