There are so many ways to approach packing for your hospital birth, and none of them are wrong! AND, sometimes, it is nice to know a few more options.   The list below was created to highlight the necessities. And then the next necessities, and the next next necessities, so you can expand your packing as you see fit (and on to next next next necessities!) Proud Minimalist:  Wallet: medical card, ID, Debit or Credit card Cell phone & charger 2 shirts 2 pants with elastic waist Slip-on shoes Toiletry Bag: toothbrush & toothpaste, chapstick, any medication & glasses Carse ..read more

If there is one thing we know in the Northeast, it’s how to get through the harsh winter months. We know how to drive in the snow. We know how to stockpile supplies in our homes. We know how to have fun in the snow!  And once we know a baby will be entering our lives, we are very fast to learn how to keep little people safe in the winter months! If you think you are a pro with winter safety, run down the list below and see if you are up to speed on essential considerations for the babies in your life.  Don’t kiss babies on the mouth! One of the best things you can do to keep your ..read more

It’s cold. It’s the winter holiday season. And now you have a baby. It’s not that you’ve never considered what life with a baby will look like during the holidays, but now it’s a real baby and not a hypothetical one! So with your very real baby, perhaps you’re starting to question longstanding traditions, or are reconsidering which parties make sense to attend. There isn’t a right or wrong choice here. But there are ways to communicate your expectations and contributions clearly, so the relationships you have with other adults in your life can be primed with compassion as you navigate thes ..read more

When you find out you are pregnant, it’s a shock. When you find out you are pregnant with more than one baby, it is shocking on top of shock! How will you manage? How do you even begin to plan? To prepare? Having multiples is challenging! There is more risk throughout the pregnancy, and more risk once they are born, because there are two (or more!) unique people you are responsible for now! After the initial shock, there comes the planning. Being a parent of multiples encourages planning and tracking. Do you have enough diapers? When did Baby A last eat? When did Baby B last have ..read more

If you are a parent, at some point, this word will fall out of your mouth at some point: “Listen!” We believe as parents, if we explained better or if our children listened better, so many problems may never start.  And as adults, we place an incredible amount of importance on eye contact as proof that a message was received well. But there is a problem, of course. Eye contact does not equal understanding. If you were to look at small children playing, it is common for young girls, say ages 3-5, to be interested in games where they are mimicking the social environment they witness. They play ..read more

If you are planning to give birth in a hospital, you may be surprised to find there are a startling number of people who will come in and introduce themselves while you are laboring, birthing, or recovering. Below is a list to help you prepare for that reality! Front Desk Attendant: This is the person you will be sharing the exciting news that you are in labor/induction/scheduled cesarean. It is helpful to share with this person if you have called ahead, and if you have pre-registered at the hospital. But no worries, if you don’t haven’t done any of those things, they will get you where you ..read more

You are pregnant. Perhaps you just found out and you are still reeling from the realization that life is being formed inside you…right now. You may not look different. Do you feel different? Having the knowledge that you are pregnant, and making the choice of what to do with your news is very personal. Will you share? Will you wait? Do you want to become internet famous for how you tell those closest to you? Or, would you like to keep this news safe and secure, and wait a while? There is no wrong answer. Learning you are pregnant, and becoming connected to your pregnancy, are two completely d ..read more