Preparing for Birth: From Perfection to Perspective
I often think about the preparation that goes into a first pregnancy. Some of us begin even before we conceive, while most of us dive in during those nine months of anticipation. This was certainly true for me.

In my first pregnancy, preparation was an exploration — through books, conversations with elders who could guide me, and eventually, birthing classes alongside other new parents. All this energy was poured into trying to do everything “right.” Try as we might there is also another being involved in the process and “doing it right” becomes an adaptable process.
Birth, as in parenting has no perfect, or no “right” way to navigate the process. Still, the striving can be both empowering and, at times, paralyzing. What matters most is not perfection, but learning — taking what we didn’t know before and allowing it to shape us for the better.
By the time I prepared for my second birth, I had already lived through the awkward days and sleepless nights of newborn life. Experience gave me perspective and a sense of empowerment.
That is my goal for every parent: to have clear information and supportive guideposts, so they feel equipped to navigate those first, tender years with confidence and grace.
Read More From Nancy
Like Every Mother
Like every mother, I watched my children closely. I noticed how they slept.How they nursed.How they rolled.How they cried and laughed and smiled. Sometimes things were “just a phase” and sometimes they were not. That is why our book: It’s All in the Head feels so personal to me. Over years, Marty and I have […]
Parenting with Both Sides of the Brain: Where Science Meets Intuition
The philosophy I embraced as a mother was grounded in a deep trust: that there is an Innate Intelligence with the body, and that the power that makes the body heals the body. These principles became anchors for me. They are reminders that wounds would heal, fevers would break, and that the body was always […]
Brain Grows by Repetition
One important principle I have come to understand, and one that sits at the heart of It’s All in the Head, is that the brain develops through use. The brain does not simply grow with time it grows through experience. Each level of brain development is built upon the successful repetition of the level below it. […]