pregnancy

Hormones & Fatigue: Part 1 – My Health & Weight History (and Update)

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Structuring my life and health AROUND my hormonal cycle is the only way I succeed at anything. I think I will always struggle with fatigue, anxiety, depression, weight management, and digestive issues. This doesn’t mean there’s necessarily something “wrong” with me. It’s a combination of genetics and my overly-stressful life. Sometimes, playing the cards you’ve been dealt is better than trying to find new ones. Being the best me I can be within my health limitations has done more for me than trying to pathologize and fix my limitations ever did.

Inviting God in while preparing for birth: pregnancy devotionals and journals

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One big question I had when preparing for Little Brother’s birth was this: How do I prepare myself – my heart, mind, and soul – for birth, as well as what comes after? I have stumbled upon a gold mine of pregnancy devotionals on Amazon and I thought I would share them with you all! … [Read more…]

Tips for coping with prodromal labor or “false” labor

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I’m currently 34 weeks and 2 days. I’ve been having Braxton Hicks contractions since 10 weeks pregnant. But now, I’m pretty sure that last night I experienced true prodromal labor for the first time this pregnancy. I had several Braxton Hicks per hour all evening. I went to bed at 10:30, but remained awake for a while with … [Read more…]

A Christian Blessingway: Little Brother’s Baby Shower

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I’m not the biggest fan of baby showers. Also, when we were pregnant with our second baby, we didn’t really need much (perks of having two boys and saving everything). I had read about the idea of having a Blessingway or Mother Blessing online and in my Birthing From Within Journal. “Unlike a traditional baby shower, where … [Read more…]

Preparing for VBAC: Letting go in the 3rd trimester

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I knew going into this pregnancy that one big thing I wanted to be different between this pregnancy and my first pregnancy was that I wanted the third trimester to be much more relaxing. With Ezra’s pregnancy, there were many things that contributed to stress in the final weeks leading up to his birth: The assumption that … [Read more…]

Preparing for VBAC: Processing your birth fears

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A lot of the work of birthing can be done during pregnancy – especially the emotional work. Take the time to consider your fears or anxiety about birth and work through those. This is especially important for first time mamas and mamas planning a VBAC. … As midwife and Russian birth pioneer Elena Tonetti-Vladimirova says … [Read more…]

Pregnancy Art Therapy Project: Affirmations Coloring Pages

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When I was pregnant with Ezra, I bought two adult coloring books (of butterflies and flowers) to color in the last few weeks of his pregnancy. They sat, unused, for nearly 4 years in our game cupboard, when all of the sudden, when watching him color, I remembered that I had them. I got them … [Read more…]

Relaxation apps and CDs to relax during pregnancy and prepare for birth

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Deep breathing and relaxation are very important skills to cultivate for life in general, but doubly so when preparing for birth. My first therapist, a LCSW, introduced me to guided imagery relaxation techniques in 2009. At the time I was very leery of anything that remotely seemed like hypnosis for religious reasons. Over the past … [Read more…]

Being proactive in pregnancy (without being obsessive)

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If you have followed my blog over the years, you know that I struggle with perfectionism, longing for control, obsessive thinking, and trying too hard. I’m a proactive doer. Type A, if you will. Having an unplanned cesarean birth did much to expose this part of me that often gets me into big trouble – … [Read more…]