+J.M.J.+ Birth is a school, and I learned so much about myself, my family, and birth when we welcomed Isaac on to the outside on October 19th, 2022. My Guess Date On evening of the 18th I was exactly 40 weeks. I was feeling a bit emotional, a little crampy, and even anxious. I was [...]
There is something almost taboo about emergency birth plans or packing a simple transfer bag among many homebirthers. Oftentimes people cite a fear that if they "plan" for an emergency it is more likely to happen. I don't mentally find preparing for an emergency any different than wearing a seat belt when I am in [...]
I feel like i have gone through the same few waves of recovery after each full-term birth, that eventually culminates in us finally returning to more normal routines postpartum. Here is what that has generally looked like for me, personally. I will come and update this after this next baby when things are fresher in [...]
+J.M.J.+ I am in the dreaded phase of postpartum dressing right now as Felicity is one month old. When it comes to clothes, I have four limitations: 1. Modesty matters to me because it matters greatly to Our Lady and the saints, which means I have certain standards in dress I maintain which are not [...]
+J.M.J.+ Now that I have experienced both home birth and birth center birth since Felicity's arrival, (you can read her birth story here,) I wanted to write up a comparison of both experiences in case it might help other mamas who are debating between the two models of care. My experiences are just that, only [...]
+J.M.J.+Felicity Agnes' birth was by far my hardest birth, and was in several ways very different from my other labors. (You can read Philomena's birth story here, and Zelie's here if you want to know what theirs were like before starting on Felicity's). Felicity's birth was my first non-home birth. We've moved to a state [...]
+J.M.J.+ My first two births were wonderful homebirths in Ohio, and I had a super basic emergency bag packed for them in case we had needed to transfer during or after them. Due to a relocation to a state with non-evidence based birthing laws, we are going to be using a free-standing birth center for [...]
+J.M.J.+ There is a lot of information out there on how to prepare for birth (and I have a whole post about how I prep here!), but I feel like a huge aspect of getting ready to welcome a baby is getting ready for the incredibly beautiful and simultaneously challenging postpartum period. Here are the [...]
+J.M.J.+ I have had two completely natural childbirths, and am preparing for my third soon. (You can read my home birth stories here.) I'm going to share everything I do to prepare for birth, and at the end a list of why birthing naturally is a priority for me in the first place. Prepare Mentally [...]
+J.M.J.+ I shared our favorite breakfasts here, and lunches over here. Now let's get to some of our most beloved dinners to hopefully give you some inspiration for your own menu plans! Chicken Piccata This is the *best* grain/gluten free chicken piccata on page 139 of the Wellness Mama cookbook. I served it here with [...]
The Natural Catholic Mom 