The idea of cloth diapers always intrigued me. I always try to be Green as often as possible. I felt guilty even before my baby was born thinking about how much more garbage we would generate from diapering. Not to mention how expensive cloth diapering would be. 

I was scrolling through Pinterest and I noticed an infographic showing that most parents spend anywhere from $1500-$4000 PER YEAR on diapers (depending on the diaper brand). That is a lot of money to be spending just on diapers. 

I bought $60 worth of cloth diapers before my son was born. I procrastinated for 4 months and came up with excuse after excuse for why I wasn't ready. It is gross; it will be too much work; I don't have time... I could write an entire blog on the reasons I avoided it. I started to feel guilty about wasting money on diapers and liners sitting upstairs that were not being used.

Finally, over Christmas break, I decided I'm going to do this, and if it isn't for me, then it isn't for me. At least I could say I tried and stop feeling so guilty about wasting money. 

The first day we did it, I realized that it wasn't so bad. This realization pushed me to try again the next day; and the next and the day after that. At the end of that first week, I realized it wasn't nearly as gross, time-consuming, or inconvenient as I had thought. I posted some pictures of a dirty diaper later in the blog, not to be gross, but to show you, it really isn't bad at all.

Now I will put it out there that we are not a full-time cloth diapering mommy. We are a hybrid home, where we use disposable diapers at daycare and night currently. At first, I didn't want to inconvenience the daycare. However, we might be switch to cloth diapers full time, so stay tuned!

Okay, let's get back on track...

If you are considering it, I highly recommend just trying it yourself. You do not have to go all out on expensive diapers and gear. You will be spending the money on disposable diapers anyway, so what is the hurt in spending $60 to try it out. You will be spending that money on disposable diapers anyway, right?

If all that wasn't enough to convince you to give it a try, technically our society has been using disposable diapers all wrong. According to the box, the diapers are not intended to be disposed of with the poop wrapped up inside. Instead, you are supposed to dispose of the waste in the toilet and then throw away the soiled diaper. In a sense, you are required to do almost the same amount of work as a cloth diaper at this point.  

Here were some of the questions I wish I had known before starting:

Where do you clean the diapers?
At first, I used the toilet and would dunk my hands in and give it a quick scrub to get the poop off. 

You can also get a sprayer that hooks up to the toilet water line to spray down the pads. In doing so, you don't have to put your hands in the toilet. 

But if I am going, to be honest, and real, now I just use the upstairs bathroom sink and clean it with bleach at the end of the day. Most of the time I am just rinsing out pee anyways, and the diaper liners catch the majority of the poop.

What do you do with the pad insert?
There are different ways to go about inserting the pad. The diaper shells that I use have a pocket you place the pad inside. The only downfall with this is that you then have to replace the shell after every use. Instead, I just lay the pad in the shell like a maxi pad liner. In doing so, I am just replacing the pad and the disposable liner, which allows me to reuse the shell. Who needs more laundry?

Side note: Because my son isn't mobile yet, we haven't had any issues with it moving or leaks. This might change when he starts crawling and running around, but for now, it has worked great. 

How many diaper shells do you go through a day?
Anywhere from 1-3 diaper shells, depending on his bowel movements. Most of the time, I am changing pee diapers, and I am swapping out the pads. The only time I swap the shell is if poop gets on it.

How many pads do you use in a day? Right now (at 6 months), my son goes through about 8 or 9 diaper pads per day.

How do you launder the linen?
I typically do the laundry after 2-3 days. I haven't any issues with smell yet. When I do the load of laundry, I set it on the hot cycle, add in the detergent and a scoop of Oxy-clean. The Oxy-clean is key to getting out those poop stains. Afterward, I hang them to dry on my drying rack. I love this rack because it has clips and it takes up barely any space.

What do you do at night? 
At night we put Jack in disposable diapers. The one downfall is that the cloth diapers are super absorbent, but the wetness will still sit against their skin. Because I am not going to be getting up as much throughout the night, we put him in disposable diapers at night to keep his skin dry.

What do you do with the poop? 
Since our son still has more liquid poops, we just ball up the liner and throw it away. When he gets older and his poop is more solid, you dump the waste into the toilet and throw away the soiled liner.

WARNING: Here are the diaper photos I warned you about below!!! I think the last photo is worth noting, this is all that is thrown away, a small tissue size wad of liner. I also think its important to show how absorbent the diaper liners are, even more liquid poop doesn't get through these bad boys.

If you are interested in giving it a try and I really hope you do here is what I recommend:


Alva Baby Cloth Diapers: 
There are other brands out there that can cost $20 per diaper shell. That is crazy to me! These cost less than $35 and they come with 2 pad inserts in each diaper too. I still recommend buying the charcoal pad inserts, these inserts are far better than the inserts that come inside the diapers.

Black Diaper Pads: 
It just makes sense. Poop stains and why make more work for yourself. There are no stains with this dark color. Plus these suckers are SUPER absorbent.

Diaper Liner: 
We use these diaper liners and I can't believe how effective they are. We wad it up and throw it away. Even though some liners are "flushable", no one wants an unwanted plumbing bill. Think of these as your poop catchers.

Drying Rack: 
I love this hanging drying rack. It has come in handy not only for letting the diapers air dry, but we use it for other articles of clothing I don't want to throw in the dryer.

Waterproof Bag:
We hang this dirty diaper bag on the back of our bathroom door. That way we can just throw the used pads and shells in after.

​

​Going back to work after having a baby was one of the toughest moments of my life, maybe the toughest outside of having my miscarriage.

I cried for two weeks straight leading up to returning and not just normal crying. The ugly kind; the snot running down your face coming from the deepest part of you type of crying. It was only a few months ago, but I just remember feeling like a part of me was about to die as I held my baby and rocked him as I wept uncontrollably. 

I was so bitter at the world, at my husband, at myself for not being able to afford to be able to stay at home with the baby. I wanted to stay at home with him more than anything, but my student loans were far too high for my husband to take on. We already relied on my husband's income to pay the mortgage, electricity, gas, the internet, and his student loans. It wasn't fair to put even more stress on him and expect him to cover part of my loans which come to $800 a month.

There was already so much stress about having to leave my son, it was hard to think about what I needed to do to prep myself for shifting to this new routine and change.

Going back to work would now be different, I had to think about what it would take to be a career mom, but also getting the baby ready for his day ahead as well. In the end, everything worked out really well the way I approached going back to work. I hope some of these strategies might help you transition back into this new change, not only in your personal/ family life, but also in your career life as well.

Here is my list of tips on how to make the transition easier:

Have Your Spouse or Family Watch The Baby The First Week.
I am a realist. I know that this is a privilege, and it might not apply or be an option for all households. However, if it is possible for your situation, this probably the one thing that will make it the easiest to go back to work. 

My husband took the first week off as I went back to work. Knowing he was at home with dad and not a stranger was a huge relief. My maternity leave only allowed me to stay out for 6 weeks contractually. My husband helped get me through the school day by sending photos and short videos of Jack. This made it so much easier getting to "see" him throughout my day.

Our family was incredible and they also chipped in and took turns watching Jack for the next few weeks.  As a result of this, Jack was able to stay out of daycare until he was 12 weeks and build up his immune system more.

Treat Yo'Self
Go out and get your hair, nails, or even a facial done. You are exhausted and you need to have a little bit of rejuvenation. As easy as it is to put ourselves last, it is so important to still take care of yourself both physically and mentally.

Buy Yourself a New Outfit
Going back to work is hard enough and your old clothes might not fit. I was able to fit back into my pants fine, but my breast size was still much larger because I was breastfeeding. Having a few new outfits or even a few new shirts makes you feel good about yourself and can give you a little encouragement.

Get Yourself a Freemie Pump
I talked about this pump in my past blogs. When picking out your pump, I highly recommend getting this pump. It allows you to pump on the go, in public, or even at social gatherings discreetly. If you are a teacher, it is extremely important to buy this if feeding your baby breastmilk is a high priority. 

Legally, employers have to provide you time to pump for usually 30 minutes in New York State. In my case, the school gave me that time during my planning periods. Many of my coworkers told me stories of how getting to the nurse's office to pump, getting set up, pumping, and cleaning up was impossible to do within the 30 minutes. As a result, their supply began to dwindle, and they couldn't keep up with providing their baby with breastmilk. 

I honestly believe the only reason I am still pumping out large quantities and keeping up my supply up for the past 5 months is because of this pump. I am able to pump during class discreetly on my schedule. I put the pump on before my students arrive and take it off as soon as they leave. This allows me to pump on my schedule and if I need extra time, it is no big deal because I can still do my job. This pump allows me to get up and move around the classroom and doesn't limit or take away from teaching and getting things done during my prep time.

Pro-Tip: If you do decided to go with amazing pump. Be sure to buy extra duck bill valves and connector pieces. The ONLY problem with this brand is that you cannot walk into a Target or Walmart and snag a replacement part if you need one. I have lost two pieces so far and having to wait for new ones to ship was frustrating. I now have back up replacement parts for when I lose another part or just need to replace it in general.

Buy Kinde Storage Bags
I am a big fan of this style of breastmilk bags. I have had other brands leak and it's so frustrating. I love that these breastmilk bags have twist caps like a water bottle.

​Keep A Stash of Bags in Your Car
I sometimes forget to grab more breastmilk bags from home, or I thought I had more bags than I did at work. I have run out of bags at work and this has happened to me more than once. Having an emergency stash in your car is great just for your own peace of mind and it sure comes in handy when you do run out. I would cry if I ever had to pump and dump.

Buy a Milk Cooler Bag
If you do not have one of these already, I highly recommend these to transport your milk from work. My work commute time is over an hour-long from school. I need to make sure that milk stays cold until I get home. 

Side-note: It is really hard to get an art teacher job, if you are wondering, it is my goal to get a job closer to home.

Bring an Extra Pair of Clothes: 
Spills and leaks are bound to happen. One time, I didn't squat to pick something up, I bent over while pumping and got breastmilk all over me! GAH!!! I think I was more upset about losing the milk than anything. Bring a neutral top and a neutral pair of pants. I chose black pants and a black top that way it will go with whatever I am wearing. 

Buy a Utility Tote Bag
As a teacher, I usually bring my teaching bag/purse, a lunch bag, and my laptop to and from work every day. Now I had to add my pump bag and my breastmilk cooler bag. I was going to look like the crazy bag lady! I went onto Amazon to buy a utility tote. I didn't want to spend a ton of money on one and got the cheapest one I could find. It is no Thirty-One tote quality-wise, but for $15 I couldn't really complain. It gets the job done and I can put all of the bags into one bag.

Buy a Water Tumbler
Hydration is key for pumping and keeping your supply up. I hate drinking water. I have to force myself to do it unless I am working out. Having a cute tumbler with photos of your sweet baby all over it helps to remind you to stay hydrated and who doesn't love looking at their baby all day?
After each pumping session, I fill up the tumbler and chug the whole thing down because if I don't, I will forget and not do it.
 
Record Baby Crying
This was a suggestion I was given when I was going back to work. Sometimes when our brains hear the baby cry, it kicks in the hormones and triggers our bodies to start producing milk. I used this in the beginning but realized that I didn't need it all the time. 

Buy Breast Shell
If you are pumping, you will want to have these breast shells. They are a lifesaver. Pumping can leave your girls feeling sore and then having them rub up against your bra can be really painful at times. These give your breasts a little bit of relief by creating a barrier to keep your nipples from rubbing up against the bra.

Set a Series of Alarms
If you are a pumping mama, you can easily get so focused on your work that you may forget to pump. I pump every 3 hours to mimic how often Jack needs to eat. Even though I know when I need to pump again, the time can often get away from me. Having that backup reminder is such a huge help. You may eventually only need one or two alarms.

Have Lunch or Dinner With a Co-Worker Friend
This was one of the most helpful aspects of prepping myself to return to work. My teacher friends had a "happy hour" and met up at an ice cream parlor after work. I joined them and brought Jack with me. It was a lot of fun and there were lots of laughs. It helped me remember how fun my co-workers were and made me realize I did miss interacting with them on a daily basis.

Do a Practice Run
Leaving your baby for the first time is so hard regardless of what you are doing. Sign up and volunteer somewhere for a few hours or even take it slow and go in for half a day once a week. This will make that sting of having to leave not be so intense.

On top of being a mom, a teacher and a blogger, I also have a sip and paint side business called Vino & Vernici. This is how I eased into going back to teaching at school. I first started doing a few paint parties again. I cried on the drive to the first paint party after having Jack, but once I got there, I was fine. The best part about working or volunteering was coming home. Coming home had never been so exciting before, I almost had an adrenaline rush. Let's just say I was a little heavy on the gas pedal that day.

Try to Remember Your Why
This is easier said than done, but if you can find one it does help. 

I had two "why" reasons. The first was my student loans. I told myself that if I went back to work, I could pay off my student loans faster. My hope was I could be a stay at home mom for baby number 2.

The second reason was we knew before Jack was born, that Jack potentially had a mild kidney concern. My health insurance isn't the worst, but it isn't the best either. The copay of the ultrasounds can cost a few hundred dollars each time he had to have it done. Having this motivation for making sure I could provide him with these necessary procedures helped make it a little easier for returning to work.

Cry It Out
Do not bottle those emotions girl. This is not easy and that emotional release can really help. It is totally normal and lots of moms need to have a good cry. No one is judging. It only shows how much you care and love that sweet little babe.

Write Down Your Feelings
Maybe you need a different outlet to get everything out. I find that writing about how I am feeling helps remove those awful feelings; hence the blog. I wrote an entire blog post about my feelings on returning back to work and how it felt eerily similar to the feelings I felt after my miscarriage.

Remember It Gets Better
I heard this over and over again. I didn't want to hear it at first because I was so bitter and mad about having to go back to work. It took a long time for me to really be okay with it. I was able to get through the week and be okay with working, but once the weekend came, it reminded me of what I was missing and it unraveled all of the progress I had made throughout the week.

Honestly, it took me about a month to really get back into the swing of things and for me to enjoy my job as much as I had used to. But the moms were right, it did get better and easier.

Remember Your Blessings
Lastly, sometimes we need to look at the big picture and remember what really matters. Do I wish I could stay at home with my son? 

Abso-freakin-lutely!!!

However, my dread is something someone else is praying for. Someone out there is praying for a job to return to, someone else is praying for a baby of their own even if they can't be a stay at home parent, having a baby with a relatively small health issue that doesn't require multiple surgeries and time in the hospital. I have so many blessings and keeping that in mind helps make me remember the big picture. 


My Final Thoughts
I know you are about to embark on a new stage in life mama, it might not be okay right away. But as all of those other mamas promised me, it will get better, your days off will be even more precious to you. Remember your blessing, someone very little is looking up to you and watching your strength.

Be brave mama and take a deep breath. Everything is going to be okay.

Hey there! Bringing home that new baby can be pretty overwhelming. I found there were a lot of things that seemed pretty self-explanatory, but then I was a little stumped on how I should go about doing it. Bathing was one of them. The first bath Jack hated it and cried the whole time. By the next week or so, I had finally found the secret formula that worked for both of us.

I am a visual learner, so I decided to take pictures of our bath process that we have used to show our setup for a smooth bath transition.

2. I also get everything out for after the bath too. I place it all on the floor because I find it the easiest and safest too. That way, if I forget something and he decides now is the first time to roll over, he isn't going far, and he isn't going to hurt himself.

3. Get out a muslin swaddle. Fold it in half into a giant triangle. Once baby is undressed, place baby's head at the top of the swaddle so that the shoulders line up with the crease. 

4. Fold the bottom corner up in between the legs quickly. Especially if you have a boy, so you don't get peed on in the process. 

5. Fold over both corners on the left and right of the baby to swaddle him or her.

6. Place baby in the bath and get the swaddle nice and wet with warm water. This will help them stay warm and calm during the bath. You will eventually need to rewet the swaddle with more warm water to keep the cloth warm. 

When I bathe Jack, I will unswaddle and wash one half of his body.  I usually start with the right side for whatever reason. In doing so, he still has the swaddle on half of him keeping him nice and warm. This is also a good chance to dunk that unswaddled corner into the water to reheat the cloth.

PRO-TIP: When bathing the baby, pour the water over their head and let the water run down their face. TRUST ME ON THIS. You might think it is mean, but I promise it will save you from issues later down the line. 

This was one of the very first things I learned what not to do as a kid watching my younger twin cousins experience bathing. My aunt would shield the water from their eyes and face when they were babies. 

Later as toddlers, my mom was giving the twins a bath. When the water hit their face, they cried so hard that one of them vomited in the tub. When their brother was born a few years later, my aunt made sure to pour water over his head and let the water run down over his face.

7. Wash all those little cracks and crevices. Seriously, babies get gunk in the weirdest spots; behind their ears, in between their little fat rolls, etc. 

Also, side note, if you are a first-time mom or dad reading this, the baby only needs a bath 2-3 times per week. CRAZY RIGHT!?!
I loved bath time with Jack because he was so cute and fun in the tub, plus who doesn't love that clean baby smell. I was only bathing him 3 times a week and this still was too much for him. His skin started drying out and he started to get dandruff. He now has a Wednesday night & Saturday morning bath schedule.

8.Dry off that cute little nugget and bring the baby over to get diapered and clothed. I will usually just leave all the bath stuff out until after Jack is dried, clothed, and settled. That is one thing you will learn is that things can wait and you can come back to them even if it is 30 minutes later. It is not going anywhere!

I hope this helps make life a little easier bathing that sweet little babe. Bath time is one of my favorite moments and I hope this process makes it a little bit easier on you and baby too! 

Happy bathing!

Where to Register:
Target 
Target was my go-to option for both my baby shower and wedding shower. I highly recommend them because when you register with them (and BuyBuyBaby too) you will be sent a coupon for 15% off your entire order so you can buy any remaining items from your registry.

Register with an online retailer
If you are like me, I didn't want to limit myself to only Target. I have specific tastes and knew I wanted to be able to register for items on Amazon or even small businesses. I cannot recommend Babylist enough. I loved that I could register for anything I wanted and wasn't stuck settling for the items that Target or BuyBuyBaby carried. I could get what I wanted.

We have an old home, so closet storage and the use of our basement is practically nonexistent. I needed to be conscious about registering minimally and trying to find items that were space savers and collapsable.

Here is the list of items that I highly recommend registering for:

FOR THE NURSERY
Crib 
I chose a timeless white metal crib. I want to be able to use it for all of my children and know it isn't just trendy looking so I can use it for possibly grandchildren way in the future. My mother didn't save hardly anything from our childhood, but I love that she is reusing our old crib in her home when she babysits.

Changing Table
I bought an antique fold down secretary desk. It has these slats that come out to support the desk when you open it so that it is strong and safe for the baby. I always recommend buying antiques and repurposing them for multiple reasons. The first reason; they are well made. Furniture nowadays, in my opinion, is garbage. They wear out and look awful after a short period. You can often save money too by going this route. You can find great stuff in an antique shop, estate sale, or Craigslist. Lastly, it will grow with Jack. He will be able to use it for its intended purpose as he gets older and enters school.

Changing Pad and Covers
I love these covers, they are so soft and warm for baby.
PRO-TIP: I highly recommend getting two of each if you have a two-story house. I have one for the upstairs and downstairs. I cannot recommend this enough. I can't tell you how many times Jack will poop right after I had already changed him. He did this once three times in a row. You will be going up and down the stairs constantly to change them. You won't want to be doing this especially right after giving birth.

Rocking Chair with an Ottoman Foot Stool
You are going to be spending hours in these chairs over the next few months. You are going to want to be comfortable at 3 a.m. when you and your partner are exhausted and are trying to feed your baby.

Owlet Sock and Video Monitor
This one is expensive, but the peace of mind is worth it. I had a feeling I wouldn't get it as a gift, but luckily, my guests were generous enough with the gift cards that I had enough to purchase one. I love this. It does so much more than monitors their sleep in case of an emergency. It tracks how well he sleeps as well as lets me know if his room is too hot or too cold. This feature comes in handy since our house is over 100 years old, and heating the upstairs can be an issue. 

PRO-TIP: I was able to get mine cheaper since I registered for it on Target. I made sure to use my 15% off my entire purchase that Target sends out. This coupon is for the items you didn't receive from your shower that you still need to purchase.

Heater: This heater is for anyone that has an older home or for a house that doesn't have adequate heating in the winter. Space heaters terrify me because of all the stories I have seen about how they can start fires if not used properly. One night, the monitor let me know that Jack's room was too cold; again, our house was built in 1880. I felt terrible and didn't know what else to do because they tell you not to put blankets in your baby's crib, and I had him bundled up as much as I could. I did some research and found this heater. I am so glad I purchased it. I keep it out in the hall and point it in the doorway so that it's nowhere near anything that could catch fire. I love that it has a timer and an automatic shut off if it shorts out. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS.

Lulyboo To-Go Bassinet
I knew before we were pregnant, I did not want a Pack-And-Play. These are big and bulky, and we did not have the room for one. I thought about getting a Dock-a-tot, but I was not about to spend $200 on a glorified couch pillow. I found the best of both worlds with this to-go bassinet. The travel bassinet was so affordable and cute; we ended up using it every night. 

I also did not want a bedside bassinet. In older homes, there are usually two bedrooms that connect through a door. Men and women had their own bedrooms, and the door connects to the two for when they decided to have some "adult time." I jokingly refer to it as the "nookie door." To me, the bedside bassinet was only one more thing we would have to store, and Jack was so close anyway, I thought it would be a waste. The first few nights with Jack were rough. I couldn't understand why he was so fussy. Finally, Tom pointed out that at the hospital, the plastic cart the babies sleep in is more confined, and his crib was very wide open. He probably didn't like the openness of the crib. We ended up placing the bassinet in the crib to make him feel more confined. Tom was right. He started sleeping better through the night.

Fitted Crib Sheet & Waterproof Mattress Cover
The fitted sheet is self-explanatory; however, most crib mattresses are waterproof. So why am I telling you to buy one? Because I am about to give you a great new mama hack.

PRO-TIP: Buy two fitted sheets and place them both on the crib mattress with the waterproof mattress cover in between the two. That way, when the baby has an accident (and it will happen), you are not fumbling around in the middle of the night trying to find a clean sheet and put it on. You tear off the soiled sheet and waterproof cover leaving the replacement sheet. It is all ready to go, and both you and baby can go back to sleep sooner. 

Crib Skirting:
This way, if your crib doesn't have drawers underneath, you now have an extra storage area, and no one has to see that those items are there. Plus, it helps put a beautiful finishing touch to your baby's crib. We chose Sweet JoJo's ruffle skirting even though we had a boy. It is so classic and sweet. It really adds a cuteness factor to the crib.

White Noise Machine
I did not register for this. I thought it was a waste of money. However, one of my guests bought me one anyway, and I almost returned it. I am so glad I didn't. It has made such a big difference when Jack is sleeping. I like the setting that sounds like white noise with a heartbeat. Another reason I love it is that it projects little stars on the ceiling. This light is perfect so that you are not stumbling around in the dark,

PRO-TIP: When the baby is crying like crazy (doesn't matter if it is day or night and nothing is helping, try You-Tubing "white noise") 9 out of 10 times, it has helped calm Jack down when I have tried everything else.

Diaper Pail Garbage
You are going to want some kind of diaper pal to contain the smell of the many diapers you are about to be changing. I selected and highly recommend theUbbi pail. After doing some research, it was the best for containing the smells. I couldn't agree more.

LAUNDRY ESSENTIALS
Laundry Basket 
The baby is going to go through a lot of clothes. We purchased this laundry basket and have been happy with it. 

PRO-TIP: Purchase a garment bag to keep all of those little socks together while in the wash. The socks are so small and can easily be lost.

Drying Rack
I originally purchased this hanging drying rack for the cloth diapers I  still have yet to try with Jack. He is now just finally big enough to use them, and I have admittedly been procrastinating since I have become so used to the ease of disposable diapers. Even if you are not trying to attempt to cloth diaper your baby, I can't insist on this enough. I can't believe how often we use this for Jack's clothes. Spit ups and blow-outs happen often. After soaking them in the water and rinsing the clothes out, you are not going to want to run the dryer for each garment of clothes. This drying rack is fabulous. Just clip it and walk away. It has been a huge lifesaver.

CAR AND TRAVEL GEAR
Infant Car Seat
We registered for the Britax B-Safe Ultra Infant Car Seat. It not only is very stylish and sleek looking, but it also has high safety ratings.

Extra Base
You will want an extra base for your spouse's car. Enough said.

Toddler Car Seat
A lot of people do not think to register for the next size car seat. I can not recommend this enough. Car seats are so expensive and it will be so nice not having to pay for the next size up either. 

PRO-TIP: This tip is a good one, but it comes with a huge caution flag because I would never want to lead anyone down a path that could cause financial problems. It is so easy to charge things to a credit card and to get in over your head with overspending.  Please be cautious. 

Okay, now that we got that out of the way. Here is my pro-tip. I recommend applying for a Bed Bath and Beyond credit card. Every time you use it, you slowly earn and build up rewards gift certificates depending on how often you use it. You can use these at BuyBuyBaby too. I use my credit card for my business purchases, and I built up over $150 worth of rewards gift cards. I was able to purchase an extra toddler car seat with it! A FREE CARSEAT! 

Car Mirror
You are going to want a car mirror so you can keep an eye on your little one and glance back at them. I would be a nervous wreck without this. I have this constant fear that Jack isn't breathing. I love being able to look back and see his little chest rise and fall knowing he's sound asleep and safe. 

Stroller
I love vintage looking products with modern technology. I have a pram stroller made by CyneBaby. I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW OFTEN I GET COMPLIMENTS ON THIS STROLLER. It is so stylish as chic. Some people want something a little easier where you could snap a car seat into the stroller and be on your way. If that is you, you do you and get what makes you happy. For me, the style was worth the little bit of effort to get the baby out of the car seat and into the stroller. I don't regret it one bit.

Stroller Cover
Not all strollers come with a stroller cover. You will never know when you are going to need it. The weather can change in an instant. You don't want to be running down the street with your stroller. I have been there; it is not fun. 

Baby Carrier
This one comes in handy not only out in public but around the house as well. There were some days Jack wanted to be held all day, but there were things I needed to get done around the house like sanitizing bottles, getting poop stains out of clothes, all the fun mothery stuff. There are so many carriers out there to choose from on the internet.  For some moms, they have purchased quite a few baby carriers to find one that both the parent and baby both enjoy. I have a Konny carrier. It is cute and trendy, and I liked that it didn't have a million steps like some of the wrap carriers need.

PRO-TIP: When registering for your baby carrier, try to keep in mind not only your current bust size but your post-partum bust size as well. At first, I ordered my baby carrier, thinking about my pre-pregnancy size (36 C). During pregnancy, I was a 36 D, and now that I am pumping, I fit into a 36 DD. So obviously the small I ordered did not fit at all.

Feeding Essentials
Burp Cloths
You want to get these KeaBabies burp cloths. Yes, I know they're $22, BUT THEY ARE WORTH EVERY CENT! All other burp cloths are inferior to these burp cloths. Don't waste your time with anything else. These burp cloths are so wonderfully thick. My little boy is so sloppy when eating; this is the only burp cloth that can withstand his messiness.

Breastfeeding/ Infant Car Seat Cover
I have a Milk Snob cover. I love that I could use it for coverage while breastfeeding, pumping, and as a cover for your infant car seat. This cover was helpful during Covid with Jack or during the flu season. I could put this over his carrier; it was like a giant mask to help keep out the germs. It is also great to help keep out the cold to an extent when walking from the car.

Kinde Milk Storage Bags
If you are planning to try and breastfeed, you are going to want some of these. You might not need the bags right away as your supply slowly builds up, but you will want to have these for surplus or for milk that wasn't able to be used up within the 4 hours of being left out. When you pump, you can leave it out at room temperature for 4 hours before it needs to be refrigerated.

Insulated Breast Milk Bag
Being a working mom that has over an hour drive, I needed something to keep my breast milk chilled until I arrived home. I have this milk bag and I love it. 

Medela Steam Bags
These bags are great. They are reusable up to 20 times, and they allow you to quickly and effortlessly sanitize your breast pump parts and bottles in the microwave. 

Drying Rack for Bottles and Pumping Parts
I love this little grass drying mat. It is so cute and does a great job even holding the tiniest things like a breast pump flange to allow everything to dry.

Brush Set for Bottles and Pump
How cute is this little brush set? We use this bottle cleaner. I love that it has a variety of sizes and shapes to clean my bottles and pump parts.

Nipple Shield
These are great, and I highly recommend that you get one. This shield helps protect your nipples from cracking and bleeding because they're raw and sore from breastfeeding. I also feel that it helps the baby latch better too.

Pumping Bra
I highly recommend getting one if you plan on breastfeeding. It is so wonderful to have your hands free while pumping, especially if you have the traditional pump. 

Pump
I get that not everyone has health insurance that covers the cost of a breast pump. Whether or not if you have health insurance, I recommend getting the BellaBaby pump and having it on their registry. This pump was a top choice on Amazon, and after reading the reviews, a lot of moms preferred it over their Medela or Spectra pump. I love mine, and it costs less than $60!!!

If you do have health insurance, I recommend getting a Freemie. I cannot rave about this pump enough. There is no way I would be able to keep up with my pumping as a teacher. Many of my coworkers told me to expect not to be able to do it. However, I am happy to report I am still going strong so far. You can discreetly and quietly pump because this goes under your clothes. It just makes you look extra busty. The reason I chose this over the Willow pump was that my insurance covered this in full as the first reason. The second reason is that the cups can hold 4 ounces of milk each.

PRO-TIP: I can't say enough good things about my Freemie. However, the only downside is right now, if you lose a part, you cannot easily walk into Target or Walmart, or even Amazon to get a replacement piece. Buy extra duck flanges and the tubing connectors. There is nothing worse than feeling helpless waiting for these pieces to arrive in the mail. This experience has happened to me twice now, LEARN FROM MY MISTAKE! Order them now; so that life can continue as if nothing happened.

Boob Shield
Not to be confused with a nipple shield. This shield is different. After pumping every three hours, your poor ladies are going to be so sore. Sometimes I cringe even having to wear a shirt on with no bra. It gets that painful. I just recently discovered these, and they are a lifesaver. You place these cups in your bra; not only do they catch milk from leaks, but more importantly, they give you room for your nipples to breathe and not touch fabric. 

Mother's Love Nipple Cream
This a great product to relieve the soreness but to help repair your nipples from feeding and or pumping. It is all-natural, and you don't have to worry about wiping it off before you feed or pump either. 

Boppy
The Boppy is a lifesaver when breastfeeding. Be sure to bring it to the hospital! See my post here for more about hospital bag packing.

These are great even if breastfeeding isn't for you; not only can it be used to prop up the baby when they get a little older, but it's also nice to help guests when holding your baby. The Boppy made me feel better about when my grandparents and my nieces and nephews wanted to hold onto Jack. 

High Chair
Jack is still two months old at this point, so we have not hit the high chair, but I will give you my recommendation anyway. We registered and received this chair. I like that it could evolve and grow with Jack over time. I felt like we would get the most use out of it for all of the different stages of eating.


Clothes and Baby Accessories
Diaper Bag
I have two; a backpack diaper bag and one I made myself (see the next post below). I purchased a backpack diaper bag for informal outings and my husband, so he didn't have to carry around a purse when he wasn't with me. 

Bag Organizer/ Diaper Bag Insert
I am picky when it comes to my bags, and I wasn't thrilled with the diaper bags. I also didn't want to spend $150 plus dollars on a trendy diaper bag. Instead, I waited for a Macy's sale and got myself a clearance Ralph Lauren Totebag. I then bought a black diaper bag insert to make this cute tote more functional. This d.i.y. bag is a great way to save money and have a stylish diaper bag for yourself.

Mushie Pacifier Clip
I have received so many compliments on this pacifier clip. Not only is it adorable, but it saves me from having to sanitize the baby's pacifier every 15 minutes when he spits it out. I pin it to his bandana bib, and we are good to go.

Bandana Bib
I have a ton of these. Not only do the bandana bibs pull an outfit together nicely for little boys, but they also save the outfit (and you having to change them constantly) from spit-up.

Pacifiers
I love Bibs pacifiers. They are so light and so stinking cute. We also have Dr. Brown's pacifiers when we need to trick Jack into thinking he has a bottle nipple when we just need a few moments to keep him calm to prep his actual feeding bottle.

Onesies
This one is a no brainer; however, I want to suggest you try to get a the mitten cuff onesies. Some long-sleeve onesies have the hand-mittens already built into cuff of the shirt where all you have to do is flip the cuff inside out, and it creates a protective barrier with the hands. I wish that every single onesie had this feature.

Pajamas/ Footed Outfits:
You will want these for bed or even a cute outfit. There are some days where I will find a cute one that I use for an outfit. It makes changing baby extra helpful. The snaps and button-up ones are cute, but you do want to keep in mind, they take longer to put back on. These buttons and snaps might be a little aggravating in the middle of the night when you are exhausted.

PRO-TIP: Some of these one-piece outfits have a double zipper that you can unzip from the bottom, so you don't have to completely unzip and undress the baby while changing him or her. THESE ARE THE BEST. Snag as many as you can.

Cardigan Sweater
The sweater is an item that is forgotten when planning and putting together your registry. Those little onesie packs are so cute, but they usually are short-sleeved. Having a little sweater to put over them allows you to wear them all year long, especially if you live up north as we do here in New York. I would even recommend this for the warmer states. You will never know when you might walk into a store or business with the Air Conditioning on full blast set to Overkill Mode. This sweater is my favorite.

Booties
Get some baby booties. I found that MOST socks constantly fall off and are ineffective at the newborn stage. As Jack has grown, the socks do stay on better now. I highly recommend knitted Carter's booties. Jack has a polar bear pair that he practically lives in even now at two months old.

Socks
These socks are amazing! Don't bother with any other socks unless you are ready to put them back on over and over again. I promise you won't regret it.

Hats and bows
Hats are so stinking cute and are not only functional but pull an outfit together so nicely. 

PRO-TIP: I recommend not letting baby nap in them. When Jack was a newborn, I needed to sanitize some bottles and my pump in the kitchen. I heard him crying, and I just wanted to finish what I was doing and then tend to him. I am so glad I didn't and went and checked. He somehow managed to get his hat over his entire face. I immediately grab him, ripped it off, and just held him while I sobbed for a serious 10 minutes. OH, THE HORMONES... plus the new mom anxieties, not a great combination. I recommend this with the bows as well. My niece did the same thing with her elastic headband bow. 

Sleep Sacs
Our hospital gave us a nice, warm fleece sleep sack. I am not sure if all hospitals do this, but it was a nice perk. There are so many different sleep sacs out there. We have at least three different types of brands.

For the newborn stage, we used a swaddle sleep sack to make him feel like he was still all snuggled like he was when he was in the womb.

Once he grew a little bigger, I started to realize he likes sleeping with his hands near his face. He did this also in the ultrasound, so we switched to the Zen Sleep Sack. I love that it has a little weighted piece on the chest to help the baby sleep better throughout the night. 

Muslin Swaddle Blankets
I love these and highly recommend them. Not only are these great for swaddling the baby after they first arrive, but they are fantastic for the bath to keep them nice and warm. I will be making a post about this soon! Stay tuned!

Hygiene and Health
Baby Bath Tub
The baby won't be able to sit up for some time in the tub. You will need a little bath to place in your sink or one that can sit on a counter or the bathroom floor. We registered for this bathtub, and we adore it. We place the tub right on the floor in the bathroom to bathe Jack. I love that is great for newborns, and you can shift the seat to adjust it for the baby as they grow.

Hooded Bath Towel
I recommend getting a Little Unicorn brand bath towel. I have a few different towels, and this is by far the favorite. It is nice, thick, and absorbent. Babies only need a bath 2-3 times a week. We keep it to bathing twice a week unless the baby has a blow-out or something very messy that they require an additional bath. I would recommend no more than three towels.

I loved bathing Jack and did it too often and started to dry out his skin. Learn from my mistake on this one. 

Wash Cloths
Again, you aren't bathing the baby daily. One pack of 2-3 washcloths is plenty!

Nose Bulb
You will need one of these to get out boogers. I have used it for Jack's ears once in a while since you are not supposed to place Q-tips in the ears. There are brands that you can suck out the snot, this didn't appeal to me, but it may be right for you! You do you, mama!

Forehead Thermometer
This one is pretty obvious. You won't want one until you need one. I like the ones that will tell you with color whether the results are worrisome or not. This one shows a red color when someone is running a fever.

Brushes and combs
After your little one gets out of the bath, you will want to brush out their fluffy soft hair. This kit is great to get the job done. 

Aquaphor
This product is the best; it is used for baby scratches, baby eczema, and any other skin irritations. We use this stuff all the time.

Gripe Water
This stuff is a life-saver. The Gripe Water helps soothe the baby with gas or hiccups. It is made with herbs and natural items. So many other mom blogs recommended it when I was pregnant, and I do like having it around the house.

Butt Paste for Diaper Rash
I feel like the diaper rash comes out of nowhere at times. It is helpful to have it ready in the house when the time comes, instead of waiting and having to run to the store. No one wants to make that late-night runs anyways.

Baby Tylenol
I promise that you are going to need this when you least expect it during the middle of the night. It is so handy just to have ready when you need it so that you are not running out during the middle of the night.

Toys & Fun
Playmat
I highly recommend getting a playmat that lights up. As much as I love our little woodland creature playmat, it doesn't light up very much with colors and lights. Jack is fascinated by the one my mom purchased a few years ago that they no longer make sadly. I wish I had known this about the colorful lights when I was putting my registry together. I didn't think it would be such a key feature to a playmat. I thought the fun dangly toys would be enough. I would have registered for a different type of playmat if I had known then, what I know now.

Activity Center
We have yet to use our activity center since Jack is only two months old. However, I can already tell he is going to be a bouncer. I didn't register for one initially because I am all about saving space. I wanted to purchase a bouncer that attaches to my door-frame. I didn't think about my door-frames at the time of my baby shower. Owning an older home, we have pocket doors and beautiful old school woodwork around the door frames. Unfortunately, we would be unable to use the jumpers that hand from the door frame is too wide.

Baby Chair
I did not register for this Infantino caterpillar chair, but I am so thankful that it was gifted to us. Jack adores it. This chair is used for both tummy time and sitting.

I also highly recommend getting a vibrating chair for your registry. Both of Jack's grandparents have one at their homes for the grandkids and they are always a big hit. 

Milestone Photo Prop
Whether it is the blanket with the months on it, the pennants, or the monthly stickers, you will want to get some kind of cute prop for your weekly/monthly photos to capture the baby's milestones. It might be cliche at this point, but who cares. The baby grows up and changes so quickly, you will never regret capturing this fleeting period. I chose these cute pennant props because they are different than the blanket craze, plus I love anything with a vintage flair to it.

Mommy Recovery 
Frida Postpartum Recovery Kit
I am going to be honest, you most likely will not receive this, but it is worth the try. Anything you don't have to purchase yourself is a win in my book. This kit is great for after baby. I do wish it came with the Frida Upside Down Peri Bottle, but that is something else you can register for too.

Frida Upside Down Peri Bottle
This product was such a Godsend. You are going to be sore, sore, sore. Make your life a little easier. Even if you do have to purchase this yourself, it is worth the money, trust me.

Congrats! I am assuming you are here because you have a little one on the way, and you are trying to prepare for the shower and the BIG DAY!

Coming home from your baby shower can be a bit overwhelming. My sister felt completely overwhelmed after hers. My mom and I came over to her house after her baby shower to help relieve her anxiety. When it was my turn to have my baby shower a few years later, I wanted to avoid this overwhelming feeling. 

Here are my suggestions on things you should do BEFORE your baby shower:
​

Set up a Registry Through Target or Buy Buy Baby:
​I also recommend setting up a registry with at least one store as well for two reasons. First, you will have guests that are old-school and like to buy it in person. You will also have guests that wait until the last minute to buy a gift. Second, when you register through Target or Buy Buy Baby, they will send out a 15% off coupon that you can use towards any items that you did not receive through your baby shower. Unfortunately, some online sites like Babylist, do not do this for all of the products you may have chosen for your registry.

Don't Register Solely Online, Go In Person Too:
I learned this one the hard way, but I am also going to blame it on the fact that Covid had all the stores shut down, so I was unable to go into the stores.

​Make sure you go and check out some of these items in person, specifically the larger items. I registered for a swing, thinking I would be saving space by not purchasing a Mamaroo. It was the opposite. I was surprised by how much room the swing took up in our already small living room.

BuyLarge Plastic Storage Bins:
You are going to get a lot of stuff that you might not need right away. Finding a spot for everything to go right away can be daunting. 

Buy at least two large plastic storage bins. Label one of them, Newborn-6 months, and label the other, 6+ months. Place items that you won't need right away in each of the containers. You can then deal with it at a later time or if you are like me, go into them when you need that specific item when the baby is ready. 

I hope these tips help make your shower less stressful and more exciting. Check back for my next blog post on items to register for your shower. 

Thanks for stopping by mama! ​​

Hooray! A new baby has arrived, and you are on your way to meet this little bundle of joy soon. As a new parent myself, it has seemed like a revolving door of guests coming to meet Jack. Most of the time, our friends and family arrived with gifts for us and the baby. 

The most common gift a guest arrives with is a blanket or a stuffed animal. I can guarantee that these parents now have a ton of blankets and stuffed animals for baby. Can you blame them? They are so cute!

So what should you bring instead? Here is my list of 10 different gift ideas to give a new parent:

1. Coffee: You do not have to spend a ton of money for parents to be grateful. I had a few friends swing by and bring me a coffee (shout out to Dunkin'). It was the best because they were here to visit Jack, they had a hot cup of coffee for this exhausted mama, and they most likely would be holding him so I could enjoy my coffee hot for once!

2. Bring a pre-made meal: This one was great. I loved it when our friends and family did this for us. It was so helpful not to have to worry about making dinner. Pro-tip: I will always be grateful when people bring us food, ALWAYS! However, we did get a lot of pasta. I suggest bringing something like a taco casserole.

Another idea is to bring is a ready to bake dessert like homemade cookies. The dough can be stored in the freezer until they are ready to be baked and eaten.

3. Grub-Hub Gift Card: This is a great idea because sometimes, guests are so generous with bringing meals with them that they start to run out of room in the refrigerator. YIKES! This gift makes your life easier too because you don't have to cook or transport the food, BONUS!

4. Alcohol: This is always well received, especially for mom. She has just spent nine months making this tiny human, and why not celebrate, right? Also, she hasn't been allowed to drink for the last nine months. Champagne or sparkling wine is always a safe route. 
However, if you want to make it a little more personalized, you could try to find a drink with their name in it. For example, one of our neighbors brought us a bottle of Jack Daniels with a liter of Coke. I got the biggest kick out of this idea. 

Some wineries like Casa Larga Vineyard will create custom labels for their clients. You could bring over a bottle of wine or a few that commemorate the baby's milestones. You could have a bottle that celebrates when the baby sleeps through the night for the first time or says their first word.

5. Tree or plant: Buy a tree to plant in the yard. It will be exciting to watch the tree grow over time with the little one every year.

6. Care.com gift card: Buy a babysitting gift card for the parents to use when the baby is a little bit older. It will be nice to know that babysitting is covered. This gift is great for friends that live out of state or do not have people to watch the baby easily. 

7. Amazon gift card or a Prime membership: This gift is pretty self-explanatory. It is nice to purchase items quickly without having to run to the store. Most new moms are not allowed to drive the first two weeks after having their baby.

8. Gift basket of essential baby items: Okay, this is my most "boring" suggestion, but this comes in handy very quickly. Create a gift basket of important baby items these new parents are going to need regularly. Often, these items were not received at the baby shower., but come in handy quickly. Here is what I suggest butt paste for diaper rash, Aquaphor, Gripe Water, baby brush, bottle sterilization steamable pouches, stool softener, Epsom salt, baby Tylenol, Kinde milk storage bags, etc.

9. Shutterfly Gift Card: Most parents are taking a million photos of their  baby. It is nice to get these images off of the phone and into an album. You could even make one yourself if they post a lot of images on social media.

10. Time: Gifts do not always need to be purchased. If you are close with the parents, let them know ahead of time that you are dedicating the first 30 minutes to watching the baby. This idea was  inspired by my sister's mother in law. She would come over and take the baby for a 30 minute walk in the stroller allowing my sister and her husband a chance to shower or clean up around the house interrupted. It is so helpful and it costs nothing.

Whatever you choose to bring the new parents will love and appreciate. Enjoy your time visiting that new baby and get some snuggles!

With Covid causing schools, my side business, and well ...the whole country to shut down, I had a lot of time on my hands towards the beginning of summer and my due date in August. I felt pretty confident about becoming a mom, but I decided to read mommy blogs to be more prepared for when Jack arrived. 
However, all that reading still had me caught off guard with some things I never anticipated with being a mom and having a new baby.

Here are some of those things I've learned over the past 7 weeks:

How Long It Takes To Prepare To Go Anywhere:
I knew I would have to take a little more time to get myself and baby ready to run out to the store or complete a quick errand. I didn't realize it could take multiple hours depending on the day with a newborn.

First, you need to get the baby dressed. Great! 

Now it is time to feed them so that they can sleep while you pump. That can take up to 30 minutes. 

Okay, they should be nice and full and fall right to sleep right? Sometimes... and then sometimes they fuss for up to an hour.

Okay, great they're asleep! Time to pump for 30-40 minutes. Done!

It is then you realize that the feeding window is quickly reapproaching again because everything took so long! They will be waking up again soon because they're hungry and you're not even out the door yet. Yikes!

I can't tell you how hard it can be at times to perfectly time out this process. Some days are easier than others for sure!


Formula Stains Fabric & Clothes:
Jack was still struggling to breastfeed and we had to supplement formula in the meantime. (I am happy to report we did get the hang of it eventually...okay ... focus Melissa) Jack was and still is a messy eater and even with the burp cloth, he can still manage to get his milk on his clothes. My mom came over after work to meet Jack for the first time and he was in his cute going home outfit I had specially made from Etsy. Luckily, she let me know right away that formula stains clothes, and I would want to tackle soaking it right away if I wanted to save it. Luckily, using some blue Dawn dish soap and OxyClean soaking in some hot water for an hour took it right out!


Baby Poops Are So Loud:
Guys, I am not joking on this one. The first time you hear your little one poop you will be shocked by how violently loud and intense it is. There are still times it still makes me jump if I am holding Jack and he decides it is time to go to the bathroom. Seriously, get ready!


Point The Penis Down:
This one we had to learn the hard way. If you have a little boy, this advice is huge!!! When changing their diapers and reapplying the fresh one, you need to make sure his penis is pointed down. There was one night where Jack wet himself outside his diaper 3 times and soaked his mattress cover! Luckily, some seasoned moms were able to quickly diagnose the problem. This one is probably my number one word of advice.


Your Boobs Will Tingle/ Hurt When Baby Cries:
If you are breastfeeding or pumping, when your baby cries your brain sends a message to your breasts to get them to start producing more milk. It is the most bizarre feeling and most definitely unexpected. It also isn't fun when you haven't pumped yet and your boobs already feel like they're about to burst.


Babies Need To Eat Every 2-3 Hours:
This might be a "duh" concept to some of my readers, but I honestly had no idea and that's okay! We are learning here people! I was somewhat scolded by one of the overnight nurses when Jack was born for not feeding him in the middle of the night. I just thought that he would cry when he was hungry. I made sure to wake him up every 2-3 hours after to make sure his weight was up for the time being at the hospital. When we got home, I relaxed on that rule and let the kid sleep until he was ready to eat. In my opinion, never wake a sleeping baby unless it's really necessary.


Your Boobs Can Get Milk Clots:
Oh yeah... this is a fun one and I mean it with the heaviest amount of sarcasm possible. The best way to describe them is like having hard, rock-like clusters in your boobs. I feel like they usually pop up out of nowhere. This can and most likely will happen and they are not always the easiest to get out at times either. There are different recommendations on how to loosen the clog. There are breast vibrators that you can buy to loosen the clog. Applying heat with a damp microwaved cloth, heating pad, or a good soak in the bath is suggested. I read once that one mom had her husband suck it out. I gagged after reading that. Please ladies... do not do that! YUCK!!!

I find that soaking and then immediately pumping or breastfeeding after has always worked best for me. Sometimes it also takes multiple sessions to finally get the clog out.

PRO TIP: Do not wait to work on getting the clogged milk ducts out. I did once thinking it would just go away on its own without any extra effort. Oh boy was I wrong and man did it hurt. Please ladies save yourself the pain.


Your Milk Production Is The Strongest At Night
You produce the most prolactin at night. This is the hormone that promotes milk production. If you are struggling to produce but still want to breastfeed or pump your milk, night time is the time to do it!


How Painful It Can Be For Your Milk Supply To Come In:
This was not a fun day. I honestly thought something was wrong and I was getting an infection in my breasts. First of all, they got even bigger which I wasn't anticipating. Next, they became rock hard. I now understand why they are called melons, they felt that stiff! Lastly, they felt like they were on fire. This was not a fun day, but according to my doctor was normal.


How To Properly Reheat Milk:
There are two parts to this. First, you can leave breastmilk out for up to 4 hours in the bottle before it needs to be put into the fridge.

Second is how to properly reheat milk once it has been in the fridge. What do you normally do when something is in the fridge and needs to be reheated? You microwave it! RIGHT!?!

Ha, little did I know this is NOT what you do to reheat breastmilk. I made this mistake.

This was heartbreaking to me at the time because I was producing very little and I felt like such a failure as a mom. Here was all I was able to produce for that sitting and I just ruined it. Instead, you need to heat it by placing the bottle or the milk bag in warm to hot temperature water. You can buy a bottle warmer or you can do what I do and just use the Kehrig to heat the water. 
​
Pro-Tip: This is also a great hack when you are over visiting at someone else's home. Most people have a Keurig in their home and if not, throw some water in a mug and heat the water in the microwave.

You, Will, Want to Cry Over Spilled Milk:
Whoever came up with the phrase "there's no use crying over spilled milk" obviously was not trying to pump or breastfeed. This has happened to me a few times now and even though I am producing well at this point it still is frustrating when it happens.

Pro-Tip: Make sure the containers that are catching milk are secured properly. I know this is a "duh" statement, but once mine wasn't and when I went to get up from pumping, it came loose and went all over my pants and couch. GAH!!!

​Pregnancy Brain IS REAL:
AND IT DOESN'T GO AWAY!!! OYE!

You are going to be so forgetful and do weird things without even realizing it. My favorite was the time I couldn't find my Gatorade drink for the longest time. I ended up finding it in the cupboard where we keep the pots and pans. But for real, I can't tell you how crazy this is going to make you feel. I felt like I was struggling to even speak properly and form sentences. I honestly thought something was wrong with me. Thank goodness a friend confirmed that she had a similar problem because I felt like I had a stroke! 


Clothes Won't Fit Properly For A While:
Again, I know this might be another "duh" statement to some of you reading but seriously I wasn't aware of this. I honestly thought all you had to do was get back down to your pre-pregnancy pant size. 

I am so proud to say I was able to fit back into my pants at 6 weeks; however, my pre-pregnancy tops are a joke. I barely have anything that fits and it is so frustrating because I am bored with wearing maternity tops and the same clothes I have been wearing over the past few months. Since I plan on pumping for as long as I can, I don't see this changing any time soon.


You Have To Clean Under The Drying Rack:
Normally, this would have been a no-brainer to me. However, with a new baby, there are so many things you need to remember to do throughout the day and when you are running on nothing but coffee and exhaustion you are going to forget a thing or two. This one was mine. I have one of those trendy grass drying racks that you place your bottles and pumping parts on. 

One day, it hit me. I hadn't cleaned under it. Let's just say I gagged when I lifted it, followed by lots of bleach and scrubbing. 


You Will Become A Multi-Tasking Champ: 
When you have a baby, you do not waste any time with procrastinating. Those downtime moments are beyond valuable. Things I used to drag my feet to do, I am now tackling because I know my time is limited. That's why I always laugh inside when people would tell me to "sleep when the baby sleeps". I would not get anything done if I followed this advice.