One thing you definitely do not want to forget when packing for your upcoming hospital stay is your camera! Photos are cherished by any new mothers.

Ahead of time, you may want to give a little thought to how much you actually wanted photos or video of. Some Moms may want to get all up close and personally with cameras during delivery while others (like me) are more modest. Nowadays many hospitals have rules about cameras in the labor and delivery room; some allow them and some do not. So you will need to check with the hospital you are delivering at to see exactly what... more

Journaling is a great tool for anyone who is going through something as emotional as an unplanned pregnancy. Not only can journaling be healthy and healing for your soul, according to Psych Central, journaling can reduce stress and help you improve or maintain good physical health.

Your journal can be a place where you can write your innermost private thoughts and feelings, your rants and rages, your fears about adoption or being a parent, your dreams for your child, and much more. The options... more

So, when you have some free time this weekend, why not create a pregnancy scrapbook? Even though your pregnancy is unplanned, you should still make the most of it and try to enjoy it whenever possible. Regardless of what you ultimately decide about either making an adoption plan or a parenting plan, a pregnancy scrapbook can be a great way to remember your pregnancy as well as a neat keepsake item for your child in the future. Plus, it could also relieve some stress by channeling some energy into something positive. Why not invite some girlfriends over, make a “girl night in “out... more

Have you been taking any photos during your pregnancy? If not, you should be! Who cares how big you are; pregnancy is the one time that you can get away with it so take advantage of it and celebrate it. Besides, the photos that you take during your pregnancy can be a great keepsake regardless of whether or not you ultimately decide to parent or place your child for adoption. Your child may also find them funny to look at one day too.

I admit that I didn’t take very many photos during either of my pregnancies. It’s something that I now regret. I can recall maybe one photo from... more

Keepsake items are important to any new mother but they are very important to birthmothers because they provide her with a tangible way to remember her child and remember the short time they spent together in the hospital.

Keepsake items are going to differ from mother to mother. What I consider a treasured item may not be a treasure to the next mother, so keep what is meaningful and important to you.

These items are YOURS to keep. If you are worried about your child’s adoptive mother receiving any of the keepsake items, talk with the hospital staff.... more

In my last post, I shared with you some great ways to enjoy your pregnancy, but you may want some ways to remember your pregnancy by.

You may be thinking though, “why would I want to remember this pregnancy?” Especially if you follow through with an adoption plan. Personally speaking, I wish I had more to remember my pregnancy with Charlie by and that I had enjoyed that pregnancy more because that was our special time, the time when I... more

Memories and keepsake items are very important to any mother. They are especially important to birthmothers because for some of us they could be the only tangible things we have relating to our child and the short time we may have spent together.

In a recent post, I talked about your right to have any and all of the keepsake items for your baby from the hospital. But, if you are a first time mom, you might not be aware of what all you can have or what all you should... more

If you are pregnant and considering adoption, you may consider having an entrustment ceremony after your child is born before the adoption is finalized.

Entrustment ceremonies are becoming more common in the adoption community lately as more birth parents and adoptive parents are choosing to come together and partake in this touching ceremony.

This ceremony takes some of the legality out of adoption and touches more on the emotional and symbolic side of adoption.

There is no right or wrong way to plan an entrustment ceremony. The... more

Recently a very new birthmom asked me if she was allowed to have some of keepsake items from the hospital stay with her son. Apparently, those had been given to the adoptive parents (I’m not sure by whom) and she didn’t have ay of them and didn’t know she was able to have them.

By keepsake items, I am referring to all the items from the hospital, like the little birth certificates with your baby’s footprints on it, hospital bracelet, the little hat, the hospital blanket, crib card, etc.

I’m sure older birthmothers from the closed adoption... more

The picture on the side here is a scrap (photo edited not really cut!) of one of my favorite nightshirts. I bought this night shirt when I was pregnant with Charlie. My birthday was just a few days before he was born so I had a little spending money and decided that I would buy myself some new things to wear when in the hospital. I bought the above night shirt and a pajama set. (Hint – Pajamas sets are not comfy if you have a c-section!)

I love daisies and loved that bright and funky night shirt instantly. For the past five years it’s been a favorite,... more