Can you believe we’re already in the second week of 2018? Time is seriously flying. Frankly, it’s been so dang cold here that I’m not really complaining that these frozen weeks are going by quickly. So, I’m super excited about today’s post and this whole motherhood series, which will go live every Tuesday!
Before Owen was born, I did share several posts on my pregnancy (12, 26, 32, 36, and 38 weeks), and his birth story and nursery, but I’m thrilled to be dedicating a day each week to mom talk. I know not all of you have babies or even want them, so if you’re not into these motherhood posts, that’s totally fine too. Don’t worry, the rest of the week will be my regular programming!
The real reason I’m so pumped to be starting this series is because I’ve loved connecting with so many of you other mamas on Instagram and Stories. You guys have calmed my worries about blocked tear ducts and shared your experiences with moving your baby to his crib and so much more. Connecting with you guys in this little community is what makes my job so rewarding and I’m hoping this can be a more formal way to chat and to cover topics in more detail! Plus, these posts won’t go away in 24 hours, so you can come back and reference them at any time. I invite you to comment and share your own stories, experiences and suggestions so that everyone can benefit from them!
A few weeks ago, I asked what you guys wanted to see first in this series—our favorite newborn products or Owen’s schedule first—and it was a close call, but newborn products won by just a hair. I’ll start with that today and next week I’ll share Owen’s current schedule!
One last thing before I dive into those products! If there’s another topic or question you have or would love to see a post on, email me or suggest it in the comments! Okay, that’s it!
Keekaroo Peanut Changer
This ‘Peanut Changer’ has been one of my favorite purchases for Owen. As you’ll quickly learn, you change a heck of a lot of diapers and sometimes it gets messy! Especially if you have a boy (Owen has peed on the wall before—oops!). Because of the material of this changing pad, we can just wipe it clean with sanitizing wipes instead of having to wash the cover and pad underneath. To me, not having to do an extra load of laundry is a win, and this definitely helps! It’s also available here and this one is similar and a little cheaper.
Burp Cloths & Bandana Bibs
I underestimated how many burb clothes you need! Or rather, how quickly they get dirty. Thankfully Owen hasn’t dealt with reflux, but even though he doesn’t spit up that often, he tends to dribble milk down his chin while he eats and blows lots of spit bubbles. Oh, and it’s good for wiping a runny nose in a pinch. I love these Aden & Anais burp cloths because they actually have a snap on them so they can double as bibs. I also love these from Little Unicorn because they have a little cut out that makes them fit over your shoulder and stay there. Plus, they have the cutest prints! I got a lot of questions about Owen’s bandana bibs, those are also from Little Unicorn and are great for bottle feeding since they catch those milk dribbles!
Baby Skincare & Soap
You already know that clean beauty and skincare is important to me and I wanted to use products that were safe for Owen as well. I bought Beautycounter’s Baby Bundle before he was born and use all three products on a regular basis! The baby oil has been great for dry winter skin. I also use this Baby Balm from Primally Pure for Owen’s cheeks. They get super dry and red—probably from winter, and this helps keep them soft! I have their whole Baby Kit and I’m planning on using that after our Beautycounter stuff runs out. Both brands are super clean and safe so you can feel good about either!
Dock-a-Tot
Okay, so I had a ton of people we needed this thing so of course, I registered for it. At first we didn’t really use it that much and I kind of felt bad because they’re not cheap. Fast forward a few weeks and I’m really thankful for it. Since our place is small, we didn’t get any extra bassinet, like the Rock-n-Play, for downstairs. Instead, we set the Dock-a-Tot on the couch (only while we’re sitting there) and let Owen sleep in there if he’s not in his crib. They’ve come out with so many cute patterns since we got ours too! It’s also easy to clean. Just remove the cover and toss it in the wash—which we’ve done several times already!
Medela Breast Pump
I was really nervous to pump, haha! I thought it would hurt and I held off for weeks, engorged boobs and all. Big mistake! This Medela Pump in Style Advanced breast pump has been a game changer for me. I’ll probably do a whole post on breastfeeding, but for now, do yourself a favor and invest in a good pump that works well! This was actually the one that our insurance provided (so check on that because it’s likely covered!). Even if you plan on exclusively breastfeeding on the boob, it’s still smart to have this for emergency cases. Nipples get raw and sore, especially at the beginning, your boobs will likely get engorged at the beginning and this can provide much needed relief, and lastly, it’s really great to be able to store milk in the freezer for future use! I use these freezer bags in 5oz. portions and have a freezer full for when I’m gone and Rob needs to feed Owen.
UPPAbaby Cruz & Mesa Car Seat
The stroller and car seat—probably one of the biggest choices you’ll make and one that you’ll use a lot. As city dwellers, investing in a good stroller was a priority for us since we spend so much time walking around the city. We opted for the UPPAbaby Cruz over the Vista because of it’s slightly smaller size, but if you’re having twins or want to be able to add an additional seat in the future, get the Vista. I’m sure we’ll end up with that one in the future! The Cruz is a little lighter and smaller, making it easy to get up and down our skinny staircase and into the trunk of our small car. It’s also easy to maneuver around town and into shops and restaurants.
It comes in several colors and I absolutely love the marled blue color and leather handles on ours. Even if we’d had a girl, I would have gone with this color combo! Sidenote, it sells out fast, so if you’re expecting in the next few months, go ahead and order asap! You probably won’t use the stroller much the first month or two, but the car seat, you need in order to leave the hospital!
We decided to not get the bassinet attachment because so many friends said they barely used it. Instead, we just put Owen in his Mesa car seat, which easily clicks into the stroller base. It’s incredibly easy to install with the accompanying base and the fact that it’s compatible with the stroller makes it that much better!
Love to Dream Swaddle Up
If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll know that I love this thing! I bought a few of the velcro swaddles and Owen fought those things like crazy. As soon as his arms were up, he’d be fine, so we tried this Love to Dream Swaddle Up that allows his arms to be up by his face, but keeps his startle reflex in check so he doesn’t wake himself up. Once we started using this, he started sleeping longer stretches and now we can expect about 6-8 hours of sleep from him at 7 weeks which is amazing for any sleep-deprived parent! I’d wait to order this until after your baby is born so you know which size to order. We had an XS, but Owen was too big for it upon birth, ha!
Each baby is different, so it’s good to have a few different types of swaddles to see which one works best for them. Some babies love their arms being tucked down, so who knows what your baby will like. It’s good to have options at hand though, especially when you’re desperate for more sleep!
BabyBjorn Carrier
There are a lot of baby carriers out there, but Rob really wanted this one, ha! I’ve ended up loving this carrier and use it more than he ever has! I think there are several different BabyBjorn Carriers, but we just got the original and I was surprised by how affordable it was! It’s easy to put on and feels more secure to me than the cuter baby wraps. That being said, I do have a Solly Baby Wrap as well and do like it, but it’s more complicated to put on and is tougher to get Owen in, but I really think it’s a personal choice!
Muslin Swaddles
Before we tried the swaddle I mentioned above, we were half swaddling Owen and letting his hands stick up by his head. This worked okay, but he would kick himself out of the swaddle and his hands would get really cold. That being said, these muslin swaddles are so versatile. You can use them as a swaddle, of course, but we use them as blankets at night, covers for his stroller and for wrapping him up when we’re hanging out on the couch. I think we have about 8 of these and I love them! They get softer with each wash too.
Nose Syringe
We actually bought the Frida Nasal Aspirator, but I find that the nose syringe that we got at the hospital works so much better. Snag that on your way out as they’ll just toss it! Babies breathe out of their noses and keeping those airways clear is super important! It’s been so dry and his nose gets stuffier so much faster. We also found that sometimes we were still having problems clearing his nose because boogies had dried. We squirt a few drops of saline into his nose, let it sit for a minute and then use the syringe and it works like a charm! He hates it, but when he realizes he can breathe easier, everyone’s happy!
White Noise Machine
We use one of these Dohm sound machines in our room to drown out random noises and also have one in Owen’s room that I turn on when he’s napping in his crib. It makes us sleep soundly and will be great when he starts going to bed earlier because his room is right next to the kitchen. When we introduce a more regular bedtime routine, this will be a part of it!
BabyBjorn Bouncer
Owen is a pretty chill baby. He doesn’t fuss too much, but when he does, it’s usually because he’s hungry, needs a diaper change or he wants to see more. We bought ordered this bouncer after using one my mom had borrowed in Dallas. It holds him upright and doesn’t let him slide down into the chair (a problem we were having with another bouncer), and it’s lightweight and easy to move around. He loves looking at the tree in our house and the lights, so when I’m trying to do dishes or cook dinner, I’ll stick him in there and let him stare! He also falls asleep in it, so while I’m getting work done, I’ll put him next to my desk and let him snooze in this!
PeePee TeePee
If you’re having a boy, you need these pee pee teepees! Rob’s mom actually gave us these as a gift, and after getting peed on a few times, I use these every time I change the diaper. Boys tend to start peeing when you open their diaper upon changing. I guess it’s because the cold air hits them and, well, they pee! These are cheap and will save you from cleaning up bigger messes!
HALO Bassinest
Lastly, I’ve loved this HALO Bassinest and I did a full review on it in this post. The first six weeks, Owen slept in our room right next to our bed and I could easily swivel him over and feed him at night without having to get out of bed. We’ve now moved him out of our room and into our closet (a reader tip, thank you!). We don’t use the swivel feature in there now, but it’s small enough to fit in there and we’ll continue using it like this until we move him downstairs to his crib. He still wakes up once, usually around 5:30-6 to eat, so it’s nice that he’s close by, but not so close that he keeps us awake at night with all of his little baby sounds.
What newborn products did you love the most? I’d love to hear!
BTW, what you actually need in your hospital bag, and Owen’s birth story.