When It’s Not Just Worry
by Liz Murray
Worry. It comes with the motherhood territory. At least, that’s what we’re told, and it’s true to some extent. But sometimes, it’s more than just worry. Intense, chronic anxiety can...
My Out of Hospital Birth Center Experience
Priscilla Anne, my beautiful daughter, was born this past August at Roots Community Birth Center in North Minneapolis. My birth story actually starts a few years before my daughter was...
Two Countries and Two Different Births
It was a summer night and we were watching The Incredibles at the park. I got up to go to the restroom and realized my stomach was being pulled down,...
A Textbook Labor and Delivery – Until it Wasn’t
by Sarah Lodien
It was a Sunday morning around 5:00 am; I woke up needing to go to the bathroom so badly. As soon as I was done, while walking back to the...
All’s Well That Ends Well: A Birth Story
Birth stories are amazing and horrifying all at the same time. I have a love-hate relationship with them. Hearing people’s stories almost always make me terrified to have another baby....
The Red Phone: An Adoption Birth Story
This time of year I find rhythm with the rain; it splatters against the overflow pond in my backyard and I feel the beat of my heart, the memories flooding...
Hope for Mothers Facing Adversity
by Trista Rakow
Deep inside the heart of every mother lies a powerful and courageous instinct to protect their young, no matter the cost, even if it means their life. It’s in our...
Rules for a Season
by Joy Ballard
It happens every time we enter a new season: the need to revisit the rules. I recently noticed that my 5-year-old has been leaving his raincoat and rain boots in...
The Weight of a Name
by Liz Murray
I’ve always been fascinated with names. Growing up, as an avid short-story writer, I spent many a rainy day compiling lists of monikers for potential characters. Other kids collected polished...
Life with Two Kids: What I Wish I Would Have Known
It was early on the day of my daughter’s two-week checkup, and we had an 8 a.m. appointment. I made the appointment in the hospital while I will still in...
A Mom’s Guide to Baby Playtime
It’s a rare moment: My newborn is wide-eyed, content and looking at me expectantly. She looks like she’s ready to do something outside of her normal routine of eating, sleeping,...
I Am Not a Fan of the Newborn Stage
by Maureen Zhao
I am not a fan of the newborn stage. Nothing makes me more uncomfortable than bringing home a fragile little baby that I do not know yet. I recently saw...
How to Know When You’re Ready for Kids
by Liz Murray
Motherhood springs on us in different ways. For some, it’s a logical, analytical decision, thought out months or years in advance, perfectly timed and executed. For others, it’s a yearning...