Top 10 Nursing Mother's Necessities

1. A good... make that a GREAT Nursing Bra.  It took me way too long to finally find a bra that I loved, but when I did... it was a life changing experience.  :)  A few tips... don't waste your time or money buying nursing bras before you actually start nursing.  Your boobs may be ginormous at the end of your pregnancy, but when your milk comes in after delivery, there is a very very good chance that they will get even bigger!  True story.  "But I need to bring a nursing bra to the hospital"... No.  You don't.  Stick with nursing tanks and/or sleep bras (shaped similar to a sports bra) that are sized S-M-L, etc rather than 34D, 36E, what not.  These are a lot more flexible and much better for the first few weeks anyway. 
2. Nursing Tanks-  I lived in these for the first few weeks.  I was a big fan of the Gilligan & O'Malley brand from Target.  These have enough support to keep you comfortable and enough stretch to accommodate your magical growing and shrinking breasts throughout the day.
3. Style-  There is no need to go out and buy a whole wardrobe full of fancy "nursing" tops.  Most of my favorite nursing tops are not nursing tops at all.  A few examples...   Cardigans... wear a cute cardi over a nursing tank and voila!!  Instant nursing friendly style.   Another one of my favorites is the button up shirt... think relaxed, boyfriend style.  These are also great for nursing!  And lastly this is a great style top I found at Target (on sale for $6!!  Woot!).  Also not "nursing" but the wrap/crossover style bust line works perfectly.  This is inspiring me to do a Top 10 nursing friendly outfits... coming soon.  :)
4. Sleep Nursing Bra-  I snubbed my nose at these for a week or two.  I didn't see the point in buying them since I loved my nursing tanks and just didn't think I needed them.  Well, when the sleep deprivation finally set in and I found myself fumbling around like an idiot while K was wailing in the middle of the night, I thought I would give them a try.  They are wonderful!!  They are also very supportive yet very stretchy... and... best part, no looking for clips to undo in the middle of the night.  You just slide the material off to the side, whip one out and nurse away.  Wonderful!
5. Support Pillow- I went with the Boppy.  Some swear by the My Breast Friend.  Whatever you decide, save your arms and your back and invest in a support pillow.  This also makes middle of the night feedings a little easier.
6. Cup With a Lid and a Straw- simple, yes?  But boy oh boy I can't count the number of cups of water I spilled before I figured out that this was a good thing to keep handy while I nursed.  Do yourself a favor and keep one around.
7. Hair Tie- now you can find designer nursing bracelets and nursing apps for your phone and all sorts of other tracking devices.  And at 3 am when you are up for the 5th time that night, you tell me how wonderful those apps and fancy bracelets are.  All you need to keep track of (if you can even remember to do this) is a hair tie on your wrist.  Put it on the side that baby is nursing on, so when you wake up for the 6th time at 4am you will know, in your sleep, which side the baby needs to nurse on next.
8. Breast Pump- depending on your plans to go back to work or stay at home, nurse exclusively or supplement, your needs may vary.  But... chances are you will need a breast pump of some sort.  I work full time and although Kennedy is exclusively breastfed, she needs to take her breast milk from a bottle while I am away.  Which means that I need to pump while I am at work.  I am a nurse on a very busy floor and often getting a lunch break is tough, so I needed a pump that could get the job done in as little time as possible.  I decided to go with a Medela Freestyle.  It is a double electric with the ability to pump completely hands-free.  This has been the perfect pump for me, I am even able to do my charting while I pump.  Nice, huh?  Your needs may be different, though.  I do really like the Medela brand... and on their website they have a very helpful tool to help you decide what pump would work best for your particular situation.  Also, some insurance plans now cover the cost (or partial cost) of breast pumps.  Before you drop big bucks on one, check with your insurance company to see if it is covered.  Always check first, because they may have restrictions on type and brand.  Once you get your pump, take really good care of it.  These things are pricey and you will want it to last through as many babies as possible!!
9. "Back-Up" Manual Pump-  While I absolutely adore my fancy pants double electric hands free wonder pump... I will never ever forget the first time I went out after the baby without it.  While it is absolutely wonderful, it is also somewhat cumbersome to tote around (lots of parts, comes with it's own bag, makes noise, battery, tubes, bottles, etc etc).  I figured that I was just going to the mall "for an hour or two" with my mother in law, so I would be fine without it.  Mistake.  5 hours later I was crying in a dressing room with my boobs so engorged I didn't dare move another muscle.  I didn't want to lug my big fancy pump with me to the mall, but I would have given my left arm (or my left boob) for a quickie, cheapie manual pump.  The point of these pumps is not necessarily to pump enough milk to stash and store (because, let's face it, you would end up with carpal tunnel before that would ever happen)... but they are a quick fix when you are out and about and need some relief.  The alternative?  Take your cute scarf off and hand express into it before your nipples pop off.  Not pretty.  Buy the cheapie hand pump.  It stashes easily into your purse and is a lifesaver in certain situation.
10. Know Your Rights- every state is different, but most truly support the rights of nursing and pumping mamas.  In NY, for example, large companies (>50 employees) must have a room available for mothers to pump in.  They are not forced to pay you on your pumping break, but they are mandated to allow you reasonable time to pump.  If you are unable to find your rights, per your state or company, contact La Leche League (see below) and they can advocate for you.  Baby's gotta eat.  :)  AND...  Know Your Resources-  friends and family who have (recently, preferably) been there, a pediatrician who if pro-BF (meaning they won't try to push formula the second you or your baby has an issue with breastfeeding), your local LLL (La Leche League), the Lactation Consultant from the hospital (they are available to you, in most cases, long after discharge), FB groups like the Badass Breastfeeder and others.  Bottom line... you are NOT alone.  Ever.  Right now there are thousands and thousands of breastfeeding mama out there.  If you are having problems, take a deep breath and nurse on.  Most of us have had some sort of issue be it latching problems, pain, reflux, supply concerns... at some point.  Don't give up.  Talk to someone, get some ideas, try something different, but just keep nursing, just keep nursing (repeat like Dory from Finding Nemo).  You can do it.  :)

Kennedy's 21 Week Check In

21 weeks and Christmas is just a few days away.  Last Christmas (aside from being super pukey!) I daydreamed about what it would be like to celebrate with my little one... now here she is and celebrate we will!!  So hard to believe my dreams have come true and we will really be spending this Christmas together!!

How Big Is Baby?

• Kennedy has to be about 14 pounds now.  She is such a big girl!!  
• Most of her 3 month clothes are retired.  She is wearing mostly 3-6 and 6 month clothes now.  I think we will be doing another closet purge/clothing retirement soon.  She is growing like a weed.
• Full time cloth diapering. One size and smalls with two medium fleece soakers.

Development & Milestones

• Kennedy can sit easily now for up to a minute or so.  Her balance is getting much better.  
• Baby girl has been talking up a storm and cracking herself up.
• She can now reach the floor from her Jumparoo and loves to bounce bounce bounce.
• Still no teeth... but still teething.

Diet/Nursing

• Nursing is still going great!
• Pumping at work is also going well.

Sleep

• Still sleeping in 4 hour stretches with an occasional 5 hour stretch, which is glorious!
• Naps have been great!  She is napping in her crib regularly.  We are considering trying to transition her to her crib for night time, but I don't know if I am ready to move her to her room.  Seems so far away!!

PP Mommy Check In

• Holding steady at my normal weight now.
• Right now I 125 lbs.  
• *For reference, my highest pregnancy weight was 162, my pre-pregnancy weight was 130 and my goal weight is 125* 

How Is Daddy?

• Kevin is just plain wonderful.  He handles bath time, story time, bed time... all by himself 5 nights a week.  I am so lucky to have him!! 

Any appointments, visitors or outings?  Anything else new?

• Nothing new this week really. Christmas is in 2 days and we couldn't be more excited.
• Cloth diapering is still going great!! 

  Product Rave: 

• Teething Necklace... baby girl loves to chew on anything she can get her hands on and this has managed to keep her occupied and happy for long stretches.

Any upcoming developments, milestones?  What's next?

• Next pediatrician appointment for Kennedy is in January for her 6 month check up.
• We will be taking our first trip on an airplane in a few weeks.  We are flying down to Orlando to see my family.  I can't wait to post pictures.  :)

Top 10: New Mama Must-Haves

 I read the books, I talked to friends who have been there, done that, I scoured the internet... but nothing truly prepared me for the first week of motherhood.  It was an amazingly beautiful, wonderful, crazy, chaotic zombie trance-like week that I can barely remember, but will never forget.

Settling into life with a newborn is tough.  With the help of my wonderful husband, family and friends... and the items listed below... we made it through!!

1.  Earth Mama Angel Baby New Mama Bottom Spray

In those first few days post partum, to say I felt like an NFL kicker had taken a shot at my lady bits with a steel toed boot is an understatement.  And I didn't even have a tear... I can only imagine how horrible that would feel.  Anyway... sensitive, painful, tender, OUCH... doesn't even begin to describe it.  This glorious spray felt cool and refreshing.  It contains natural ingredients to help soothe your poor privates during the aftermath.  I don't know what I would have done without it.
*EMAB also makes a New Mama Bottom Balm, which I bought, but never used.  If it's anything like the rest of their products, I'm sure it's awesome too!

2.  Gilligan O'Malley Nursing Tanks

I lived in these.  I knew I wanted to breasfeed and thought I would be proactive and purchase a few nursing bras during the last month of my pregnancy.  I *thought* I bought the right size... I mean... I had ballooned up several cup sizes already... how much bigger could they possibly get?  Boy was I clueless.  When my milk came in, I was busting out of everything I *thought* would contain them.  That's what I get for thinking, right?  See the good thing about the nursing tanks is that unlike bras which are sized pretty specifically (34D, 36DD, etc)... these are small, medium, large, etc.  The tanks are no where near as structured and have a lot more stretch to accommodate engorgement without sacrificing support.  They are wonderful!

3.  Gilligan O'Malley Nursing Sleep Bras

Another Target wonder product.  As fabulous as the tanks were, in the middle of the night when you are in a trance because you have been up every hour on the hour to nurse... the last thing you want to mess around with is trying to make sure you can get your nursing tank clipped back together before you hit the pillow for another quick 15 minute nap.  These sleep bras are very similar to sports bras, also have tons of stretch and are super simple to nurse in.  All you have to do is pull the material to the side, whip it out and feed that baby.  By far the best thing to sleep in when nursing!

4.  Earth Mama Angel Baby Natural Nipple Butter

The first few days/weeks of nursing are painful.  Seriously.  Nobody really warned me about this.  I can say that it gets better, but in the meantime finding something to soothe your nipples is really important.  The hospital provided some samples of lanolin- which worked great... but I definitely preferred the Natural Nipple Butter and was happy to switch when my samples ran out.

5.   Reusable Nursing Pads

It took me one outing in my disposable nursing pads to realize that I hated them.  I don't like panty liners or pads, so I don't know why I thought I wouldn't mind plastic-y pads on my boobs.  During my first trip to Babies R Us after Kennedy arrived, I picked up a package of reusable nursing pads... then came home and ordered a bunch on Amazon.  I have acquired a few different kinds, but my favorites are the cotton ones that came with my nursing cover.  So much softer on the skin then the pastic sposies.  Blech. 


6.  Mesh Hospital Panties

Yep.  Seriously.  Take them.  Take as many as you can get your hands on.  Take them all.  Whether you have a c-section or vaginal delivery, the first few days/weeks post partum are umm.... messy... and these disposables are awesome!!  Let's face it... nobody wants to wash that kind of a mess and tossing out your granny panties by the dozen doesn't exactly seem practical either.

7.  Always Infinity Pads

Speaking of messes... these are about as good as they get at containing them.  I am not a fan of wearing panty liners, let alone pads (ahem diapers), but post partum you really have no choice.  It was a trial and error process to find a pad I could actually tolerate and these were the winners.  May I suggest stocking up on pads... lots and lots of them... in advance.  The amount that you will go through in the first few weeks is pretty absurd.

8.  Pandora Radio

For some reason I thought singing lullabies was one of those innate motherly instincts.  I figured I would somehow just *know* the words to all of those traditional little songs and I would sing softly while my sweet babe drifted off to sleep.  HA!!  I have learned that not only do I not know the words to lullabies... but when I am super sleep deprived and baby girl is screaming, I can hardly remember the words to my favorite country songs.  Andplusalso, how many times can you sing "Rockabye baby in the treetop" before you are ready to stab yourself.  Enter Pandora.  Specifically the Rockabye Baby channel on Pandora.  This channel plays classic rock music (think Journey, Aerosmith, AC DC, Metallica) in lullabye form.  It's great!  I turn this on in the middle of the night and jam out softly to "Don't Stop Believing" and "Dude Looks Like A Lady" while we nurse.  Love it!

9.  Garnier Nutrisse Skin Renew Eye Roller

 

Let's face it... sleep deprivation does not do good things for your appearance.  Vain as it may sound, I did not want to sport the stereotypical "new mom" look... you know sweats, messy hair, dark circles and big bags under my eyes.  Umm... no thanks.  I did hang out in yoga pants, tank tops and a pony tail for a while... BUT... I did manage to throw on a little makeup before I left the house (most days at least).  Even if I didn't have time for my normal makeup routine, I did manage to swipe this wonder product on.  It's a concealer with (drum roll please) caffeine in it, which helps to not only hide those dark circles, but gives your skin a little pick-me-up.  Definitely a must have! 

10. Keurig

Speaking of caffeine..... I may or may not be slightly obsessed with my Keurig.  I loved it before... I even blogged about it when Kevin bought it for me last year (and may or may not have pictures hugging and kissing it, lol)... but now I REALLY love it.  I am pretty awful at making coffee anyway, and now I certainly don't have the time or patience to mess with a full pot... so K-cups it is.  Lord knows I need my morning cup o' Joe now more than ever.  

Kennedy's 2 Week Check In

2 weeks and counting.  Kennedy is growing so fast, right before my very eyes.  I can't believe that 2 weeks ago, at this time, I was pushing and pushing with all my might.  I didn't know if my little one was a "he" or a "she" and I didn't know the depth of love that a mother could feel.  I also didn't yet know just how many diapers I would go through on a daily basis or how little sleep I could actually function on.  Now, I am a nursing, diaper changing zombie mommy... but I have never been happier or more in love with such a teeny tiny little being.  Wow... life happens so fast.

How Big Is Baby?

• I would guess we are close to 9 1/2 lbs.  At our appointment last Tuesday, Kennedy was 9lb 1oz and she has been a nursing machine... so yeah... 9 1/2 would be my guess.

Development & Milestones

• Kennedy picks her head up and holds it up for several seconds to minutes at a time.  She is so so strong and it really blows my mind.  She is smiling more and more, both while asleep and while awake now.  She makes eye contact and stares at mommy, daddy or Lucy for long stretches.  I wish I knew what was going through her mind as she stares and smiles.

Diet/Nursing

• Baby girl is still nursing very well and mommy is getting used to nursing and pumping.  We also introduced the bottle since I will be going back to work in a few weeks.  Kennedy is just like her mommy and daddy... she doesn't care where the food comes from... food is food and she is happy to eat.  This is such a relief since some breast fed babies do not take to the bottle right away when it comes time to transition.  I am still primarily breastfeeding, but we use the bottle maybe once a day or once every other day, to make sure she is comfortable with it as well.

Sleep

• We discussed days/night with the pediatrician at our appointment and she gave us some strategies to help get things switched around.  We have been waking Kennedy about every 2 hours during the day to nurse and trying to keep her stimulated during the day (going for walks outside, enjoying some time on her play mat, tummy time, etc).  We do her bath right before bed and, even if Kevin and I stay up, we keep the lights off or low and play soft music to encourage her to sleep.  We have been blessed on a few occasions with 3 hour stretches of sleep.  Here's to hoping those 3 hour stretches continue and maybe even lengthen to 4!!  Oh my... 4 hours of sleep in a row... that just sounds like heaven.

PP Mommy Check In

• I feel great!  Aside from the sleep deprivation of course... which in all honesty really isn't too terrible.  Kevin is still on leave so I can nap during the day or he can give a bottle for a feeding at night if I get desperate.  I haven't really cashed in on these luxuries yet... maybe I should before he goes back to work.  
• We have been going for walks daily, which feels great... and I have started easing back into working out.  Abs went well, but I am anxious to go full-on CrossFit crazy and start running again.  I'm thinking maybe one more week of taking it easy, then game on.
• Right now I weigh about 140lbs.  
• *For reference, my highest pregnancy weight was 162, my pre-pregnancy weight was 130 and my goal weight is 125*

How Is Daddy?

• I really can't say enough about Kevin.  He has been absolutely amazing.  He wakes up every night and offers to burp or change diapers, since he can't exactly nurse.  He has been keeping the house clean and cooking dinner, spoiling me every chance he gets.  I am so so very lucky.  He is an amazing, caring, generous father.  I can't wait to see Kennedy smile at him and really interact with him.

Any appointments, visitors or outings?  Anything else new?

• We had our 1 week follow up with the pediatrician on Tuesday.  Baby girl weighed in ay 9lbs 1 oz.... Holy cannoli!!  I can't believe how big she is getting.  We had some concerns about some yellowish discharge from one of K's eyes.  This began on Monday afternoon and had gotten pretty yucky by Tuesday morning (good thing we already had an appointment with the pediatrician!).  The pedi told us that it was likely a blocked tear duct and nothing of concern.  We applied a warm wet washcloth to her eyelid several times a day and it cleared right up.  Phew!!  Otherwise, everything else checked out great... our little girl continues to grow healthy and strong!
• My mom left on Monday to go back to Florida.  Mike was supposed to leave Monday also, but he missed his flight.  The plane actually flew over our car while we were pulling into the airport... not awesome.  Luckily he was able to catch a flight out of Syracuse Tuesday morning... which he did make on time.  So now... it's just Kevin and I with our two girls (yes, Lucy counts)... time to really get used to our new little family.  Eeeeek!!
• This afternoon we took Kennedy to church and I tried out my new ring sling for the first time.  I loved it and I think Kennedy loved it to!!  I am really digging baby wearing and plan to use my sling a lot more (although Kevin LOVES to push her in the stroller, so I will have to fight him for it).  She seemed very comfortable and slept peacefully throughout the mass.  It was very comfortable for me to wear and kind of kept strangers hands off of her.  Bonus!

  Love/Hate: 

• Love:  My custom ring sling from Sleeping Baby Productions.  I can't rave enough about this thing.  It's beautiful, comfortable, functional, perfect! 

• Hate:  Hmm... not really sure.  I'll come back to this one.

Any upcoming developments, milestones?  What's next?

• Next appointment isn't until her 2 month check up.... how awesome is that?  
• I have a post partum checkup in early September.

Picture Time!!

Coming soon...

Happy Halloween!! (2 OOTDs and a Product Rave)

Today was a pretty darn good day, especially for a Monday!   First, it's Halloween!!  Who doesn't love dressing up like a superhero and getting lots of candy?  Seriously.  And second, I graduated (officially now) from nursing school!!  Yippee!!  Cheesy picture with diploma to follow.

So... since I thought I might be able to make it to my graduation (I use this term lightly... but still exciting nonetheless), I thought I would dress a little nicer than usual for work.  My work/graduation OOTD...

 Top:  Target (It's hard to see from this picture, but the neckline is really cute, sort of a loose, cowl neck)
White Tank:  Target  (I own like 5 of these... wear them almost every day, so comfortable ad the perfect tank to wear under any shirt)
Bottom:  guess khaki pants
Boots:  Steve Madden

I also wore a purple scarf for about 1/2 of the day.  Kathy (coworker) got a really cute scarf for me for my birthday/graduation and it made this outfit just "Halloween-y" enough.

As you may already know, Kevin and I are both pretty big kids and couldn't resist the opportunity to dress up and hand out candy for our first Halloween in our new house.  After struggling with ideas for costumes, we decided (at the last minute) to thros on our good old Marine Corps cammies and some face paint.

My second OOTD, obviously compliments of the good old United States Marine Corps.

I have to say... pulling out my uniform was bittersweet for me.  I am so very happy with my life today, where I am and what I am doing... but part of me truly misses wearing this uniform every day.  A very big part of my heart belongs to the Marine Corps and it is still very much a big part of who I am.  Every aspect of putting the uniform on was second nature to me... rolling the sleeves, placing my chevrons... it really felt great to feel like a Marine again... even if it was only for play.

Kevin couldn't resist the opportunity to play drill instructor (did I mention that I LOVE my man in uniform?)  with Lucy.  She was not a very good recruit.  Every time the doorbell rang, she got super excited and went running to the door.

Now for the product rave.  After we were finished handing out candy, I couldn't wait to get all of that face paint off.  About a year ago, I was turned on to an amazing brand called Philosophy.  I use a few of their products religiously.  Tonight, in particular, my favorite facewash came in handy.

Purity Made Simple is my absolute favorite facewash and it took all of that war paint off in a single wash.  Love the stuff.  I don't make any money or get any perks from mentioning products, so when I come across a good thing, I like to spread the word because... hey... it's a good thing!!   I will try to remember to post some product raves more often.  I know I am always looking for recommendations, so I'm thinking give some to get some, right?

Speaking of Philosophy... two of my other favs are the Microdelivery Exfoliating Facewash

Finally, The Present, moisturizer and primer.  I have tried several different primers and this one is, by far, my favorite.  Smooth, light, perfect!

One of the best things about Philosophy is that they have great deals online ALL the time.  Seriously.  If you give them your email, at least once or twice a month they will offer 20-30% off.  Steal!

So... that's about it for today.  Busy, but fun day!