I began a pregnancy series awhile back to share my experience with our son. I have posted about each trimester and my son’s birth story. You can read them here: Initial Signs & First Trimester, Second Trimester, Third Trimester, Birth Story. I thought it would be fun to share what I ended up using in my hospital bag. Everyone has their opinion on what is most important based on their individual experience with delivery. Our hospital provided most of what we needed, so I would definitely check what your hospital provides before delivery.

I would love to know what ended up being your essentials during your hospital stay!

1. Comfortable Clothing/Lounge Wear

I think being comfortable in an uncomfortable situation is so important. I ended up wearing a pajama set the entire time that buttoned all the way down, making it easy and convenient to nurse and do skin to skin. This is totally personal preference of what feels best for you. I also had something comfortable leaving the hospital.

2. Shower Shoes

I ended up bringing a cheap pair of flip flops that I wore the entire time. It made it so easy to have one pair of shoes that I could slide on and off. I did bring socks/slippers but I would get too hot wearing them so I stuck to my flip flops.

3. Undergarments

You will want more than the mesh underwear and most likely need something sturdier to hold everything they put in there. Also if you plan to nurse you may want to take a few items to wear for that (bras, tank tops, gowns, etc).

4.Baby Clothes

Definitely bring whatever clothes you want your baby in as well as any sleep sack/swaddles. Our hospital provided everything else we needed, but each hospital is different.

5.Pillow/Blanket

There is just something to having your own pillow and blanket that makes a hospital stay more comforting.

6.Snacks

I stayed in the hospital for 3 nights and was eating all the time. We didn’t sleep that much so our snack bag was a life saver. I am pretty sure we ate everything we brought!

7.Water Bottle

If your hospital does not provide a huge water bottle, definitely bring something to stay hydrated!

8.Toiletries

I used my regular travel toiletries and took everything home they provided me for recovery/nursing.

9.Charger 

You will have a lot of people contacting you/spouse:)

10.Whatever Makes You Feel Good

At the end of the day, it is your personal experience so pack anything and everything YOU want to pack!

Thanks for following along!

Blessings,

Jac

As I was preparing my husband’s food for the work day, I started thinking about easy and quick breakfast ideas. Breakfast can be tricky because some people don’t like eating right away and others don’t have time to sit and eat something before they head out the door. I thought I would share five easy and quick ideas that I personally love to make.

I would love to know any of your favorites or go-tos!

1.Smoothie

This is such a great option to take with you on the go. You can pack in a ton of nutrients and customize it exactly how you want it. Smoothies are my husband’s favorite and I can have it ready in less than 5 minutes. I have shared a couple of my favorite recipes here: Favorite Smoothie Recipe & Summer Smoothie

2.Oatmeal

I love regular oatmeal or overnight oats. They are both extremely easy to make, and you can add in so much to either option. Some things I love adding are nut butters (or powder), protein powder, fruit, seeds/nuts, cinnamon. You can make it filling and not really have to think about cooking. If you are busy in the morning, I suggest overnight oats and bringing with you to eat at work. You could also do the same with yogurt if oatmeal isn’t a favorite.

3.Egg Bites/Muffins

Preparing something you can heat up for a few seconds in the morning can be a life saver! Two of our favorites are egg bites and muffins. I will make a batch for the week which makes mornings easy. You can always add in fruit, toast, a bar, trail mix, etc to make it a more filling/rounded meal.

4.Energy Muffins/Bites

There are so many good recipes out there for healthy muffins and bites that are nutrient packed and easy to customize. Once again it is something you can make at the beginning of the week (or on the weekend) and have it ready to go for the entire week. You can also add in those same items as mentioned above.

5.Protein Coffee

If you have heard of any weight watcher’s hacks you have probably heard of adding in the Premier Protein liquid shakes into coffee. You can make this at home or order coffee/espresso from Starbucks and ask for a larger cup to combine the two. I personally love the vanilla mixed in and it is the easiest, on the go meal! I add in something else to digest but it is a quick option!

For food inspiration, feel free to follow our food Instagram: Bridwell Wellness

Blessings,

Jac

If you have small children, you know toy takeover is a real thing. Before I had our son I used to think we would have minimum toys and that would be that. Of course, I was wrong…like most things pre-kids. Our son loves to play and has such a great imagination. He is interested in many different things, which is great, however that means toys, toys, and more toys.

I am the type of person that loves to have things organized and to know where everything goes. I have shared ways I keep our home tidy here: Maintaining A Tidy Home. I am all about our son having toys, however I want them to be able to be put away and have some sort of system. I thought I would share how I keep his things organized and what has worked best so far.

As always, I would love to know any tips/tricks/structures you have for your children!

1.Invest In Storage

There are many different storage options that can help so much with keeping all of the toys together. We have storage bins and some crates that work great for his current stage and what he is interested in.

2.Store In Certain Areas

Decide where you want to keep the toys and stay consistent with cleaning up and putting them in their place. We keep everything in our son’s closet so it is easy to pick up at the end of the day.

3.Clean Out 

Have a method to cleaning out toys, whether it is a couple of times a year or periods when your children are getting new toys (birthdays, Christmas, etc.). I like to clean out 2-3 times since I generally go through the entire house. We store the old toys in a bin for additional children so we can use them again.

4.Have Children Clean Up

I think this helps so much with keeping the toys put away! Our son helps every time we clean so he knows where things go and can easily put things away and take ownership of his things.

5.Make Most Out Of Space/Home

Every house and space is different so take advantage of the space you have and try to use it the best way. That will look different for everyone!

 

Blessings,

Jac