5 (make it 6) Favorite Things
Hi there! Misty here. I thought I would write a quick post about five (make it six) things that I personally have come to love relating to pregnancy and having a newborn child. You can trust my opinions because (in the words of Jen Barkley) " I don't care enough about you to lie." JK! That line just makes me laugh (where my Parks & Rec people at?! Hail Zorp!). There are probably literally 0 people reading this who will get that reference. I'm embarrassing.
But really, being as I'm not a professional blogger and am not sponsored/paid by any of these companies (or any company, really) you know I am just writing this simply because I believe in these items.
First of all, if you are pregnant I HIGHLY suggest taking a look at this post from MintArrow.com. This list offered so many suggestions that I was glad to have when trying to decide what I might want/need to prepare to have my child. You can find a link to the post HERE -> BEST BABY REGISTRY LIST EVER.
The first thing on my list is something I found mentioned in the post from MintArrow. Like most pregnant women, I wanted to do my best to avoid as many stretch marks as I possibly could. Obviously there is nothing wrong with having them. They represent our bodies doing something amazing and miraculous. However, if we can avoid that side affect, I think most of us agree we would prefer to do so. I have stretch marks on my thighs from gaining that freshman 15 (more like freshman 25, can I get a wut wut?), so my body and skin are prone to get them. I starting using this, however, before my belly really starting growing and I didn't get a single additional stretch mark through my whole pregnancy. It may not be true for every one, but this product worked both for myself AND Corrine (mintarrow.com), so it's worth a shot! I linked it HERE -> MOTHER'S SPECIAL BLEND.
The second product I have come to love is my diaper bag. I knew I wanted this diaper bag about a year before I ever even thought about having a child, but it really has lived up to every expectation. I love the space inside, I love that it's (faux) leather and easily cleaned, and I love that it can be a backpack, a side hanging purse, and a cross-over bag. Honestly, it's just so convenient. You can find it HERE -> FAWN DESIGN DIAPER BAG.
Number three is also pictured above... baby wearing you guys. HOW DID WOMEN EVEN SURVIVE WITHOUT THIS? I feel like it's really caught on in the last couple of years, and I totally understand why. Sometimes as mothers we just need to use both hands. Sometimes we don't want to carry a car seat in and out of places. Sometimes our littles won't stop crying unless they feel close to their mama. There are so many reasons to wear your child! There are so many different baby carriers out there, and I know there are plenty of brands that people love besides the two I have. I am advocating for these because I have used them, but I am also advocating for baby wearing in general no matter which carrier you like best. The one pictured above is actually a tank top with a kangaroo-type pouch on the front. It's awesome! It's by Lalabu baby, and you can find it linked HERE -> Lalabu Soothe Shirt.
I'm also a HUGE fan of my Solly Baby Wrap. This is another product I came across on IG well before I was ever pregnant; it was well worth following them for a year before I ever had a baby. This wrap is great. So convenient! I use it every time I go outside and don't want to use my stroller (Target trips, grocery shopping, etc.). You can find it linked HERE -> SOLLY BABY WRAP.
(ALSO, this comfy sweater can be found by clicking the SHOP link at the top of this page, I love it!)
Item number four is also a very general product rather than a specific one. Baby gowns. Knotted gowns, open ended gowns... doesn't matter. As long as there are no zippers, feet or buttons. I love them for night time! I refer to them as the baby's "sleep dresses". They are SO convenient when you are changing a baby in the middle of the night and you're too tired to deal with buttoning and zippering things. The one Maddi is wearing in the photo below is from Candy Kirby Designs. I've linked it HERE -> KNOTTED BABY GOWN. I also love this one from Amazon, linked HERE -> AMAZON SLEEP GOWN.
As far as feeding goes, it's such a personal thing to decide between nursing and formula feeding. To make a long story short, I was nursing in the hospital but eventually began supplementing when the baby was dropping a ton of weight. I have pumped, nursed, supplemented with formula... Maybe someday I will discuss what lead to all of that and how important it is to simply make sure your baby is getting the nutrients they need. BUT... back to products. Part of supplementing with formula meant finding bottles. I found these through the suggestion of someone I follow on IG, so I am paying it forward. I love these bottles. My little guy when through a rough spit up/gassy phase when I was using too many different types of bottles. I started using these exclusively and he has had no problem. I also LOVE the little containers that come with them. They are so convenient for measuring out formula portions. They also can hold snacks in church. WIN/WIN. They can be found HERE -> TWISTSHAKE Bottle.
Last, but not least, I love this little elephant! I have so many places for my kid to sleep (crib, bassinet, Rock N Play, Swing), and all of them have their purposes. This, however, is so convenient to use when nursing, to lay your baby on when they just want to be close to you on the couch but you need your hands free, etc. He uses this thing for lounging, naps, and general hanging out. Plus, it's just cute and photogenic. I think it's originally from Ikea, but it's available on Amazon HERE -> Plush Elephant.
Please feel free to share with me any must-have baby products you have found. There is nothing like a referral from friends for products! It's so much better than random online reviews from strangers.
