Tag: mother (Page 6 of 6)

The Ultimate Hospital Packing List!

February 22, 2016 / The Mama / 0 Comments

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

Music In the Womb – Playing Music for Baby

February 22, 2016 / The Mama / 0 Comments

You may have heard about some parents-to-be playing music for their unborn baby, and might even have thought about trying it yourself. Sarah and I have done some research and talked to some parents who’ve tried this. There seem to be mixed feelings on this topic… Music for baby while they’re still in the womb. Read all about what we’ve learned about music for unborn babies and what we recommend as new parents.

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My beautiful Lilybug, about four hours old

My Second Birth Story: Natural Birth All The Way!

February 17, 2016 / The Mama / 0 Comments

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.

A Letter to My Husband

February 13, 2016 / The Mama / 0 Comments

Being a mom is hard. Like, really hard. Worthwhile and joyous and life changing, yes. But hard nonetheless.
Being a dad is hard too, damnit. My husband has been working extra hard lately, and he deserves to know how appreciated and loved he is, so I wanted to write this just in time for Valentines Day. Thanks for reading this letter to my husband.

A little backstory: Babe and I met in high school, I was a freshman and dating his best friend. We were on-again-off-again until we decided that resistance was useless, and married in 2008. Since Kid #1 made his debut, our lives have been a beautiful chaotic swirl. Now we sit surrounded by half-full sippy cups, Hot Wheels being batted around by the cat, and burp cloths on every table.

I still love this man. Hell, I love him more now than ever. And nothing screams “jackpot” more than watching him with our children. He is patient, fair, and already has mastered dad jokes. But we never get time to sit and gaze into each other’s eyes, talking peacefully and admiring one another. So, I want to write him a letter.

Real Simple: Attachment Parenting My Way

February 11, 2016 / The Mama / 0 Comments

Attachment parenting: it is the foundation for this entire website, and I have become quite passionate about its advocacy. I wanted my first article to be significant, so I am giving you my definition of this parenting style as well as some other things I have learned over the last few years.

real simple parenting

First, though, I have to tell you something – don’t obsess about finding a name to give your own parenting style. No one is going to stop you on the street and ask “what parenting philosophy do you follow?” I did not even know about attachment parenting until after my first child was born, and I had obsessively read and researched everything when I was pregnant. As cliché as it may sound, I guess you could say that attachment parenting found me. Not the other way around. It’s totally OK to not have a name for what you practice.

I also have a confession. I hate the name “attachment” parenting. I guess it is my educational background that makes me think of a parent hovering around their child, wiping their nose and keeping them from experiencing anything. In the teaching world, we call that “helicopter mom” – and it is definitely a derogatory term. So my initial impression was of a paranoid germaphobic mom and a clingy, emotionally unstable child.

Nothing could be farther from the truth.

My First Two Weeks As A Mother

July 8, 2013 / The Mama / 0 Comments

They weren’t lying when they said that parenthood is the most challenging, yet most rewarding, thing that you will ever do. I felt so prepared to bring my son home and begin nourishing him, providing him with safety and love and guidance. I had taken all the classes, bought all of the stuff, double checked all of our lists and asked all of our questions. We were as ready as we could be!… or so we thought. Read on for the real honest account of my first two weeks as a mother.

How We Can Be Involved As Dads

April 22, 2013 / The Daddy / 0 Comments

Being the father of a baby that isn’t here yet can feel like you’re sitting on the sideline of the most important game of your life. But just because she’s the one doing all the work in actually carrying your future son or daughter, that doesn’t mean your involvement is not important. Sarah is now in her third trimester and I feel more needed than ever. There are so many things that we can do as husbands that will be much appreciated. Here are my quick and easy tips for how we can be involved as dads. Continue reading

Baby Owner’s Manual: Every New Dad Needs These Instructions

April 6, 2013 / The Daddy / 0 Comments

Learning that you’re going to be a new dad can be very stressful. I know because I was. I had no idea what I was going to do once our child came into the world, so I did what I naturally do when I want to learn about something. I went online and began researching. Here’s a little tip: every new dad needs these instructions, called The Baby Owner’s Manual Continue reading