Last week I went through and cleaned out our house. As I was making donation piles, throwing out, and re-organizing,  I couldn’t help but think of how many baby products we had that went unused. It is amazing how much is out there for little ones. The “must have” list as a new Mamma can be extremely overwhelming and sometimes isn’t necessary. Of course, every family and baby are different. I thought I would share 10 items we loved and used a lot while our son was in the baby stage.

Car Seat & Jogger Stroller Combo

• I really wanted a jogger stroller that the car seat could pop in to when he was itty bitty and I could use as he got older.  I loved what we chose, however we did have to upgrade to a bigger car seat around 16 months when we could have purchased one that grew with him more. We use the same stroller for our daily walks, so I am still happy with our purchase!

Pack N Play

• We have used this since day 1. Our son slept in the pack in play with the newborn option to make the mattress higher for the first 3 months in our room. We now take it on all travel trips and continue to get our use out of it!

Sleep Sacks

• Our son has loved sleep sacks since the beginning. He never liked to be swaddled and would break out every time we tried, so this worked well for us. He continues to use one for naps and night time.

Pump 

• If you plan to nurse, pumping helps so much with giving you a break or allowing some freedom. I used the Medela and ordered extra parts on Amazon so I had back-up, which was nice to have on hand.

Hands Free Bra (if pumping)

• Game changer with pumping and still getting things done, especially at work!

Door Jumper

• Our son LOVED to move and was obsessed with bouncing. I loved how easy it was to move around the house so he could watch us, and it was very easy to travel with if we wanted to.

Stationary Activity Center

• This was his morning activity for months and he loved it. It was also nice to use while I cooked or needed to get something done really quick.

Baby Carrier

• Carrying your baby is so fun! There are so many different brands, it honestly is just personal preference.

Easy Audio/Video Monitor

• I quickly learned all I cared about was being able to hear him and see him. I never used any other option that was on ours.

White Noise Machine

• We had a white noise lamb we could bring with us and strap on to the stroller or car seat when needed to help calm. We now use a small fan for white noise during naps/nights and take it with us when we travel.

 

What are or were some of your favorite products when your child was little?  I would love to know your staples! 

I have never been one to have much of a morning or evening routine. I used to do what I needed to get done, and that was about it. Once I decided to stay home with little man, I realized how important setting up a routine was aside from the normal day to day operations or “to-dos”. Those hours of alone time can easily be wasted if I am not intentional with how I want to spend them. I thought I would share my current AM routine, and save my PM for another post.

2019 AM Routine:

• Drink a good amount of water
• Get ready for the day and listen to personal development ( I like Mom Mastery University resources)
• Work a couple of hours from home (teaching online English classes)
• Make the bed
• Send Hubby off to work
• Gratitude journal
• Affirmations
• 30 minute walk with little man (quiet time in prayer)

This is all usually completed by 8:30 am which gets me in such a good head space for the remainder of the day. What are some of your routines that have really worked for you?

 

Resources

Mom Mastery University: Free Course

Teaching Online: Application

 

A few months ago I was able to donate my freezer stash of breast milk to an amazing place in North Texas called Mother’s Milk Bank of North Texas (Milk Bank Site). I don’t know why, but I went in to it thinking it would be a quick process where I would drop off and be done. It definitely took a lot longer than I expected, but I am so thankful they took the time to do a thorough screening. I thought I would share the process in case it is ever something you or someone you know is considering doing.

If you don’t live in North Texas I would first research the different places that accept donations and read more about their company, mission, process, etc. This will give you an idea of what is available and out there in your area. Here were the steps I went through before I could donate…

1. Initial Application–>  This included a general questionnaire and basic information online.
2. Phone Interview–>  This consisted of a more in- depth questionnaire regarding medical history (about 15 minutes).
3. Blood Work –> You are e-mailed your paperwork to take to the closest office and give a few vials of blood so they can run multiple tests.
4. OB & Pediatrician Paperwork–> They send forms to your doctors regarding medical history.
5. Online Interview–> You are sent a more in- depth online questionnaire covering multiple topics.
6. Donation –> They provide a list of drop off locations where you can go with your milk & ID number

One thing I didn’t know was most places will want a minimum amount in ounces. I believe I was asked to donate at least 100, so it is definitely something to keep in mind. I am so grateful I was able to give what we had excess of. My son and I had an incredible breast feeding journey and I hope I am able to help again in the future!