About the time I was 34 weeks pregnant, I started getting anxious about packing a bag for our hospital stay. I tried searching for items that veteran mommas had packed for their stays. What I found was a lot of long, overwhelming lists, that contained a lot of fluff items and what seemed to be over packing. To save you from sifting through these needlessly long lists, I have compiled a condensed packing list that includes everything you will need without over packing. This printable hospital bag checklist is complete with the necessary items for the whole family and is the exact list I used to pack for my own…

It was 4:45 p.m. on a Monday afternoon. I sat in the hospital room, on the sheet-covered table, stripped from the waist down, fiddling with the sheet of paper that was draped over my legs. As I sat there, 38 weeks pregnant, my swollen feet losing circulation from hanging over the table, thoughts raced through my mind. A blur of commotion from the nurses was going on beside me as I stared blankly at a wall in disbelief of the news I was just given, I was dilated to 3.5 cm and my baby was coming. Panic had taken over, I wasn’t ready for this, I still had to pack…

  If you’re anything like me, the mystery of labor and delivery is the most frightening part of pregnancy, for a first time mom. In order to feel more prepared I would watch videos of other mom’s giving birth. Piece of advice, do not do this. Avoid these videos at all costs. The videos are often traumatizing, untrue, and exaggerated. As labor drew closer, I remember feeling so scared and unprepared for what was about to happen in the delivery room. Becoming a mom is already overwhelming, and I was desperate for some sense of preparation and confidence. I have found that, the best way to prepare yourself for labor…