My chosen resources for pregnancy

If you follow me on Instagram, you've likely seen me talk a bit about being surprised by pregnancy, which was only outdone by being surprised by twins. TL;DR I'm carrying twins who will probably arrive in August, and no, twins do not run in the family. We don't know the sex of our kiddos yet, because why not get one more surprise, right?

I thought it would be at least another year before I became a mom, and being flung into the pregnancy process and preparation has been a whirlwind with almost every negative emotion you could think of. I may talk more about my emotional atmosphere of this pregnancy later, because mine is a story I haven't heard before, but today we'll stick with the practical things.

These resources below have been a huge help so far. I'm no mommy blogger, meaning, I'm new to this and there are tons of more practiced voices on this subject, but the value I've gotten from these things has been great. Maybe they'll be great for some readers, too.

Books

• Mindful Birthing by Nancy Bardacke  : This is the first place where my fear and trepidation around delivering was calmed. I can't believe how different my perspective is since reading this book. Terror has turned to empowerment, and Mindful Birthing is the reason why I am eager to have a vaginal, unmedicated birth and the reason why I think I'd be a total badass at it.
• Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin  : Similar to Mindful Birthing, this book portrays a completely different perspective on birth than the usual. Ina May is an OG midwife who's seen it all and who shares her wisdom and encouragement. She taught me to trust my body to do what it knows to do in birthing. This book has the power to completely change America's prenatal and maternity care.  The first part shares birth stories (no twins, though), and the second part talks about childbirth, what it's like, how to make things more comfortable, etc.
• Expecting Better by Emily Oster  :  I hate being told what to do anyway, but when someone's telling me what to do with my body, they better have a good reason. That's where Expecting Better came in. Emily Oster analyzes the data behind colloquial and medical pregnancy advice and then empowers you to make decisions for yourself on things like drinking alcohol, eating tuna, epidurals, and vitamin K shots.
• Bringing Up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman  :  This delightful book on French parenting was the first parenting book I read and has informed a good deal about what I want to bring to my family. I took many notes about "the pause," French sleep training, and creating freedom within boundaries. Here's a good recap of the book if you'd like to take a look.
• Cribsheet by Emily Oster  : Emily Oster's second book digs into the research again, but this time with how parenting choices impact kids in the short-term and long-term. (It's also funny.)

Tangible Things

• Hypnobabies classes  :  A friend of mine recommended a hypnobabies birthing class, and I'd remembered Rubyellen from Cakies sharing how her hypnobirthing classes were amazing for her. I decided to try it. The self-induced hypnosis used in this method has been used as anesthesia substitute for surgery patients, and using the same technique for birth seems to be a great path toward a comfortable, even pleasurable birth. I'm looking forward to trying it in real life!
• Yoga and my studio  : The teachers and students at my yoga studio have been a huge encouragement. Many days I've not wanted to get out of bed because my body felt so blah. Showing up to the mat and being welcomed by smiling faces who encourage me at every turn has kept wind in my sails.
• An OB I agree with  : Not-fun fact : pregnancies with multiples (twins or more) are automatically considered high risk in the medical field. There are more opportunities for complications, including emergency c-section, which leads to a lot more hovering of care providers and being required to deliver in the operating room, just in case. I see the reasoning behind these measures, but I also see room for more flexibility in some areas. In my 5th month, I found and switched to an OB who I better align with. I'll still have to birth in the OR, but he's happy to make a lot more accommodations than the usual doctor, as long as things are going well. He's also less trigger happy with c-sections, and I believe he's my best bet for a vaginal twin birth in Atlanta. Having him on the team, I feel so much more comfortable and relieved.
• Maternity clothes  :  
• For early on, the ponytail holder trick will allow you to wear your pants for longer.
• Bra extenders were a great investment.  Amazon sells small packs of them.
• There are tons of maternity clothes options out there, and I'd like to add  the Storq leggings and dress to the list of the good ones. (The bra, tunic, and pencil skirt I wasn't as big a fan of.)
• Being pregnant during Georgia summers with a huge belly compelled me to stock up on long flowy dresses.  I have this, this, and this one.  (This is one area where I let my eco-conscious goals fall into second place in favor of cost and convenience.)
• Another huge recommendation : secondhand clothing!
• Lastly, as a small effort intrying to keep my wardrobe sustainable, I try to find stuff I'd feel comfortable wearing after birth, too, like long tanks or flowy dresses. I wish myself luck in getting through this without having to drop too much cash and without having to look frumpy.   (See my Pinterest board of actually cute maternity clothes.) 
• Other  :  While I'm not sure how these things will impact my birthing yet, I regular do these things that were recommended to me both by a close friend and my hypnobabies instructor.
• Drink red raspberry leaf tea : This tea supports uterine health both pre- and post-birth.
• Lots of squats and/or wall sits : This strengthens pushing muscles.
• Perineal massage : This helps stretch the body for the kid's way out.
• Hiring a doula : This helps cultivate a calm, respectful, and iterative environment for birthing.

Twin-Specific Things

• (Book) What to Do When You're Having Two by Natalie Diaz  :  Finally, a book for twin moms that isn't lame, that talks about the important stuff, and that gives me the information I actually need!  Diaz is very by the book (I'm not), but she also shares a lot of useful information and tips that I'd never thought of before.
• (Online community & blog) Twiniversity  : Everything here is twin-specific and was founded by Natalie Diaz, author of the book I described above.  They have online forums, a so-so podcast, and kind of helpful blog posts, all created by and for parents of twins.
• (Online community & blog) Lucy's List  :  Lucy's List has a mom-of-multiples (MOM) email drip campaign that has been helpful and informative.  Here's their Twin page.  I also love their huge spreadsheet of twin-specific nursery recommendations.  This spreadsheet is intense, and it took me weeks to go through everything, but a lot of my nursery and gear decisions were informed by this sheet.
• (Podcast episodes)  :  Here are some twin-related episodes of The Birth Hour podcast I found empowering and encouraging.
  
• Delivering a breeched Baby A  :  This mama did an incredible job of advocating for herself against the hospital team that pressured her to get a C-Section
• Birth center twin birth
• Other twin birth stories I haven't gotten to yet

Other

• The transformation of a woman to a mother  :  TED Talk on this second "adolescence" for women
• The Birth Hour  :  A positive podcast where women tell their birth stories 
• The Double Shift  :  a reported, narrative podcast about a new generation of working mothers.
• Baby Weight : The heavy truth of motherhood  :  Article on Medium on the burden motherhood places on women
• Facebook groups  :  Good place to find lightly used gear, play groups, and encouragement
• Daddy Up  : This is the least lame pregnancy tracking app I've found on Android. It's geared toward Dad and is minimal, but still fun. I checked The Bump and What to Expect's websites for weekly updates, but all the other pregnancy apps weren't my style.
• Nordic Nursery Vision Board  :  Minimalist, gender-neutral nursery and gear inspiration
• "God Our Mother"  :  A beautiful poem that elevates motherhood and reveals it as a reflection of the Divine

Have you read any of these books? Have you at one time been terrified of pregnancy or birth?  Comment below with your thoughts, I'd love to hear!