You Wanna’ Be Popular….

Have you wondered what to pack in your hospital bag -- WHEN to pack it and maybe even what NOT to pack for labor and delivery? This hospital bag checklist will give you a free, printable PDF that you can customize for just what YOU need so you just bring ...
Read More

How far apart should I have my babies? Child spacing is a hot topic and one that there are many pros and cons for each spacing. As a labor and delivery nurse, I get asked by expectant moms how far apart are my kids. I often get wide eyes -- ...
Read More

Do you think you are too fat for Disneyland? Being Overweight at Disneyland sounds like it might make for a horrible day -- but with a few tips, you can still make it very magical! This post explains the Disneyland rides for obese people and whether or not Disneyland is ...
Read More

Let's talk Dressing Your Truth -- specifically Dressing Your Truth type 1 -- this is my 30 day transformation with Carol Tuttle's Dressing Your Truth. My Experience with Dressing Your Truth This post was originally written in 2015 and has been updated a few times since then, fyi. You'll get ...
Read More

Here are some handy postpartum recovery tips from an L&D nurse. Your uterus is now healing from a "placenta scab" left from the baby making their exit. This post includes info on pads, pain medicine and the timeline you'll likely follow. Having a baby is hard work! Sometimes you don't ...
Read More

Are you looking to make a weekly cleaning schedule template? This calendar of household chores is a great stay at home mom cleaning schedule printable (great for working moms as well)-- and I even have some charts for cleaning house. Do NOT miss this 2019 house cleaning schedule! I think ...
Read More

This checklist of things to do before baby arrives will give you THE things a nurse thinks you need to do before hospital, delivery & the baby comes. My hospital checklist might be different from other people's because I am also thinking on the hospital end. I'm a labor nurse ...
Read More

What does a contraction feel like? We'll talk about what to feel for -- as well as a way to monitor your contractions & track them from home with the BloomLife Monitor (and a BloomLife promo code). What does a contraction feel like? I spent MUCH of my first pregnancy ...
Read More

Turns out recent changes get less and less recent with time. You'll see the changes below, but also take a look at this list of MORE recent changes from in 2019!!! Don't miss out on my Disney Trip Calculator -- so you're not caught off guard in your pocketbook either! ...
Read More

The signs of labor can be confusing.  The early signs of labor approaching can give you an idea for what's to come.  We all know to watch for contractions, but what are the other signs you're in labor BESIDES contractions? Boom!  Labor happens.  One minute you're making out with your ...
Read More

This post will share some of the most common pregnancy fears and face them head on with some good information along with a labor nurse of 17 years.  Fears during pregnancy don't help you enjoy the fact that you're creating a human! Did you know that your diaphragm rises and ...
Read More

In this post I'll share an editable after school checklist and why it has been so helpful for my kids -- along with a FREE printable to get your afternoons in order! Hello. My name is Hilary and I am the mother of a new Kindergartener. She is adorable, but ...
Read More

Using a bar of soap for a restless leg home remedy is an easy way to cure an annoying & painful problem! What kind of soap to put in bed for restless legs? This post might just give you an idea of how to get rid of Restless Leg Syndrome ...
Read More

Labor and Delivery -- the main action happens at delivery and it is a busy time!  Let's talk about what happens AT delivery and after delivery -- so you can know a little bit what to expect when your baby is born! Right before the delivery of your baby, there ...
Read More

Epidurals during labor are a hot topic.  This post is going to talk about the meaning, risks, if it hurts, side effects (both in labor & after the baby), the procedure and other alternative pain meds you can use during labor. **As always please take the advice of your physician ...
Read More

When I started my blog Pulling Curls -- I was reticent to write pregnancy posts.  I mean, what did I know (at the time I had only been a labor nurse about four years)?  I wrote a bit about childhood illnesses, and slowly labor started to creep in ...
Read More

Tearing during birth can happen at delivery. Why does it happen, how can you prevent it and recover? I’ve been seeing a lot of posts on Pinterest lately on preventing tearing during birth.  I always click greedily into the post to see what tips they have (this is what labor ...
Read More

Vaginal Exams are a part of pregnancy.  Find out what they are used for, if they hurt, how it's done, and what the numbers mean when you're in labor. Ugh!  The vag (pronounced v-a (short a) g) exam.  No one looks forward to them. The gown, the glove, the whole ...
Read More

This salt water spray for curly hair is an easy DIY way to get beach curls at home! Yup, my blog is Pulling Curls. You'd be surprised to find out how many people think it's a hair blog. However, if people saw my daughter's hair every day -- they'd know ...
Read More

Home organization ideas are all over the internet, but you don't need matching products to get organized (even if they're nice) Home organization ideas are so tricky considering each area of your home, and each home has its differences.  This DIY tour is going to give you products for bedrooms, ...
Read More

Organizing your kitchen can be an exciting event. Figuring out the best place to put each item will end up saving you a ton of time and effort as you move forward. In 2011 I moved from a 1,100 square foot house in California into a 2,300 square foot house ...
Read More

Having C-section can feel really scary.  Will you be left cut in two like a bad magician’s assistant or will it be easier than a vaginal delivery?  So many unknowns!   I've had a lot of people emailing me asking for c-section tips. And you know me, I love to give what ...
Read More

Oh, the feeling of a stocked pantry.  The idea that you'll never run out of anything.  You'll always have the item you need at your finger tips.  Likely, for the next year.  It's taken a lot of time for me to admit this, but I have a buying problem.  When ...
Read More

I have a confession.  I always forget to write the right year on the baby's bands for the first few shifts of the new year.  I dread it, because I have the pull them out and fix it.  Anyway.  I dread that which will come. But I LOVE year in ...
Read More

I don't make a secret that having a newborn really beat the crap out of me.  I had some fairly serious anxiety for MONTHS after I had princess P.  I have no idea if it's hormonal or whatnot, but I know that a large part of it is the lack ...
Read More

Sick people desperately want to know how to cure stomach flu -- this blog will give you an easy treatment plan to feel better! Ew.  The flu.  I'm talking about the stomach kind (which isn't the flu at all, actually, that's just a stomach virus -- but that's a blog ...
Read More

SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) is a horrible thing. I think it is something all parents have had to come to terms with. The reality of parenthood is that you truly can't control ALL things, but science has made a few things you can control with your newborn to give ...
Read More

I have one best tip for curly hair. It's not using a t-shirt to blot dry, or a microfiber towel {although those are good tips -- check out this one on Amazon WITH a wide-toothed comb, a necessity at my house} It's not a certain brand of gel. But it ...
Read More

Sure, you think pregnancy will last forever. BUT, here are a few things you can try at home. How to go into labor is right from a labor & delivery nurse since 2001. You feel fat, you're tired, your baby is like a parasite taking every ounce of energy you ...
Read More

Sure, pregnancy is great.  9 months ago you made a baby.  You were sure it was the right thing to do (or you weren't, either way is fine) but picking at clothes and bedding and dreaming what your little bundle of joy will look like is fun!  Babies are fun, ...
Read More