Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Breastfeeding Essentials

My breastfeeding journeys were so different with each of my girls.  If I'm being totally honest, I'm a little anxious about breastfeeding again.  You'd think by the third time around I wouldn't be anxious, but I most certainly am.  Breastfeeding has never been easy for me, I've always struggled with keeping my supply up and had to work really hard to nurse my babes.  I really need to share my experiences with breast feeding, but I'll save that for another post.  Today, I want to share my top breast feeding essentials-all the stuff I've picked up in preparation for baby brother!


Nursing bras and tank tops
My all time favorite nursing bra is this Cake Maternity bra, I actually have two of them.  I also love this wireless nursing bra.  For sleep, I love this seamless nursing bra.  I wear nursing tanks a lot under my clothing, this one if my favorite (I have it in several colors).

Nursing nightgowns
I love nursing nightgowns and find them to be most comfortable for nighttime nursing.  This dot nightgown and this super soft nightgown are my all time faves.  I also love this tank top and shorts pajama set by Ingrid and Isabel.

Nursing pillow
I have tried a few different nursing pillows and I always go back to the boppy.  It's perfect for nursing and can be used for so many other things.  The pink cover in the photo above is from Madly Wish.

Nursing cover
I've also tried a few different nursing covers and my absolute favorite is the Covered Goods nursing cover.

Nipple cream
It is SO important that you use nipple cream in the very beginning!  Your nipples will be sore and the only cream that I've found to be soothing is the Earth Mama Angel Baby Natural Nipple Butter.

Breast pump, pumping bra, and milk storage bags
Even if you don't plan on going back to work, there will be times you'll need a breast pump.  Especially in the beginning when your milk comes in and you're engorged.  Get yourself a good double breast pump and pumping bra.  You'll also need milk storage bags.  You may also need breast pads, I've never had enough extra milk to need breast pads.

Breast therapy packs and breast shells
In the beginning, it can be really painful to breastfeed.  I've thought for sure I was doing things wrong because I was in so much pain in the beginning.  But after visiting lactation and learning that my babies have a great latch, I've learned that I just have super sensitive nipples.  I have found some relief by using breast therapy packs and breast shells.

Water and healthy snacks
In order to keep your supply up, make sure you drink A LOT of water.  You'll also need to keep your calories up, so make sure you eat lots of healthy snacks.  I absolutely love Oat Mama bars, they taste great and help boost your milk supply.



Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Our Last Getaway as a Family of Four // Seattle


We just got home from Seattle and I'm already dying to go back!  We only lived in Seattle for about a year and a half, but somehow it always feels like we're going home when we go back.  I love Seattle and going back to visit is always my favorite little getaway!  I've posted some of our favorite restaurants and places to visit in this post and this post.  Since we usually frequent the same places, I won't repeat myself and post everything again.  Instead, I'll just do a quick photo dump :).

We took the girls to our favorite beach, Golden Gardens.  It was an absolutely perfect day, but so so crowded.  The girls had a blast digging in the sand and attempting to build sand castles.  Phayre took more snack breaks than I can count and Sloan spent a good portion of the day searching for "the heart of tifiti" in the sand.  We ended the day with pizza, baths, and a quick walk around downtown.  It was just so perfect!

We spent the rest of the weekend running around the city and eating.  So. Much. Eating.  We threw all schedules out the window, the girls napped on the go, and we really soaked in our weekend as a family of four.  We started way too many sentences with, "And next time we're here with baby brother...".  We're all just so excited!

Until next time Seattle!

















Thursday, July 20, 2017

20 Newborn Essentials

I am sooo close to hopping off the pregnancy train and landing right in newborn land!  I have been dreaming about my little man and those newborn snuggles for months.  I am so excited to hold and kiss him... and no longer be pregnant in summer ;).

With little man being our third babe, we're very prepared in the baby gear and baby "stuff" department.  We've seen it all and know exactly what stuff we need and which brands make the best of the best.  I wanted to share my top 20 newborn items, the stuff you really NEED in those first few months.  These are all thing's I've used with my babes and highly recommend!

1. Carseat.  Because you're not bringing that babe home without one!  We went with the Cybex Cloud Q carseat and I love it.  It can fully recline when outside of the car, perfect for a snoozing babe.  (see my full review here)

2. Stroller.  We have the Uppababy Vista with the second rumble seat and the piggyback board so that we can haul all three kids around.  We can also attach our carseat using these adapters.

3. Diapers, wipes, and diaper cream.  We usually buy Honest diapers, but I'm honestly not super picky.  I just love that honest delivers!  I actually only have Babyganics newborn diapers and they are sooooo soft.  For diaper cream, we only use Weleda and I highly highly recommend it.  I also recommend getting a small foldable changing mat and keeping it wherever you spend most of your time (for us, this is our family room).  We have a small changing mat from Gathre and it's the perfect size.

4. Toiletries.  You'll need a shampoo/body wash and lotion.  We used Mustela newborn wash and emollient cream with both our girls and loved it.  I recommend the Mustela face wipes for the very beginning then they have baby acne.  I've recently fallen in love with Babyganics products though, so we plan on just starting out using those since that's what the girls are currently using.

5. Infant bath seat and hooded towel.  We have used and love the angelcare bath seat; it's perfect for newborns and even older babies who cannot yet sit up in the bathtub.  You'll also want a few hooded towels and washcloths.  We got baby brother a few hooded towels from June and January.

6. Burp cloths.  You'll quickly learn that these are good for much more than just spit up!  My favorite ever burp cloths are from Witts End Design!

7. Swaddles.  I am kind of a blanket nut.  My kids have way too many and I can't seem to stop buying them more and more!  Baby will definitely need 5 or more swaddle blankets.  Our babies use them during the day for naps and to keep warm.  For traditional swaddle blankets, my favorite brands are KB Cute designsMax and MooseClementine Kids, and Aden and Anais.  When our babes are newborns, we use a sleep sack that zips up the front at night, it's much harder for tiny hands to escape these!

8. Pacifiers.  Both of my girls have liked the Avent pacifiers.  I plan on trying the Natursutten pacifiers with baby brother, I really like that they're all one piece and there aren't places where germs can hide.  We'll see what kind he likes though!  I also really like the pacifier clips from Loved By Sophia Claire so that we don't lose pacifiers.

9. Boppy.  We use our boppy (ok both of them) ALL the time.  I think the boppy is the best nursing pillow.  We also use it to prop up baby and help older siblings hold baby.  I love getting a handmade cover in a fun print (check out Madly Wish and Stella and Lu for custom covers!).

10. Mittens.  These are so important in the very beginning or baby will scratch their little face up!  I used Goumikids mittens with both girls and love them (I almost always give these as a gift at baby showers, they're that good).

11. Wrap.  You need a wrap, especially if you have other children and need your hands to continue taking care of them!  I love my Solly Baby wrap and definitely recommend.

12. Bassinet (or somewhere safe for baby to sleep).  Sloan slept next to our bed in a pack n' play which worked great, but it took up a lot of space.  Phayre slept next to our bed in a bassinet and we'll do the same with baby brother.  We have the Halo swivel sleeper bassinet and love it.  We have a Dockatot that we use for lounging, but I've heard this is a great option if you plan on co-sleeping.

13. Swing and/or bouncy seat.  We have the 4moms mamaroo swing and the bounceroo infant seat.  Basically you want a safe place to put baby where they will be soothed by movement or vibration!

14. Clothing.  I like super soft and basic clothing for my newborns.  Gowns, jammies, and cross body onesies are my favorite.  You can see my favorite clothing picks for baby brother here!

15. Owlet monitor.  I so strongly recommend getting an Owlet monitor to help keep your baby safe and give you peace of mind while they're sleeping.  See why here!

16. Diaper bag.  I love my Fawn Design for the backpack style.  If you have more than one child and need something a bit larger, I love the Itzy Ritzy tribe tote diaper bag and the Honest diaper bag.

17. Laundry soap.  You will be doing A LOT of laundry, especially if your baby spits up a lot (like Sloan did!!).  We use Persil proclean for sensitive skin for the entire families laundry.  For major stains, I treat them with baby oxiclean spray.

18. Gripe water.  We have used Mommy's Bliss gripe water with both our girls and I already bought some for baby brother just in case he gets a gassy tummy!

19. Coffee and Wine.  Because duh, you're going to be exhausted!  See how I make my favorite iced coffee here.

20.  Help.  Don't be proud, take all the help you can get.  Eric and I don't have much family support, but we are so incredibly lucky to have so many friends that have become our family.  It can be hard to accept help, but if the people who love you are offering it just take it!

You might also like The Ultimate Baby Registry.



Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Desert family maternity session

When it comes to photos, I'll do pretty much anything my friend and photographer Lindsey tells me to do.  She's that good, you just do what she says :).  So when she said, "We should drive three hours away to take your maternity photos!"  I was like ok... this might take a little convincing with Eric, but I am totally down!  Eric was surprisingly on board and we made a little adventure out of it.  There may have been a missing dress and a brief sobbing melt down (by a very pregnant woman, not a toddler... I don't wanna name any names though), but the photos made it all worth it!  I am so incredibly grateful and thankful for these photos, I know I'll treasure them forever.

We have officially reached the one month mark until baby brothers arrival!  We are going to be a family of five and have a tiny newborn again!!!  This pregnancy has flown by and it's hard to believe we're in the home stretch.  We are so ready for you baby brother.  Your dada, sisters, and I cannot wait to smother you with more love than you'll know what to do it.  And by smother, I mean literally... hoping you're not a big personal space guy :).

Thank you Lindsey for these amazing photos, you're the very best!  You capture and document life's most important moments for us and we don't know what we'd do without you!  If you're in the Portland, OR area please look her up!  And another giant thank you to my very handsome and sweet husband, for going on adventures with me, being so easy going, and holding my hand while I cry over a missing dress :).




































My dress  /  My custom bar necklace c/o Mint and Birch  /  Eric's shirt (sold out) similar here  /  Eric's shorts  /  Eric's flip flops  /  Sloan's dress c/o Cuteheads  /  Phayre's romper c/o The Little Design Co.  /  Sloan's shoes  /  Phayre's shoes  /  Girl's bows c/o Zozu Baby

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