Tag: pregnancy

The Postpartum Period: What I Wish Every Mama Knew (Plus My Amazon Must-Haves)

On By Brittany PinterIn Mental HealthLeave a comment

The postpartum period… whew. No matter how many babies you’ve had, nothing prepares you for the emotional, physical, and mental rollercoaster that hits the moment your little one arrives.

As a therapist and mama of four, I’ve lived both sides of it — the clinical understanding and the raw, messy, beautiful reality of being knee-deep in newborn days. Whether you’re freshly postpartum or preparing for your next baby, this guide is here to support you, validate you, and simplify your life with the products that actually make a difference.

The Emotional Side of Postpartum: You’re Not “Too Much,” You’re Human

Those first few weeks can feel like a blur of:

  • Tears you can’t explain
  • Joy that takes your breath away
  • Anxiety over every sound your baby makes
  • The feeling of being touched-out yet desperately in love
  • Hormones doing gymnastics

This is normal.
This is human.
This is postpartum.

It’s okay to need breaks. It’s okay to not feel like yourself. And it’s okay to ask for support.

My Postpartum Essentials (Mama-Approved + Used With All 4 Babies)

Below are the things that made my postpartum period smoother, more comfortable, and more manageable.

1. Haakaa Silicone Breast Pump

This tiny silicone miracle is how I built a freezer stash with all four of my babies without “pumping.”
Perfect for catching letdown so you don’t waste a drop.
👉 here

2. Postpartum Recovery Kit Essentials

Think of this as your “mama survival kit.” My must-includes:

  • Peri bottle
  • Witch hazel pads
  • Mesh undies
  • Dermoplast
  • Perineal ice packs

👉 here

3. The Comfy Nursing/Pumping Bras

Because the early days require bras that feel like clouds, not torture devices.
👉 here

4. Oversized Water Bottle (Because You WILL Forget to Drink)

Hydration is everything postpartum — mood, milk supply, healing… all of it.
👉 here

5. Electric Double Pump (Traditional + Reliable)

These are the heavy-duty workhorses.
Often covered by insurance and great for building supply or exclusively pumping.

Spectra S1/S2 – Loved for comfort + suction
👉 here

6. Nursing-Friendly Pajamas

Soft, stretchy, and designed for easy pull-aside access — perfect for those middle-of-the-night feeds and postpartum comfort.
👉 here

7. Night Light/Sound machine for Feedings

A soft, dimmable night light sound machine combo is a must for those 2 a.m. feeds.
👉 here

Mental Health in Postpartum: A Therapist-Mama’s Perspective

What I see again and again in my clients — and what I’ve lived personally — is that postpartum requires permission.
Permission to rest.
Permission to say no.
Permission to lower the bar.
Permission to not be perfect.
Permission to feel exactly how you feel.

Here are a few grounding reminders to support your mental health:

• Your emotions are not a sign of weakness — they are information.

Let them speak. Let them move. Let them be seen.

• Regulating your nervous system matters more than keeping your house spotless.

Your baby needs a regulated mama, not a Pinterest home.

• You deserve support without guilt.

If someone offers help, accept it. If no one offers help, ask.

• You don’t have to “enjoy every moment.”

You’re allowed to love your baby and struggle at the same time.

Postpartum Survival Tips for the First 6 Weeks

1. Batch your expectations, not your tasks.

Have one goal per day.
Everything else is a bonus.

2. Keep nourishing snacks within reach.

Nursing and newborn care are calorie burners.

3. Sleep whenever you can — not just when baby sleeps.

Sometimes this means skipping dishes. Let it be skipped.

4. Stay connected.

Isolation is one of the hardest postpartum triggers.

5. Move your body gently.

Walks. Stretching. Breathwork.
Slow is still progress.

If You’re in the Thick of It… You’re Not Alone

Postpartum is raw. It’s beautiful and messy and overwhelming and magical in its own complicated way. Whether this is your first baby or your fourth like me, this phase deserves softness — not pressure.

You’re doing better than you think, mama.
And you deserve all the support in the world.

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.