Tag: baby

Baby #4 Must-Haves: Less Is More (From a Mom Who’s Been There)

On By Brittany PinterIn Mental HealthLeave a comment

By Brittany, Therapist-Mama of Four

When I was pregnant with my first, I thought I needed everything.
The wipe warmer, the diaper pail with the name-brand bags, 12 different swaddles in 12 different patterns. I packed drawers, panicked over registries, and got sucked into the “what ifs” of baby prep.

Now, preparing for baby number four, I’ve realized the truth: babies don’t need much—just a calm mama, a safe place to sleep, and the basics.
So if you’re pregnant, especially not for the first time, and wondering what do I actually need?, this list is for you. It’s minimal, practical, and mom-tested in the trenches.

🍼 1. Somewhere Safe to Sleep

I don’t need a fancy crib this time around. For those first few months, a simple bassinet, pack and play, or co-sleeper does the trick. All my kids safely co-slept with me for the first year (baby #3 is still in my bed).
Pro tip: Make sure it’s easy to move room to room (bonus points if it folds for storage during the day).

🤱 2. Nursing + Feeding Support (But Not the Whole Store)

  • Nipple cream
  • A few burp cloths
  • A good water bottle for YOU
    If you’re nursing, I recommend a couple comfy bras or tanks. You don’t need a drawer full—you’ll be rotating the same two anyway.
    If you’re bottle-feeding, have just enough bottles to get you through a day and a good drying rack.

👶 3. A Small Collection of Clothes

Here’s the truth: newborns don’t care if they wear the same 5 footies on repeat.
I keep:

🧼 4. Diapering Essentials (Simplified)

  • A small caddy I can move around the house
  • Diapers + wipes (I usually stock 1 box to start)
  • Aquaphor or a favorite diaper cream
    I don’t use a changing table anymore—just a foldable mat or towel wherever I land.

🧘‍♀️ 5. Baby Carrier or Wrap

This is one of the few “must-haves” I swear by. It frees up your hands while keeping baby close (especially with other littles in the house).
Favorites: Momcozy for newborn days, Ergobaby as they get heavier.

🛁 6. Bathtime Basics

You don’t need a full-blown infant tub with bells and whistles.
A sink, a small insert, or even a folded towel in the bathtub works great. Add:

💡 7. A Few Extras That Actually Help

🧺 What I’m Not Bothering With This Time

  • Bottle warmer
  • Wipe warmer
  • Fancy outfits
  • Baby shoes (why??)
  • Dozens of pacifiers (one brand, one style = less stress)

💛 Final Thoughts from a Mom of (Almost) 4

You don’t need everything to feel prepared—you just need the right things for YOU and your baby. This time around, I’m focusing less on stuff and more on setting up rhythms, rest, and realistic expectations. There are definitely a few extra items I’ve found incredibly helpful over the years—not quite essentials, but major sanity savers. I’ll be sharing those in a separate post soon!

Less prep. More peace. That’s the vibe.

Preparing for Baby #4: What’s Different This Time Around

On By Brittany PinterIn Mental HealthLeave a comment

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.

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

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.

My Home Birth Story: Calm, Chaos, and Catching My Baby

On By Brittany PinterIn Lifestyle, Mental Health, MotherhoodLeave a comment

There’s something sacred about birthing at home—something raw, instinctual, and deeply empowering. I’ve given birth unmedicated three times now, but this was my second home birth. And I’m planning to do it all over again with this current pregnancy.

Every birth teaches you something different about yourself—what your body can do, how your mind copes under pressure, and where you need support. This last home birth reminded me of the beauty that can exist within the chaos.

Labor Came Like a Whisper… Then a Roar

It started quietly. No big cinematic water breaking. No dramatic timing of contractions. Just a sense in my body that things were shifting.

I tucked my other kiddos into bed, feeling that familiar heaviness in my hips. I looked at my husband and said, “Tonight might be the night.”

And it was.

Surrounded by Peace and Pillows

Our bedroom became my birthing space. String lights softly glowed above the bed. A diffuser filled the room with lavender. I remember swaying through contractions while my birth team gently moved in the background—my midwife, my husband, and my mother each quietly holding space for me.

There’s nothing quite like laboring in your own space—free to move, groan, cry, or laugh without monitors beeping or strangers walking in and out.

As a therapist, I talk a lot about nervous system regulation. Let me tell you—labor is the ultimate test of that. I used breathwork, vocal toning, and visualizations to ride the waves. My mantra was, “Open and surrender.”

The Moment I Caught My Baby

I was in the birth pool when I felt the urge to push—intense, overwhelming, and completely unstoppable. My body took over. With the support of warm water around me and my husband right beside me, I let my instincts lead.

There were just three people in the room—my midwife, my husband, and my mom. No crowd. No chaos. Just a quiet knowing that I was safe, supported, and fully capable.

With a few powerful surges, my baby was born into the water—straight into my hands.

That moment will stay with me forever. The weight of a new life in my hands. The rush of adrenaline and oxytocin. The tears in my husband’s eyes. My mom softly crying behind me. And my midwife, calm and steady, gently guiding but never interrupting the moment.

It was raw, intimate, and everything I hoped it would be.

The Afterglow

There was no rush. No being wheeled away or bright lights. Just warm towels, tea, and a baby nuzzling at my chest. My other children woke up in the morning to meet their new sibling, and we all piled into bed like a sleepy, love-drunk pile of humans.

That’s the magic of home birth—it’s on your terms. You are in control, surrounded by familiarity, and able to rest deeply in the cocoon of your own space.

Planning for Another Home Birth

This current pregnancy? I’m planning another home birth. With every experience, I’ve learned what I need—emotionally, physically, and spiritually. It’s not for everyone, but for me, it’s where I feel most powerful.

Home Birth Essentials: Amazon Favorites for the Mama Planning to Birth at Home

If you’re considering or planning a home birth, here are some helpful tools and supplies I’ve personally used or recommend:

Birth Space Setup:

Comfort + Labor Tools:

  • Heating Pad – For back labor or general comfort.
  • Rebozo or Woven Wrap – Traditionally used in Mexican birth practices, a rebozo can be used for belly sifting, hip squeezes, and gentle counterpressure. It’s an amazing, versatile tool for both physical support and grounding during labor.
  • Peri Bottle – Essential for postpartum healing.

Birth Supplies

Postpartum Comfort:

Whether you’re dreaming of a home birth or just curious what it’s like, know this: you are allowed to take up space in your birth. You are allowed to ask for peace, slowness, support, and autonomy. You are capable. You are strong. And your story—whatever it looks like—is valid.

Sending so much love to the mamas planning their births from a therapist-mama who’s been there, hands catching baby and heart wide open.