When I was pregnant with my first, I downloaded every app, read every milestone update like it was gospel, and walked the baby aisles with wide-eyed awe (and slight panic). I packed a hospital bag with neatly folded swaddles, labeled Ziplocs, and three different types of nipple cream—just in case.

Now? I’m weeks away from meeting baby number four and I have…
nothing ready.
Not one drawer of baby clothes folded.
No nursery setup.
No checklist.
And I’m surprisingly okay with it.

Less Stuff, More Sanity

I’ve learned that babies don’t actually need that much. They need a safe place to sleep, something soft to wear, a boob or bottle, and arms that hold them—preferably ones that are okay with being covered in spit-up. Everything else? Extra.

With each baby, my “essentials” list has gotten shorter and my confidence in tuning out the noise has gotten stronger. There’s a calm that comes from knowing what truly matters, and it’s not the coordinated crib sheets or the bouncer with Bluetooth.

No Hospital Bag, No Problem

One major difference this time around?
I get to skip the dreaded hospital bag packing entirely—because this will be my third home birth.
No plastic mattress pads. No trying to nap while someone checks my blood pressure at 2am. No awkwardly lugging a newborn out in a wheelchair while a nurse asks if I remembered the car seat.

Instead, I’ll be home. Surrounded by my own things, my own smells, my own people. And hopefully, some semi-clean towels. That’s not to say home birth is always serene (it’s not—it’s raw and wild and intense). But for me, it feels grounding. And I’ll take that over fluorescent lights and hospital food any day.

The Nesting Looks Different

This time, nesting doesn’t look like folding tiny socks—it looks like deep cleaning the baseboards (why??) and making sure my other three kids are emotionally prepped for what’s coming.
It’s walking through the house wondering where the birth pool will go.
It’s restocking the snack drawer so my toddlers don’t riot while I’m in labor.
It’s letting go of the “picture perfect” prep and leaning into what feels practical and peaceful.

Emotionally Preparing Looks Different Too

The biggest shift isn’t physical—it’s emotional.
With baby #1, I was preparing to become a mom.
With baby #4, I’m preparing to stretch the version of mom I already am. To hold space for another little person without losing myself in the swirl of diapers and night feeds.
This time, I know how quickly it all passes. How fleeting the newborn days are, even when they feel endless.
And how much more grace I owe myself this round.

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What I Do Have Ready (Mentally, at Least)

• A partner who knows the drill and can make a mean postpartum smoothie
• A birth team I trust with my life (and my placenta)
• A whole lot of love waiting for this baby, even if their onesies are still in storage

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I may not have a Pinterest-perfect setup. But I have experience, instincts, and the kind of peace that only comes from knowing this isn’t my first rodeo—it’s just my next great adventure.

And I’ll be ready for it… even if I’m still Googling “how to swaddle” at 2am.