A Few of My Favorite Things for Baby

With being a new mom to a 1 month old I wanted to share some of my favorite things that have helped us survive so far and are truly lifesavers. 

1. Fisher Price Rock N Play Sleeper This thing has been amazing! It is perfect from the moment you bring baby home. We use our sleeper all the time. It is perfect to have by you anywhere, from the living room, to the kitchen, to right by the bed at night. It folds up and is super easy for travel as well. My little one sleeps in the sleeper every night and has been able to sleep for up to 6 hours some nights. This is a must have for new moms and newborns!

2. Baby Swing A swing is an absolute must have for baby. They are perfect for when you need to get some stuff done around the house or if baby is really fussy. Most swings now have music or different soothing sounds and some sort of mobile or something for them to look at. My little one has grown very attached to her swing right now and loves to nap in hers or just sit and hang out looking at the birds while mommy gets work done around the house or relaxes. Every time she gets fussy but doesn't want to eat we put her in her swing and the fussiness miraculously stops instantly. There are so many different types of swings to choose from out there that fit any budget so definitely be sure to add this to your registry. 

3. Baby Carrier This is perfect for both moms and dads when you need to be hands free but take baby with you. It is perfect for when we are out and about or if we need to walk our dogs. It is so much easier to put baby in a carrier and do your shopping or running errands at multiple places rather than constantly taking the car seat and/or stroller in and out of the car. 

4. Quick Serve Bottle Warmer This is another must have!  It makes heating a bottle quick and easy and is perfect for those late night feedings. It is small and compact enough to where you could even put it on a nightstand. 

5. Maxi Cosi Infant Car Seat I absolutely love this car seat. It is so easy to assemble and figure out how to use and is super durable. I feel really safe having my little one in this car seat. We had purchased a less expensive car seat from Kmart at first and it was so hard to figure out how to put the car seat together and how to lock it in the base and didn't feel durable or safe at all. When I got the Maxi Cosi we both fell in love and have been super satisfied from day one. There are so many different colors to choose from as well which fit any gender and any style. 

6. Harmony Odyssey Deluxe Modular Stroller When looking at strollers I knew I wanted one that had a bassinet for newborns, but all the ones I saw that came with bassinets were way out of my budget. After a lot of research (and by a lot, I mean like 6 months out of my pregnancy) I finally came across this stroller at Target.com. As I read the description I saw that it has a bassinet for newborns, a universal car seat adapter, and a reclining seat with different positions. What made it even better was that it was only $150!! I thought it was too good to be true. I read through tons of reviews and researched the company a little more and found that almost 100% of people that bought and used the stroller were super satisfied with it. The only negative comments I read were that it wasn't very compact when folded up and some said it was a little too big to fit in some trunks. Well having an SUV I wouldn't have to worry about that too much. I had received some gift cards from my baby showers and purchased the stroller the first moment I could. When we got it home and tested it we fell in love. It is super easy to put together and use and is durable across different terrains. If you are looking for a stroller with a bassinet but do not want to spend $400-$1000 then I definitely suggest this one!

7. The First Years miPump and 8. The First Years Breastflow Bottles This breast pump is one of the less expensive ones on the market but don't be fooled by the cheaper price. I have used this pump from the first night home with Lilly and it has been great. When I purchased this breast pump before Lilly was born I never anticipated exclusively pumping. I thought I would get a less expensive pump to have in order to build a small backup supply when we go out or have when we leave our little one with the grandparents. However, do to latching issues, I had to resort to exclusively breast pumping. What I love most about the pump is that it is both battery and electrically operated that make pumping anytime, anywhere possible. It's small and compact so it's easy to travel with as well. So whether your a new mom looking for a pump to use occasionally or intend to exclusively breast pump, The First Years miPump is a great option if you are on a budget and are looking for something less expensive that will still get the job done.
Lilly has really liked the Breastflow bottles so far. What interested me the most in these bottles initially was that they require both suction and compression, just like breastfeeding. The nipple is designed to mimic the breast so baby can latch and control the flow of milk, feeding the natural way. So whether your baby is breastfed and you're introducing a bottle or is formula fed, baby will experience a natural way of feeding with these bottles.

9.  Gumdrop Pacifier is Lilly's favorite! The hospital gave us one the first night to calm her down while they did her 24 hour testing and she has had it ever since. She doesn't use hers all the time, just to sooth her when she's tired or fussy. We've tried giving her other pacifiers but this is the only one she will take, so we always have it nearby.

 There are so many different varieties of these items out there and different brands and price points to choose from. All of these are the products that struck my interest initially and researched before buying that have worked out great for us so far. If you're thinking about what to buy for your little one, do some research, read reviews and try what is going to work best for you, and if you're hesitant about something always check a store's or brand's return policy. I hope this helps those new moms out there thinking about what to get for baby.

Adventures of Mommyhood: The First Month

My baby girl, Lilly, was born on August 1st, 2013 and has been a relatively great baby so far! She has been sleeping for 4+ hours from the first night we brought her home so things have been pretty much a breeze. She's only fussy when she's hungry or gassy and is great in the car and when we take her out. She went on her first road trip to visit grandparents in North Carolina and slept the entire 4 hour drive there and back.

Having survived our first month with a new baby, here are some of my pointers for new moms bringing home a newborn and what to do the first month:

- Don't worry about getting baby on a schedule right away, wait until they are a few months old. Let your baby eat and sleep for however long they want and how often they want, especially the first month. They are trying to figure out what they need and how much they need in this first month of life. Letting Lilly sleep and eat when she wants for however long she wants has been a great pay off for us. She has developed her own schedule pretty much, I have never had to wake her up to feed and have not had any really late and stressful nights with a fussy baby.

- Take advantage of resting as much as you can the first 6 weeks, you and your body will greatly appreciate it. Don't try to do too much too soon or worry about trying to loose the baby weight, give yourself and your body the time it needs to heal properly. 

- Take advantage of your friends and family that are offering and willing to help you. If you need to take a shower, need the rugs vacuumed, the dishes washed, a load of laundry done, a few things picked up from the store....don't be afraid to ask for help.

- Depending on your needs, find some time for yourself. Whether it's one hour a day or a few hours on the weekend, find some time for you to relax and get things done that you want to get done. I am very blessed that my parents live right next door to us. My mom has been a life-saver. If I need to go grocery shopping or run some quick errands or need to get some house cleaning done, she will help me or watch Lilly while I get some things done. Since my husband works during the week, we have an arrangement where I get up with her at night during the week and on the weekends he gets up with her if she wakes up (she will usually wake up around 3 or 4 in the morning and then at 7 or 8) while I get some extra sleep.

- If you want to hold your baby, hold your baby! You only have them like this at this stage for a very short window in time. Get all the peaceful baby snuggles you can and want.