Tag: family

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.

Moving with Young Kids (Twice!): Our Journey from NJ to Our Forever Home in Florida

On By Brittany PinterIn Mental HealthLeave a comment

Moving is always a big deal — but moving with little ones in tow? That’s a whole different kind of chaos. In the span of just over a year, our family made two major moves: first from New Jersey to Southwest Florida with our three young kids (then 5, 3, and 15 months), and then again from our rental into what we now call our forever home — all while I was pregnant with baby number four.

Spoiler alert: it wasn’t easy, but it was worth it.

The Big Move: NJ to Florida

When we decided to leave New Jersey, we were craving sunshine, space, and a slower pace of life. But leaving everything familiar — our family, community, and routines — felt overwhelming. We packed up our lives, squeezed what we could into a moving truck, and flew down with our three littles. At the time, our kids were 5, 3, and just 15 months old. Still in diapers, still waking in the night, and very much still needing their routines.

We chose to rent for a year while we got to know the area. Honestly? That was the best decision we made. It gave us time to figure out neighborhoods, adjust to the Florida heat (hello, humidity), and let our kids settle into their new schools and rhythms without the pressure of rushing into a permanent decision.

Pregnant and Moving… Again

Just when we found our groove, we found out we were expecting baby #4. And with that came the desire (and need) to find our forever home. So, with three busy kiddos and a belly that was growing by the day, we packed up again and moved into our new house.

This time, the move was local — but with toddlers and pregnancy hormones in the mix, it still felt like a marathon.

What Helped Us Survive (and Sometimes Even Thrive)

Here are a few things that got us through all the transitions:

  • Lowering expectations: Not everything had to be perfect. Our meals were simple, boxes stayed unpacked longer than I’d like, and screen time? Yep, it happened.
  • Maintaining some routines: Bedtime stories and cuddles stayed consistent. Familiar rhythms helped the kids feel safe amidst the chaos.
  • Letting them feel: Our kids had big feelings about leaving friends, changing homes, and adjusting to new spaces. We made space for those feelings and gave extra grace.
  • Creating “home” quickly: We prioritized setting up the kids’ rooms first — even if the rest of the house looked like a disaster zone, they had a familiar space to play and sleep.
  • Letting people help: Whether it was a friend bringing dinner or a neighbor watching the kids for an hour, accepting help made a world of difference.

Now, We Breathe

Now that we’re settled in our forever home, there’s a peace that’s starting to settle in too. The kids are adjusting beautifully, the baby is growing strong, and we’re slowly turning this house into a home filled with memories, noise, and love.

If you’re facing a big move with little ones — I see you. It’s exhausting and emotional and messy… but it can also be a beautiful, fresh start.