Real. Simple. Parenting.

Category: Labor & Birth

I want to help you have the labor and birth you’re dreaming of!

Congratulations! You’re probably here because you (or a loved one) is getting ready to have a baby. How beautiful! But it can seem scary and overwhelming. That’s where I come in.

I’ve had two kids: one in the hospital and one in a birth center. And I have done years of research about all types of topics relating to labor and birth. I’ve learned what I want and what I refuse to deal with. And I’ve found what works for me.

The goal here is to give you suggestions and information to help you make the best decision for you. I’m all about education and support.

Do you need a maternity belt?

Can you really prepare yourself to have a drug-free birth?

What’s it like to have a water birth?

I’ll explain all of this and more in language which is real simple. Just like having a conversation over coffee with a fellow mom who wants nothing more than to help you. No judgment, no shaming. Just love.

How I Prepared For A Drug-Free Birth

Any healthy woman who has a low risk pregnancy can work towards a drug-free birth if that is what she desires. However, it does take time and effort to prepare yourself physically, emotionally, and mentally. Additionally, I really do think that all women need to have a mental plan on how they will deal with pain, even if they intend to have pain relief during labor.

I have had a natural birth in a hospital, and one in a birth center. Here are the biggest pieces of advice that I can give to any mother who is curious about pursuing a drug-free birth! Continue reading

A Complete Birth Plan

We are getting closer and closer to the big day!  We’ve spent a lot of time speaking to medical professionals, attending classes, and doing lots of our own research – all with the intention of making the best birth plan possible for our son. This birth plan is written with a hospital birth in mind, and my emphasis was on a natural/drug-free birth. I’ll write a birth center-specific plan soon.

I wrote this adorably innocent article in 2013. I’ve revised it now that I’ve birthed two kiddos 🙂 Free PDF download included!

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The Ultimate Hospital Packing List!

As you get closer to your due date, your mind is probably going 100mph with the list of things to take to the hospital.  Ideally, you want this bag ready to go in your car or by the door in case you have an “omg my water broke!” moment, and find yourself and your significant other rushing to Labor and Delivery.

Compiled from friends, websites, apps and hospital lists, here’s what I plan to take with me.  And now I’ll share my ultimate hospital packing list with you! Scroll to the end of the article for the free downloadable PDF! Continue reading

An Educated Birth: My Hope For You

I’ve had two kids, and two very different birth experiences. Looking back on my first child’s birth, I’m haunted by so many things I wish I had known. I knew I wanted a more fulfilling, enjoyable, rewarding experience with my daughter, and her birth gave me back the power and control I knew I deserved.

My hope for all women who are pregnant is that they be informed, educated and directly involved in all decisions related to their pregnancy and childbirth. The mom deserves it, and so does her child.
Note that I’m not a medical professional, just a wannabe midwife who has a passion for educating women about their options.
Let’s begin.

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My Second Birth Story: Natural Birth All The Way!

My second child’s birth was so different from my first. I feel like I redeemed myself from what I didn’t like the first time around, and having a midwife instead of a typical OB-in-a-hospital was a game changer. I wrote out my natural birth story originally as a letter to my daughter about her big day! (Proper nouns have been changed to protect privacy.) Warning, it’s a long post and just a teeny bit graphic.  But just a teeny bit. Read on if you’d like to see what a real-life natural birth at a birth center can be like! Thanks for sharing my natural birth story with me.

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My First Labor Story

Well here it is – how I brought our son into the world in 2013.  This was my first experience with childbirth, and a lot of things did not go the way I wanted. I want to write this article so that you can know what happened to me, and because I might teach you a thing or two before you head into Labor and Delivery, too. Read on for my first labor story.
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