At some point in your pregnancy you may wish to make a birth plan. A birth plan is a written outline of your wishes and desires for your child birthing experience. It also can cover what you would like to happen if common complications (like needing a c-section) arise. It can be as detailed or as un-detailed as you wish. Many women are deciding that they want a say in what goes on and have created birth plans for that purpose. It’s a simple and non-confrontational way for you to make your wishes and desires known. A birth plan is just a statement of preferences... more

You will need a labor coach or labor support person (sometimes called a labor coach) there with you to assist you and cheer you on during the labor and delivery process. Have you given any thought to who you might choose?

Your labor support person’s role is to provide emotional support and physical support during the labor and delivery. You should choose someone you trust and someone you feel comfortable bearing it all with. If you are still involved with your baby’s father, then he may be an obvious choice for a support person. But if you are... more

If you are pregnant then you have probably been thinking that your due date is going to be here before you know it. At times, it feels like pregnancy lasts forever and then at other times it seems to speed right past you!

You are probably feeling a myriad of different emotions about your upcoming labor and delivery; happy, sad, scared, and nervous just to name a few. If this is your first child you are unsure of what to expect and even if it’s not your first child, then you are probably well aware that no two births are the same and that this... more

Have you noticed that during your pregnancy you have become forgetful and your brain isn’t working as well as it used to? Do you find yourself doing silly things like forgetting phone numbers you’ve dialed a million times before or thinking you can’t find your keys when they are right there in your purse? Or worse yet, in your hands? Don’t worry – it really is from the pregnancy and will get better.

Many women experience this forgetfulness, which has also been nicknamed “pregnancy brain” or “pregneisa.”... 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

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

If you are pregnant, your due date is getting closer each day. You should begin thinking about your upcoming labor and delivery and hospital stay. If you are making an adoption plan, you still call the shots in how you want things to play out in the hospital.

1. Begin to think about who you’d like in the labor room with you and ask them. Discuss plans and your wishes for the experience. Also discuss how you will be able to find your support person should your labor start in the... more

Women in past generations who made adoption plans were typically not given the option of whether or not they could see or spend time with their baby. There was no questioning it; that’s just the way it was and in some cases, mothers are still unsure to if they gave birth to a boy or a girl.

In that aspect, times have changed. Expectant mothers making adoption plans are often encouraged to spend time with their baby in the hospital. However, there are still those with the old school beliefs that spending time with her baby would just make the... more

Ask anyone who has given birth before and I am sure that they will tell you that labor is not fun or easy! As much as you may not want to admit it, you need and depend on the support of others during labor. Of course, you will have doctors and nurses around, but you need people who know and love you there with you as well. As you begin to think about your upcoming labor and delivery, have you thought about who you’d like there with you? Who would make a good support person?

Of course, you have doctors and nurses available when needed while in the hospital,... more

I have been busy packing and preparing to go on vacation during my son’s spring break. We are heading to Atlanta, Georgia but I will do my best to post a little bit while away as long as the hotel has high speed internet!

Packing my suitcase reminded me of something everyone who is preparing to go to the hospital and give birth in the near future should think about: Packing your suitcase!

Somewhere in the third trimester (earlier if you are at high risk for early labor) of your pregnancy you probably should go ahead and think about packing a... more