Guide: Pregnancy Resources

Blessings upon blessings – there’s a beautiful, perfect miracle growing and an eternal soul being formed!

There is nothing like the wonder, joy, amazement, and journey of pregnancy. Below are some prayers, books, birth resources and items that I found/find helpful while pregnant.

Scripture

1. Philippians 4:6-7
2. John 16:16-33

Prayers

1. The Holy Rosary
   • Traditional Rosaries – designed by a lovely Catholic store
   • Bracelet Rosaries – made by another wonderful Catholic store, which also makes rosaries for babes!
2. Prayers for Expectant Mothers

Books

1. Made for This: The Catholic Mom’s Guide to Birth – This most informed how I decided to approach our births. It was a blessing to read while pregnant with our first.
2. The Vaccine-Friendly Plan – Helpful notes from a pediatrician about both pregnancy and infant-childhood vaccines.

Cooking

Protein is important period but especially when pregnant. I’ve appreciated the following cooks and their recipes while pregnant, and then while nursing and, of course, feeding our growing toddlers!

1. Dinner Tonight – Alex Snodgrass
2. The Comfortable Kitchen – Alex Snodgrass
   • Check out her blog too, The Defined Dish!

Handy to Have Around

1. Large Water Bottle – such as the Owala Tumbler
   • Comment: I like to use something with a straw to promote actually drinking my water. Embarrassingly, if there’s a cap, and an extra step, I’m less likely to hydrate.
2. UpSpring Stomach Settle Drops
   • Comment: My brother found this for me while I was pregnant with our daughter and it was a game changer!
3. Pink Stork Organic Morning Sickness Pregnancy Tea
4. Pharmedoc Pregnancy Pillow
   • Comment: This is a game changer. I didn’t use it until my third trimester with our firstborn and got it out as soon as the pregnancy test was positive for our second born. It’s easy to clean and easy to travel with!
5. Compression Socks
   • Comment: My right leg swells to the size of a tree trunk when I’m pregnant. It didn’t happen with our first but my varicose veins decided to join the party with our second and third. My brother once again treated me (s/o to older, loving siblings!) and sent me Bombas Compression socks for my third pregnancy. Y’all – it made all the difference. I had previously tried other brands and nothing was helping or working. The quality, fit, and comfort of these were incredible.

Podcasts

Birth Resources

Bradley Method of Natural Childbirth – Colin and I took a Bradley Method birth class for our firstborn and we’re glad we did. We met some incredible friends and the information we learned and methods we were taught affirmed how we wanted to approach childbirth: as a team and unmedicated. We have birthed all of our children in a hospital, but we have done so unmedicated and with Colin by my side. I cannot imagine it any other way and we’re thankful for how we have been able to learn more about the miracle of birth, and the beauty of marriage, through labor and delivery together.

Birth Vision – Please feel free to copy this, or use it as a framework for how you and your spouse want to approach labor and delivery. We created this as part of our Bradley Method class and have adapted it for each birth. We first discuss the content with our OBGYN so that they’re aligned with us, and then we print off 2-3 copies to have with us to hand to the nursing staff when we go in for delivery. This could be helpful to discuss with a midwife if you’re planning on a home birth or birth center delivery.

May your day be filled with what is beautiful and good ~ Caitlyn

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