Writing about spending time with your baby in the hospital earlier got me to thinking of my own hospital experience. This is my favorite photo of Charlie and I from the hospital.

Those few days in the hospital are the days (aside from pregnancy) where I most felt like Charlie’s mother as I was able to mother him. Although, A. was there in the hospital with me most of the time those days are the days I felt most like his mother. I fed him bottles,... more

In the older days of adoption, expectant mothers making adoption plans were not given the option to spend time with their baby in the hospital. Often times they did not even get to see their baby. It was not a choice for them, simply the way things were in their era.

Nowadays, expectant mothers making adoption plans are given the option of whether or not they spend time with their babies in the hospital and often encouraged to do so. However, there are still those of the school of thought that mothers making adoption plans should not spend time with... more

I made my adoption plan pretty quickly after finding out I was pregnant. I became unexpectedly pregnant due to a failed depo provera shot. When I first heard the news, adoption did creep into my mind but I had no idea how far along I was, so I waited for the ultra sound to think more about my options. The ultrasound revealed that I was over five months along in my pregnancy, twenty two weeks to be exact. Within two weeks of learning how far along I was I had decided that adoption would be the best option for my baby and tentatively chosen a family.... more

You have had some of the symptoms, your period was late, you finally bit the bullet and took a test. You nervously waited the three minutes. You prayed, willed, and demanded that the test only have one line. It felt like the longest three minutes of your entire life. When you finally were brave enough, you slowly opened one eye and then the other. You held your breath as you looked at the test. You face became hot and flush as you saw the two lines staring back at you.

Sound familiar?? If you are reading this blog then chances are it has happened or is... more

I recall when I was pregnant with Charlie, that many times I felt an internal tug of war between my head and my heart. A viscous battle and struggle between my head and my heart over the decision I had to make.

My heart was telling me to do one thing while my head was telling me another. My heart kept screaming, “You can not do this!” (meaning relinquishment and adoption.) My heart was reminding how much relinquishment would hurt and how painful it would be. All the while my head was saying, “This is the best thing for Charlie.” My head was continually... more

I’ve written about my hospital experience before and aside from the lady from the birth certificate office and a few dirty glances from nurses, compared to the horror stories I have heard from other birthmothers, I had a pretty positive hospital experience.

I do get asked by women considering adoption if there was anything about my hospital experience I would change, so I thought today I would share those things with you. They say hind sight is twenty/twenty and at the time I didn’t realize these were issues, but looking back five years later, I wish I had done things... more

Ok, you know me, I occasionally have to bring you those over the top, crazy fun things to do in pregnancy that I never did while I was pregnant. Remember my motto, even though it’s not under the best of circumstances, make the most of your pregnancy because you never know if it will be your last!

So in all your decorating and fun, why not decorate YOU! Yes, that’s right, you heard me correctly, decorate you! Decorate that big, beautiful belly. Oh I wish I had done this!!

To belly paint you can either make your own belly paint or buy face paint... more

Will you be traveling this holiday season? Traveling while pregnant can at times be very annoying! Frequent trips to the bathroom, backaches from sitting for so long, pregnancy induced nausea, and the weary hours of traveling can add to the changes that come along with pregnancy.

Of course, you should check with your doctor before traveling far away or flying, but below are a few tips and suggestions for the pregnant and weary traveler.

Air Travel Most airlines allow pregnant women to travel domestically... more

Are you having any of those crazy, wildly vivid pregnant dreams?? I vividly remember a recurring dream during my pregnancy with Charlie. My (now) hubby can probably recite this dream for you too!

I would dream that I was in the hospital and they were about to hand me my baby. He was wrapped in a baby blue blanket and I couldn’t see the face or anything, just a swaddled baby shape. The nurse would hand me the baby and I would peak at the baby’s face but it wasn’t a baby – it was a big, huge, marshmallow!

Maybe I was subconsciously craving marshmallows?!?... more

Part 1 Part 2

Last but not least, in my series on coping with stress during pregnancy, I provide you with some “stress busters.” Simple little things that you can do to try and relieve and deal with some of the stress in your life.

Relax. Relax for the health of your baby and yourself. Stress can affect not only... more