Store bought baby wipes are often made with harsh carcinogenic chemicals such as formaldehyde, propylene glycol and fragrances. Not only can they be hard on your baby's skin, but over time the cost of baby wipes really add up. Homemade disposable baby wipes are easy to make and economical, making them a great substitute to store bought wipes and they’re safe to use with cloth diapers. You can also use this recipe to make reusable baby wipes by moistening baby wash cloths and storing them in an air tight container or storing the liquid in a peri bottle and applying it to the wash cloths to use as needed.

So I'll admit that cutting the paper towel roll in half is kind of a pain but having a sharp knife really helps! Once you've got that done, place the half roll of paper towels into the Tupperware container. In a separate bowl or large measuring glass, mix the water, soap, oils and any optional ingredients. Stir well and pour evenly over the paper towels immediately. Let the container sit for 5-10 minutes (I use this time to put away my ingredients and wash any dishes that I made). Once the liquid has soaked into the paper towels you can removed the card board center simply by pulling it out.

One of the most important things on a Parent's to-do list is packing their bag for the hospital. They've got all the baby clothes washed and put away and the nursery or sleeping space is set up and now they need to tackle to hospital bag! One of the most common questions I get as a doula is, "What should I take to the hospital?"

Good question! There are so many baby and postpartum items available and sometimes it's hard to know which ones are necessary and which ones can wait until you get home. After 5 deliveries of my own and attending many births as a doula I've created a list of the "must have" items that parents should bring to a birth.

The first must have is food. Most hospitals still don't allow eating during labor but they do allow liquids and you may be really hungry after labor so it's a good idea to pack some snacks.
Food & Supplements

• ​Tea: Red Raspberry Leaf, Mama's Milk Tea, Lavender or Chamomile
• Water
• Electrolyte Drinks (store bought or home made)
• Coconut Water
• Seed or nut butter
• Honey sticks
• Protein bars or snacks
• Lactation Snacks
• Fresh fruit (especially watermelon for hydration)
• Cheese sticks
• Dates 
• Magnesium - for AFTER LABOR to help keep calm and aid easy bowel movements. Magnesium is often used to stop labor so I only advise using it after labor.
• Essential Oils - Peppermint for nausea, citrus to energize or rejuvenate, Clary Sage for labor progress, Lavender to relax, etc. Make sure to contact an aroma therapy specialist!
• Prenatal Vitamins

Clothing, Undergarments & Hygeine

• Adult diapers - Seriously, trust me on this one. The last thing a parent needs to be worrying about after all the hard work of labor is leaking. Adult diapers are a good way to deal with postpartum bleeding and are the same price as pads. It's usually good to get one size over the normal to account for a mom's postpartum belly, which will still be a little bit big after delivery.
• Nursing bras - if you don't plan to breastfeed then bring very tight sports bras to ease engorgement. Nursing bras are also helpful if you're not breastfeeding but plan to pump to relieve a little bit of engorgement (but don't empty all the way!).
• Postpartum Gowns - I always advise bringing gowns over sweat pants or yoga pants because they are more comfortable and in the event of a c-section, parents won't have to worry about clothing rubbing against their incision. 
• Slippers - hospitals always provide slip-proof socks but sometimes it's more comfortable to bring your own socks or slippers
• Going home outfit - I thinking nursing gowns and slippers are perfect for this ;-)
• Dermoplast - A numbing spray for the perineum after a vaginal birth
• Healing Salve - Good for both baby and Mama. This healing salve can be used on the perineum, nipples, baby bottom or any other cut, bruise, bug bite or sore.
• Witch Hazel - Liquid witch hazel is available at most pharmacies or grocery stores and you can add it to your pads, diapers or peri bottles with just a squirt.
• Breast Pads - Milk usually starts leaking around day 3 (after most women get home from the hospital) but just incase it starts sooner, it's good to have a few breast pads on hand.
• Nursing Pillow
• Hygiene Products: shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash, face moisturizer, body moisturizer, toothbrush, tooth paste, etc.

Electronics

• Phone chargers
• Laptop/charger
• Movies, music
• Blu Tooth Speaker
• Movies, CDs, Playlist, etc.
• Tablets and chargers
• Camera or photographer and charger

Baby's Needs

• Diapers
• Wipes
• Blankets - Swaddling and regular
• Going home outfit
• Extra outfit
• Burp cloths

These are the must haves in my book but feel free to comment or e-mail if you have comments or suggestions!

One of the most common questions I get from pregnant women is, "Should I make a birth plan?" My answer is yes! No matter what kind of birth you're planning, a comprehensive birth plan is a helpful step in knowing what your options are and what your primary and secondary goals are. Although your birth may not go exactly according to plan, it's important to let your care providers know what kind of birth you're hoping for and what your expectations are. You can begin your birth plan in pregnancy and it extends until the postpartum period and for your newborn as well.  

One of my favorite birth plans is from Earth Mama Angel Baby's website. The plan is pretty comprehensive and can be re-written however parents wish. You can view the birth plan template here:

 Women's bodies are capable of nourishing a pregnancy regardless of what they eat but more studies are showing the importance of diet in prenatal health and preventing complications such as gestational diabetes and preeclampsia. 

Preeclampsia is a prenatal condition that affects about 3-5 percent of women in the United States every year. It is a life threatening condition but research has shown that it can be prevented with proper diet during pregnancy. Preeclampsia is diagnosed as high blood pressure, protein in the urine and swelling in the extremities. It can cause seizures and sometimes death if left untreated. Diets during pregnancy must be high enough in calories and protein to facilitate the mother's ability to increase her blood supply to adequately nourish her baby. Salt also plays a crucial role in ensuring that her body is circulating enough nutrients for her baby. While low salt diets can play a role in preventing some complications in at risk pregnant mothers, most women  benefit from having a good supply of calories, salt and protein in their diets. 

For a comprehensive review of recommend diets for pregnancy I would recommend checking there webpages:

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Additional Resources:

MY STORY

Early motherhood was one of the worst time periods of my life

Yes.  I really did just say that.

And I am not alone.  As many as 25% of the women who give birth each year experience full blown post partum depression.  Motherhood is supposed to be wonderful and happy and fulfilling, but for many women, this wonderful blessing becomes a regretted burden that they simply cannot fully enjoy.  How can that be?

The human body is incredibly complex.  During pregnancy, hormone levels soar to accommodate the life that you are creating, but after the birth hormone levels and receptor sites can sometimes struggle to adjust to the new needs during the postpartum period.  This, along with other factors, is the cause of “baby blues”.  Baby blues are a common complaint of post partum women.  Baby blues are part of a somewhat normal process of adjusting to having a new baby.  However, for some women these baby blues are the beginning of a spiral into real depression.

When I gave birth to my first child in 2005 I was still a senior in high school.  It was an incredibly stressful and difficult time in my life.  I felt great for the first 1 - 2 weeks after my baby was born, and despite all the obstacles in my life, I was in love with my new baby boy!  But the bliss quickly turned into chaos.  I became depressed and resentful.  Even though I had a wonderful family that was willing to help me, I felt alone and was irrational.  I was angry and sometimes mean, and I was always sad.  It was literally one of the worst periods of my life.  

Unfortunately, after the birth of my second child, I experienced much of the same.  At that point I was married and we wanted to start a family and a life together but the same feelings arose after the birth of my daughter in 2007.  Both births were scheduled c-sections.  My first was “too big” (10lbs 12oz!) and overdue (6 days) and the hospital I gave birth at for my second didn’t allow VBAC’s.  Both births left me feeling very unsatisfied.  I couldn’t stand not being able to see my baby for hours after the delivery and then seeing pictures of my newborn child with everyone else while I was in recovery.  

My husband and I knew that we wanted 4 children, but I decided that I could not have another experience like that.  I did not want another unneeded c-section and I did not want to experience another bout of postpartum depression.  I had always read about how much joy and connection that having a child brought to a mother’s life and I wanted so desperately to feel that.

Since I had 2 c-sections already, my only option was home birth with a midwife attending me.  I set out on that path to achieve the birth that I wanted but I was still worried about postpartum depression.  

Toward the end of my pregnancy, my midwife talked to me about placenta medicine.  

Uh… Ew.  Gross.  No thank you!

I was totally turned off by the idea and wasn’t even interested in seeing or handling or “planting my placenta under a tree” at all.  It was at that same time that I got an e-mail from a blog I subscribed to all about the benefits of using placenta medicine.  I was absolutely floored!   It made so much sense!  I couldn’t believe that I had turned my nose up to it so quickly without even asking (or even wondering!) why and how it could benefit me. 

After researching more I learned all about how the vitamins, minerals, and hormones in the placenta are perfectly suited to the mother’s need, because they are made by the mother – for the mother!  During pregnancy the placenta secretes and regulates certain hormones and those hormones are still present in the placenta after birth and available for use when the mother’s natural hormone levels bottom out.  Not only that, but also most other mammals eat their placenta after birth, and research has shown that it isn’t just because it’s a convenient meal or to hide the birth from predators.  There seemed to be a true biological reason as to why they consumed their placentas and it just made biological sense to do it myself.

So finally, 10 days past my due date, I gave birth (a VBA2C!) to another big, beautiful, 10 pound baby boy in the comfort of my own home.  I was so happy!  But this was during the recession and my husband had lost his job and had to start a new career that required him to be gone 28 days out of the month.  So 3 days after I gave birth to our 3rd child, he left me alone to go back to work.  But I felt great!  Of course I was sad to see him go again and being alone had its difficulties, but I didn’t have any issues with postpartum depression or fatigue.  I encapsulated my placenta and took it religiously to ward off any anxiety, depression, or fatigue and to increase my milk supply (which I had issues with initially) – and it worked so well for me!

I gave birth to my 4th and last child last year, another home birth VBA2C, but I didn’t encapsulate my placenta right away.  By that time I had 3 other children and I was homeschooling 2 of them and I was just so busy that I couldn’t find the time to do it.  After about a month I started feeling sad and unsatisfied.  I took this as a cue that I needed to get my placenta out of the freezer and take it as soon as I could.  After the encapsulation, I felt better within just a few days!  

It can be difficult to share this remedy with hesitant new moms, but I really urge people to at least look into it.  Postpartum depression and fatigue can take so much joy out of an experience that is supposed to be one of the best of your entire life.  Every woman deserves a happy, healthy postpartum experience!