Before we get started, information like this should only be taken from an expert — so I’d love to introduce myself first.

I’m Hilary — lots of you might know me as The Pregnancy Nurse® (but I’m also the curly head here at Pulling Curls® — my original brand). I’ve been a nurse since 1997 and I have 20 years of bedside labor and delivery experience. I’ve taught thousands (maybe millions?) of couples how to be prepared not scared for their upcoming hospital birth. I’m glad you’re here.

Oh, and before we keep going, if you were already in labor and your water breaks (not unusual — and we’ll talk more about that going forward) there is a good chance things are going to pick up (aka, get more painful) — so it may be just like the movies where it’s time to head into the hospital. BUT, it also may not be. It’s something that’s good to know, so it doesn’t catch you off guard.

BTW, if you’re like — yeah, I’d prefer not to be caught off-guard — check this out.

And I hope it goes without saying this post is just for people who are 36+ weeks of pregnancy. If you’re before that time in pregnancy you need to head into labor and delivery ASAP.

Ok, back to if that water breaks….

Are You Sure?

It seems like it would be SO clear… a faucet from your uterus turns on, and water is coming out — but it honestly can be tricky to know if it’s broken.

First off — only 15% of people’s water will break prior to going into the hospital (and probably 10% of those will be in labor at the time).

But, a LOT of people will have changing discharge prior to labor. It can make you second guess if it’s discharge or your water breaking — in case that’s you — here’s a few posts that might help out:

• What Does Water Breaking Look Like?
• What Does It Feel Like When Your Water Breaks?
• Can Your Water Break While You’re Peeing?
• Did my Water Break or Is it Discharge (or pee)
• Did my Water Break Quiz: How to tell if your water broke

Be sure to check out my post on EVERYTHING you need to know about your water breaking for more on this important topic!

A few things to do if you’re still just not sure:

Put on a pad and lay down for 10 minutes, then get up — most often if your water has broken, it will pool in your birth canal and then when you get up, you’ll get a little gush.

Cough, see if anything comes out (although brace your bladder because sometimes it can get in on the coughing action)

An important thing to know is that your provider or the hospital can let you know with more certainty (nothing is 100%, but these tests are pretty great) if it did break. So, if you’re not sure I say give them a call… but we’ll talk more about that down below.

An important thing to know is that it doesn’t “all” come out at once. Sometimes you only get a tiny gush and then nothing — it all depends on where on the uterus the amniotic sac breaks. I have a whole post on How much Water Comes Out When Your Water Breaks? that can give you more on that.

BTW, if you’re like — huh, that’s interesting. I have more tips — come join me:

It’s also helpful to know that most of the amniotic fluid is baby pee at this point your pregnancy — and as we all know, babies keep peeing. SO, fluids KEEPS coming out even up til’ delivery. So, if you think it’s broken water should still come out now and then.

If you’re still not sure — keep reading, and do the last step for sure, so you can know what’s best for YOU to do in this situation.

Is Anything ELSE Coming Out?

Ok, if you are like — HILARY this thing is BROKE-UN. Then we move onto this step and this is the most important step.

Beyond water (and possibly a bit of blood or mucus) is anything else coming out?

Now, this will likely be pretty obvious — it would be a cord or a foot mostly that we’re looking for (or, I guess a hand, although I see that less frequently).

Not sure, put a clean finger up there really quick — but if you do a quick kegal you’ll probably know nothing else is in there.

Yes, this is WILDLY rare, but yes — in 20 years I’ve seen poor outcomes from people who didn’t check for this.

Most of you — this will be no — and you’ll move on to the next step.

But, if you do feel something, you need to get your buns up in the air and call 911 as fast as you can. This is an emergency. You’ll looking to keep the cord higher than the baby so that the baby isn’t putting pressure on the cord and your pelvic bones.

Again, super unlikely — but I like to give you information and, so I do.

If you’re in the hospital and this happens (something else comes out when your water breaks) — do the same thing, hit the call light and have your support person run out in the hall and yell for help.

Ok, let’s not dwell on this one. Take it as information, not something to get anxious about (I’m an anxious one, in case you can’t tell).

OH, once you past this step be sure to consider the….

TACO

No, not time to eat (yet)…

These are things you’ll want to note about your water breaking:

T – TIME — what time did your water break
A – AMOUNT — is it a lot or a little (or is it questionable, and that’s OK too — this is very normal!)
C – COLOR — is it clear, or does it have a tinge — maybe red, or brown? We need to know that.
O – ODOR — does it smell like something? We need to know that too.

BTW, not a fan of tacos, the anacronym COAT also works.

Is Baby Still Moving?

As always, you’re watching for fetal movement. Is baby still moving?

If baby seems to be “thrashing” or well out of their norm — I’d go in.

Baby not moving? I’d go in.

To not pass go, do not collect $200 — just go in. You don’t have to stay, but making sure that you and baby are safe is always the best bet. Remember labor and delivery is open 24/7 and there is someone just waiting to make sure you and baby are stafe!

I’m a huge fan of kick counts — not sure how to do them, grab my cheat sheet here:

Looking for more info on fetal movement (WHICH I LOVE) — be sure to check out these posts:

• Normal Daily Fetal Movement – Kick Counts
• 30 weeks Pregnant and Baby’s Movements Have Slowed Down
• Increased Baby Movements Before Labor
• 37 Weeks Pregnant Lots of Movement and Pressure
• When to Go To The Hospital for Decreased Fetal Movement?

Put a Pad On (or more)

A lot of people like to shower really quick (it can feel pretty gross) — and then I recommend putting a giant pad on — perhaps even a depends. I also always recommend having a stack of puppy pads around the house, and this is a good time to utilize them (they’ll be GREAT for once you have kids too — I still have some on hand and my baby is almost an adult). They’re not just for puppies, btw.

Both of those things (big pads or depends) are things you’ll want on hand postpartum (and so many people entirely forget themselves after baby is born) — grab my postpartum checklist here to get prepared:

And if you’re like KEEP TIPS LIKE THIS COMING Hilary! I’ve got a whole class where you can learn my best tips! It’s gonna save you time to get them all in one spot!

Call Your Provider

Ok, now you’re feeling a bit more composed (the hope is these previous steps have only taken a few minutes — a bit more if you showered). Call that provider.

Of course, this step can come earlier if you feel like you could use an assist.

Also, PRO TIP: Many providers use what’s called a call service — which means, you call the main line, they give you an emergency line to call, you call that line and they will set someone up to call you back.

Depending on how busy that person is (sometimes they’re in surgery) it take a bit to get a call back.

CHALLENGE: At your next appointment ask your provider what happens if you need to get hold of them after office hours — that way you know how it’s set up. Some allows you to directly page a provider or some have you call L&D — every office is different, but most should have someone on after hours to help (if they don’t, that’s a red flag for me).

SO, you can always call them before jumping in the shower — just keep the phone close by (or with your partner). That way you can get some reassurance moving forward.

When you talk with them you’re going to want to know the information you got when you paid attention to your TACO. Time, amount, color, odor….

They’re also going to want to know if you’re also having contractions or other labor symptoms.

At the beginning I mentioned that most people have contractions and that’s why their water breaks (want to know more about this, you can check out my posts on signs your water is going to break and also what makes your water break).

If you’re having contractions, the conversation is a little different than if you’re not…

What’s Next?

Ok, so your provider is going to say either to:

• Come right in — honestly, not always a fan of this one. We’ll talk more about why
• Hang out at home — this is kinda snazzy… I’m fan — but keep reading….

The big question is if you’re also in labor. Are contractions getting:

• Harder (aka, more painful)
• Closer together
• Longer

If they are, that’s a good sign you’re progressing into something that’s going to bring a baby about fairly soon.

That’s a time to pack that hospital bag and head on in…

Studies show that most people will go into labor within 12-24 hours of their water breaking.

In fact, you may have been having some small contractions (possibly felt more like cramps) prior to this that may pick up at this point (very normal).

However, some people’s water breaks and nothing is going on. We actually call this premature rupture of membranes — PROM (sounds fancy, right) >> meaning your water broke but you’re not in labor.

But, still — we hope to see contractions start within 12-24 hours — your body should get the message that it’s time to evict this little one.

The biggest nemesis of a broken bag of fluids is an infection. Meaning your uterus has been sterile up to this point (in the bacterial way — very fertile in the baby way). But, now that the bag of water is broken that means bacteria from your vagina and skin can travel up into the amniotic fluid/baby.

So, it’s important that nothing go into the birth canal (that clean finger I mentioned above is alright if you’re worried something fell out) — I’m talking no tampons, no body parts . We gotta keep that area clean. K?

At the same time, we need to watch for signs of fever. If you stay home (or frankly, also if you come to the hospital) they’ll want you to monitor your temperature every hour or so to watch for a fever — and if you feel any of those signs of a fever please let your team know.

BTW, every new parent should have a thermometer waiting for baby when they come home. I recommend something like this — it’s cheap and easy to use (and can be used by you too — I recommend under your armpit so you can keep eating/drinking without issue).

For a long time we brought in every mom who thought their water broken (and don’t get me wrong, ANY questions please do come in) but sometimes home is the safest place for you if you’re not really into active labor yet — you can monitor your temperature just as well as we can.

Some people would prefer not to start Pitocin to get baby out… that’s something you can review on your birth plan:

Some people may say BRING ME IN AND LET’S GET THIS BABY OUT (aka, start Pitocin) — and that’s totally up to you.

As a reminder, you can always go into the hospital — but it doesn’t mean you have to stay there if you find out everything is good. You can also go back home. Be more comfortable, eat your own brownies in your own bed (with a puppy pad on) until things start brewing.

Your provider (if you’re choosing to stay at home) should give you a time you should just head into the hospital. This will likely be 12-48 hours in the future — as long as you don’t run a fever. This will give your body time to start labor, but ultimately, we do want to start labor if it hasn’t happened by then.

Or, they’ll want to follow-up with you every few hours to make sure baby is still moving well (keep doing those kick counts), and there are no signs of infection.

The chance of infection grows each hour the bag of water is broken…

Oh, and change that pad frequently — probably every time you pee just so it’s not a source of infection. OR, if it’s not coming out that much, you could just hang out with a puppy pad under you. That’s good too.

Pro Tip: If that puppy pad is clean, even after you’ve sat on it — fold it right back up and use it again!

Often, I hear providers just telling people to come in. That avoids any liability they might have with you staying at home (or further phone follow-up. But it’s AOK to say…

Hey, is there a chance I could hang out at home for a bit to see if labor will start on it’s own?

For some of you, you’ll want to go right in, and some of you will want to stay at home. No choice is right for everyone and that’s why I love a birth plan (like I recommended above) to help you know what you really want.

And, like I said before — you can always change your mind if you start to get antsy and head into L&D. That’s the beauty of this system!

Learning to ask questions, and helping tailor birth to your own needs like this is some of the smartest stuff you can do.

But honestly, it doesn’t come naturally. It can feel very much like “I should just go in if that’s what they recommend” — when the choice to stay home can be just as safe (sometimes even more so).

I saw moms just going with the flow far too often, so I created a birth class that helps educate you to engage in your own care. To ask those questions, to stay safe but still get more like the birth you’re hoping for. All of that is possible — I show you how to do that in here.

Ok, I’m impressed you’ve made it this far into the article. Now, I want to give you one that a lot of people want to know more about…. What to do if your water breaks in public. I’ll see you over there in that article!

The post What to Do If Your Water Breaks appeared first on Pulling Curls.

In full disclosure I both got the BedJet for free (including their newer V3 — see my original review here) and the Eight Sleep system. Both were given to me to write reviews about. There was no other requirement about being positive or anything else I needed to include. I pride myself in being very thorough and honest with my opinions, I think you’ll appreciate that in the article below.

If you’re checking out Eight Sleep you can use code PULLINGCURLS to get $350 off your order! But, it may not be the one for you — so, keep reading!

First, a bit about me and my sleep first to know where I’m coming from. I just hit 50 and sleep is a serious issue for me. I don’t sleep well at night at all. I fall asleep pretty well, but I wake up between 2-3 and often don’t get back to sleep (and I just HATE that). I’ve tried all sorts of things, and I really work to maximize my sleep hygiene (while also being a mom and a human). We also live in phoenix and our bedroom is on the top floor of a split level. Cooling is a priority for us the majority of the year.

Basic Concept

The Bed Jet blows heated (or “cooled”) air into a comforter. Each of us has our own unit that is set to it’s own temperature (if you both like the same temp you could use just one unit — but that feels unlikely). They sell a comforter with it that is stitched down the middle so you each get your own zones. You can get from 66° (it doesn’t actually cool the air though, so I never got that low) up to 109°.

The Eight Sleep system uses water running through a mattress pad. You Pick a number from -10 (coldest) to +10 (hottest). You can get a few variations on the system. I was sent the ultra pod that also has a base that you can put on your bed to raise your head and feet if desired (it’s also supposed to help snoring). From there, you tell the system how cold you want it:

• When you initially get in bed
• Once you fall asleep (it has sensors that know if you’re asleep)
• What you want it at when you’re waking up

For me, it’s summer — I have it set to a -10 at sleep time, it goes to a -5 while I sleep and then -1 when I wake up.

And, at any point if I’m like — this is too cold, or to hot — it has controls on the side of the mattress pad that you can click that can increase it or decrease it (vs having to find your phone or a remote — which I like a lot).

It also has speakers, it tracks your sleep and it will vibrate to wake you up. It’s honestly a very thorough sleep system.

Set-Up

The BedJet felt like a bit of a pain to set-up initially, but in retrospect (and in comparison), it’s very simple. The hardest part was taking the cord to my power strip under my bed. You then hook these big tubes onto the bottom (or side) of your bed, and then thread the comforter onto the opening of the tube and snap it in place. The blowers sit underneath our bed mostly out of site

It does have those bulky tubes at the bottom of my bed, and also the “blower” was right at the corner of my bed, which I didn’t love — but it wasn’t horrible. Worth it to get a bed the right temperature.

Eight Sleep is a lot. BUT, it’s a one-and-done type set-up. So, no having to snap anything, and to the naked eye, my bed looks no different.

However, it came with like 5 very large boxes which we had to haul up the stairs to our bedroom The worst ones were the base (so, if you’re not getting the base, don’t worry about that part). I wish it had sort of told us OPEN THIS ONE FIRST on all those boxes, but we made our way, there’s also a lot of help for purchasers on Youtube. And, once you have the app it’s very thorough.

All of the boxes, bags and products are very well made, and feel like they’re going to last.

For us, we did have to put down the base, it’s bulky and a little tricky. We also put it a little close to the wall, so we had to pull it down a bit. But it’s solid and well-made. The two sides come separately which makes it a bit easier to handle.

Then, you put on a silky cover on your mattress (I think this one is to make sure the second one works right), and then the working cover that has some tubes that easily plug into the machine — just be sure to leave a few inches at the top of your bed to allow it to move up and down and also not pinch those tubes that get the water to the mattress pad.

We then put a waterproof mattress pad on top of that. The Eight Sleep cover is NOT washable, so you don’t want to get anything on it — and you just never know….

The Pod (the part that holds, cools/heats and circulates the water) was too large to go under the bed, so it now lives on my husband’s nightstand. It’s fairly bulky, but it works for him (and his alarm clock now sits on top of it). That part was kind of annoying for us — but we made it work. They very much recommend it go on the floor beside the bed, but we don’t have room for that with our set-up. The cord, and the tubes are plenty long to keep it on your nightstand (and having it elevated hasn’t been a problem at all vs having it on the floor).

Once you have it all plugged in, you do have to add almost 2 gallons of distilled water (I think you can use any kind of water but we used distilled as we have pretty hard water) to it and allow it to circulate and fill the new system. That took about 30 minutes.

** They act like this is a pretty easy set-up, and I do believe just the mattress pad part isn’t bad — but the frame is bulky, and should not be managed by just one person. This is definitely a two-person set-up.

The frame is hooked together for a regular mattress — meaning if my head is up, so is my husband’s. We aren’t each able to pick our own positioning, and we did use our regular old mattress with this system.

However, once it was set-up we haven’t had to touch it again. We haven’t had to refill the water. We did have to turn our mattress once (we try to do it a couple of times a year and somehow didn’t do it on our initial install). So, we just pulled the mattress down, pulled off all the mattress pads, pushed them to the back, turned the mattress, and then put them all back on — it wasn’t bad at all (but harder than turning it with the BedJet).

Final Thoughts: For set-up, BedJet is MUCH easier to set-up, but Eight Sleep is easier to maintain.

Apps

Both systems come with their own apps.

BedJet has both a remote control, and an app. Personally, I don’t sleep with my phone by me at night, so its’ been nice to have the remote when I need it. The app is VERY simple and you’re basically just picking the temperature, the % the fan should blow, and for how long. You can pick bio-rhythms but we’ll talk more about that under “through the night” — you do have to have the app to set-up your biorythm thing.

Eight Sleep has the app, and a small “clicker” on both sides of the bed if you want it hotter or colder (or, for us, if you want the position of the bed to change). The app is big. As it’s a sleep tracker it gives you a LOT of information, but it also is very easy to input what you want your sleep schedule to look like (like I mentioned above with your bedtime, sleep and wake temperatures). You can also put it into nap mode (love this, I’m a big napper), you can put the bed into your desired position, and lots of options — and each one is tailored to each side of the bed (aka, my husband just makes changes to his need on his side of the bed).

I still don’t have my phone by my bed, but I do have an ipad to read on — I have the app installed on both devices and it works great. However, now that I know the temp’s I want it on — I don’t touch the app at night at all. It knows to turn on at 8 pm to start cooling and it senses when I’m on it. I do get in the app in the AM to say I’m done sleeping so it can give me all the stats, but I’m glad to not have to use a screen at night before bed.

Final Thoughts: For ease of use I guess BedJet — it’s VERY simple and easy to use.

But if you like statistics you’ll love the Eight Sleep one. My husband really enjoys seeing his stats the next morning. I’ll give my thoughts on the tracking overall below. Keep reading. I also MUCH prefer how Eight Sleep does your temperature through the night. I could never find the right temps for me with the BedJet. I’ll talk more on that, stay tuned!

Sound

Eight Sleep does have sound integrated into the frame, but that’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about the fans used to cool or heat your area in the bed (it is possible to both have “sides” where each person picks their own, or you can have it all set the same if you’re both fine with it or just one person is sleeping in the bed).

BedJet sounds like fans — if both of ours are on full blast it’s pretty loud. I’d honestly be concerned if we had a little one because it’s so loud — I might not hear them. It would be the same as having two standing fans in the room. Of course, that’s only if it’s at 100% — and I didn’t usually have it that strong (but my husband often did).

Eight Sleep does have a sound, but it actually starts running an hour before you’re set to to go to bed (you program a bedtime). So — I feel like most of the sound is out of the way before I get in. I do hear it click on now and then, but it’s not near as loud as the BedJet for me. Much quieter than our AC unit, less than just one standing fan.

Final Thoughts: Eight Sleep wins on this one. It’s much quieter and I appreciate that. And, for those of you who wish it was louder, you can do white noise through the bedframe!

Initial Feeling

Ok, so how does it feel when you slip into the sheets? That’s really what I’m interested in here.

I’m going to split it up into that initial feel when you get into bed vs how it manages the whole night.

BedJet definitely does it’s thing faster. I can hit the button when I get in my room, and then wash my face, do my bedtime routine and by the time I get into bed it’s at temp.

For heat, this is amazing. When I’m cold for the 2 months of winter we get here, I LOVE slipping into a warm bed. It’s honestly one of my favorite parts of the BedJet.

For cold…. it’s just not as good. BedJet doesn’t actually cool the air — it just blows it. I really thought V3 was going to cool it, but it does not and the temp is the same as V2. This is a real downfall for the BedJet system. Yes, air circulating does cool me a bit — but it’s not as good as I hoped for when we got it. It IS better than nothing, just not what I’d hoped for.

Eight Sleep takes a bit of time to get the fluid heated or cooled and running through well, but since I have it set to my 9 pm bedtime (that’s usually around the time I get into bed) it is a set it and forget it system. It starts doing it’s thing automatically at 8 pm — an hour before. Honestly, within 30 minutes I think it’s pretty good for what it needs to be.

** You just need to remember to put it in “away” mode when you’re not home — but you’ll likely miss the system so much when you’re not in your own bed that won’t be a problem.

For warm — it takes it’s time, but it feels great when it’s set and you get in. I was feeling chilly one day right after we got it and I set it to +10 and it was really warm and toasty, but not like HOT. The BedJet can get you HOT. It felt good though, and sometimes I over-heated with the BedJet and that was problematic too — and I know Eight Sleep will keep sensing my temperature and adjust it (and I can also easily turn it down on the side of my bed).

But, here’s where the real magic is — sliding into a cold bed when it’s 105 outside. You know that feeling of perfectly chilly sheets — or when you turn your pillow over? It’s that feeling, but all over. You have constantly deliciously cold sheets. And I honestly, absolutely love that.

Eight Sleep has an option comforter or a pillow cover that also run the fluids through. Both sound nice, but I wasn’t sent either, and I’m only speaking to the main system. The pillow cover also requires a whole separate system, which is crazy to me — and we honestly don’t have room for that.

Final Thoughts: For me, as Hilary in the summer in AZ the Eight Sleep is hands down the winner. I am LOVING the cold sheet feeling. I love that I’m not having air blow on me (more on that). It just feels good.

Through the Night….

Ok, so that initial feeling is great, but what do you do through the night?

BedJet does have a way that you can program what you want the system to do during the night. It has a “system” it can create for you based off your age, gender and preferences, but I never got it to work for me. Often it had a heating portion even when I said I wanted it cooled. I honestly tried a bunch of different ways to see if I could be happy and ultimately I never could. Often I’d wake up wishing it was colder or hotter and I’d have to rifle to find the remote and change it. It was annoying. Most often I just made do with what it was because it wasn’t really ever perfect for me.

I also don’t love the fan at high speeds blowing on me all night. Sometimes you get puffs of air coming out at your face, which annoyed me a bit. It’s not horrible — but it is there, and one more thing to ruin my night’s rest.

Eight Sleep does some algorithmic sensing of:

• Your body temperature
• The external temperature
• What you want as you programmed it
• What sleep stage you’re at

And somehow adjusts it.

Honestly, I’ve rarely had to tap my buttons — I’m usually very happy with the temperature I’m at. I know I would NOT want it to be -10 all night (too cold), but I love that it senses when I go to sleep and then it increases the temperature for me. Plus, if I find that I am too hot every morning, and can adjust that portion of the plan and easily fix it. It does take a little finesse based on what you initially program and then how it works for you, but it was a lot easier to find my sweet spot than the BedJet.

Final Thoughts: The winner here is definitely Eight Sleep for me. Just what I said above — at least 90% of the time I’ve been very happy with the temperature I am at (and that number is probably closer to 99% now that I’ve dialed in what I like — and I’m sure I’ll have to adjust it in the winter as well).

Snoring?

The BedJet has nothing to help with snoring (although the white noise from the fans can be helpful — although not enough for me, personally).

But I did want to speak to the Eight Sleep base that is supposed to move your head up if you’re snoring to stop it.

Honestly, I don’t notice it. I think my husband’s snoring is the same as before. I don’t notice the head going up or down. It does say it has adjusted for both my own and my husband’s snoring, but I don’t notice anything.

I guess it very slowly moves it up (and then back down again when the snoring is done).

I was wondering how it tracks snoring, and I guess it actually gets it from the vibrations in your body from it (not “listening” for it). It does track if you have any apnea though too, which is nice.

I was hopeful for this. Honestly, my husband isn’t a huge snorer, but I’m not a great sleeper, and I’m definitely a light sleeper and laying awake to your partner snoring is wildly annoying. But, earplugs seem to be my best friend there.

I did just change it to elevate the bed MORE if it detects snoring, so I’ll update it if I notice anything…. (you can pick if you want it to go 5, 10 or 15 degrees higher when it detects snoring, and we’ve been on 10 degrees so far.

Subscription

BedJet is a one and done purchase, which I appreciate. Subscription fees on top of an already high cost is really annoying.

Eight Sleep has a subscription. It starts at $17/mo and goes up to $33 depending on the type of tracking and other things you want/need.

With that, you also get a cartridge that helps keep the water good — and that’s shipped to your house when it’s time to change it.

You get 12 months of it included in your purchase — and after that to continue to let it respond to your temperature, respond to snoring, use the alarm and track your sleep you do have to pick one of the tiers.

Honestly, I don’t love this — especially for something like the alarm that is a built-in feature to the bed (and requires VERY minimal resources on their end). I guess I understand it for the tracking, etc — but it does seem like an added cost to an already high price tag (more on pricing in a couple sections).

Tracking

BedJet doesn’t track at all. It’s not connected to the internet, but it does bluetooth to use the app. That might appeal to a lot of you.

Eight Sleep has a LOT of tracking metrics — it tracks:

• How much sleep you got
• The amounts of the different stages of sleep you got (rem, deep, light)
• Minutes of snoring (my husband loves to compare this)
• Your heart rate
• Any breathing issues (like apnea)

It can also attach to other trackers you have like an Aura ring and perhaps provide more info (but I don’t have one of those).

Honestly, I mostly know when my sleep sucked (which isn’t infrequent), and I don’t appreciate an app telling me that if I just ate earlier, or skipped caffeine (which I normally have ZERO of) I’d sleep better.

It often thinks I’m asleep when I’m reading. I asked them about this, and they said it’s a known issue. I’m not sure how it could know the difference — but it’s annoying when it thinks I went right to sleep when I got in bed, but in reality I read for an hour.

Pricing

This is the kicker. FYI, all this pricing is for a King Size and is correct as of June 2026.

BedJet is just under $1,000 for the system for 2. That includes 2 blowers, one comforter (you’ll need another — and they fray pretty easily).

They do offer an adjustable bed from for about $1,200 (haven’t tried it)

Eight Sleep, the pod is $3,200 (use code PULLINGCURLS to get $350 off — bringing it to $2,850…). If you add the base that’s another $1,999.

It also automatically ads a year of your subscription level (annoying — I feel like that should be included in the price) — bringing it to just over 3k with the coupon code.

You can also add the blanket and the pillow option as well.

Ok, so my thoughts on pricing.…

The Eight Sleep price is definitely more. There’s no sugar-coating it. If that’s out of your range, and BedJet is not — I think it’s a great option if sleep temperature is a big issue between you and your partner.

Honestly, we don’t really need different temperatures, but our room is a hot spot in our house. It’s upstairs, and probably doesn’t have enough vents leaving it pretty warm at night. We just want it cooler in there, without having to cool the whole household.

At first I was thinking about the whole “pod ultra” for $5300 vs the $1k for the BedJet was just insane.

Personally, I don’t think I’d do the base again. There’s a good # of adjustable beds out there that are cheaper — and so far, the snoring thing hasn’t done anything for us.

Comparing the 1k to the BedJet to the 3k for the Eight Sleep… gosh, I really like that cold sheet feeling. It’s honestly giving me SO much joy at night…. and that’s worth something. Maybe it would be worth it to skip tiny gifts for the year, and just give each other this for the year. You can try the Eight Sleep for a month and see if you like it — and return it if you don’t.

I actually just had a friend return hers. She liked it, but didn’t find it worth the cost and she said the return wasn’t bad at all — she was overall very happy with trying it out! Which was good to know.

Pregnancy or Menopause?

You can’t get a whole article on a sleep system and not talk about health issues when it’s being written by The Pregnancy Nurse® — I know a lot of people find that menopause, pregnancy (and postpartum) are a tricky time to get sleep right due to temperature regulation.

I’ve been REALLY impressed by the research that Eight Sleep is putting into both these issues. They have research on it decreasing hot flashes at night. You have to remember it’s sensing your temperature and adjusting based on that — which would minimize that for sure. Learn more about it here.

It also has a pregnancy mode in which you put that you’re pregnant, and how many weeks you are at and then it adjusts based on all that plus your unique body temperature. Which all sounds amazing (would also be amazing postpartum when I would often wake-up in a pool of sweat — just be SURE to have that waterproof mattress pad!) — Learn more here.

If these are what you’re aiming to fix (and it’s in your budget) I think Eight Sleep is a great option, and would solve it better than the set temps of the BedJet.

Better Sleep?

Ok, so which one gave me better sleep?

I have continued to struggle with sleep using our BedJet, but I do think it’s made me more comfortable at night overall for sure.

Now, since we got the Eight Sleep I have been trying a few different supplements (they also gave me some Elixir which has worked alright on and off) but I do feel like I’ve been getting better sleep with Eight Sleep. I do think the temperature regulation is helping.

Is it like life-changing great sleep? Not really, but it is a bit better, and I can sometimes tell what IS helping and what is NOT helping based on the stats it gave me.

I know the desperation of wanting better sleep, and I do know that Eight Sleep does have a guarantee that you can try it for 30 nights to see if it helps — I think you’d know by night 20…. If you did get better sleep, it would 100% be worth it. I do believe it is VERY well made and will be durable for a long time to come.

Final Thoughts

Here’s a quick comparison between the two:

If money is tight, and stretching the $1,000 to the Bed Jet is a stretch then consider that.

BUT if money isn’t quite as tight and you might be willing to pay a bit more for the joy of those cool sheets (or hot when you’re freezing) I do think it’s worth it. I hate the subscription model, I would rather pay more initially to get rid of that, but other than that I am really happy with the Eight sleep pod.

I don’t have a coupon for BedJet (although they do run sales) — use code PULLINGCURLS to get $350 if you choose the Eight Sleep model!

The post Best Bed Temperature Control System: BedJet vs Eight Sleep Systems appeared first on Pulling Curls.

Watch the original episode on YouTube:
Click here to watch on YouTube

Disclaimer

This podcast provides educational information only. It is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult your own healthcare provider for guidance specific to your health and pregnancy.

About Hilary: The Pregnancy Nurse®

Hilary is an experienced labor and delivery nurse who has been a registered nurse since 1997. With 20 years dedicated to labor and delivery, she specializes in making the complex process of labor easy to understand for new parents. Her expertise ensures you’re getting trusted, evidence-based information to make you feel confident and prepared as you approach labor and delivery.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Early signs of labor discussion

05:46 Signs labor might be starting

06:24 Early labor signs and tips

The post Recognizing Early Signs of Labor: What to Watch for Before Contractions Start appeared first on Pulling Curls.

In case we haven’t met yet, I’m Hilary — the curly head here at Pulling Curls®, but lots of you also know me as The Pregnancy Nurse® — I’ve seen a LOT of hospital bags, including packing 3 of my own, so I am an expert on this one!

Portable Fan

Every hospital is SO different. Some have absolutely great air flow and good A/C and some of them really struggle (especially here in Phoenix on extra hot days). Having a portable fan can be a lifesaver. Now there’s a few options:

Don’t discount a hand fan — these can often bring the best airflow, they’re super portable — and honestly your partner can fan you (and frankly — you deserve it!). I’ve definitely used various things to fan a patient in labor.

You can also use a handheld one like this. These are great for brief needs.

But, my favorite is a chargeable one like this. You can clip it to your siderail and have it blow right in your face when you need it — leaving everyone else free to tend to other needs. Honestly, I love ours like this. I’ve taken it camping, and on cruises. It’s a handy thing to have on hand either way.

Pro Tip: SOME hospitals have small fans in the room — it’s smart to ask if this is something they have and can provide, or if bringing your own would be smart. I love a hospital tour!

These can be handy both in labor, but also postpartum. You can often have what feels like hot flashes as your body is trying to get rid of all the extra fluids you’ve been carrying around, and a fan can feel great!

Looking for more labor tips? — be sure to check out these posts:

• How Your Partner Can Support a Happier Pregnancy
• Best Birth Class for a Natural Hospital Birth
• What if My Water Breaks in Public?
• What to Do in Early Labor (Before You Go to the Hospital)
• Worried About Birth, but Don’t Have a Lot of Time to Prep?

Washable Footwear

The hospital will (or should) provide some grippy socks that you can wear as you walk from the bed to your bathroom. The floor can get slippery with all the fluids in the room (believe me) — so, these are great. But honestly, they’re cheap and I find they often get stretched out or twisted on patient’s feet.

They can be super annoying.

Also, as you heat up during labor (or postpartum) the idea of something on your feet is NOT appealing to a lot of people.

I’m a big fan of a pair of flip flops or crocs that you can wear into the restroom (and possibly also to shower).

Personally, cheap flip flops aren’t my favorite, and I’d still want ones that I’m not married to — so something like this would be my choice.

What’s important in footwear:

• They could get dirty — like really dirty. You’ll want something that you can either toss, or clean off with soap and water.
• Don’t wear a favorite — got favorite socks? Don’t bring them. I’ve tossed more pairs of patient’s socks than I’m happy to report.
• Gravity is their nemesis. Fluids just flow down and often land on slippers, socks, or whatever you think is smart to bring — so see #1 on this list.

Too often I had patients trying to wear their outside shoes — it was just sad, so grab some cheap flipflops or crocs to put in your hospital bag.

Labor Movement Cards

Just like any big test — you get to the big moment and suddenly everything you ever learned about Shakespeare is just gone. You had all these ideas about how to move in labor, and incorporate movement in your labor — but you have no idea what those were, now that you’re gone.

Which is why labor movement cards are the win >> Just some little reminders on ways you could move to help labor progress. I’m a big fan of them.

It’s just so easy to forget about things that you KNOW are important when you get into the unknown environment in the hospital. That’s why I love little things like that!

Want to feel truly ready for the big day? My Online Prenatal Class for Couples covers everything from what to pack to what to expect once you get there.

No more forgetting the important parts because you’re both on the same page and it all comes naturally!

What did you bring to the hospital that you loved? Tell us in the comments!

The post 3 Things You Might Not Think to Bring to the Hospital but Will Want appeared first on Pulling Curls.

Find it here on Apple or Spotify Podcasts

Watch the Original Video on YouTube

Looking for the visuals and the famous crocheted pelvis? Find the original video and more on The Pregnancy Nurse® YouTube channel.

Disclaimer

This podcast includes general information only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult your own care provider with questions about your specific pregnancy, symptoms, or medical needs.

About Hilary Erickson

Hilary Erickson, also known as The Pregnancy Nurse®, is the host of Pregnancy and Parenting Untangled. With over 20 years’ experience as a labor and delivery nurse and as a mom of three, she’s delivered real answers and reassurance to countless new parents. Her commitment to clear, compassionate pregnancy education is rooted in both her professional background and her own motherhood journey, making her a trusted expert for all your pregnancy and birth questions.

Timestamps:

00:00 Baby dropping explanation

05:56 Signs baby has dropped

06:40 Prenatal class invitation

The post Has Your Baby Dropped Yet? What to Expect and When Labor Might Start appeared first on Pulling Curls.

In case we haven’t met yet — I’m Hilary, the curly head here at Pulling Curls® but many of you may know me as The Pregnancy Nurse® as well. I’ve been a nurse since 1997 and started in L&D in 2001. I love research and sharing how things can support you to have a better (and safer) pregnancy! I’m glad you’re here!

Spoiler: my #1 third-trimester must-have is a birth class — this prenatal class has prepared over 5,000 couples (more on that in a bit!).

Water Bottle

Ok, probably on the list of “you already have” comes this one. Of course, I have favorites:

• This one is great for travel. I have the smallest/skinniest one to slide into my bag easily. When I talk “travel” — I mean appointments, errands (but it’s great for the plane too). I get a bright color to remind me to DRINK
• One like this sits on my desk. I fill it every morning and when it’s there it reminds me to drink. The stainless interior makes for water tasting fine every time.
• And, if you absolutely hate water, there is something like this. The cartidges really easily flavor the water — so you’re not grossed-out, because we do NOT need that!

So, why a water bottle? Great question.

It is hard for me to stress enough how important hydration will be in your pregnancy. It took me getting 2L of IV fluid with my second baby to realize how much I felt like trash when I wasn’t drinking enough (and I THOUGHT I was drinking enough).

If you’re like — Hilary, how do I know if I’m drinking enough? I have a pro tip:

Just check your toilet (as long as it’s white). Is that pee a really light yellow? You’re good to go — darker? Drink more! It’s like a built-in system to monitor it (and one that most people ignore).

Also, when you pee in a cup at your doctor’s office, be sure to check it out. As someone who’s seen tens of thousands of pee cups I’m here to tell you that pee comes in a variety of colors and it’s easy to see who’s drinking, and who is not.

Got an Involved Partner? — If they’re wanting to know what they can do to help out, get them in a routine of filling your water bottle for you every morning. They’ll feel useful, you’ll feel loved and it truly is something that WILL make a difference (even if it feels small). This will also be awesome postpartum! And, if you’re looking for more help with partners — keep reading!

Looking for more on pregnancy health? — be sure to check out these posts:

• Charlie Horses in Pregnancy: What you can do to prevent them?
• How Your Partner Can Support a Happier Pregnancy
• Pregnancy, Tylenol® & Autism: What Expecting Moms Need to Know
• How to Bond with Baby: Before Birth & After
• Normal Daily Fetal Movement – Kick Counts

Want the full list of third trimester must-haves? Grab my free Third Trimester Checklist.

Pillows

Speaking of something you already have…. pillows. I know everyone is trying to sell you on a pregnancy pillow, and they’re nice but you can also just use regular ol’ pillows. Many of these can even just be the “fancy” pillows from your bed as you won’t be getting them dirty.

Areas for pillows in the 3rd trimester:

• 1-2 between your legs (you want to get it so your hips are aligned and not turning inwards if possible to help support those ligaments in your thighs)
• One UNDER your belly (an often missed spot — but it needs support so it’s not “hanging” there as you sleep on your side.
• One to hug, because it just feels nice.
• A firm one for under your head (or two softer ones)
• And if you’re a back’ish sleeper — one to put under a hip to tilt you JUST a bit, and one for under your knees as it can put strain in your back if you’re just sleeping flat.

As you notice, one of those pregnancy pillows can also do this — but they do take up a lot of room in your bed… my husband was often like — is there ROOM FOR ME? Anyway, pillows of any type will work — I always used a Body Pillow (those u-shaped ones do take up a LOT of room — and we had a queen bed at the time).

What the research on sleep says: For a long time they’ve said to not sleep on your back as the uterus can put too much weight on a major blood vessel (your vena cava), but recent studies show it doesn’t really matter. That being said, I’ve seen babies who don’t look great when mom’s flat on her back so I still appreciate a small tilt. Doesn’t have to be much, just enough for that uterus to move off that vessel.

Looking for more info on pregnancy sleep? — be sure to check out these posts:

• Does Sleeping Stop Contractions?
• Is it OK to Sleep on Your Stomach When Pregnant?
• Sleeping Positions to Induce Labor: Best Positions to Dilate
• Unisom for Sleep During Pregnancy

Birth Class

I know, I know — you’re thinking — Hilary, I’m watching you on social media, that’s plenty.

But, I’m here to tell you that in 2026 women are less prepared for birth than they were 10 years ago — specifically because they think a few tiktoks are going to prepare them.

Social media videos lack context, and nuance — which is exactly what you need to pack in your brain as you head into labor and delivery.

I do think that social videos can help you feel less alone, and can sometimes give you a few tidbits that might be helpful, but they don’t give the whole story.

A full birth class (don’t worry — I’m not going to recommend one of those $400+ ones) is going to:

• Give you what you need from beginning to “end” (because you’re postpartum forever). You won’t miss anything – which you most certainly will with a social media plan.
• Be from an expert, you can be sure to trust what you’re learning (can’t do that on social).
• Will work for BOTH of you. You need a teammate, not just a cheerleader — and there IS things they can do to help, but they need to be educated on them!

My Online Prenatal Class for Couples covers everything from early labor to postpartum — for both of you, from an actual L&D nurse. It’s affordable, it’s fast and fun. Three things I know you need.

Belly Band

These can be tricky — because I think there are some problem I think it can make worse, and it has to be worn to correct your actual problem.

Honestly, best done with physical therapy helping you — but I think a belly band can be super helpful for both ligament pain and symphysis pubis (pelvis) pain.

Now, if you have no idea what I’m talking about — I have a whole post on a belly band and how it can help. But, these are the cliff notes:

(As always, check with your provider before you start wearing these, they can be really helpful to know what kind might be right for you!

I think one like this can be worn a bit lower than pictured and really help with hip pain. My pelvis was coming apart, and my pants weren’t doing it any favors. Something like that would have been nice (and helped a lot postpartum).

If your problem is more ligament or back pain, one like this is nice because it helps balance the weight of that belly a bit more.

Looking for more info on pregnancy pains? — be sure to check out these posts:

• Diastasis Symphysis Pubis During Pregnancy: When Your Pelvis Splits
• What to Do If You are in Pain During Pregnancy
• 5 Fixes for Groin Pain During Pregnancy
• Sharp Abdominal Pain During Pregnancy: Causes at 21’ish weeks?
• 6 Easy Ways to Get Relief from Hip Pain During Pregnancy

Compression Socks

Ooo-la-la now I’m talking sexy.

Yes, compression socks. But these aren’t going to be like the ones your grandma wears (or maybe you have a hip grandma, I have no idea).

I have a whole article on why they’re a good idea, but the cliff notes are:

• They can help with the pain and annoyance of lower limb swelling by helping push that fluid back up
• They can help with charlie horses
• They can also help prevent blood clots — important if you’re not moving a lot like during travel.

And just in case that last one is you — don’t miss: Travel During Pregnancy: 18 Tips to Trips in the Third Trimester

I got a few pairs at target I really like (I wore them when I worked as a nurse, but I also wear them when I go to Disneyland because my legs ache so much standing in lines).

You can also get them at different “weights” of compression, so I say start light and then increase from there if you think you need more… A few options:

• These have a graduated compression — which is nice if you have bigger calves like me!
• These are pretty ugly, but are a higher compression if you need it!
• And these are a little cuter…
• They also have ankle compression socks. I think the knee length are better, but these are better than nothing (I often wear them on a shorter plane trip because the knee length are just too much for me sometimes). I do notice they still decrease swelling

Like I said above, you can get them at most big box stores too — but pricing is pretty similar to those.

The items in this post aren’t going to break your bank, but they ARE going to make that third trimester better.

And if you want to feel truly ready for birth, my Online Prenatal Class for Couples is the one investment that’ll pay off the moment you walk into that hospital.

What do YOU need in your third trimester, tell us in the comments!

The post 5 Things you NEED for Your Third Trimester appeared first on Pulling Curls.

Cliff Notes: The Anaheim Majestic is my favorite Hotel with a free shuttle. Keep reading for my full review of it!

Hi, I’m Hilary, the curly head behind this website Pulling Curls. I’m what you call a Disneyland trip planning pro. I’ve been going to the parks for years and I spend a few hours each month researching pricing and options for your best Disneyland experience. I almost like planning trips as much as I like going on them, so I’m a great resource for you as you make this decision.

While I think getting to the parks is a huge part of your plan — check out some of my other posts on Disneyland including: Disneyland Hotel Tips, Disneyland hotels with family suites and the Best Disneyland Good Neighbor Hotels. I really am your guide to hotels in the Disneyland area, I have toured a lot of them through my hotel partner Get Away Today (and you’ll see a lot of the links go to them as they have amazing pricing).

But for now, let’s talk bout how to get to the parks!

OH, be sure to grab my Disneyland Trip Calculator to help make sure you stay on budget:

Hotels with Free Shuttle to Disneyland:

There are a few hotels in Anaheim that have a free shuttle service to the Disneyland area, as far as I know at this time…. Keep in mind that many other Anaheim hotels have offered free shuttles in the past, but these are the current ones, I also have one that has a paid dedicated shuttle service (meaning it doesn’t stop anywhere else). We’ll talk more about group shuttles coming up if you want more options.

Anaheim Majestic Garden Hotel

This is my personal top pick for a hotel with a free shuttle — why, you might ask?

This hotel is NOT walkable (you have to go over the freeway which would not be fun), and has GREAT pricing (in my opinion) but has a hotel-specific shuttle that I think just skyrockets its value.

That means it doesn’t pick up anyone else along the way.

I stayed at this hotel (full disclosure, it was a hosted stay, but I was very clear I’d give my clear and honest opinion of them) in spring 2024. We had an AMAZING visit. Some of the highlights of the hotel:

• The rooms and property are HUGE loved their gardens (and baby ducks)
• The restaurant/deli was reasonably priced. Not regular hotel restaurant pricing which was nice to see
• The shuttle was efficient and easy to use (which was REALLY nice to see).

They have a few different options for their shuttle, some are converted school busses, some are shuttle busses. Either way they all ran well and got us to the parks. They also had availability for scooters to board most of the shuttles.

They start running an hour before the park opens. They go every 30 minutes til’ around noon-4, and then it went to hourly until 4 when they resumed every 30 minute shuttles.

They were on time, they were efficient, and I was SUPER pleased with it.

We took the 7 am shuttle and were to the gates (through security) by 7:18. I think we were dropped off to the park by about 7:10.

The hotel is not fancy, but it’s roomy and clean. While they don’t offer free breakfast they do have a nice on-site restaurant that serves breakfast.

We also ultimately decided we wanted 2 rooms for 4 adults and 1 child (I did book my 2nd room through Get Away Today) and they were able to give us a connecting room which was really nice.

Ultimately I was VERY happy with the shuttle service and it’s a huge perk for staying there! I have also had friends stay there and they had a very good experience with the shuttle as well.

Knotts Hotel

Now, I think this a sleeper hit, in my opinion. I think the pricing is great, the hotel is nice (they recently updated it and we’re fans) and they have a FREE SHUTTLE. Now, you have to realize that this isn’t as close as some of the other hotels, and I think the first one is a half hour before park opening but I think it’s a great solution for families looking for a budget alternative.

(Seriously guys — check-out Get Away Today pricing…. it’s great)

And, unless you only have very tiny kids maybe consider adding a day at Knotts to your stay. We have a great time there!

Embassy Suites Orange

People love the free breakfast at Embassy suites (including made to order omelets). However this hotel is a few miles out from Disneyland — just be aware that the 3.5 miles it says will probably translate into a 30 minute drive into the resort.

However, they do have a free shuttle, and free breakfast, which is a nice perk.

Candy Cane Inn

This hotel has almost a cult-like following. Prior to the creation of Disney California Adventure Park this hotel was just across the parking lot from Disneyland. The rooms are dated, but there is free breakfast, and a free shuttle service. It is often sold out. It’s a boutique family-run hotel that people seem to just love.

Some of you may be here hoping to find a hotel with a shuttle that ALSO has breakfast. Click here to go right to those! {this is my favorite with a free shuttle}

Hotels with a Paid, Dedicated Shuttle

The Hyatt Regency Orange has their own shuttle, It comes every 30 minutes, but it costs $6/person. I don’t consider it to be within walking distance — so it’s a good option (if there’s a few of you, an Uber may be cheaper though).

There are a few other hotels that have offered a complimentary shuttle in the past including the Days Inn and suites, and the Delta Hotel… but as far as I can tell (and have talked to my travel agents) they are no longer offering these rewards.

In reality, if it is just free shuttle tickets, maybe that’s not a huge value to ALL of their guests (at a big cost for the hotel), so maybe they decided to lower their rates and let people decide if they wanted to buy their own tickets or not.

The good news, there are other transportation options…

But, before we get to them, you’ll find that a lot of my hotel links go to my favorite partner Get Away Today. I’ve actually used them since 1998. I am consistently shocked by how great their rates are and how much you can save when you use them. While browsing on their website can be helpful, I think their customer service is one of their best benefits. Their agents just know those hotels (and have visited most of them). Whatever way you choose to book use code CURLS10 to get an extra $10 off your vacation hotel/ticket package.

I seriously still use them because of their great customer support. I even booked an upcoming cruise with them too.

Other Disneyland Transportation Options

Walk

Your feet are my favorite transportation to Disneyland, ESPECIALY when the hotel is close!

I actually have a whole post about Disneyland feet and making sure you keep your feet happy (which isn’t a small task when you’re walking so much).

Now, if you haven’t been to the Disneyland resort, you may be thinking that the on-site hotels are probably the closest, but you might be wrong (this is very different from Walt Disney World, if you’re coming from that).

Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel is very close to California Adventure. But the hotel is VERY long and depending on where your room is placed you may have a bit of a walk just to get out of the hotel. AND, if you plan to go to Disneyland you have to walk through most of the Downtown Disney District. It’s a great hotel, just don’t book it for being the closest.

The Disneyland Hotel again walks through all of Downtown Disneyland. There is also Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel (soon to be Pixar Place) where you also have to walk quite a ways (although they do have a special entrance into California Adventure, and can get through the Grand Californian decreasing the walk time a bit).

Favorite Walkable Hotels

I have a whole post on my favorite closest hotels to Disneyland, but to save you a little time — here are my top three walkable hotels near Disneyland.

Best Western PLUS Park Place — if you want to stay close, this is hands-down my favorite place to stay because not only is it close, but it also has a decent free breakfast. I have stayed here, and while the accommodations are nothing fancy they are 100% adequate and being able to back on your BED within 5 minutes of the park is a HUGE plus! It has the most easy access of one I’ve found.

Pro Tip: if you want to stay here, but don’t quite have all the cash for your room use trip layway to get it booked early and then pay it off before your visit!

Tropicana Inn & Suites — This is a very basic hotel. No free breakfast, and parking is always a little sketchy (valet only with a fee), but it’s close — and cheaper than the Best Western. All the rooms also have a sleeper chair so they sleep 5 (it’s tight, but it works — I did it last year with 4 adults and a child).

Fairfield Inn & Suites — I think if you’re looking for a room that is a BIT nicer, the Fairfield is a nice option. No free breakfast, although it is close to the McDoanlds and the Panera.

Bonus Splurge Option: If you’re looking for a bit of a splurge, the Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance is walkable, AND has a water park on site of the hotel (which you can see from the road and your kids will go just bonkers over). I’m always surprised by how expensive it is, but it truly is a guest-favorite and I see a ton of people booking this one each year. And once again, you can always use layaway to pay it off month by month before your trip.

OTHER SHUTTLES

2026 Update: There USED to be a shuttle called the ART shuttle that serviced all of the Anaheim area hotels, however in March they shut it down and we’re left with a few different options, and I think a lot of hotels are working to get their own options up too.

Here are the shuttle options right now:

HMR is operating a shuttle that will go between the

• Sheraton Park
• Hilton
• Anaheim Marriott
• The Clarion (probably one of the best prices out there, hotel’s not fancy but it’s decent).

As of the published date (as as far as I know):

The shuttle will operate on the following schedule 

• 7:00am-10:00am every 30 minutes
• 10:01am-8:00pm every hour
• 8:01pm-11:30pm every 30 minutes

The last shuttle coming back from Disney will be 30 minutes after the last park closes.
$6 per Adult
$3.50 per Child 3-10
$4 65+
These are all day passes. Guests will utilize QR codes in the lobby to purchase the passes. 

I recently completed a stay at the Hilton and I was super impressed. While they did host me — I am really picky about my rooms. Things I liked most about staying there:

• SO quiet, got a great night’s sleep
• My view of the fireworks was AMAZING
• Great food options as you’re heading out on your park day!

If you’re looking for a shuttle it’s a great one to check out!

Garden Grove Hotels are offering a shuttle. These include:

• Hampton Inn & Suites Garden Grove
• Embassy Suites Anaheim South
• Hilton Garden Inn Garden Grove
• Residence Inn Anaheim Resort
• Hyatt Regency Orange County
• Homewood Suites by Hilton Anaheim Main Gate
• Marriott Suites
• Delta Hotels by Marriott
• Sheraton Garden Grove Anaheim South

It looks like the pricing for this one is $7/day (for unlimited rides)

Looks like both of those shuttles seem very similar to ART and seem doable. If you have a child in a car seat, I think it’s your best option. However, for me — because I don’t have kids in car seats I tend to use what I’ll talk about next….

If you need a shuttle, I’d 100% call Get Away Today and make sure that the hotel you are booking meets your needs. Honestly, their operators are so helpful and so knowledgeable. That’s why I love them! Be sure to mention you heard about them from Pulling Curls — and use coupon code CURLS10 to get an extra $10 off your hotel package!

And yes, this all feels a little scary…. I get that…. I’ll leave this right here:

Some of you might be wondering if there is shuttle service from the airports. So far, no cheap shuttle service is offered from John Wayne airport, Los Angeles International Airport, or Long Beach Airport — but there are shuttle services you can book directly. The one I’ve heard the most about is Carmel shuttles (but it is not cheap).

Uber/Lyft

This is my preferred method. They pick you up at your hotel and wisk you right to the parks. In general this is about $10/way for anaheim-area hotels.

The main issue is the drop-off/pickup area can be slow. I wish this was done better by Disneyland, it’s a really poor experience, but there are curbs to sit on while you wait for your Uber.

Keep in mind that even if it shows your Uber as being 1-minute away there is still a long line of Ubers for them to wait in to get into the lot — so it can still be a bit of a wait.

Another thing to think about is that the hotels further out are more likely to have free parking. If you’re bringing your own car that can save a LOT!

Drive & Park

Driving and parking at the park is still a good option.

Daily parking at Disneyland is currently $40/car, with the option for “priority parking” for $60.

The structures are SO efficient. Seriously, we got out with fireworks one night and I was sure we’d be there for hours, but we got right out.

They are a bit of a walk, or you can wait for the tram to get you. There is also the Toy Story lot that uses buses to get you to the parks (it’s not on-property).

They really do try to do it well, it’s just one more thing in my book.

Which is why I try to stay walkable.

Remember that Disneyland has a few walkable areas — see if your hotel lists how far it is from the park in minutes away or miles from Disneyland. Some of them list it as “1-mile from Disneyland park” and that usually means to the property line, not the spot where you can get into the parks. There are several hotels that are walkable via Ketella or Ball as well (just not AS close as the ones I listed).

Favorite Hotels with a Shuttle to Disneyland

Keep in mind that the hotels in the Disneyland® resort area all seem to have the same basic amenities, incluidng:

• fitness center (as if Disneyland was enough of one)
• Outdoor pools (although a few do have indoor pools) & hot tubs
• Free Wi-fi
• Most also have a fridge, and some have a microwave — but check on your particular hotel.
• Enhanced cleaning and safety measures

Some hotels also have full kitchens, tennis courts, a basketball court, Koi Ponds (Majestic has one of those), game rooms and more — so be sure to know what is important to you! Oh, and be sure to check on the bed size. Some only offer double beds vs a queen bed.

Hotels near Disneyland with Shuttle and Free Breakfast

So, the two with a free shuttle and free breakfast are Hyatt Orange and the Candy Cane Inn.

I always caution families about free breakfast at Disneyland. A few thoughts:

• Some of the breakfasts are REALLY bad. Like, very few options, the food tastes pretty bad and while it will be calories, your kids might not eat it (I will 100% muscle some down though as an adult to fuel my Disney day)
• My kids (even teenagers) are often too excited to eat. I’ve ultimately decided to just bring some gogurts, put them in the fridge and then haul snacks to the park. It doesn’t end-up being worth the extra cost a hotel with breakfast adds (although if you can find a good one at a price you can afford it’s nice).

I have a whole post on the best hotels with free breakfast.

Here are a few of my favorites with free breakfast:

1. Anaheim Suites Hotel (formerly Cambria) – they also have a water park included with Get Away Today purchases. I actually really like their breakfast and I think it’s worth it (as of this writing, does not have a shuttle)
2. Residence Inn Resort Area – this can be a great price, and offers LARGE rooms!
3. Embassy Suites South has a great breakfast, as with all Embassy Suites it has an omelet station!
4. Homewood Suites Resort Area – this is also next to the Toy Story Lot and as of this writing you can use those as a free shuttle (it’s just a small walk into the lot). The breakfast is meh — but it’s something. It’s also a hotel near the convention center.

Be sure to check out that post on free breakfasts if you want more info on those!

If you have a few different things you want in a hotel — like bunk beds, a shuttle and breakfast — I think your BEST bet is to Call Get Away Today. There’s no extra cost to speak with their agents. Maybe get a few options, look at pricing and you can always book online too. I always called in with a few things I wanted when I had smaller kids and they are so helpful. Most of the agents have toured the hotels and have a good grasp of what will work for a family’s needs!

Cheapest Hotels with Disneyland Shuttle:

The Clarion consistently has the best rates. It’s definitely an economy hotel, but it does have a shuttle — OR you can cross the road and ride from the Toy Story lot. So many guests find this a GREAT option!

The Cortana has great rates. I haven’t actually stayed there, but it isn’t TOO far to walk (I would probably consider walking there and ubering back — or you could also take the free toy story shuttle and save yourself some steps). It also offers a free breakfast!

Eden Rock has great pricing — and it could be walked up from Katella. I had a friend who stayed there who said it was very adequate.

Nicest Hotels In the Anaheim Resort Area

These are three of the best hotels I know of near Disneyland park

JW Marriot — I have stayed here and walked (but I Uber’d back at night)

The Westin — consensus is, this is the nicest one. (maybe even better than the California Grand)

I love The Viv — I love this hotel, not 100% sure why, but our stay here was quiet and peaceful. I was a fan. Doesn’t currently have a shuttle.

Largest Hotel Rooms with a Shuttle

Anaheim Suites Hotel (formerly The Cambria) has nice spacious rooms, and does have a water park. Bonus is that it has a couple of shuttle stops nearby in case the one closest is taking a while. Plus it has a water park — which is a pretty fantastic amenity (and guests who book with Get Away Today get free access to it). It also offers complimentary breakfast and a huge breakfast room. This is one you’ll need to be OK using Disney parking or an Uber at this time.

The Residence Inn is a favorite of mine. We recently stayed in the 1 king, 2 queen with a sofa bed hotel room and it was SO nice. Comes with two bathrooms! It is also close to the Anaheim Convention Center, and has full kitchens.

Embassy Suites books a LOT of guests. It also has a couple of shuttle stops that can work for it (I think the one for Residence Inn isn’t too far away).

I do have a post about my favorite hotels with bunk beds, in case that interests you too.

Ok, hopefully that gave you some ideas of how to book. That Majestic is probably my favorite as far as taking a shuttle — but be sure to use my calculator to estimate all your costs, and compare room rates– because even adding shuttle tickets to some of these makes them a better value than the walkable ones.

And, be sure to use CURLS10 if you book with Get Away Today (remember you can use it on the phone or online) Whatever you do, check their rates before you book to see if they fit your family’s needs (or, frankly just use them because it’s SO much easier than checking 400 hotel rates).

And, grab my Disneyland day planner to get the most out of your trip to Disneyland:

Don’t miss my list of Best Affordable Disneyland hotels — a list of 30+ of my favorite hotels (plus my own current top 10 hotel list).

The post Hotels with a Disneyland Shuttle appeared first on Pulling Curls.

And this is seeing thousands of couples come through my delivery rooms, talking to millions of you online and also having 3 babies of my own (and a marriage that is headed to it’s 30 year mark). I think these are simple things that they can do that show they care and that can go a long way to make you happier.

Go to Appointments (or chat about them)

Prenatal appointments can be a huge chore. They can also feel useless as you trudge into the office only to find out that “everything is fine” and go on your way (honestly, best-case scenario — but I get that can feel like a waste of time).

Having a buddy come along can make it all a little more tolerable (think: lunch or dinner afterwards?). Plus they can sometimes see the magic of a prenatal appointment that you just can’t.

You’re growing that human inside of you, but they only get to see the after effects and that is on full presentation at those prenatal check ups.

Now, I know not every family can swing schedules where you can both go. So, chatting about them afterwards, about how you felt at it and what you learned — and maybe even some time to vent about what a waste of time they feel like can be a win.

Another one might be going to the glucose test with you. It’s honestly just a miserable affair… a long, boring, often yucky-feeling time. Having a chauffer and buddy at it would feel awfully nice.

Note: Coming to appointments is a great start — but understanding what’s ahead makes an even bigger difference. Preparing together helps both of you feel more confident, less anxious, and ready for what’s coming.

I should also say that my husband maybe came to one or two appointments with me in all the 3 kids. He was a teacher, and we needed to save sick days. It just wasn’t possible, but he was interested, and he did meet my doctor early on at an appointment. That’s why I gave a few ideas, because I know these won’t work for everyone!

Remind You How Amazing You Are

You are literally growing another human being inside of you!

Honestly, when you step back you realize that it is TRULY amazing.

But when you’re the one doing it a lot of times you just see how they’re starting to take over your body as their own. You sometimes need a different perspective that they can give!

I feel like pregnancy can feel lonely — where this job is one you’re basically doing alone. Having them fan-boy’ing over all the work you’re doing can be helpful. They shouldn’t be shy with compliments!

Looking for more ideas for partners? — be sure to check out these posts:

• How to Be a Supportive Husband and Partner During Pregnancy
• What To Do About A Selfish Husband During Pregnancy?
• What to Do If Your Girlfriend is Pregnant
• Dealing with an Unsupportive Husband During Pregnancy: Insensitive partners
• My Boyfriend Says I Feel Different Inside During Pregnancy

Get Prepared With You

Preparing for birth isn’t something you have to figure out alone — and it makes a big difference when you don’t.

This isn’t to say that if your partner isn’t interested in birth prep that they’re not a good one. You may need to let them know that’s what you want. I mean, most often our bodies are our own business but in labor it’s different. You’re bringing this baby home together!

Many couples go into labor feeling unsure of what to expect, which can lead to anxiety, confusion, and second-guessing in the moment. But when you take the time to prepare together, you both start to understand how labor typically unfolds, what your options are, and how to handle the moments that might otherwise catch you off guard.

That shared understanding helps you feel more confident, less overwhelmed, and better able to make informed decisions as things happen.

Being mindful to pick a class that includes them is smart. Many classes leave partners in the dust and only talk to “mamma” — and I just disagree with that fundamentally.

It also changes how you support each other. Most partners want to help, but don’t always know what to do — and that uncertainty can add stress for both of you.

When you’ve learned together ahead of time, you’re on the same page, speaking the same language, and working as a team instead of trying to figure it out in real time. That’s what helps labor feel calmer, more connected, and more manageable.

Real preparation isn’t about knowing everything — it’s about feeling ready, informed, and supported no matter how your birth unfolds.

If you want to feel more prepared, less anxious, and truly confident going into labor, the best thing you can do is learn together. Inside The Online Prenatal Class for Couples, you’ll both understand what to expect, your options, and how to support each other — so you’re not figuring it out in the moment.

Fill Your Water Bottle

This is a little one, but water can make a huge difference in how you feel during pregnancy.

That one habit of filling it every morning can put you on a path to drinking it.

Honestly, if I don’t fill my water cup, I think my intake is about half of what it would be if I did. Which is sad, but true.

Small, simple gestures like this can go a long way. Plus, when they get in a habit like this it can also help your breastfeeding journey. It’s just a simple thing that can truly help.

Looking for more about hydration in pregnancy? — be sure to check out these posts:

• Can Women Drink Gatorade During Pregnancy? Can it prevent dehydration safely?
• Dehydration During Pregnancy: The importance of hydration while growing a human.
• When Should I Start Drinking Raspberry Leaf Tea?
• Drinks for Pregnant Women: What are the best drinks during pregnancy?
• Can You Drink Wine When You’re Pregnant: The studies for pregnant women

Prepare for AFTER Baby is Born

Note: I didn’t say prepare for baby — I’m talking about preparing for postpartum. A good partner will remember that you’re going to need some TLC along with managing a new baby — so they’ll work to prepare a good place to come home to.

Yes, that includes building the crib, but also things like making sure your bathroom is clean, that your pads are easy to grab.

BTW, there’s a few things you’ll want to have on hand — I have a postpartum checklist to help with that:

And, one of my favorites — installing a Bidet (that post is about the Tushy but there’s lots of brands out there anymore — it will give you an idea of how it can help)!

I loved my cold peri bottle after every baby… a bidet would have been SO nice! They’re not very expensive, can be grabbed at your local home improvement store, and are pretty easy to install!

This isn’t to say that they shouldn’t help you in getting all the things you need for baby — I have a no-fluff checklist here:

BUT there’s more to prepare for just baby.

You really will need some TLC when you get home, and it’s easy to think you’re young and you’ll bounce back fast, but often you don’t — so them being aware they’re on “taking care of you” duty too is smart.

Supporting mom after birth is just as important as caring for baby — and knowing what to expect makes all the difference. Inside The Online Prenatal Class for Couples, you’ll both learn how to feel prepared, confident, and ready for those early postpartum days (something, SO many people do — including me before I was The Pregnancy Nurse®).

What did I miss? What is YOUR partner doing to help you have a happier pregnancy? Tell me in the comments!

The post How Your Partner Can Support a Happier Pregnancy appeared first on Pulling Curls.

Find it here on Apple or Spotify Podcasts

Watch the original video:
Check out the full discussion and visuals on our YouTube channel.

Disclaimer:
This podcast provides general information and entertainment only. It’s not a substitute for medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider about any health concerns or questions specific to your pregnancy and personal situation.

About Hilary, The Pregnancy Nurse®
Hilary is a registered nurse with over 20 years of labor and delivery experience. Since 1997, she’s helped thousands of pregnant patients navigate the ups and downs of pregnancy, including common concerns like ligament pain. Her mission is to empower families with clear, expert information for a smoother pregnancy journey.

Timestamps:

00:00 Understanding unexpected pain experiences

03:46 Understanding pregnancy ligament pain

07:08 Identifying pain and when to visit

The post From Sharp Stabs to Relief: Navigating Ligament Pain in Pregnancy with a Pro Nurse – 266 appeared first on Pulling Curls.

And yes, I did watch a TON of those “what to bring on a cruise” videos on Youtube — and they all seem to go over the same stuff. Magnetic hooks, cute dresses, toiletry bags (all with affiliate links). But, today I want to share the things that no one talks about — that you may very well have on hand (I did) that can make your cruise SO much better!

And before we get started, if you’re looking to book a cruise the good people at Get Away Today are my favorites to book with. I have endless questions, and they have endless answers and were willing to price-check my cruise and save us some cash along the way! I book with them every time!

Ok, let’s get to the STUFF (I promise most of this doesn’t even add much to your packing list!)

Hair Mask/Moisture

I don’t know what’s in the water on the ship but my hair hasn’t been so dry in a LONG time. I’d brought good conditioner (and leave in) but the regular amounts didn’t work.

Honestly, at one point on the cruise I looked like Einstein…. my hair was so dry!

As a curly girl who needs a lot of moisture — I took action. I double conditioned my hair (using twice as much as I normally do) and I let it sit in longer. Then, I used twice the amount of leave in.

However, I wish I’d brought a hair mask — don’t worry, you don’t have to spend a lot. I found this one (looks like it’s just under $10 right now). I love it — and I found it when I tried the Abbey Yung Method.

I would also plan for extra leave in conditioner if that’s something you need.

I wished I’d brought a kelating shampoo that compensates for water issues (Abbey talks about that a lot). However, that one is expensive enough I would probably just work on the moisture side.

Let me be clear that my hair looks AMAZING on the California coast normally — super curly with all the humidity. It really had something to do with the water on board, just putting it out there — I didn’t hear about that before hand.

Erasers

I stuck this on a pencil just as I was headed out… and I’m SO glad I did.

We love to do the crosswords, sudoku’s and trivia that the ship offers, but often we make a mistake.

Their pencils are just the little golf ones and don’t have an eraser.

It doesn’t need to be anything fancy — it was just REALLY handy — I wish I’d brought more.

BTW, I do pack a little stationary bag that includes:

• Tape — great to fix stuff or tape something on the wall — this time I brought washi tape
• Post-it — great for notes to each other or for our steward
• Highlighter — in case you want to highlight the activities you want to do.
• Sharpie — just in case you need to mark something

I will say the debarkation tags they give you have an impossible surface to write on — it seems impossible to write with ANYTHING because of how badly it smeared. I wish I’d brought a ball point pen that wouldn’t smear as bad, even my Sharpie S was a mess on it.

All of that is just stuff I have around the house — no purchase needed!

USB Fan

A lot of places recommend having a fan you can place by your bed if you like some air flow, but my fan goes somewhere else just as necessary — and that’s the bathroom.

There is literally NO air flow in the bathrooms. The door shots automatically and it’s just almost impossible to get things to dry on the line in there.

I’m not a fan of clipping our wet stuff on my deck chairs as that’s against the rules (but I will if we’re hanging out there). SO, I bring a fan into the bathroom.

But, Hilary — how do you do that?

You get a mini desk fan that can clip on to the shower grab bar — and then angle it at your suits.

Honestly, they don’t run a long time on high, but it’s better than nothing in there.

I just charge it when it runs out and then re-clip it when I’m in the room next.

It can clearly by used by you at night too – but I like the clip feature to put it in the bathroom.

However, if you’re hot (and awake) nothing beats a….

Hand Fan

I feel like those usb fans are all the rage — everyone says you should get one.

But honestly, nothing beats a foldable hand fan for me when it’s hot.

Now, I know some cruise lines have banned the clickitty-clack ones but I just have a simple one I picked up on vacation somewhere.

It just moves way more than those USB ones.

Pro Tip: There are GIANT fan, and those often don’t fit in my bag — the smaller ones are also great (so make sure you get one that fits the area you can put it).

Clearly, if you’re not awake the USB ones are great, but don’t underestimate a regular fan.

In fact, we had to stand in line to get on our tenders and it was WARM in that hallway. I pulled out that hand fan and was VERY happy.

That being said, my daughter was super overwhelmed in one of the markets between all the people, produce and pig heads and she loved the USB fan she could just close her eyes and get some air flow.

So, both are great, I just prefer how easy the hand fan is, how small it folds up (and I don’t have to keep it charged).

Playing Cards

Now, you used to be able to get cards for free at guest services, but that hasn’t been true on my last few cruises. A pack of playing cards can be so handy!

I actually keep mine in my tiny cruise purse. It’s awesome when we’re waiting for dinner, or a comedian or a show. Just a big fan of a pack of playing cards.

Honestly, we often bring a few games, but the playing cards get the most use since they’re so versitile.

Just don’t plan on the cruise ship having them for you (although I am pretty sure they’re not an expensive purchase on board).

Tea

We love to go to tea on the cruise ship — have some tiny sandwiches and some scones, but we don’t love basic tea — so we brought our own from home (vs their expensive add-on you can purchase there for like $4).

They didn’t bat an eye — and we were very happy to have it.

What else?

This isn’t to say that there aren’t a lot of things other people share that are great.

I LOVE magnetic hooks — I scatter them around the room and are great to hang stuff on.

I love a hanging shoe organizer to contain all the small things including:

• Sun screen
• Ziplocks
• Nail clippers
• Medication
• Games
• Baby Powder
• Ear plugs
• Sea Sick medicine (we love the ear patches and Bonine if it gets bad)
• Waterproof phone holders
• String Backpacks (great if you want to take something to the pool)
• USB fans
• Towel clips
• Laundry Supplies (huge fan of detergent sheets)
• Hand sanitizer extras
• Ponchos/umbrellas

There just isn’t enough room for all of that in the bathroom, and it’s nice to have it out where everyone can see it!

So, those are my things NO ONE talks about, and I wish was mentioned more.

What did I miss? Tell me in the comments!

One other thing no one talks about is how cruises change prices so frequently. Please book with someone who will check the pricing for you and let you know your best options (sometimes a lower price isn’t actually cheaper — because it’s CONFUSING). That’s why I love booking with Get Away Today. My favorite way is to just contact them with the dates I have and see what’s available, and then go from there!

The post 6 Things to Bring on a Cruise that NO. ONE. TALKS ABOUT (not Magnetic Hooks) appeared first on Pulling Curls.