While I have been incredibly fortunate to have one healthy intended pregnancy that ended in a healthy child and appear to be on the road to my second, I have many, many dear friends and family members who have suffered losses -- whether it was an early miscarriage, a late one, a stillbirth or otherwise.

I want to reach out to them -- and all mothers -- today and say that I remember your pregnancies, your babies, and your children and hope that you are finding peace today, as always.

First, there is Nancy Salguiero, a chiropractor, childbirth educator, and owner of YourBirthCoach.com. Mom to 2, she is planning a home birth with her third child (due yesterday!) and planning to stream it live on the internet. And Salguiero certainly won't be the first mom to broadcast a play-by-play of her birth online. Although I don't think I would ever feel comfortable streaming my own labor and birth live for the masses, I am grateful to these women for being willing to share their own.

That being said, there was one more mama-to-be brought to my attention this morning and her headline definitely made me do a double take: Marni Kotak, Artist, Will Give Birth at Microscope Gallery, for Real. That basically sums it all up. Kotak, a performance artist living in NYC, plans to give birth in an art gallery.

As I read about this "live" birth, I'm left wondering what about it makes me so uncomfortable.

By the time my daughter was born at home in late 2009, I was familiar with some "placenta possibilities," but couldn't decide if any of them were for me. This time around, I'm less squeamish about the whole thing and wondering what I should do with the placenta currently nourishing Boo.

In many ways, this pregnancy has been much like my last. I’ve enjoyed good health since the start, sailed comfortably into my second trimester several weeks ago, and everything is going according to plan so far.

Except for the wild mood swings. Whoa.

The last time around, I wasn’t like this. At least I don’t remember being like this and if my husband does, he’s (wisely) keeping his mouth shut. Sure, I had my moments like any other pregnant woman does, especially in the third trimester when I was swollen to cartoonish proportions and just totally over the entire concept of being pregnant. But now? Just halfway through? I hate to think what the third trimester has in store for my mental state.