Pregnancy & Motherhood Archives - Page 5 of 5

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Are you wondering what to put on your baby registry? I know how overwhelming it can be when you sign up for a new registry. I had trouble even deciding where I even wanted to register at. After looking at all the different stores, I decided to register my baby registry through babylist, an online platform. One of the main reasons I chose babylist was because there was no set limit to using just one store. I was able to add items from target, amazon, buy buy baby, and etc. It also shared who bought what items, which saved me so much time when writing and sending out my thank you notes.

What is necessary?

Anyway, contemplating what items you want to add to your baby registry can be tough. There are thousands of different baby items on the market and it is constantly growing. I honestly did not know where to begin or what was essential to my baby. Looking at some of my friends previously made baby registries helped me gain a better understanding of what I should add.

However, I kept asking myself, is that something that is really essential? A baby needs to be loved, fed, bathed, and comforted. That helped me eliminate a lot of unnecessary items.

You will always receive plenty of outfits and diapers; therefore, I would pick other items you really want or are interested in. Below are some items that I found to be the most beneficial or found after the birth of my baby that I wish I would had found sooner.

Top 9 new born items to include in your baby registry

The items included below were the most essential to have when we first arrived home from the hospital:

Brest friend– Being a first time mom and a breastfeeding mom is hard, you have to find the right position for you and the baby. The Brest friend is flat with a little cushion and it truly helps the baby stay in place. It wraps around your body to help give you the proper support and posture. I wish I had brought it to the hospital with me when my daughter was born as she had a lot of trouble latching in the beginning. Having this put in place from the beginning, would have made my breastfeeding journey a bit easier. You can get the Brest friend in many colors/ prints. The best part: you can unzip the cover and throw it in the washing machine ( warm gentle cycle), because let me be honest, your baby will spit up at some point or another.

2. Gracco Pack n play– I chose a pack n play with a changing table, and I am so happy I did because I used it so much the first few months. I kept the pack n play downstairs on our first floor. This specific pack n play included a bassinet and could be adjusted to two different levels/ heights as the baby grows.

3. Owlet camera– I know many people who have used the owlet sock and camera to track their babies breathing. I originally had bought a different monitor when my baby was born. Once my old monitor broke, I investigated into getting an owlet camera. I love the fact that you can view the monitor by using an app on your phone. The other monitor I owned would constantly die and had to be plugged in to hold a charge. The owlet has great night vision and connects to your wifi.

4. Mika Micky bedside sleeper/ bassinet-T I knew I would be breastfeeding, so I researched many different bassinets. The Mika Micky bedside sleeper caught by eye. This bassinet came in handy especially the weeks following the hospital. It can be used as a bassinet or can be unzipped to safely attach to your bedside. I used it as both until we transferred our baby girl to her crib at 6 weeks.

5. Snuggle Me organic- We used the snuggle me organic the first few months. I loved how it wrapped and formed around my daughters body. It fit perfectly in the Mika Micky bedside sleeper as well as in her crib.

6. Bluesnail Changing pad liners- Babies poop A LOT! I can’t tell you how many times my daughter had blowouts or a nasty diaper change. These pad liners were a huge life saver not only saving me time with cleaning, but also fit in the pack and play changer as well as on the changing table. They are thick and have a slight padding to make it comfortable for the baby. As soon as I was done, I could throw it in the washer. They have held up great. These are by far my favorite brand that I ordered.

7. Swaddles– Velcro swaddles were the best during the newborn phase. They are so easy to use and are very lightweight. I originally had bought muslin blankets to use as swaddles, but I just could never get the hang of it! My husband was great at swaddling our daughter, unfortunately he was usually at work when I needed to wrap her in one.

Once my daughter reached about 3 or 4 weeks, I noticed she no longer liked her arms to be tucked in. I then discovered the Love to Dream Swaddle. These are fantastic, we used them every single night, so of course I had to buy an extra! They allowed my daughter to feel snuggled and secure while also allowing her to have her arms up. Once she started to roll over, I purchased the love to dream swaddle transition bag. This is remarkably similar to the original; however, this swaddle also gives you the option to unzip the arm pockets so that their hands are free. She slept in these for naps and at night up until she was about 8 months old.

8. Boppy Nursing Pillow and Bobby Infant Lounger– Both items got used quite a bit. I used them for tummy time, to help assist with sitting up, and lounging. They were soft and the perfect material for a newborn.

9. Haakaa– The haakaa is a silicone breast pump and a great way to collect extra milk while nursing. I was able to get a generous milk stash from doing this every time I nursed. When I was full, I used the haakaa to quickly and easily express milk as well. This item quickly became one of my favorite items to use while I was breastfeeding.

Chico keyfit30– there are so many car seats on the market. I went with the keyfit30 and I am so glad I did. One of the features that sold me was how easy it was to transfer the car seat from the car to the stroller. The base stays in the car and the car seat will lock in place with ease. We decided to get two bases, one for my car and one for husbands. We bought the stroller, car seat, and base as a set. You can buy them individually as well.

Stroller, Car Seat, and accessories for the car

Light Up Mirror for the Car– our daughter has always been interested in music and lights. She loved watching the mirror light up and sing as we drove. This specific mirror will play for 15 minutes. You can choose a daylight or nighttime song. (Both versions will light up on the mirror) I still use this with my almost two year old.

Car seat cover– I can not stress how much I loved our insulated car seat cover. They have many different types of car seat covers on the internet that are thin, this specific one was insulated and kept our daughter the perfect temperature. There is a zipper at the top that allows for ventilation and easy visibility. Transporting my newborn baby from home to daycare everyday was a breeze with this cover. It kept her warm and was so easy to take on or off.

Baby Care Essentials

Infant Bath Tub- I chose a 4-in-1 tub. We used the sling attachment the first few months (newborn until about 6 months), then transitioned and inserted the seat inside. This tub grew with our daughter and was a great purchase.

Windi– My daughter always seemed to be constipated especially when we had to transition her to formula at daycare. The windi was a life savor! It would help relieve gas right away. Make sure you put coconut oil or a lubricant on the tip before inserting.

Mommy Bliss Gripe Water- The first month or two, my daughter would wake up in the middle of the night with belly pains. I tried everything: the belly kicks, the rubbing of the tubby, you name it. Gripe water always seemed to help calm her down and help with the gas.

Nose Frida- helps suck all those boogies out!

Play Activities: Add to your registry now or buy later

The only play item I had on my baby registry was the bright starts 5 in one activity gym. I knew I could use this right away for tummy time and helping with hand- eye coordination. I later bought the walker, activity table, and bouncer because I wasn’t sure what I was looking for when I was pregnant or what I would need.

Bright Starts 5 in one Activity Gym- This soft mat can be used for tummy time and can later be transitioned to a small ball pit. My daughter loved the light up elephant and toys that attached to the arches. You can easily unclip and move the toys to different loops depending on what they are doing. This activity gym is a little pricier than others, but I am so glad I went with it.

Jumper/ Bouncer- Once your baby is able to hold up their head and body with no support, a jumper or bouncer is a great idea to help build strength in their legs.

Leap Frog Activity table– Great for babies who are learning to stand. My daughter used this from 9 months to current. It teaches colors, shapes, hand eye coordination, and has songs/ greetings from around the globe. You can also take off the legs to the table and it makes a great lap/ floor activity.

You can grab a free printable baby registry checklist here. Download

We see so many positive posts on social media regarding pregnancy and birth, but there is truly little out there on the reality of postpartum care healing and recovery after vaginal birth. So commonly we scroll through social media and see moms looking so pleasant and put together after birth. Now, do not get me wrong, I never thought healing and recovery after vaginal birth would be a walk in the park, but I was not as prepared for postpartum as I would have hoped. I was quite opposite from the moms who posted on social media. I had time to shower maybe 2 or 3 times the first week, lived in my maternity nursing gowns 90% of the time, and didn’t touch my makeup until 4 months later.

What does healing and recovery after vaginal birth look like for you after the birth of your baby?

I am going to shed some light on the truth of after pregnancy and postpartum. Below are 5 recovery tips for postpartum healing that I wish I had known sooner.

Tired as a Mother

Let’s start after the birth of the baby. Reality has not quite set in yet and your adrenalin may still be going. Once settled in the room, you and the baby are continually getting poked and prodded at after giving birth. Obviously with good cause, but it is so hard to get sleep while staying in the hospital which leads me to my next point: sleep deprivation, it is a real thing. By the time I got home from the hospital I think I was running on maybe 4 hours of sleep over the course of 48 hours or more.

I was completely drained, emotional, and exhausted. So many feelings are rushing through your mind. You want your friends and family to meet your beautiful baby, but at the same time you just want to be left alone. Anyone who knows me, knows I never ask for help. I did not and I do not want you to make the same mistake I did. If someone asks to help you, take it! Take that extra hour to get some sleep or to take a nice warm shower. Even taking a 10-minute hot shower made a world of a difference to me. Your body needs to heal and recover. The best way to start recovering is drinking plenty of water and giving your body the rest it needs.

Join a Support Network

As a new mom, I would strongly encourage you to join some kind of support network or to join a mom’s group to help cope with postpartum. I can not tell you how comforting it is to see and be around other women who are going through and experiencing what you are. I decided to join a free breastfeeding group that was offered by my closest hospital when my daughter was 3 weeks old. It was twice a week for an hour or two which was a great way to make me get myself out of the house and feel somewhat normal again. I know those first few weeks are tough, but there is comfort in being around others that are willing to be a friend, a listening ear, or are offering advice. You can find support networks through your community, Facebook and social media sites.

Postpartum Hormones and Healing

After you give birth, your hormones will be all over the place. It takes quite a bit of time for your body to recover and get back to normal. Do not be surprised if you experience anxiety, mood swings, fatigue, and hair loss. Hair loss is quite common after you give birth. I didn’t start losing my hair until 4 months postpartum. I remember being in the shower and losing clumps of hair or having strands wrapped around my ponytail holder. It was very startling and something I was not aware could happen during postpartum. After researching and looking online, I ended up buying invisibobble hair rings, these were the perfect solution to putting my hair up. Most importantly, you should continue to take your prenatal vitamins after pregnancy. This will ensure that you are getting the right nutrients your body needs to recover.

Healing and Recovery, take it easy

I did not expect to be so sore after pregnancy and labor. It was extremely hard for me to walk, move, and quite frankly deal with everyday life the first two weeks.

What makes this first two weeks difficult is the possibility of a vaginal tear during delivery. For me, I was left with a level 2 tear that I had to manage. Tears can range anywhere from a 1 to a 4. I was in a lot of pain and did not fully heal until about 6 or 7 weeks later. Please keep in mind that everyone’s pain and tolerance is different. Therefore, I recommend relaxing and staying put. I was constantly trying to clean up the house and wanting to put things away. I was lucky that while doing this I did not tear a stitch or cause more pain. Instead, my advice to you is to take the down time to cuddle and snuggle with your baby. After all, the newborn phase comes and goes by so quickly!

Bleeding the First Few Weeks of Postpartum

You will use adult diapers/ or mesh panties the first few weeks of postpartum. They are not very stylish or comfortable, but they are necessary with how much you will be bleeding and clotting. I underestimated how much I would use them. My husband had to run out at least 2 times to get more. I personally loved using depends during this time. Stock up ahead of time if you can!

Using the toilet and how to make it manageable

I remember going to the bathroom the first time after vaginal birth I was terrified. Let me introduce you to the perineal bottle. In short, this is a squirt bottle. Fill it with warm water and gently squirt it every time you use the bathroom. This will help consistently clean and soothe the perineal area. It was my best friend during this time. I would recommend having two. I kept one in the shower and one in the bathroom. When finished cleansing, gently blot with toilet paper. I always added tucks medicated cooling pads with witch hazel to my depends. Keep the witch hazel in the fridge, you will thank me later.

Postpartum Healing Tips After Vaginal Birth

Postpartum Healing and Care Checklist Download

The bump is a great online resource to refer to, the attached link dives deeper into postpartum care. This site also provides upcoming moms and seasoned moms with advice and tips about not only pregnancy and postpartum but also parenting and baby gear. I always loved seeing the weekly pregnancy updates on my babies development.