Baby

The Undeniable Benefits Of A Birth Plan (And A Printable!)

Thinking you may want a birth plan to give your doctors, nurses, or midwives? That’s a great idea. Here’s why birth plans are important and a printable for you to write your own.

I can already feel you guys thinking that birth plans are for (a) hippies and granolas, (2) scaredy cats, and (d) control freaks

(5 points if you know where a,2,d comes from… I’ll give you a hint… Macaulay Culkin, the Wet Bandits and Christmas).

➡️ Actually, birth plans are immensely helpful tools convenient for both yourself and your caregiver.

I met a lady at McDonald’s last week who said labor with her 9th baby was by far the easiest.

She dropped her kids off at school at 7:30 am, had the baby with her midwife at 10:30 am, and made it to school pick-up in the afternoon.

Now that, ladies and gentlemen, is what I call Planned Parenthood.

Labor and delivery doesn’t always go to plan, of course, but often it does. This is why it’s important to have a plan.

the benefits of a birth plan, newborn baby in mothers arms

Some truths about labor and delivery and birth plans:

For low-risk uncomplicated labor and deliveries, you will most likely be able to determine how things go.
Your birth plan will also include your wishes if things don’t go as easy as you’d like.
Being informed makes labor more comfortable.
Being informed and understanding what is happening in labor helps you concentrate and labor effectively without the extreme fear and dismay that comes when we just “go with the flow.”

Read on for reasons to create a birth plan and to get your free printable.

The Undeniable Benefits Of A Birth Plan (And A Printable!)

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How to Choose a Baby Name That’s Meaningful To You

If you are pregnant expectant parenting and wondering what on earth you’ll call your bundle of joy, here are some thoughts on how to choose a baby name that’ll work for your family. Preferably by your due date.

How does one go about choosing a baby name?

Have you been there?

You have a list of 5 awesome names, and your spouse is like.

NO.

VETO.

NOT HAPPENING.

With one of my babies, we didn’t have a name until a week before he was born.

With another, we didn’t name him until after he was born.

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Rooted in Family

Family life shouldn’t feel like a blur of to-do lists that leave you wondering if the memories are even sticking. This workshop helps you define your family’s core values and create simple, meaningful traditions that bring everyone closer without adding pressure.

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How To Choose A Meaningful Baby Name

Here are some tried and true ways to choose awesome baby names.

1. Choose names that run in the family, even way back

A great way to start thinking about names is to get family members to make lists of all the names they can think of that run in the family in both genders.

You may find a name or two you’d forgotten about but that are timeless.

I think this is a great tradition and being able to keep a name running in the family is special.

My grandfather (who I was very close to) was named Buford.

Now, that was way big back in the 1920’s but just not something I wanted to inflict on my son. Nor did I think papa would mind.

So, I shortened Buford to Ford and, voila, my son’s middle name was born.

You don’t have to confine yourself to family names or carry down a name to the fifth generation (is that not reserved for royalty?) but sentimentality has its place.

Look on ancestry.com and scour your family tree. You’ll likely find some gems that stand out among the crowd, and it’ll help narrow down the top runners.
Text family members and ask about their aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents growing up. The goal is to get a high volume of names.

Motherhood & Wellbeing

Parenting on the Same Page

You and your co-parent (spouse, ex, step, etc.) won’t always see eye to eye—but that doesn’t mean parenting has to feel like a constant battle. This workshop will help you communicate clearly, find common ground, and handle disagreements without drama, so you can focus on raising great kids instead of fighting over the details. Because parenting differences are normal, but constant conflict doesn’t have to be.

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2) Choose a baby name based on its meaning

I must admit, I cared less about the meaning of names than my husband did, at first.

Sure, I wouldn’t name my child something that had its origin in the word evil or ugly, but I wasn’t aiming for a name that meant something special.

My husband, however, didn’t want the name to simply be neutral, but he wanted it to be a proclamation over our child.

We had a name chosen for our daughter until the day before she was born. After researching the meaning more, we realized the first name we had chosen also meant Temptress.

Well…

That wasn’t something I wanted on a banner over her head. Ha! We changed the name and – the very next day – she came into the world early.

She was waiting on her real name.

Start to think of adjectives that mean something to you and then search names that go along with those.
You may be stuck between a few names and the meaning could push one over the top for you.
Google “girl names that are flowers” or “names that mean beautiful” and it’ll help you narrow down the options.

Read: Baby Names Finder

mom holding baby, choosing a baby name you love

3) Decide whether you’re willing to choose a super trendy name

Names come and they go.

Some, like Nancy or Jessica, tell you what age someone is without seeing their face.

Some are more classic. They come and go in popularity, but they’ll never be “so 2019” because they were here long before and will be here long after.

Biblical names are like this.

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Setting Your Family Pace

Family life shouldn’t feel like a constant race. This workshop helps you build a balanced, sustainable pace that handles responsibilities while making space for rest, connection, and what really matters.

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Sometimes their popularity ebbs and flows, but they are classic and traditional enough (in most languages) to stand the test of time.

➡️ Peter, Pedro, Pietro, Pater, all forms of the same name popular worldwide.

Names that are unique and high up on a year’s particular list will be less likely to be timeless. And that’s okay. Just know what you’re getting into it before you do.
Names that are “nickname” variations of a longer name (i.e. Archie is the legal name, not Archibald) give no room for tweaking as the child ages.
In the interesting book Freakonomics
, they posture that celebrity names travel up and down the socioeconomic spectrum. So choosing a celebrity name one decade might mean classy, and the next might mean “trashy.” Not sure about this, but interesting thought.

My grandmother said there were at least 5 Hazels in her classes growing up.

She was Hazel T.

There was Hazel R. and Hazel S., etc. etc. etc.

white onesie baby on floor, choosing a baby name

4) Choose a baby name that can’t be twisted into something noticeably embarrassing or rude

Does it rhyme with stupid, ugly, fat or witch?

If so, I’d rethink your decision.

Of course, there will be a myriad of ways for mean middle schoolers to make fun of your sweet innocent children. That’s why we don’t need to add fuel to the fire.

Ask yourself these questions…

Is this a name I want to give to express MY creative outside the box thinking? Will my child appreciate that?

Will my child hate this name as they grow up?

Am I choosing a spelling that is going to irritate them forever?

My mother’s maiden name was Rachels, hence my name, Rachel.

I used to think I should change my name to Rachel Rachels.

That’s weird, huh? I still think it would have been cool.

Related Reads For Your Near Future:

Baby Name FAQ

We can’t decide on a baby name. Help!

One of our babies we could not choose a name, so we waited until he was actually born. Like, I was holding him.

The nurses will try to force you to find a name before their shift change (#askmehowIknow) but legally you have at least a few weeks (if not much longer) to choose. Don’t stress. It’ll come to you.

My husband and I cannot agree on a baby name. Ugh!

I feel this. My husband likes to joke that we are like that Blake Shelton country song… I name the babies, he names the dogs.

Is your husband vetoing all your choices, or is he offering up some of his own? Why not make a list (both of you) of 20 or so baby names that you like/are okay with, then work on narrowing it down together.

There IS a name you’ll both love. And you can always compromise on middle and first names, who gets to choose which.

We think our parents and family members will hate the baby name we have chosen, what should we do?

Our dear friend and former nanny just went through this. They decided to not tell family until the baby was born.

They kept it a secret and, at birth, announced the name. At that point, no one could argue. It was hard and they got snarky comments for 6 months or so about the secret, but they were so happy they did.

What if we choose a baby name and end up hating it?

No biggie. Just legally change it.

It’d be a lot of paperwork, but if you choose a name you really hate, you can always change it. Hope that helps take some pressure off.

Organizing A Diaper Bag: What To Include & How To Organize It

Inside are tips on organizing a diaper bag so you can get to everything and not leave the important stuff at home.

At the height of diaper-ness in our home… we had 5 kids under 5 years of age. So that was like 3 kids in diapers at once basically, give or take.

Yikes. Let the games begin.

Previously, I’ve had an absolute love/hate relationship with the diaper bag because it was unorganized, either full of more things than I didn’t need or lacking the things I did.

Plus, I kept finding month old teething crackers or banana peels in random pockets.

That had to be remedied.

I decided that my diaper bag – my lifeline while out and about on errands with little ones – needed to work for me instead of be a disorganized mess.

diaper bag organizers - diaper bag inserts

Diaper Bag Organization Consists Of:

the diaper bag itself
inserts that help organize the diaper bag
snacks/drinks for kids
wallet/money for mom

Read: The No Tears Approach to Running Errands and Doing Appointments With Baby

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A Printable Newborn Feeding Chart That Works Like A Charm

Inside you’ll find all you need to know to put into a newborn feeding chart and then have a printable one for yourself! Whether or not you are interested in sleep training, this will get you started on a great solid routine.

I gave birth to my firstborn in a hospital in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

With a midwife whom I’d never met.

It all happened so fast and no one thought I was actually near 10 cm because they hadn’t checked dilation since I wasn’t in much pain. Must not be close, they assumed.

But really I’m a redhead and my pain signals are all jacked up so then it was go time before we knew it.

“But I don’t even have the paperwork ready…” she said in a sort of sweet and confused voice.

“IT’LL WAIT!” I yelled.

Fast forward a few days…

Fast forward a few days and I was ready to start tracking my baby’s feeds. I couldn’t remember which side she had fed from or if she was feeding enough and I felt stressed.

I wanted to write it down and keep it in her nursery. So I used a pen and a little notepad and over the next few weeks kept diligent track to make sure things seemed okay.

They were!

Read: The ultimate newborn napping, feeding, and sleeping schedule

Basic Feeding Tips For The Early Weeks

(Psst… you can scroll down and get your free downloadable newborn feeding chart).

newborn baby in newborn swaddling blanket with pink and blue hat being held by mom

Here are some basic rules of thumb when it comes to feeding newborns. Talk to your pediatrician or nursing consultant if you have any issues, but for most babies these principles will help you have a calm, contented baby.

Read: 8 reasons you’ve got a fussy whiny little one

Focus On Filling Baby Up

Newborns are sleepy. They want to feed a bit then nod off. This is not a good idea for a few reasons, listed below.

To keep track of whether or not your baby is taking full feeds, scroll down and get your free newborn feeding chart so you can keep track.

Babies do not get the breast milk most rich in fat and calories (the hind milk) because if they nurse for a short period they’re only getting the fore milk (less density which means less filling).
Also, they will not go into a deep sleep (which takes around 20 minutes) and then when they transition through sleep cycles (around 45 minutes or so after they’ve gone to sleep) they’ll wake up out of hunger.
You will be feeding baby every hour all day long.

Related Reads:

Feed Unswaddled By Day And Swaddled By Night

We want our babies to know the difference between night and day so they’ll have their wake times in the day and sleepy time at night.

This means that we create certain associations with being awake and other associations with sleep. One of those is the swaddle. You should swaddle from Day One because this will decrease the likelihood your baby “fights the swaddle.”

I had 5 babies and none fought the swaddle because we did it from Day One and there simply wasn’t an option.

Babies who are not swaddled will wake frequently or nap lighter since the startle reflex (moro reflex) will cause their arms to rise up and “startle.”

If they aren’t in a deep sleep cycle this might be enough to wake them.

During the day unswaddle them to feed so you’re communicating wake time. At night, unswaddle the bottom of their swaddle (the swaddles perfect for this shown below) to change their diaper, then reswaddle them and feed swaddled. This means baby will essentially sleep through the feed. Voila!

Read: How to clear up daytime and nighttime confusion in babies

Bring Baby To You, Don’t Lean Towards Baby

Those midwives in Scotland had it going on. Not only did they give you all the logistics while you were in the hospital, they visited you for a few weeks AT HOME during the postpartum period.

You could ask them absolutely anything about anything and they helped make it all work. One thing they gave me in my welcome packet was a DVD on how to get baby to latch properly.

With 5 babies I have had 0 issues with latching on and I’m telling you this works.

Instead of leaning down onto baby, position the breast and the baby’s head so that you push the baby onto your breast.

This means your bringing baby where the milk is, not trying to bring the milk down to baby. And, it means this will make for a better latch.

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Sleep Little Lamb (Ages 0-5)

Moms will walk away with a step-by-step sleep plan tailored to their child’s age and needs, designed to improve sleep within 3 days to 2 weeks.

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Related Reads:

newborn baby lying on white blanket with hands folded up

Example Daily Rhythm

Newborns have tiny tummies. You’ll be feeding baby around the clock for weeks at a time. However, by giving full feeds and keeping baby awake during feeds (which can be a feat) you’ll be able to increase the time between feeds providing baby with more restorative naps.

Initially you want to aim for feeding baby every 2.5 to 3 hours. So you may feed at 6 am, 8:30 am, 11:00 am, then 2:00 p.m.

The only reasons baby should feed less than 2.5 hours apart are these:

Baby is not feeding enough at each feed (not getting calorie rich hind milk or enough ounces of formula)
They are going through a growth spurt.
You are cluster feeding in late afternoon early evening on purpose.

Read: The Easy Peasy Newborn Routine That Makes For Happy Babies

A Printable Chart That Works Like A Charm

I’ve created a newborn feeding chart below where you can record what times your baby is feeding and use that to find a good rhythm for you and your baby.

Read: The Dreamfeed: The Why, The How, & When To Stop

Motherhood & Wellbeing

Self-Care That Sticks

In this workshop, you’ll ditch the “I don’t have time” excuse and build a flexible, doable self-care plan that fits into your real life. Because taking care of yourself shouldn’t feel like another thing on your to-do list.

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Is baby sleeping okay?

Baby bedtime can begin to feel like an actual nightmare.

Moms just want baby to sleep well. You just want to have some peace and quiet after a long day of momming and yet you are spending so much time trying to comfort an exhausted baby and wondering where it all went to pot.

Because moms with babies are busy (and tired) I created a set of nitty gritty baby sleep checklists that get straight to the point.

Things to look for if your baby is sick.
Habits to check if your baby won’t sleep at night.
What to do if your baby won’t go back to sleep at night.
And so much more!

It’s not usually some major problem that’s causing baby sleep issues, it’s usually something small. Use these checklists and get some clarity today.

Read: Cocooning a Newborn & 7 Reasons Why it Can Be Good For The Family

Sources:

Words Every Emotionally Exhausted Mom Needs To Hear

Inside: Encouragement for the emotionally exhausted mom who needs to know if she’s doing a good job.

I was heavily pregnant and a complete failure.

I was too tired to run the home right.

Too tired to keep the kids reigned in.

And too tired to give a rip.

emotionally exhausted mom drinking coffee

Everyday I just hoped my kids weren’t being willful and they’d do what was asked of them because I didn’t have the energy to back up my words up with action.

I was overwhelmed, weary, and so ready to give birth I could have given myself a c-section just to be done with it all.

I felt like a failure of a mother. Good deeds other mothers did highlighted my own inadequacy. I berated myself for having low energy, and was anxious that – perhaps – I wouldn’t go back to “normal” after giving birth.

I was so emotionally overwhelmed that meeting my kids’ needs was about all I could do.

Words That Every Emotionally Exhausted Mom Needs to Hear

It was at that time I knew I needed to tell myself some good things. Instead of focusing on the hard things and my perceived failures, I needed to affirm the things I was doing right.

I had to get through those final days of pregnancy then the early weeks of postpartum and get my head on straight again. I needed to believe that I was a good mom even though I felt crappy.

“You Are Doing A Good Job”

If you are the type of mom who worries about being a good mom then, the fact is… you’re doing a good job.

You aren’t doing a perfect job (impossible) and you aren’t doing “the best” job (because you’re give slam out) but you are doing a good job.

➡️ And good is good enough.

You’ll have time to do better later. Things will improve and change. Life ebbs and flows in seasons and this is a hard one. Acknowledge that it’s hard. Acknowledge that you could do more, maybe, but right now, you’re still doing a good job.

Read: The Ultimate Guide To Having A Mother’s Helper You’ll Love

Motherhood & Wellbeing

Self-Care That Sticks

Start Now

Family Practices & Contribution

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Sleep Little Lamb (Ages 0-5)

Moms will walk away with a step-by-step sleep plan tailored to their child’s age and needs, designed to improve sleep within 3 days to 2 weeks.

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“Your Situation Is Not Hopeless”

Hope deferred makes the heart sick. Prov. 13:12

Having our hopes dashed is bad.

But what’s worse than that is thinking you have no hope. That there is no chance you’ll have more energy, feel more positively, and see a change in your circumstances. This is just not true. When our mindset gets stuck in our circumstances, we can’t see a way out.

➡️ Feeling hopeless causes fear and stress. Fear and stress cause our bodies to release stress hormones that suppress normal bodily functions, over time, we end up more susceptible to both despair and physical illness.

This is why what we tell ourselves is so important. Although right now we may not see a silver lining in our situation, it is not without hope.

God is alive, there are friends and family, there are miracles, there are weird circumstances and things that happen at just the right place at the right time, and your situation is not without hope.

You may not know where to look for it yet, but hope is there.

Read: 5 Signs You May Be A Depressed Mom — And How To Start Feeling Better

“You Are Not Alone”

Even if you don’t have a close support system where you are right now… even in your loneliness… you are not alone.

There are a slew of other mothers in your area, state, country, and all over the world who feel similarly.

You are not a failure because you’re emotionally exhausted.

Nearly all women have been where you are or will be.

Motherhood & Wellbeing

Weary To Well

This 10-day reset will help you uncover what’s wearing you down (spoiler: it’s not just lack of sleep), set boundaries without guilt, and finally create space to breathe again. Because burnout isn’t your personality—it’s a signal things need to change.

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Read: My “Daily Escape” to a Quiet Place & Why It’s Necessary

“Everyone Is Not Judging You”

When you’re feeling down it’s easy to imagine others are judging you for your failures. The fact is, they are not (here’s the real reason moms judge). When we feel insecure we believe others see our every flaw.

They do not.

Half the time people don’t know your faults until you spill them out because you assume it’s already obvious.

So what if you’re an angry mom sometimes with weird triggers? So what if you aren’t as calm as you’d like to be and you can’t get a grip on your emotions all the time? You aren’t the only one whose emotionally exhausted, and besides – like I said – there is hope for you.

“The Hero on the Horse Is You…”

I read an article from a woman in an abusive marriage that was very profound. She said the beginning of her journey to freedom came when she realized a hard truth.

➡️ The truth that there was no hero coming on a horse to save her.

She had to pray, gain courage, and see herself as the heroine (on earth) in her story.

In fact, as horrible as that sounds at first… it is a freeing thought. She began changing her mindset.

She began hoping. She began dreaming. She began acting and eventually through God’s grace and perseverance she got into a great situation. Her own thoughts and mindsets had to change and joy was found more and more as they did.

How to Get Out of an Emotionally Exhausting Situation….

Being emotionally exhausted means you constantly feel like you’re catching up.

Never getting ahead.

Barely enough energy to make it through much less make changes. Well, I have good news. The very first thing you need to do to get out of this phase requires more thinking than doing.

How to begin coming out of the emotionally exhausted situation:

You’ve got to change your mindset. These positive affirmation printables will give you a thought to read every day for one month. You’ll be dead surprised how differently you’re thinking in 31 days.
Second, you’ve got to have hope. Hope won’t come until you start changing the Stinking Thinking. Read scripture on fear or weariness and begin meditating on them. I have scripture cards for this purpose here.
Third, let hope and peace do their work. As you continue hoping and growing and giving yourself a break, you’ll notice a change inside you. While your circumstances might not have changed, you’ll feel more “you” and less “crazy.”
Fourth, make changes based on your new mindset. After you’ve been in this more peaceful mindset for a while, you’ll start to think of some solutions to overcome the things that give you emotional exhaustion. You’ll see tweaks or changes that you need to make that you couldn’t see or have time for before.

So while you may feel insane.

Emotionally exhausted.

About to lose it...

I just want to encourage you… really… you are not alone.

5 Non-Negotiable Newborn Baby Needs (And 1 For Mom!)

Lucky for you, the list of newborn baby needs is not long. Look no further and then go and enjoy your baby.

This post is not going to tell you to buy tons of expensive baby gear.

I’m not going to say you need a baby wipe warmer because… the thing is… you don’t.

So many moms spend the months leading up to delivery worrying about what to BUY instead of worrying about what to DO when you get home with the baby.

All the best baby gear in the world won’t help baby be content and sleep well. Only healthy habits will.

So without further ado and me telling you that THESE FIVE THINGS are really the most important (because they are) let’s go.

Non-Negotiable Newborn Baby Needs

Here we go. You might want to take notes. Actually, you don’t need to take notes because you can go here to my Ultimate Newborn Guide and print that out!

Touch and Affection

So first off, your baby needs lots of cuddles, skin to skin time, and affection. It helps their brains develop, forms a bond, and gives baby a sense of safety.

You don’t have to wear baby all day long to get this. Between feeds, between naps, and during feeding are all times you can and will be holding baby.

In those first few weeks you may want to wear baby quite a bit during the day, but unless you plan on continuing this for a year, you may consider putting baby down for naps in their own space by around 6 weeks.

Related Reads:

Sleep, Sleep, And More Sleep

For about 1,346,464 reasons, sleep needs to be a primary concern in these early weeks. If baby is overtired baby they’ll be fussy, irritable, and difficult to settle.

Here is a common scenario with moms of newborns.

You bring baby home from the hospital and he falls asleep all the time on his own. You hold him a lot because – duh – you love him and he’s squishy.

Soon he develops a habit of sleeping in your arms.

At first, this is cute. Then your husband goes back to work and you’re on your own. You realize that you basically can’t do any of the things you need to do if you want baby to sleep. You find baby to be fussy and irritable so – because he’s crying – you assume he’s hungry.

Now, every time baby cries you feed him because why else would he cry? He takes short naps – while you are sitting or carrying him – and this means you can’t get anything done. Baby fights sleep constantly and you are reciting mantras about how it’s only for a season and it’ll pass and all that.

Soon, baby will only sleep if you feed him to sleep and, even then, the naps aren’t great. He’s up frequently at night and you feel like you’re cluster feeding around the clock. You are freaking tired and hormonal and kinda depressed and guilty and ashamed of it all.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

Family Practices & Contribution

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Sleep Little Lamb (Ages 0-5)

Moms will walk away with a step-by-step sleep plan tailored to their child’s age and needs, designed to improve sleep within 3 days to 2 weeks.

Start Now

Routine, Routine, And More Routine

The best way to get baby to sleep well and be happy and sweet and you rest well and be content and excited?

Routine.

Baby needs a routine and you need a routine that fits around the baby’s routine.

You don’t have to be ruled by the clock or have such a rigid routine you are miserable. But the fact is, having a routine will result in such a pleasant baby, that you will end up liking it.

That’s the truth. You’ll see a baby that sleeps well and you’ll not be a tired mom and, come hell or high water, you’ll keep that routine.

Read: 35+ printable routines for babies aged 6 weeks to 5 years!

Things that do well with a routine:

Wake times | You can choose your baby’s wake time by doing this
Nap times | Use this sample newborn routine or this 3 to 6 month routine to start

newborn baby must haves newborn baby needs

Feeding times | Here’s a printable newborn feeding chart. Your baby’s metabolism will more or less set to the times you feed so you’ll know exactly what baby needs because you’ll be able to predict when they are truly hungry
Bed time | There is a such thing as too late of a bedtime. Babies don’t sleep well if they’re overtired so choose a bedtime that allows baby to get restorative sleep before the dreamfeed.

Read: What To Do When Baby Is Feeding Every Hour (& Not Sleeping!)

A Mom Who Is Okay

The truth is: your baby needs you to be okay.

That is not to say you should feel guilty that you aren’t okay. It is to say that it’s okay to do the things that keep you okay. This is called guarding your heart and your boundaries. You have limits and you should not martyr yourself.

Here are some things that keep you okay:

Sleep | You will be up for nightly feedings for a while, but you shouldn’t be up cluster feeding every hour all night. If you are, baby is snacking, you’re outta milk, or baby has sleep props.
Recharge Time | This will be different depending on whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert, but either way, figure yourself out. (go here to find out your own personality’s particular struggles)

Motherhood & Wellbeing

Weary To Well

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Stability | One of the biggest struggles of new mothers is the upheaval that comes from a new baby. You’d not trade it for the world, but all the changes can take their toll on a mom. Routine (for you and baby) will help you weather the changes without losing your sanity.
Support | Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Don’t feel silly saying you’re bluesy or worn out or need help. Get in touch with what you want and need and don’t martyr yourself by trying to do everything on your own if you don’t have to.

Oh, And A Swaddle

If you’re in the hospital right now then please, swaddle baby from day one and don’t stop until he can roll over onto his tummy and roll back.

Swaddling helps baby sleep through the startle reflex, it gives them a sense of snugness that is familiar from the womb, and it’s a great sleep association.

Unless baby screams bloody murder after having been swaddled, there are literally no cons to swaddling. It’s all good!

Baby

Some truths about labor and delivery and birth plans:

Mom Problem Solving Worksheet

The Undeniable Benefits Of A Birth Plan (And A Printable!)

How To Choose A Meaningful Baby Name

Mom Problem Solving Worksheet

1. Choose names that run in the family, even way back

2) Choose a baby name based on its meaning

3) Decide whether you’re willing to choose a super trendy name

4) Choose a baby name that can’t be twisted into something noticeably embarrassing or rude

Self-Care Routine Tracker

Baby Name FAQ

Self-Care Routine Tracker

Diaper Bag Organization Consists Of:

Fast forward a few days…

Newborn Feeding Chart

Basic Feeding Tips For The Early Weeks

Focus On Filling Baby Up

Feed Unswaddled By Day And Swaddled By Night

Bring Baby To You, Don’t Lean Towards Baby

Newborn Feeding Chart

Example Daily Rhythm

A Printable Chart That Works Like A Charm

Is baby sleeping okay?

Newborn Feeding Chart

Words That Every Emotionally Exhausted Mom Needs to Hear

“You Are Doing A Good Job”

“Your Situation Is Not Hopeless”

“You Are Not Alone”

“Everyone Is Not Judging You”

“The Hero on the Horse Is You…”

How to Get Out of an Emotionally Exhausting Situation….

Self-Care Routine Tracker

How to begin coming out of the emotionally exhausted situation:

Non-Negotiable Newborn Baby Needs

Touch and Affection

Sleep, Sleep, And More Sleep

Routine, Routine, And More Routine

Things that do well with a routine:

A Mom Who Is Okay

Here are some things that keep you okay:

Oh, And A Swaddle

Read: