Overnight Bag (think 3night stay):
o Your own face masks (hospital will provide if you do not bring one)
o Toiletries for each parent (toothbrush, toothpaste, hair brush, deodorant, lotion, shampoo, etc.)
o Electronic chargers (phone, iPad, camera, etc.)
o Your own pillow, pajamas and clothes (you’ll still look about 6mo, so bring loose fitting and/or maternity)
o Partner pillow, pajamas, clothing, and a sweatshirt
o Nursing Bra and/or nursing tank tops
o White noise machine to encourage better rest
o Copy of insurance information and your ID

Baby items:
o 2-3 Baby outfits
o Blanket to wrap baby in
o Infant car seat – Bring with you into the hospital when you arrive in labor, or for your scheduled induction or cesarean
o Pediatrician or Family Practice doctor and doctor’s office information
o Your own brand of diapers* (This is optional; most Minneapolis/St.Paul hospitals have pampers for you to use during your stay)
o Your own brand of wipes* (This is optional; most Minneapolis/St.Paul  hospitals have dry wipes for you to wet down with warm water from the bathroom for you to use during your stay)
o Your own brand of an infant formula* (This is optional; all Minneapolis/St.Paul  hospitals have donor breastmilk and formula to use if supplementing is recommended. Also, if supplementing is recommended and your goal is to 100% breastfeed your baby your breastmilk, please contact a lactation professional.)

For Labor:
o Gallon ZipLoc Bags, to make ice packs
o Rebozo
o Lacrosse Balls (for massage bottom and hips, plus great for counterpressure on lower back)
o Other massage tools8 (optional)
o Massage oil (coconut or almond oil are great, and if looking for odorless try cornstarch)
o Lip Balm
o Essential oils or other favorite scents (i.e. lavender, lemongrass, clary sage, peppermint, citrus, etc.)
o Phone or iPod/iPad with your labor music lists ranging from energetic to soothing
o Blue tooth speaker
o Small Tripod to set up smartphone or tablet to talk with your virtual doula or take photos
o A comfy wardrobe (i.e. knee-length skirt/dress, robe, slippers, soft bra easily removed, & warm socks)
o Swim top/Bralette to stay covered, if desired, while in tub for hydrotherapy
o Partner bring your swimsuit too if joining birther in the tub for better hands-on support.
o Electric tea light candles or simple string of lights to bring dim lighting

o Camera/video camera
o Copies of birth plan/birth wish list/preferences
o Copies of your labor/birth mantras and affirmations
o Copies of your labor/birth visual encouragements or inspiring photos

Food for your Labor and Stay (partner may not be able to leave to grab food, so plan to bring some extra meals that the hospital will not be providing. Nurses can help bring items to the microwave to heat up when needed. Most Postpartum Recovery rooms have refrigerators, but not all labor&delivery rooms.):

o Dates – Eating 6 dates/day in the last 4weeks of your pregnancy, evidence supports it can significantly
shorten your labor and be more efficient.
o Plain Water & Beverages with electrolytes (i.e. coconut water, gatorade, emergen-C, etc) – use a bottle with a straw (a water bottle for partner too)
o Light snacks for birthing mom (i.e. Applesauce, Oatmeal, Pancakes/Waffles, Homemade energy bites, Broth, Raw Honey Sticks (broth and honey sticks are great to sip on if you have an epidural))
o Bigger snacks/meals for birthing partner and postpartum recovery birther (i.e. Sandwiches, Salads/Stirfrys/Grain Bowls, Soups, Trail mix, Granola bars, Nuts, Crackers & Cheese, Fresh fruit/Veggies, Other snacky items)
o Breath Mints to be close to birther

This list may seem big, but many of these items are quite small.  And you never regret bringing extra snacks anywhere in life!

• Cotton Underpants - To contain the continuous maxi pad usage.  Think "granny panty" style. Comfort is key.
• Tucks pads and/or witch hazel spray
• Healing Herbal Bath – Click here to learn more about these herbs can ease your discomfort and boost your recovery.
• Epsom salt or magnesium flakes
• Sitz Bath - a round, shallow washbasin which fits snugly over a standard toilet seat. Or you can use your bathroom tub instead.
• Peri or Squirt Bottle (or your hospital birthplace will give you these; make sure to ask for two per bathroom you will use in your home.  To purchase more, find them here.)
• Hemorrhoid Balm, like this one.
• Heating Pad for afterpains and breast engorgement. (A microwavable rice pad is perfect or you can take a washcloth, made quite wet and slightly wrung out, placed in a ziploc bag and microwave for 15-30sec.) 
• A comfy wardrobe – lounging clothes to feel comfortable to snuggle with you baby
• Dates – Eating 6 dates/day in the first few weeks of your postpartum can help decrease your postpartum bleeding (also called your lochia).
• In-home massage - Schedule one here.
• Postpartum doula – the pinnacle of mother-focused postpartum care. She also teaches partners how to support the new mother and gives baby-care tips.  They don’t have a specific duties, but rather step in where needed – doing light housekeeping, checking in with the mother’s physical and emotional recovery, offering breastfeeding advice, and caring for the baby. Click here for more information

For Cesarean Birth Moms, everything above plus:

• A Postpartum Recovery Belt - Either something like this one, or your favorite shapewear.  Nothing too tight!  Should feel like a snug hug, but not be too tight to avoid pushing your enlarged uterus onto your pelvic floor causing more stress to your pelvic floor muscles.
• Ice Pack - To place on top of your incision bandage to help with swelling. (I like taking some Aloe Vera gel and squeeze it into a ziploc plastic baggie, then place it in the fridge.  The cool gel pack is a great ice pack for cesarean moms!)

Your healthcare provider may recommend the following medications.  Please consult with your medical provider prior to taking any of the following medications.

• Stool Softeners - Your digestive system is slower these first few weeks in postpartum recovery.  Staying regular and not having to strain will be helpful to you, your bottom repairs and hemorrhoids.
• Acetaminophen and/or Ibuprofen - To help ease your afterpains (your uterus contracting back down to pre-pregnancy size).  Typically you'll experience more afterpains while you nurse (due to oxytocin causing your uterus to contract; breastfeeding helps your body heal faster!), so plan ahead and grab your heating pad to help ease these sensations. 

Lastly, it is encouraged by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists you are seen by your prenatal provider within 2-3 weeks post-delivery and again within 12 weeks post-delivery to ensure optimal physical recovery.  So call your prenatal health provider and schedule your appointment!  You deserve the best postpartum care EVER!!

Happy Recovery! 

Let's dive into each piece and how to apply this in your support when you arrive to labor day.​

Supportive Environment:
The birthing mother needs privacy, respect, and continuous support to best cope with her labor and maintain the balance of hormones to progress labor.  Maintaining this balance will keep her labor effective and her discomfort manageable. The environment surrounding you during labor influences these hormones, as well as your mind’s ability to enter into the deep relaxation.
 
So in reflecting on your ideal environment/birthing space:

• What do you want to see? i.e. dim lighting, open/closed windows, visual encouragement, focal points, etc.
• What do you want to hear? i.e. quiet room, soothing/uplifting music, audio relaxation scripts, poems, etc.
• What do you want to smell? i.e. lavender, rose, lemon, peppermint, your favorite lotion, pillow, etc.
• What do you want to taste? i.e. flavored water, applesauce, date bars, honey sticks, broth, etc.
• What do you want to feel? i.e. massage/touch, warm tub/shower, loose clothing, hot/cold compress, etc.

 
Urinate:
The birthing mother is encouraged to stay well-hydrated for the duration of her labor as evidence supports those who took in more fluids had shorter labors by about 30 minutes, in comparison to those with mild dehydration could contribute to slightly longer labors. With so much fluid flowing through the the birthing  mother means urinating every 45 minutes to an hour can help decrease the size of her bladder to make more room in the pelvis for the descending baby.
 
Position Changes:
The birthing mother is encouraged to move into 2-3 positions within an hour.  Even changing how the birthing mother moves is included in the number of positions changes, because it causes their pelvis to be more dynamic to invite baby to descend. So, while they are on the birth ball hula-hoop the hips into a clockwise direction through 20-30 min of contractions, and then counter the hula-hoop movement for another 20-30min.  
 
The big position changes and small movements all help the birthing mother find her rhythm and ritual to achieve effective relaxation to continue to work with her labor process.
 
Praise:
Remind the birthing mother often how amazing she is, how powerful and strong she is.  Partners, repeat your love for her.  Tell her you are so proud of the hard work she is doing and thank her for taking this on for your family. Remind her she has everything she needs right there, right now and that she is safe and you will stay by her side.
 
Out of Bed/Open Pelvis:
Research suggests laboring and giving birth in an upright position can have several benefits: gravity can help bring baby down & out, less risk of compressing the mother's aorta so better oxygen supply to the baby, it will help the uterus contract more strongly and efficiently, AND helps the baby get in a better position to pass through the pelvis.

So even if continuous monitoring is needed for medical reasons, the birthing mother can still be upright by asking for wireless monitors or if needed to stay in one area she can consider sitting on the birth ball with more freedom to move.
 
If choosing or needing to spend time in bed, use a peanut ball to place between the birther’s knees to keep the pelvis open to encourage baby’s descent. 
 
Rest between/Relax during contractions:
In between contractions, the birthing mother and her partner should rest to reserve energy.  Evidence supports in a 12-hour labor, only 2 of those hours are actually spent contracting, while the remaining time is the body resting.  If the body is resting, the birthing mother along with her partner should rest too. Think pillows, soft places to lie into, blankets, quiet room, cushioned knees, leaning over a birth ball, leaning into partner, etc.
 
Relaxing during the contractions by taking a deep cleansing breath and soften the jaw, mouth and then your pelvic floor to communicate directly to the cervix and vagina to open, allowing a more effective descent for baby.  This is the basics of the Spincter Law.
 
Touch & Massage:
Using the power of touch and massage to reduce stress and anxiety during labor helps heighten the production of oxytocin and thus more endorphins to aid the birthing mother in a more comfortable labor experience.
 
Touch during and in between contractions in early labor promotes rest as the body learns how to labor during this phase. As the birther progresses in her labor journey, she tends to prefer massage as a form of full relaxation in between contractions.  She may ask for counterpressure and/or massage on her lower back, bottom, hips, and/or thighs during contractions.  Follow her lead and if she says no to touch, respect her boundaries and let her know you are willing to touch/massage again if her needs change.  Using heat along with your touch can also be comforting.

​Happy Supporting!!

We are so honored and excited to announce our third baby and son joined our family this morning at 6:57a, weighing in smaller than his brothers at 8lb 5oz. Everyone is healthy and enjoying lots of snuggles!

Big thanks to my awesome birth team at Methodist, doula Amy Heilman and Jen with Jennifer Liv photography. Oh, and of course my wonderful hubby Russ!

I will be taking the rest of 2016 off from on-call birth doula work to focus on our young family. And coming this fall I would love to hear from you if you are seeking support through your pregnancy, labor/birth and postpartum.

​Happy Birthing!

Oh, how I love Target! So much to see and dream about in how my home or wardrobe would look with the cute, reasonably priced décor, jewelry, shoes, clothing, etc, etc. I love buying a drink at Starbucks and peruse through the aisles as it jogs my memory of what we need at home; “Oh yes, we need toilet paper…Oooo…another Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle t-shirt for Owen! Um, must have that necklace.  Oh, Oh, can’t forget the $1 section…never know what awesome thing I could find there!”

But shopping with kids (especially a toddler and a preschooler) can turn Target into a hellish nightmare!

No perusing….kids don’t like perusing.  They want to push the cart.  Or better yet, scream, whine, make noises that even God is going “What the H-E-double-hockey-sticks is that noise?  Is someone dying?”

$1 section, mom, I want that, and that, and that, and that, and that, and that. Oh, that necklace you wanted…well, mom let me just pull it apart for you.  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle shirt….no, no, mom I want to get out of the cart and throw everything I want in the cart for you.  Let me rip open the toilet paper mom and start throwing it at bypassers. 

Seriously, it makes me think twice about children in general. 

But, over the years I have discovered the secrets to keeping children quiet and well behaved through a Target run.  So here you are fellow moms, the 3 steps to surviving Target with little kids.

1. Make a list of what you need prior to arriving, even if you jot it down in the car while the kidlets are still strapped in their carseats. 
This will help you figure out which door to enter and then make your trip as a circle around the store, grabbing all the items you want and even stop a couple of times to check out the stuff that catches your eyes.  Kids are better about a continuous journey then a stop-and-go back and forth throughout the store.  Plus it just adds to the tension in the air if you find yourself both ends of the store multiple times.  So it short, make a list and map it out.

2. Get the cart with the two seater attached to a regular cart. 
Place oldest kids in the two seater portion of the cart, and then toddlers in the basket (unless yours sits in the bucket seat in front of the cart, place them there).  Toddlers are busy….I’m sure you figured that one out already….but they like to continuously move.  By placing them in the basket they can roam in that area and look toward the front to see everything.  Preschoolers are best in the two seater section because they can “push” the cart by placing their hands on the cart and still stand on the attachment.  Plus they feel like a big kid seating in that section vs the cart like their younger sibling. Since I’ve stopped following the rules to where to strap the kids, my kids have been better behaved and stop fighting with me so much.  I call that a win-win.

3.  Popcorn. 
For a $1.38 (in Minneapolis) you can purchase a bag of popcorn at the Target Café, ask for (number) of small cups to divide the popcorn to each child, and feed them as you shop.  This keeps them quiet and focused on the task of enjoying deliciously salty goodness. Seriously, it is the best $1.38 I spend at target each time (plus if you have target cartwheel, they often have a coupon for 5% off so you can save a whole 7¢....I still don't get this save 5% thing....it seems like more work to just remember to use the damn stupid thing; I'll save that rant for another day).


There is it.  Sweet and simple. And as you leave target, feel free to reward yourself for being an awesome mom with well-behaved kids by grabbing a venti Starbucks whatever you drink! You totally deserve it!