Using Essential Oils During Pregnancy.

Being pregnant is a truly humbling experience. I want to share with you some of the holistic products and practices that I incorporated into my routine for this last pregnancy. Most are essential oils, but I also want to reference some other things that have been part of these routines as well, such as supplements and a few specific healthy habits. I treat my essential oils that way - incorporating diet, exercise and supplements regularly are integral to experiencing true progress in reaching any wellness goal. The same is true with pregnancy!

If you’re unfamiliar with essential oils, you can learn more about my story with them (and the science behind why they work!) HERE. What’s really amazing about these oils is the versatility - they can be used topically (applied to your skin), aromatically (diffused into the air) or taken internally (by adding drops to water or veggie capsules and taken like a supplement), and these 3 ways can help support your health in truly transformative and incredible ways! Also, I only use doTERRA essential oils because they are the safest and purest essential oils (think 3rd party testing, results made available to the public, and TONS of peer-reviewed clinical and research studies). I only want to use the safest oils on my body and with my family, which is why I choose doTERRA.

DISCLAIMER (because I have to): Please keep in mind, I am NOT a doctor, so please consult yours before using anything I recommend. My doc actually recommended essential oils to me early on in my pregnancy, and I just giggled as she shared with me the different ways they could help. And of course, she is right! It made me really happy that my OBGYN practice recognizes the value of these powerful plant essences.

Healthy practices that really helped me during this pregnancy:

1. Drinking tons of water (I aim for 100 oz. per day).

2. Eating an astronomical amount of protein (around 80-100 grams per day).

3. Exercising (I did a pretty decent job at this up until my 8th month, ha). I lifted light weights, did the row machine (until my belly got in the way), did the stair climber and swam.

4. Resting a lot, especially taking naps and putting my feet up for 10-minute water breaks throughout the day.

5. Taking my prenatals, probiotics and iron supplements (I have been anemic every pregnancy, so the last one is especially important for me).

6. Cutting out refined sugar. This is something I implemented during my last trimester in an effort to keep my weight down because I tend to have big babies.

7. Lastly, using my essential oils! I’ll break it down for you below!

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1st Trimester:

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Digestion/Nausea:
- Add 1-2 drops Lemon essential oil to water and drink. I do this all throughout the day, and the Lemon really helps with the nausea. This is one of my favorite things I have done all throughout my pregnancy! Just make sure to use a glass or aluminum container - you never want to put essential oils in plastic (they will break down the plastic material).

- Rub 1-2 drops DigestZen on my belly. I added this to this unscented lotion, this belly oil or fractionated coconut oil to help it absorb into my skin. This really helped with the early pregnancy nausea that was just awwwwwful.

Mood Swings/Pregnancy Blues:
- I applied 1-2 drops of Balance (known as the grounding blend) to my pulse points all throughout the day.
- Diffuse 4-6 drops Elevation (the joyful blend) or Citrus Bliss (the invigorating blend) to create a sunny, optimistic environment in the home.

Daily “Perfume” Blend:
- I apply an even mix of Magnolia and Rose essential oil rollerballs to my pulse points, over my heart and on the back of my neck. Smells better than any perfume I’ve ever used, with the added benefit of boosting the immune system (Rose) and keeping me calm and grounded (Magnolia).

Boost Energy + Combat Fatigue.
- Sniff Peppermint! I literally just open the bottle and take a whiff throughout the day when I need a pick-me-up. You can also apply 1-2 drops to the back of your neck and it instantly provides a cooling, refreshing sensation. Better than a 3pm coffee ;)

- Take my daily Life Long Vitality supplements! This vitamin pack serves as a complete prenatal vitamin, and it has helped boost my energy and immune system better than what I took during any of my other pregnancies! So very happy with these supplements and I will continue to take them after I am no longer pregnant.

Headaches:
- Thankfully, this pregnancy I haven’t had the kind of headaches I had when I was pregnant with Daxton (I lived with migraines that pregnancy - not fun!) But for any kind of head tension, I would put 1 drop of Frankincense and 1 drop of Peppermint under my tongue and apply Frankincense to my temples and massage the oil in.

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2nd Trimester:

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Heartburn:
- Add 1-2 Terrazyme supplements with every meal to help with that overly-full feeling. This is a whole-food digestive enzyme supplement that helps the body digest protein fats, sugars and complex carbs. It also helps your stomach break down foods in the most efficient way and converting it into energy.

Muscle Cramps/Charlie Horse:
- I take 4 Bone Nutrient Complex capsules every night right before I go to bed. Not only is it beneficial for the baby (mega doses of Trace Minerals, Vitamin C & D), but the Magnesium and Calcium are especially helpful for easing those calf/leg cramps that are such a mystery during pregnancy.

Back Pain:
- I used the Deep Blue Rub on my back almost every night after getting out of the bath tub. Creates such a relief from all the pressure!

Stretch Marks:
- I use the Immortelle rollerball on my stretch marks after applying belly balm and lotion. Helps spot treat certain areas and is so good for skin health overall!

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3rd Trimester:

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Sleep:
- Sleep has become an elusive challenge this last month or so, but I’m not trying to fight the insomnia anymore. Since this is my 3rd pregnancy, I know my body so well these days, and I KNOW that the insomnia is just part of my training (or is it self-inflicted hazing?) of prepping for that nighttime baby feeding schedule. However, I DO love diffusing Serenity or Balance at night before bed, and I often take 1 Serenity Restful Complex capsule before I go to sleep as well.

Sleep (in the woods) Diffuser Blend:
***I recommend this blend to anyone who doesn’t prefer floral scents like lavender for bedtime.
- 3 drops Vetiver
- 3 drops Cedarwood
- 3 drops Douglas Fir
Combine these oils in a diffuser with water and enjoy the relaxing, rest-enhancing aroma!

Soothe Muscles + Unwind:
- I take a bath every single night. Without fail. I love adding oils to the bathwater, especially Frankincense and Balance. I have also been adding this Little Barn Apothecary body oil to my bathtub lately, because YUM.

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The Essential Oils I Use/Avoid During Pregnancy + Resources:

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There are SO many great oils that I have been avoiding since I got pregnant, because certain oils can influence hormones, and I personally want my body to regulate its hormones on its own during pregnancy. I look forward to being able to use these again!

Avoid:
- I avoid using the following oils topically and internally while pregnant: Yarrow, Grapefruit, Clary Sage, Black Pepper, Geranium, Jasmine, Wintergreen, Cassia, Clove.
*Note: These oils can be safely diffused during pregnancy.

Use:
- Oils that I love and USE regularly for pregnancy (aromatically, topically and internally): Lemon, Wild Orange, Frankincense, Rose, Magnolia & Peppermint.
*Note: Discontinue use of Peppermint after delivery if you want to breastfeed. Peppermint reduces milk production so you will want to avoid this during the duration of your breastfeeding experience!

- Essential Oils blends that I use regularly for pregnancy: Balance, Elevation, OnGuard, Serenity, DigestZen, Deep Blue, Immortelle, Adaptiv, Citrus Bliss.

If you’re ever curious about which oils are safe to use for pregnancy, I HIGHLY recommend checking out The Essential Midwife site, grabbing her book HERE and checking out this blog post from doTERRA.

If you are interested in getting some of these oils in your life, leave your email address in the comment section and I will hook you up with a special gift when you place your 1st purchase!

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Introducing Rhys David: A Birth Story.

Sharing birth stories is always vulnerable. However, I know how helpful it has been for me during each of my pregnancies, to read others’ birth stories as a way to prepare for my own births ahead. Each of my births have been extremely unique, and none of them have gone as I prepared & planned for. Rhys’s story takes the cake for being extreme in both the birth AND the postpartum healing journey. Way to go, bud. You owe me a cupcake.

I share this in hopes of encouraging others that although birth is full of the unexpected, it is still a beautiful gift from God and IT IS WORTH IT. No matter how you deliver, no matter how you and the baby make it through - it is worth it! I never want my story to instill fear about pregnancy or birth - this is simply my truth and I share it only to encourage others that the unexpected CAN and WILL happen during birth, but you are more than able to handle it. Giving birth has taught me how freaking awesome I am. How tough I am. If I could give my former, pre-mother self ANY advice, I would tell her to be brave and be prepared for the things she least expects. I would tell her to lean into her gut instincts when she is faced with difficult decisions. I would tell her that she is absolutely stronger than she imagines she ever could be. And I would tell her to pray pray pray because God is very present during birth and he answers prayers - it just sometimes looks differently than you would expect.

Here’s my birth story with Rhys.

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On November 9, 2019, I couldn’t help it - I was up early. The sun was streaming through the fingerprint-streaked windows. I showered, dried my hair, even applied makeup. Because I knew today was one of the most important days of my life - I would be meeting my baby on this very day! Today! Rhys was going to be born! I was going to be holding him today!

Let me tell you how I knew.

A BIT OF BACKGROUND.

This pregnancy was a challenging one for me. My pregnancy and delivery with my second son Daxton resulted in an emergency c-section (he was 9 lbs. 8 oz.), so I was being watched closely during these 9 months. I was seeing a high-risk specialist to make sure Rhys was growing well and wasn’t getting too big, too quickly in my belly. I watched my weight, cut out sugar, and exercised in an attempt to slow the weight gain, but I know now it didn’t make enough of a difference.

Near the end of the third trimester Rhys’ weight was being monitored and we were counting down the days to my due date. I was getting nervous that he was going to be “too big” to deliver. My doctors didn’t want him reaching a certain threshold of weight (I’m choosing not to share the exact amount because I know everyone has different sized babies and I don’t want to put a number in anyone’s head that could create a weight complex) - but for me and my baby, there was a certain weight they didn’t want to see the baby approach, and I was getting close to it. Very close. In the final weeks of my pregnancy, I felt like I was racing the clock. Trying not to gain too much weight so that I could have a shot at delivering this baby via v-bac. Otherwise there was a c-section scheduled on my due date. Because my first birth with Everett was a vaginal delivery, and my healing process was infinitely better than it was with the c-section, I wanted to give myself the best opportunity to have the baby vaginally.

Side note - typing “vaginally” is making me chuckle. I’m 32 years and apparently as mature as a middle school boy. Lord have mercy.

So about 10 days before my due date, I am NERVOUS. I am doing all the things to induce birth but nothing is working. Little boy just wanted to stay inside (I can’t blame him - it must be so cozy in the womb). My doctors understood my plight and wanted to work with me to give me the best shot at having a successful v-bac, so they encouraged me to call them as soon as I was having any contractions that were relatively consistent. They said as soon as I was having those, I could come into the hospital to have an “augmentation”, which isn’t a full induction but is where they give you a bit of pitocin to move things along and HOPEFULLY work with your body to put it into full-blown labor. I was up the evening of Nov. 8 with consistent contractions so we called the doctor and they told me to come in the next morning, so that I could get a good night’s sleep (as best as I could), because the next day would be a lot of work and I wanted to be rested up for labor.

LABOR.

So now we are back to the morning of the 9th. I kissed my big boys goodbye, my mother-in-law came over to watch them, and me, Stevie, my mom and sister (my birth team!) all headed to the hospital. When we arrived at 9am there wasn’t 1 person in the maternity wing - no one was in labor! It was strangely serene. I forgot how glossy white the hospital is, how sterile the air. I got all checked in, met with the doctor and midwife who were on call, and they checked me. I was about 2-3 cm dilated and the baby was still high (meaning he hadn’t dropped.) They asked me questions, and we discussed a plan of action about how to approach the birth. We started by getting me hooked me up to a bit of pitocin. This was a far more medical approach than I had ever had in my previous births. I am used to going about things very naturally and medication-free. However, this was my chance to hopefully move things along so that I could give birth (instead of automatically going into a c-section), so I was ready to try anything to avoid another surgery.

Note - I have nothing against c-sections. They are wonderful procedures that can absolutely save lives, and I am SO grateful that I was able to deliver this way previously. It saved me and my baby. However, the recovery is HARD, so for me, it wasn’t the optimal way that I preferred to deliver this time around.

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So there I was. In the thin blue hospital gown, ice chips at my bedside, Jonnyswim playing in my headphones. Diffusing my favorite essential oil combination - Balance and Wild Orange. Stevie flipping through the TV channels, trying to find me an episode of Fixer Upper. Because he’s just the best. Soon the contractions became consistent, so the anesthesiologist arrived to give me an epidural. They began bumping up my pitocin every hour after that, and the strange thing was that although I felt numbness in my legs from the epidural, I was still feeling the pain of every single contraction. I felt the pain swelling in my back (I always seem to have back labor), and after about 2 hours I was feeling it sharply in my front abdomen as well. The pain was consistent with the contractions - it felt like laboring without an epidural. I shared this with the doctor and midwife, so they brought the anesthesiologist back in to check on me. He sat in the room with me while I labored, closely watching the screen that tracked my contractions, and every single contraction was getting more and more intense. I changed positions, used the yoga ball and peanut ball, ate ice chips, squeezed all the hands and arms and other available appendages of my wonderful birth team as they took turns with me, but I wasn’t getting the relief that I thought was supposed to come from an epidural.

Note - My labor and delivery with Everett was medication-free, so I knew what it felt like to labor without an epidural. I had gotten an epidural with Daxton at about the 18-hour mark in my labor with him, so I remember the sensation of an epidural. However, even then, I remember feeling my contractions - just in a calmed-down way from laboring without an epidural.

I remember telling my doctor - “I have a lot of friends who get epidurals and then take a nap - there is NO WAY I could take a nap right now. Is this normal??” At one point I heard the anesthesiologist tell the doctor, “She had her first baby without an epidural, so I know she’s tough. But she’s clearly in pain.” They were all trying to figure out why I was feeling so much pain, even with so much medication pulsing through my body. Fun times, can’t you tell?

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As we were trying to manage the pain, it seemed that my labor was progressing - very slowly. Each hour or so throughout the day I was checked and dilating - from 2 cm to 3 and 4 and 5 and so on. This was good news! Even though I was laboring and it was painful and hard, it was clearly productive! I kept telling myself I could live with the pain. But as the hours went by it was such hard work and I was starting to get weary. I knew I needed to save my energy to push once I reached 10 cm, so I was anxious to make it to 10 cm soon. When was my baby going to come?

I labored all day.

By the evening the anesthesiologist was still with us, watching the screen like a hawk. He had been with me for hours. At one point, Stevie said to him, “I know that your time is valuable - is there a reason why you are still here?” It was kind of an abrupt ask, but also, we were all thinking that - why was he still here? Was there something wrong? Why wasn’t the epidural working?!

No one knew. It’s really fun being a science experiment.

The anesthesiologist, doctor and midwife all consulted and gave me some options. They could a) take out the epidural and try again. Perhaps it just wasn’t positioned perfectly?, b) they could administer a spinal tap instead of the epidural (sometimes this works better for certain people), or c) um, i don’t remember c. #mombrain

All the while, even though my cervix had been dilating throughout the day, it seemed that I wasn’t getting effaced and the baby wasn’t dropping either - he was still very high up. Once I reached 7 cm, my midwife went ahead and broke my water, which we all believed would help dilate me even faster. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case - my dilation stalled at 7 cm and never progressed after that. At this point my contractions were so intense and painful that I was having trouble speaking or even seeing clearly. In between my contractions I was able to have a small sip of water or some ice, but nothing was helping the intensity or pain anymore. And I’m kind of a joke-y person but there was NOTHING funny going on in that room.

The doctor came in at about 9pm and had a frank conversation with me. She said that I needed to continue dilating and my cervix needed to soften/efface. She said she was going to come back in an hour to check me, but if I hadn’t progressed by then we would need to talk about our options. I knew what that meant. “Our options”. I had spent so much time and energy over the past 9 months doing everything in my power to avoid a repeat c-section, and yet here we were - it was looming ahead. And I wasn’t in control. There was nothing I could do to move things along.

I was frustrated that my body didn’t seem to be responding to the pain medication or continuing to dilate. Why why why. I kept talking to my body and telling myself, “open open open!” I repeated my verses to myself. I listened to Kanye’s new album. I prayed. Stevie prayed. Mom prayed. Rachel prayed (very nervously). Poor Rachel, she was really wigged out by this whole situation.

I had a conversation with my maker. I asked God to make it very clear to me what I should do next. I told Him that I needed to dilate and progress further by the time the doctor returned (as if He didn’t already know that) OR if I didn’t, that I would go ahead and opt for the c-section. I didn’t want to waste anymore energy. I asked Him to make it very very clear to me because I didn’t have the energy to decipher anything confusing. I wasn’t in the mood for a mixed message.

I continued to labor for that hour and it was my most difficult hour yet. When the doctor returned and checked me, she informed me that I hadn’t progressed at all - AT ALL. No further dilation, the baby still remained high, and my cervix wasn’t softened.

How’s that for clarity.

I told you that God responds. It’s just not always the kind of answer we want. Amiright, church girls??

The doctor said she believed that I would continue to dilate throughout the night if we stayed on this same course - but because the baby hadn’t dropped at all throughout the day, it was a very real possibility that we would end up in a c-section by tomorrow morning anyway. She was concerned about me laboring for more hours with the potential of a c-section ahead. She and midwife asked how I would like to proceed. I looked at Stevie. It was c-section time. I was flashing back to the exact moment during Daxton’s birth where we had to make THIS SAME DECISION. Different birth, but wildly similar scenario. Stalled at 7cm again. I felt so much peace with the decision to move forward with the c-section (which might sound crazy but its true), but Stevie was upset - he began peppering the doctor with all sorts of questions about why this happened this way and how we could possibly attempt a longer labor. I had to interject and tell him I simply didn’t have it in me to labor all night. This girl was tired. I had used almost all my energy by then, laboring for so long with what felt like no epidural.

Note - A long labor followed by an emergency c-section is what made my recovery with Daxton’s birth so difficult and made for a long recovery - the last thing you want to do is have a long labor and then have a c-section, because the healing process takes FOREVER. (I felt like like it took me 2 years to heal from Daxton’s birth.)

I didn’t want to repeat the kind of birth I had with Daxton. I had already been laboring for 12+ hours at this point, with no end in sight. We decided that a c-section was the course of action we would take, so they began prepping me for surgery. We were all sorts of bummed (the doc and midwife included), but I felt like God was giving me so much peace in spite of the circumstance so I just leaned into that.

Delivery.

Then my dad arrived! He brought me the post-delivery meal I had hoped for (cheeseburger and fries from Palmers), but unfortunately when he arrived he knew that we wouldn’t be chowing down anytime soon. He came into the delivery room as they were prepping me for the surgery and you know what - I needed to see him. He was so wonderful, comforting me and joking with me in the kind of humor that only we share. You know when your family gets you and knows that you just need to laugh? That’s exactly what my dad brought. At one point I was having a contraction and he held my hand through it - he was exactly what I needed after a long day laboring in that room. And then like a flash I was whisked off to the OR as I waved goodbye to my parents and my sis - Stevie was planning to join me for the c-section, so the nurses were getting him suited up. Or scrubbed in. What is the medical lingo for that??

The bright fluorescent lights of the OR blinded me. Suddenly I was naked, and there were about 10 people milling around in the room, as if it were so normal to have a huge naked women laid out on a table. Several nurses gathered at the foot of the table, glancing at me and quietly discussing. They were busy swabbing me, compiling materials, gathering and fetching and prepping. But one of them stopped and said, “Honey, you are SO big. You shouldn’t feel bad about getting this c-section - we see women in here everyday and your belly is so much bigger than most.” Who doesn’t love being naked and being told this? What a trophy I have, me and my HUGE belly. I’m kidding. Sort of.

Here’s the thing about c-sections - they use the epidural to numb you for the surgery. Remember how my epidural wasn’t working? The friendly anesthesiologist was back by my side, explaining exactly how this procedure was going to work. I reminded him that during my previous c-section, the pain medication hadn’t worked on me and I had to go under general anesthesia for the delivery. He said they weren’t going to have to do that - hopefully - and proceeded to turn up my epidural medication. But I knew it wouldn’t work. I just knew it. This whole situation was so familiar it was eerie.

Once the doctor arrived she asked the room if I was ready and the team announced - almost! She looked at me and very calmly began to explain what she was going to do. I informed her that I wasn’t numb yet, and she looked at the anesthesiologist questioningly. She continued to talk to me and asked me a few questions, and then she did something very freaky and yet impressive. In the middle of our conversation, mid-sentence - she reached down pinched me right where the incision was going to be made. She pinched me hard. I screamed-slash-howled SO LOUD. She looked up at the room and said, “Okay, she’s not numb at all - we need to go to general anesthesia.” I was very impressed at how she deduced my level of numbness. It’s a pretty smart trick - I bet so many women * think * they aren’t numb in this situation when they really are - so it’s a clever way to find out. Unfortunately this meant that Stevie couldn’t be part of the birth - this was the second time that he had scrubbed in for a c-section birth and then was told at the door he couldn’t attend. I’ll never know what the felt like for him. On my side of the door, the poor anesthesiologist was profusely apologizing, saying that he didn’t know why the epidural wasn’t working for me, that this happens to less than 1% of women. I was thinking, “what a situation to be so special - I would really rather be fitting in with the crowd right now.”

They began counting down backward from 10. All I remember is getting to 3, and then there was nothing.

Recovery.

I woke up and my vision was blurry. Limbs were numb. Throat hurt. Tubes in my nose. One of the sweet nurses was at my bedside, talking very chipper to me, but I don’t remember what she said. Something about the surgery going well, something about baby boy being with daddy. I don’t remember the moment they brought him in, but suddenly he was in my arms, warm and chunky and beautiful and soft. He found my breast, he was nursing, it was all happening. He absolutely felt a part of me. Awe. Warmth. Completion. My boy was here, he was outside of my body. He was here. He was the most beautiful thing.

Elated, exhausted, elated, exhausted. The days that followed in the hospital were consuming. Recovery from a c-section is powerfully hard. But I remember being served strawberry jello and chocolate pudding and chicken noodle soup, and man, did those things GIVE ME LIFE.

My mom brought Everett & Daxton to meet Rhys at the hospital, and the boys were mesmerized by their new baby brother. He was so quiet, they were so rowdy. But when they first laid eyes on him, Daxton’s smile for his brother lit the room with sunshine, while Everett’s stoic seriousness painted the story of his process. He was the big brother of this tribe of little guys. This was his little brother. The realization, the responsibility, the wonder, all of it expressed in his face - I watched him grow up in this brief moment. I realized that this birth wasn’t just my story or Rhys’, but all of our story. One of our family growing up, growing into the next season. Transition. All of us grew up with Rhys’ arrival.

And of course, Stevie is just perfect with him. Rhys looks so unbelievably small in his big arms.

Rhys David Hale
Born 10:45pm, 11/9/2019
8 lb., 12 oz., 19 inches

Rhys (pronounced “Reese”) is a Welsh name, meaning fiery, passionate warrior. David means beloved.

For all of you who have shared in this journey with my family, thank you for your excitement for us, for the support, encouragement, and prayers along the way! It is surreal to be here, surrounded by more testosterone than I could have ever imagined, raising this family of boys. I am overwhelmed by the love I feel and by the mercy of God Himself, who has been present with me in these most tumultuous, traumatic and tremendous moments of my life. Giving birth to my babies.

My healing process has been an entirely other story, one that I will save for a separate post. But for now, an endless thank you for being here.

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Driving on Highway 1.

Sharing these last few pics today from our California coast adventure last month. If you ever get the opportunity to drive the coast along Highway 1 - DO IT. You will never regret the views. My prayers have been with our California friends as they endure another round of wildfires. It breaks my heart for those who call this gorgeous stretch of coast home, that they have to deal with the fires licking up on their doorsteps.

A few things I would highly recommend if you’re ever going to do this drive:

- Give yourself a lot more time and buffer than Googlemaps tells you. If you think it will take you 3 hours to get from your point A to point B, budget at least 1-2 hours more so you have time to make stops, get outside, walk around, etc. It will be well worth it! This is not a drive you want to rush. The whole point is to enjoy the drive!
- Pull off on all the coastal highway stops. Okay, maybe not all, but a lot of them! You get the very best views that will quite literally take your breath away. Also, the air is so crispy cool along the coast - it feels so good just to soak in the feeling.
- Stop in Big Sur and walk around! We got lunch at at Big Sur Bakery which has incredible food, but there are lots of quirky little places along the highway to stop in at grab a bite.
- Other places that are well worth the stop but will require some more time and planning are Carmel-by-the-Sea (see more here), Santa Cruz, Monterey and Half Moon Bay.
- The Bixby Bridge (pictured above), is spectacular and really, really worth stopping and seeing.
- Tagging this drive along with a few days in LA or a few days in San Francisco (or Napa!) is really special. If you have the chance to plan the trip that way, do it!

This trip was our last adventurous travel of the year. Now that we are in the home stretch of waiting on our baby to be born (!), I am cherishing these photos and the joy they represent. The next few months will be a lot of cozy days at home in front of the fire place!

Happy Friday to you all!

Packing my Hospital Bag + Prepping for Birth!

There are so many helpful blog posts about what to pack in your birth hospital bag, but I must admit that I still find myself googling and pinterest-ing it even as I approach this third birth. I’ve had a vaginal delivery (with my first son, Everett), and a c-section delivery (with my second son, Daxton), so I’ve experienced both camps of what is needed for those scenarios. However, with each child I’ve learned a little bit more about what is needed and not really needed in the hospital bag, at least for myself. My bag has been packed and re-packed, so if it’s helpful to you to reference, here’s what I’ve got going on!

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In My Hospital Labor Bag:

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Since labor can require different things from the post-delivery experience, I like to pack a smaller tote bag with just a few necessities I like to have on hand strictly for labor. This helps me from needing to dig through my bag of jammies and toiletries when I’m having contractions!

Diffuser + Essential Oils - I’m planning to diffuse Balance + Wild Orange during labor, and applying a mix of Clary Sage, Frankincense and Peppermint to my inner ankles during labor. Plus I have a slew of others I will diffuse in my recovery room after the baby is born.

I’m bringing a few pre-made rollerballs to support labor/delivery and recovery. Here are the recipes I whipped up:

Labor Support: “Breathe”
- 5 drops Ylang Ylang
- 5 drops Clary Sage
- 4 drops Helichrysum
- 4 drops Cypress
- 6 drops Black Pepper
- 2 drops Peppermint
Combine all these oils in a 10ml rollerball and fill to the top with fractionated coconut oil. Massage inside ankles, on lower back and on belly for labor support.

Postpartum Support: “Happy”
- 10 drops Citrus Bliss
- 10 drops Elevation
- 10 drops Frankincense
Combine all these oils in a 10ml rollerball and fill to the top with fractionated coconut oil. Apply to pulse points and on back of neck to wear as a mood-boosting personal fragrance.

Lip Balm
Breathe Drops
Birth Ball - Has been super helpful during my past labors! (This one doesn’t fit in any bag, but we make sure to carry this in when we first arrive at the hospital - as opposed to some of the baby gear that can stay in the car for a bit).
Bathing Suit + Flip Flops - I tend to have back labor, so in the past I found a lot of relief by getting in and out of the shower a lot during labor. Bathing suit just helps for modesty sake, when the nurses inevitably come in and out to do the fetal heart check every 30 minutes.
Massage Lotion - Already been using this throughout pregnancy so I plan to use this along with counter-pressure for my back during labor.
Snacks - I’m bringing a few, mostly for Stevie. I will be ready for some sour gummy bears after this no-sugar diet!

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In My Hospital Recovery Bag:

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Packing this weekender tote for the hospital, along with this great toiletry kit I’ve had for like 10 years. These are items I will use after labor and delivery, so they don’t have to come out of the bag until after the baby has arrived!

Robe - I’ve never met a robe I don’t like, but I picked up a new one (ugh, sold out already), for this new baby experience!
Nursing Tanks (2)
Nursing Bras (2)
Butter Pants + Cozy Sweatshirt - Basically the softest things I’ve ever put on my body. This is probably what I will wear when I go home from the hospital. And for every day afterwards forevermore.
Socks/Slippers - I got these socks in the Babylist registry box and I fully intend on using them ;) I personally don’t like the idea of wearing my slippers at the hospital to walk around because I don’t like to think about what has been spilled on those floors before. But I’m bringing both, just in case!
Toiletries - shampoo + conditioner packs, lip balm, moisturizer, toothpaste, deodorant and some makeup.
Pillow - I like to have my own because it’s so firm (I also double up my pillow cases, because again, hospital funk freaks me out).
Phone + Charger - I got this extra long cord just in case the plug is far away. Plus its sparkly. This is such an extra kind of item, not really necessary ;)
Camera - I like to take some photos with our big camera while we’re in the hospital! Those first few days are irreplaceable and I always want to relive the sweet moments that we have with just the baby.

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In the Diaper Bag:

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I’m planning to continue using this bag that I got when Daxton was a baby, and in it I tucked a few first things for the baby. The hospital will have the basics so you really don’t need a lot here, but it’s fun to have a few soft, personal things for your little one.
Baby swaddles - These muslin ones are tried-and-true and am excited to try these bamboo ones!
Burp Cloth
1-2 Take-home outfits - I like to have a few sizes, just in case. And you want to make sure these outfits have actual legs/feet so that you can safely strap them into the car seat when you leave the hospital.
Mittens, socks and a hat!
Diapers + Wipes - Just in case for the car ride home!
Pacifier
Nipple Cream! - This stuff is truly the best.
Nursing Pillow - Mine won’t fit in the bag, but it’s something that we can leave in the car until its needed!

One thing I like to do, in addition to all of this, is keep a list of “last minute grabs” in the notes section on my phone for when its actually time to leave for the hospital. On that list currently? Glasses, pillow, hair gel, phone charger and birth plan.

I also like to have a little gift “from” the baby for the boys, when they come to the hospital to meet him. It’s just a fun little toy for each of them, but I think it helps them from feeling like the baby is getting all the attention.

Even though I like to use my own selected products for postpartum care, I don’t plan to bring a whole lot of that to the hospital. It’s such a short and fleeting time that you’re there (no matter what kind of delivery you have), that I just go with the flow and use what they offer up (mostly.) The only thing I’m pretty adamant about it having my own nipple butter, because I really really don’t like the lanolin stuff they have there. But they really do cover you and the baby so well, so there’s no need to pack a ton of diapers and wipes and all that jazz.

We are seriously on the countdown now! I would so appreciate your prayers for me and my family as we head into these last few days of this pregnancy - we are all so ready to meet our baby boy! Thanks for being on this journey with us ;)

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Exploring in Carmel.

Trekked out to the West Coast trek last month, when I was 34 weeks pregnant (!!!) and savoring the last bit of travel adventure while celebrating my BFF’s beautiful wedding out there. I shared about our morning watching the sunrise over the vineyards in Paso Robles HERE, and I also wanted to share a few pictures of the romantic and dreamy town of Carmel-by-the-Sea.

Carmel is a sleepy European-inspired village on the coast, boasting plentiful art galleries and coffee shops and fancayyy boutiques. There isn’t one destination spot that you MUST visit in town, it’s more of a place to wander and eat and drink along the way while exploring the windy streets and all they have to offer. We got juice twice here (I loved the Clean & Green), shopped around and went back and forth on whether we should get the boys souveniers (do they really NEED another stuffed animal that says a city name on it? I think not.), pretended to be art connoisseurs gazing at the assortment of mediums on display in the ubiquitious galleries (we know nothing about art. I just know it when I like it.), and of course, we wandered down to the ocean, which is a sweet walk down the street from the village.

There is simply nothing like the Pacific Ocean - the ever-reaching sapphire waves carrying the frosty, frothy water to my squeamish toes. It’s always shocking to me how VERY COLD the water is, probably because like most East Coast southern gals, I’m most comfy with the bath water that IS the Gulf of Mexico. And while the Pacific always stuns me with its frightfully cool temperatures, the views are the true marvel. California really does harbor some of the most treasured coastal views.

So grateful that Stevie and I had a few days to wander here. We gawked at the sprawling, oversized succulents, drank the boujee coffee, discussed what it would be like to raise our kids here (in a word - EXPENSIVE), marveled at the interesting trinkets while we window shopped. It was just so NICE being together, being slow, exploring again. Before we had kids, our travel looked a little something like this (although back then we were much more fast-paced - this pregnant tired mama has learned to slowwwwww dowwnnnnn). It was fun to resurrect that exploratory spirit for a bit. Just a bit.

P.S. - Fun story about the first time I visited Carmel HERE.
P.P.S. - Fun IGTV vid from our trip HERE.