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I am a list person. I make grocery lists, to-do lists, lists of things I want to buy, lists of things I want to make. I’m a list person. So needless to say, I had a whole big list of things to do before while I was pregnant before my first baby was born.

It was actually super helpful because not only did it keep me busy until he got here, the things I did were things that helped me out once he was born, too. I wasn’t rushing around trying to get addresses for announcements or worrying about little things like what we were going to have for dinner once we got home, because I had prepared before he was born. I was able to stay relaxed and enjoy the time with our new bundle of joy!

This list I’m sharing today has 25 things to do before your baby is born to help make having a newborn easier and more enjoyable for you! These are 25 things that I personally did that you may or may not find helpful. They aren’t in any particular order, and if you have anything else to add, feel free to leave a comment and contribute! (Or check out my post that has 15 more things to do before your baby is born!)

25 Things to Do Before Your Baby is Born

1. Pick a birth announcement

If you live far from family and friends, or if you just want to show off your perfect new baby (who doesn’t want that?), a birth announcement is a great way to introduce your newborn. You can either do something simple yourself by copying something on Pinterest or you can use a photo website with premade layouts (Shutterfly is a great one!).

If you decide what you want before your baby is born, you won’t have to stress about picking a birth announcement after they’re born.

2. Gather and print addresses

If you do decide you want to send out birth announcements, it can be even more stressful to gather all the addresses and figure out who you want to send them to after baby is born.

The solution? Gather them all before! You can compile them all into a Word document with a label template and print them out while you are pregnant so once you get your announcements, you just have to put the sticky labels on the envelopes and pop them in the mailbox.

Plus if you work on it while you are pregnant you can have time to think about who you want to send them to.

3. Get a waterproof bed pad

Not for baby, for you. My husband and I have a nice pillowtop mattress that my parents bought us when we got married, and I was not about to have my water break on it and ruin it. I was very worried that if my water did break in the middle of the night, we would have to leave fast and the amniotic fluid would do some serious damage to our mattress while we were away at the hospital. So instead of being nervous to fall asleep as your due date approaches, invest in something like this waterproof bed pad that you can just put under the sheets on your side of the bed.

And don’t try and be cheap and think you can get one of those plastic drop cloths that you use for painting. I tried that at first and it made way too much noise for me to even be able to fall asleep. Which at that point in your pregnancy you need to try and get as much as you can between the ten bathroom trips each night. And even if your water doesn’t break until you are at the hospital, it’s better to be safe than sorry!

4. Pack your bags

Since you never know when baby is going to come, the sooner the better with this one. You should pack a hospital bag for you, a hospital bag for baby, and if your husband is smart, he will let you pack a little bag for him.

I had my bags packed and sitting by the front door a month before my due date. Yes, I was excited, but I was also prepared!

Here is a list of what I packed in my hospital bag, and here is a list of what I packed in my baby’s hospital bag.

5. Get your carpets cleaned

Now this may not be appropriate for everyone, but living in an apartment that has nasty carpet and weird stains from the previous tenants made me really want to get our carpets cleaned because I knew we were going to be spending a lot of time on the floor with our new baby.

So, about a month before my due date I went and rented a Rug Doctor machine and cleaned our carpets. Not only did they smell amazing and look amazing after, I felt much better about our Little J rolling around on the floor. Plus, if you haven’t done this in a while, it might be a nice thing to do before baby is born because after, you are not going to have time (or energy) to do this.

And here’s a tip: I did a Google search for some coupons and called around at a few stores to get the best deal. So if you are going to add this to your list of things to do before your baby is born, do some research and get the best price!

6. Pick a pediatrician

If you don’t have a pediatrician yet, ask friends, look online at websites like healthgrades.com (but be cautious of how many people have reviewed them), and see if your hospital has contracts with any local offices so they can come to the hospital and visit your newborn right after delivery.

It’s much easier to have this done before you have your baby because you don’t want to be at the hospital holding your perfect little baby and have a minor panic attack when the nurse asks you who your baby’s pediatrician is and then tells you how soon you need to schedule your first appointment. Having a pediatrician picked out prior to your baby’s birth is nice because you can get home and immediately schedule their appointment without worrying about if you are calling a good one.

Some pediatricians actually will let you come meet with them while you are pregnant for a kind of “meet and greet” appointment. I actually did this the month before our first baby was born and felt very good about the pediatrician my friends recommended. One less thing to worry about!

7. Pre-wash baby’s clothes

Again, this is something you don’t have to do and which won’t be for everyone, but I did it with all three of my babies’ clothes (especially after I got all my first son’s clothes out of storage!). I used Dreft because it’s hypoallergenic and I loved the way it smelled. It was really fun to wash, fold, and put away all of their tiny clothes!

8. Invest in a nursing bra (or two)

If you decide you are going to nurse your little baby, you will want to get a few nursing bras. You aren’t supposed to use underwire until you’ve been breastfeeding for three months, and I personally like ones without because I can use them when I’m sleeping and still be comfy.

I would definitely recommend getting at least one nursing bra because trying to put nursing pads in a regular bra and readjusting them every time you feed baby is pretty tough and it’s just easier to have an actual nursing bra that clips and makes things easily and quickly accessible for when baby is screaming because he’s hungry.

9. Check to see if your insurance covers a breast pump

If you are going to nurse your baby, a breast pump is really nice to have for the times that you won’t be able to nurse baby or for when baby decides to sleep through the night and you wake up engorged and crying in pain because you have two rock-hard lumps on your chest.

This particular point was very important for me, because the hospital called and got the wrong information from someone at my insurance, and after being told it was covered, we got the fancy breast pump, only to find out four months later that it was not covered at all and we owed like $300.

I would recommend calling yourself (maybe even a few times to verify information) to see if your insurance covers a breast pump. If you aren’t sure what kind of breast pump you want to try, this post of the best breastfeeding products talks about both manual and electric pumps.

There’s also a company called Aeroflow Breastpumps that does a lot of the work for you, and while I haven’t personally used them, I’ve heard great things about them making the process of getting a breast pump through insurance easy!

10. Make freezer meals

My best friend and I were due two weeks apart with our first babies, and we got together a month before our due dates and made a ton of freezer meals. This is a fun idea because it can take one day or it can take a few days (and when you are getting close to your due date you want to keep yourself busy). Our tiny freezer had almost no room for anything else after two days of making freezer meals, but it was so worth it. 

My husband and I found out that the recipes that we liked most were actually not crockpot ones, but ones that were casserole-like and were baked in the oven. Lasagna, pasta, chicken fajitas, those types of meals were our personal favorites.

And making freezer meals is really nice for after baby is born because once your family goes back home and you are left alone, the last thing you want to do is make a hot meal for you and your husband. Here’s a great post about freezer meal tips and recipes to make before your baby is born!

11. Attend classes at your hospital

Most hospitals offer free baby classes for expectant parents. I would highly recommend checking to see what kinds of classes you can take.

My husband and I signed up for three, and even though he only went to one and I only went to two, it was really helpful. I took a notebook and filled up multiple pages with things like how to give baby a bath, how to care for a circumcision, breastfeeding tips, how to swaddle baby, and how to change a diaper (somehow I made it through life without changing a single diaper until my first baby was born).

Plus you can ask the teachers/nurses any additional questions you might have. And you may even make some pregnant friends who are due around the same time!

12. Install baby’s car seat

I seriously think I drove around for about five weeks with an empty car seat in the backseat of my car before my first baby was born. Car seats aren’t super hard to install, but you don’t want to get to the hospital and realize that you left your new baby’s ride at home.

A lot of places will offer car seat installation checks where you can bring your car in and they will check to make sure you’ve installed the car seat correctly. I was going to do this with our first until my husband made fun of me and told me he knew what he was doing. I did however go and do this with my second baby, despite him mocking me. I also took our our convertible car seat in to get checked when we got that. Very helpful.

For more information about keeping kids safe in their car seats, check out this post about 8 Car Seat Mistakes You Are Probably Making.

13. Bake cookies to thank your nurses

I know this one is kind of silly, but it’s a nice gesture! And this obviously shouldn’t be done until pretty close to your due date, but it is really nice to have a bag of cookies that you can give to the nurses once you are officially checked into the hospital.

And if more than a few days goes by and you aren’t in labor, it’s always nice to have a bag of cookies waiting for you to make you feel better. You can make more for the nurses after you eat the first batch.

14. Get 2 waterproof mattress pads for the crib

I think most people probably only have one waterproof mattress pad on their crib, but we layered a waterproof crib mattress pads and then a fitted sheet, and then another mattress pad and another fitted sheet. That way, when your newborn wets the bed or throws up in the middle of the night, you can just pull the first layer off and they still have another protective layer there in case it happens again. You don’t want to be trying to wash and put on a new mattress pad and sheet in the middle of the night! 

It’s definitely worth the extra bit of money to have a spare mattress pad on the bed. Trust me, you’ll be grateful in the middle of the night!

15. Paint your nails

This may seem silly, too, but you are going to be taking a lot of pictures at the hospital holding your new baby, and since you probably won’t feel your best after your baby is born, it’s nice to have a little bit of glam to make you feel better!

I painted my nails a nice baby blue color (since I was having a boy) and it actually turned out really nice for the pictures that we had taken at the hospital.

16. Buy some “in-between” clothes

One of my friends actually suggested this and I didn’t do it the first time around and I regretted it.

As much as you want to be your pre-pregnancy size after your baby is born, it will not happen immediately. And since you won’t be pregnant anymore, you probably won’t want to wear your maternity clothes. So before you have your baby, go buy some “in-between” clothes that you can wear until you fit back into your regular clothes.

I really wish I had done this the first time because I couldn’t fit back into any of my jeans or shorts until my baby was about 2-months-old, so I ended up wearing sweatpants or my maternity pants until then. And without a large, round belly, the band on my maternity pants sagged and wasn’t the best self-esteem booster.

So, before you have your baby, just get a pair or two of in-between pants, and maybe a few looser-fitting tops. PinkBlush Maternity has some great clothes for looking good during and after pregnancy.

17. Look through your baby’s baby book

If you haven’t gotten a baby book, I highly recommend it. There are usually sections you can fill out before your baby is born about you and Daddy, the day you found out you were pregnant, the ultrasound, and things like that.

Plus you can see if there is a spot for a newspaper clipping from the day they are born and baby hand and footprints. Otherwise you might not remember to get a newspaper or baby’s footprints in the actual baby book. And it’s cute to see the pages that talk about baby’s birth and you will cry and be excited and scared and thrilled all at the same time while looking through them (yes, that is from personal experience).

18. Charge your camera battery

I know that everyone has a smart phone and can take pictures on their phones, but I’m old-fashioned and I love taking pictures on my DSLR rather than my phone.

My camera takes really nice pictures, and it was nice to be able to have my phone as a backup instead just in case. Plus, you will be taking like a million pictures at the hospital of your perfect new baby so you want to make sure your camera can handle all that pressure.

19. Do a test run to the hospital

If this is your first baby, or you haven’t delivered at the hospital you are planning on, it is always a good idea to do a test run and see not only how long it takes you to get there, but to make sure you know exactly where to park and go once you get there.

I didn’t think the signs outside of our hospital were super clear and it was nice to go and make sure we knew where to park and then where to go in and what floor to go to and everything. Because once you’re in labor, you don’t want to waste any time.

20. Stock up on hand sanitizer

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about having a baby, it’s that people will ALWAYS ask to hold them. It’s nice to have some hand sanitizer stashed around your home (especially by the changing area!) and in your bag so that when people do ask to hold your baby, you can politely have them sanitize their hands first, since there’s not always a sink around to wash hands.

21. Make your birth plan

Some OBGYNs or hospitals will give you a sheet to fill out, but some don’t, so it’s always nice to be prepared and at least feel like you are going to be in control. Your hospital may provide you with one when you pre-register, or you can check out this helpful post with things you should include on your birth plan.

It’s important to remember that your birth plan is Plan A, and sometimes, for your health or the health of your baby, things will have to change. Your birth plan should discuss your ideal birth situation, but you also need to remember to be flexible when the time comes and not panic if you can’t do everything the way you wanted. The most important part of a birth plan is that you cover all possible situations so you can prepare ahead of time and you won’t have to make decisions when you are in the moment and your nurse is asking you what you want to do.

You can fill in things about how you want your labor to go, what you want to do during labor, who you want in the room with you when baby is born, and if you want the chance to breastfeed right after baby is born. It is a really handy tool to have, and it can help put your mind at ease about delivery, even if you don’t completely stick to it during labor (which you probably won’t!).

22. Get a special baby notebook and folder

Both before your baby is born and after, you’ll probably get a lot of handouts and a lot of information. It’s really helpful to have a special place to store papers and write down all of the things you are told, because you’re most likely not going to remember everything they tell you right before you are discharged and sent home.

I also decided to use my notebook to write down questions that I might think of at home so that I wouldn’t forget to ask them while we were at the pediatrician. And for the first few months, I also recorded when my babies ate, when we bathed them, and how many wet and dirty diapers they had.

The folder is really handy because you get a lot of paperwork at the hospital and instead of shoving it all in your bag, you can nicely store it in your folder and keep it organized so that when you get home you know exactly where to look for that handout on immunizations. If you decide to go to baby classes at the hospital you can also use the notebook and folder for information you get there.

23. Get a package of milk freezer bags

I actually didn’t even think about using these for what I’m going to tell you, but I wish I would have because it would have helped a lot. If you are going to have a pump, having a box of milk storage freezer bags is really helpful.

Sometimes baby decides he doesn’t want to eat on one side and you get engorged and it’s miserable. It’s super handy to have some milk freezer bags so you can pump and then save the milk that you pump so that later, if you are going to be away from your baby, there is some milk for him ready in the freezer.

Sometimes you’ll get engorged and need to pump just a little bit so that you can sleep at night. It’s a waste to pour milk you pumped down the drain, so go ahead and freeze it! These 1 oz milk trays are the perfect way to freeze just a little bit of milk so it won’t go to waste!

24. Look up a newborn photographer

Some hospitals have contracts with baby photographers and they will actually come around to your rooms while you are there and take pictures. We were lucky and had the chance to get our first and second babies’ pictures done while we were still in the hospital. Check to see if your hospital has something like this, and if they don’t, you might want to start looking around for a newborn photographer. Or, if you want to save money but still want pictures of your perfect baby, you can look on Pinterest at the many tutorials on how to photograph babies on your own.

If you’re doing baby announcements this is especially handy, because once your baby is born you don’t want to have to try and look around for a photographer last-minute. The last thing you want to do after giving is birth is to stress about finding the perfect photographer and getting good pictures. It’s nice to plan ahead and have that all set up before.

25. Make Daddy feel special.

A lot of times the mom gets pampered and showered and the dad can feel left out. Let him know how much you appreciate him and the support he has given (and will give you during labor) by putting together a special “new Dad” kit for him.

I put in some soap, some Pop Rocks, tissues, a few books about daddies, a sports onesie, some Sour Patch Kids, some Diet Mt. Dew, air freshener, earplugs, and a few other little personal things to make life as a new dad easier. Not only was it fun for me to put together, it was nice to be able to be able to recognize his part in all of this, too!

Most importantly, just get excited! I know it is the worst waiting around for your baby. Then once your due date passes you are just trying to do everything you can to pass the time. Just enjoy it and try to relax. Babies come when they are ready, and when they do, it is an incredible experience.

This post was originally published in August 2013.

The post 25 Things to Do Before Your Baby is Born appeared first on Life With My Littles.

Last week was Child Passenger Safety Awareness Week, and I’m a big fan.

Ever since J was a baby, I’ve been very passionate about car seat safety. It’s such a simple thing, but often overlooked. While most people won’t get into a car accident in their lives, the seriousness of getting into an accident with a child in the car can not be understated, especially if their car seat is not properly installed.

Most people think they know what they’re doing when they put in their child’s car seat, but a study done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration showed that 59% of car seats are not installed correctly. Scary!

I highly recommend going to a car seat check at least once, just to make sure you know how your car seat should be installed in your specific car. You can find them wherever you are (the Minnesota Department of Public Safety lists car seat checks on their website, so your state may, too), and they really take only a few minutes. It’s absolutely worth it to go and make sure you know what you’re doing! 

In the meantime, or if you’ve already done that and your car seat is put into the car correctly, there’s one big thing you may not have realized that can determine if your child’s car seat is installed correctly, not just in your car, but for your child–your child’s height and weight!

Why You Need to Know the Height and Weight Max on Your Child’s Car Seat

Knowing the height and weight of your child is incredibly important when you’re figuring out what direction your child needs to be facing in their car seat, and what car seat they need to be in. Car seats have height and weight restrictions for both rear-facing and forward-facing. Infant seats are always rear facing, and when your child is either a certain height or a certain weight, they have to move to a convertible car seat. Convertible car seats can be rear-facing or forward-facing, and it depends on your child’s height and weight which way they need to go. Again, once your child reaches a certain height or weight, they have to move to a harness booster or highback booster seat, which is always forward facing but depending on your child’s height and weight, they either get strapped into the car via the LATCH system or the lap belt. Their height and weight also determines if they still need the 5-point harness or if they can use the lap belt. 

See? Knowing the height and weight of your child and how it relates to their car seat is INCREDIBLY important.

So go right now and find out the height and weight of your child. I’ll be right here waiting when you get back.

Done? Okay. Now here’s what you need to check, using their height and weight: 

Make sure you’re using the correct car seat for your child.

They’ll either need an infant seat, a convertible car seat, a highback booster seat, or a regular backless booster seat.

Make sure you know if it should be rear-facing or forward-facing.

Obviously all infant car seats need to be rear-facing, and all boosters need to be forward-facing, but convertible car seats can be buckled in either rear-facing or forward-facing, depending on the height and weight of your child. It used to be that the AAP recommended leaving your child rear-facing until two, but now they recommend leaving your child rear-facing as long as you can! I know this might be hard, but children are much safer in rear-facing seats!

Make sure your child is buckled in correctly.

Some car seats only have an option for a harness, in which case you’re good. But some car seats, like the highback boosters, can buckle the child in with a harness or the lap belt, depending on your child’s height and weight.

Make sure the car seat is buckled in correctly.

Depending on your child’s height and weight, their car seat also may need to be buckled in differently. Our Graco Nautilus 65 (a harness booster seat that transitions to a highback booster and then a backless booster) uses the LATCH system up until 45 lbs, and then it has to be installed with the lap belt and top tether. And then once your child uses the lap belt and not the harness, it doesn’t get buckled in at all. 

Bonus tip: make sure you know where your child’s head needs to be in relation to back of the car seat! Our booster car seat manual states that your child’s ears need to be below the top of the car seat headrest or the child is too large for the seat.

Car seat safety really isn’t that complicated, as long as you know what you’re doing and pay attention. We all want what’s best for our children, and making sure their car seats are not only installed correctly, but that they’re using the right ones and buckled in correctly, are such easy ways to protect them from harm. 

And to make it even EASIER, I’ve put together three little printables to help you keep track of the height and weight limits for your child’s car seat! I have one for infant car seats, one for convertible car seats, and one for booster seats! Print them out and take a few minutes to look up the height and weight restrictions on your child’s car seat! 

And remember, if you’re not sure, just take your car and car seat to a quick car seat check! It’s always better to be safe than sorry!

The post Why You Need to Know the Height and Weight Max on Your Child’s Car Seat appeared first on Life With My Littles.

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Happy World Breastfeeding Week!

Did you even know that was a thing? Well now you do! It’s an annual campaign sponsored by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action and the goal is to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding worldwide. 

I’ve been lucky enough to breastfeed all three of my babies, and I know from personal experience that breastfeeding can be made a lot easier and a lot more comfortable when you have the right products and accessories to support you! 

There are a lot of awesome products that I wish I had used with my babies that I didn’t even know about until after I was done nursing. I’m going to guess that a lot of mamas probably don’t know about them all, so today, in honor of World Breastfeeding Week, I thought I’d share some of the best breastfeeding products that I have loved, that I’ve heard great things about, and that some of my mama friends have recommended! I’ve breaking it down into category (breast care, breastpumps and accessories, breastfeeding helpers, and things for helping make breastfeeding more comfortable). This post is basically just a great resource for any new or experienced breastfeeding mama! 

The Best Breastfeeding Products

Breast Care

Lansinoh Soothies Gel Pads. I was lucky enough to use these little things from day one of breastfeeding my first baby, and they were lifesavers. They’re basically like ice packs for your breasts, but without making them freeze. They’re soothing, cool, and perfect for nipples that are in pain and breasts that are aching. A must-have for the beginning of breastfeeding.

Lansinoh Lanolin. I used this brand of lanolin for all three babies and it was great. It helped my nipples feel better when they were raw and chapped, and I made one small tube last the entire time I nursed each kid. You don’t have to wipe it off before you nurse again, and it’s 100% natural and hypoallergenic!

Earth Mama Organic Nipple Butter. I heard about this first on The Birth Hour podcast, and then again a few months later at Gearapalooza Minneapolis. It’s similar to lanolin, but it’s lanolin-free, restorative (unlike lanolin), moisturizing, organic, and non-sticky. You don’t have to wipe it off before nursing, and you can even use it on other dry parts of your body! I would definitely recommend this one and I haven’t even used it myself! But it sounds dreamy!

Motherlove Nipple Cream. I haven’t used this either, but it was recommended by another mama and sounds awesome! It’s similar to the Earth Mama Nipple Butter in that it’s organic, restorative, and you don’t have to wipe it off before nursing. It only has five ingredients (extra virgin olive oil, beeswax, shea butter, marshmallow root, and calendula flower), and the anti-microbial properties also make it an ideal salve for soothing baby acne! Cool!

Lansinoh Stay Dry Disposable Nursing Pads. I haven’t used these ones, but I had multiple people recommend them as the pads they used while breastfeeding (the pads I used for all three babies have actually been discontinued because Babies R Us doesn’t really exist anymore!). They have stickies on the backs so they won’t move around in your bra (very helpful for preventing leaking!), which is something I loved about the pads I used when nursing! I also pretty much only used disposable pads, so I very much support these!

Breastpumps and Accessories 

Medela Pump in Style Advanced Breastpump. I don’t know if this breast pump is still as fabulous as I thought it was when I used it, but it’s like the Cadillac of breastpumps. It’s electric, is super easy to use, doesn’t come with a ton of pieces, has a nice tote you can discreetly carry it around in, comes with a portable battery pack, and lasted me through breastfeeding three babies over the course of almost five years. It’s wonderful. I had a few other mamas recommend Medela breastpumps, although none specifically, so I’m just highlighting this one, since I know it’s good.

Haakaa Manual Breastpump. As far as manual pumps go, this one is amazing. The pump itself is just one piece, it’s made of silicone so it’s comfortable, and it’s small so you can definitely bring it around with you wherever you go. You can attach it to the breast you’re not nursing on and it will catch milk expressed during let down, and all you have to do to clean it is boil it for 2-3 minutes. I haven’t used this one, but I would have if I’d known about it!

Spectra Silicone Breast Massager Inserts. I know this has a weird name (massager?!), but it’s a great product. If you’ve ever pumped before, you know that sometimes the flanges are too big or don’t fit quite right. These little babies go right into the flange and help make them fit your breast better! They’re compatible with 24mm and 28mm flanges, and they change them to 22mm. They also help cushion and massage the breasts during pumping, stimulating the milk ducts around the areola and breasts to increase milk flow and stimulate an earlier let down. If you’re a frequent pumper, I highly recommend checking these out! 

Hands-free pumping bra. I don’t have any specific brand recommendations here, but since pumping is already the worst (does it make anyone else feel like a cow?), a hands-free pumping bra makes it a little easier! Basically, it’s a bra that holds your pump onto your chest so you don’t have to sit there holding your breastpumps on! I’d also highly recommend these for frequent pumpers, especially if you want to do something else with your hands while you’re pumping (like read or work on your computer or something). 

Freezer bags. I loved the Lansinoh freezer bags, but I also have heard the Medela ones are great, so either one works! Even if you don’t think you’ll be pumping frequently, I would recommend getting at least a package of these (especially if you’re going to be using some milk catchers, which I’ll talk about below). Expressed milk is basically like liquid diamonds, and wasting even an ounce cuts you to the core. Save anything you express, preferably in the freezer so you can thaw it and feed it to baby later (and duh, you have to have somewhere to freeze the milk, hence freezer bags).

Milkies Milk Trays. Your other option besides freezer bags are Milkies Milk Trays. These things are GENIUS. If there’s anything wrong with freezer bags, it’s that you either have to freeze a decent amount of milk in each bag (which sometimes you end up wasting), or you have to freeze a little bit in each bag and waste a lot of space in them. That’s where Milkies Milk Trays come in. You freeze your milk in one ounce sticks that fit into the opening of any bottle. WHAT? I KNOW! This way you can thaw as many or as few ounces of milk as you want, and no milk gets wasted. Like I said, GENIUS.

While we’re on the subject of breastpumps, I also want to give a shout out to Aeroflow Breastpumps, which is an awesome company that helps mamas qualify for breastpumps through their insurance. This post isn’t sponsored in any way, but in my experience, getting a breastpump and dealing with insurance was dang complicated and the insurance and hospital were telling me different things and I ended up having to pay full price for mine, which was a huge bummer. Anyway, they do great work and I definitely recommend checking them out if you haven’t gotten yourself a breastpump! 

Breastfeeding Helpers

Milkies Milk-Savers. Another genius product from Milkies! You know how when you nurse and you have your let down and both breasts fill up and start leaking? Well that’s great for the breast your baby is nursing on, but what about your other breast just spraying into your nursing pad? Wouldn’t it be great if you could collect that milk and save it somehow? With Milkies Milk-Savers you can! You just slip one over your nipple on the side your baby isn’t on and it collects milk that leaks out while you’re nursing your baby on the other side! Think of all the ounces of breastmilk you could save using one of these! I wish I had had these when I was nursing because I probably could’ve saved up so much that I wouldn’t have ever have had to pump! 

Nipple Shields. Not everyone needs a nipple shield, but if you have trouble getting your baby to latch, your baby is premature, or you have flat or inverted nipples, a nipple shield might help. I haven’t ever used one, but my sister has, and she said it was the only way she could get her youngest to nurse. Just make sure you know how to use one properly before you use it!

Fenugreek. Fenugreek is an herb used for helping increase milk production. I had a few mamas recommend it, and I used it with my third baby and I think it helped. There are several breastfeeding supplements with fenugreek in them (The Honest Company, UpSpring), so do your research and decide for yourself if you want to try it. 

Lactation Cookies. Yup, these are a thing. You can buy them premade, buy mixes, or make your own. Some people might think they’re silly, but I think they helped me when I was nursing my third! Plus, why wouldn’t you want to eat more cookies in your life!?

Making Breastfeeding More Comfortable

RockerMama Ready Rocker. This was another thing I didn’t hear of until after I was done breastfeeding all of my babies, but it’s a genius idea! It turns any seat you’re in into a rocker! You can rock wherever you are, which is awesome for anyone who doesn’t have a rocker or who nurses their baby in other places besides the nursery! 

Boppy Nursing Pillow. This is what I used with all three of my babies, and it was amazing. I tried using a regular pillow when we would travel the first few times, and it was so uncomfortable and difficult to get positioned that I ended up taking my pillow with me when we’d travel! Mine lasted through all three of my babies, so it’s a great investment.

Luna Lullaby Nursing Pillow. A friend recommended this one, and it’s pretty similar to a Boppy, but it’s not quite as curved. Instead of a C, it’s more of an obtuse angle, if that makes sense. It looks comfy and would definitely work in the same way. You just have to decide which one is right for you! 

Nursing Cover. I know nursing covers aren’t for everybody, but if you nurse in public a lot and aren’t comfortable with just pulling up or pulling down your shirt, a nursing cover can be awesome. When my first baby was born I only had one that covered the front of me, and I hated it. I made a full-coverage one when my daughter was born and I was so much more comfortable with it. You can get the tutorial here (it’s so easy, takes less than five minutes, and all you have to do is sew a straight line). Or you can buy one like this (hint, it’s so much cheaper to make your own!).

If there’s anything else you’d like to recommend or you think should be added to this list of the best breastfeeding products, I’d love to hear it! Leave a comment and let me know! 

Breastfeeding is such an incredible gift we have. Not everyone nurses for the same amount of time, and that’s totally okay. Hopefully this World Breastfeeding Week you can remember to support everyone, no matter how they feed their baby, and hopefully you’ve found something helpful on this list to make your breastfeeding experience more enjoyable! 

The post The Best Breastfeeding Products appeared first on Life With My Littles.

This post contains affiliate links. I received free product in exchange for this post.

When our first baby was born six years ago I was overwhelmed by all the different kinds of baby monitors. It seemed like there were so many brands and they all had different options and features. How could I even choose?

Flash forward to today when there are even MORE brands, MORE options, and MORE features! Knowing how to choose a baby monitor is no small feat!

There’s definitely something for everyone and every budget, and it’s absolutely worth it to go through and sort out what features are actually useful and which you could do without (because even though some are cool, they aren’t really necessary!). 

Today, I wanted to talk all about how to choose a baby monitor so you can make the best decision for your family! 

Audio-Only Baby Monitors

Audio-only baby monitors are monitors that, you guessed it, only provide audio. No video screen, basic features, and they’re generally the cheapest kind of baby monitor. If you are pretty low-key and don’t feel like you need to see your baby on the screen when you could just go open their door and check on them, an audio-only monitor might be for you. We used an audio-only monitor with our firstborn and for about the half the time with our second, and it was just what we needed.

Pros: Usually cheaper, can provide features like temperature in baby’s room, walkie-talkie communication, night light, or music

Cons: You obviously can’t see your baby, very basic

Favorite model: Motorola MBP16-2 Digital Audio Baby Monitor  – $42.95 on Amazon – We used this with our first two babies. It showed the temperature in our baby’s room, let us talk to our baby, had a night light, and played a few different songs. It reached up to 300 meters and we brought it on vacation a few times. It actually wasn’t working when we got it out to use again with our second baby, and Motorola sent us a replacement because it was still under warranty. It was sweet!

Best rated on Amazon: VTech DM221 Audio Baby Monitor – $34.99 on Amazon – This monitor currently has over 5,700 reviews and still has four stars. Impressive! It has your typical audio-only baby monitor features like talkback from the parent monitor, a belt clip on the parent unit, a night light, and you can buy a second parent unit. 

Splurge: Philips Avent SCD570/10 Dect Baby Monitor – $111.07 on Amazon – This audio-only monitor has tons of features, like a night light, music, the temperature in baby’s room, talkback from the parent monitor, works up to 330 meters, it’s very sensitive, and has a vibrating feature so it doesn’t always have to beep when sound is picked up, it has a night mode on the parent monitor, and it has good battery life. 

Steal: VTech DM111 Audio Baby Monitor – $18.59 on Amazon – Another highly rated audio-only monitor, this one is similar to the VTech DM221, but with a less features. It’s pretty much only an audio monitor, and it doesn’t have the talkback feature. So if you want a very inexpensive audio-only monitor, this is a steal!

Video Baby Monitors

The main difference between audio-only baby monitors and video baby monitors are that the video baby monitors also have video. They often have the same features as the audio-only monitors, but they provide a little more peace of mind for new parents because not only can you hear your baby, you can also see them. They come in black and white or color (which honestly, doesn’t really matter that much), and range a lot in price.

Pros: You can see your baby, sometimes they come with two monitors so you can have cameras in two rooms connected to one parent unit, you can zoom in or out and usually move the camera from the parent unit, come with mounting equipment so you can mount onto the wall above baby’s bed if you want, some have the option to view the video on your phone

Cons: More expensive, not really necessary (although they are nice to have)

Favorite model: VTech Safe&Sound VM343 Pan & Tilt Full-color Video Monitor  – $179.95 on Amazon – We got this monitor when our daughter was about six months, and we’ve used it ever since (about 4 years). One thing I love about it is that you can buy an extra camera for it and have them in multiple rooms. We have one in our youngest son’s room and one in our older two’s room. It has a talkback feature, you can move it from the parent unit, the screen is pretty big, you can zoom in or out, it can mount on the wall, and it can move 270 degrees side-to-side and tilts as far as 120 degrees up and down. We LOVE this bad boy. 

Best rated on Amazon: Infant Optics DXR-8 Video Baby Monitor – $165.99 on Amazon – This fancy little thing has 4.4 stars out of 28,100 reviews! If that’s not an incredible rating, I don’t know what is! It has an interchangeable optic lens, can also move 270 degrees side-to-side and 120 degrees up and down, shows the temperature, the camera is high-resolution, has a night mode and a day mode, and it won several awards in 2018 for best baby monitor. 

Splurge: Motorola Halo+ Over-The-Crib Baby Monitor – $299.99 on Amazon – I love the way this one looks, and it’s no doubt you’ll have the best view of your baby with this monitor! It goes over the crib to monitor your baby, and when your child is older, you can detach it and set it on a dresser or something out of their reach. It has a talkback feature, works on WiFi so you can view your baby on the parent unit or through an app on your phone (wherever you are), comes preloaded with a selection of soothing sounds, audio books and classical lullabies (and you can download more), and it also has a color changing LED nightlight and light show projector. This is the splurge of all splurges, in my opinion! But it’d be awesome to have if you can afford it!

Steal: Hello Baby Wireless Video Baby Monitor – $64.99 on Amazon – This monitor has night vision, temperature display, a talkback feature, can be used with up to 4 cameras, has pan and tilt, an audio-only feature, camera zoom, music, and alarms. It has tons of features for an affordable price. It’s currently the #21 best-selling baby monitor on Amazon (with 1,692 reviews and 3.7 stars). 

Owlet Baby Monitors

Of course the newest innovation in baby monitors comes from the company Owlet. If you aren’t familiar with Owlet, they sell a Smart Sock that tracks heart rate, oxygen levels and sleep. They also just came out with the Owlet Cam, that can be used in combination with the Smart Sock, or on its own as a video monitor. 

Smart Sock

The Owlet Smart Sock was one of my two favorite “new” baby items we got with our youngest baby. Even though he was our third baby, I still worried about him when he was in his own room down the hall. The Smart Sock comfortably wraps around your baby’s foot to track heart rate, oxygen levels and sleep using clinically-proven pulse oximetry. The base station glows green to let you know everything is okay but notifies with lights and sounds if heart rate or oxygen levels leave preset zones. You use an app on your phone to read everything, and the

Pros: You can use it from newborn-18 months, the peace of mind is unmatched in a baby monitor, helps you (the parent) sleep better, the sock itself is machine washable, easy to use, you can buy it via a payment plan, or you can buy it refurbished (when they’re available), they sometimes have cute limited edition socks, you can return it within 45 days of purchase if you aren’t satisfied and get your money back

Cons: It’s expensive (definitely an investment), the range isn’t amazing (up to 100 feet), false alarms can cause you to panic, requires WiFi (not sure if this is a con, but I guess it could be if your signal isn’t strong)

The Owlet Smart Sock retails for $299.99 on their website, but you can do a payment plan and pay $25 a month for 12 months, $50 a month for 6 months, or $100 a month for 3 months. 

Personally, I LOVED my Owlet Smart Sock. As far as baby monitors go, it’s the top of the line.

Owlet Cam

Last year, Owlet announced they were coming out with a video baby monitor called the Owlet Cam. I got mine in January, and it’s awesome. I’ll be honest and tell you that I don’t think I love it quite as much as our other video baby monitor, but it is very chic and has some awesome features.

Pros: Easy to mount on the wall, cord has a plastic box to stay wrapped up and discreet, also comes with cord covers so you can cover the cord on the wall and keep it out of baby’s reach, the camera itself is magnetic and easy to hand up, works even when you aren’t on the same WiFi connection (so you can check in on your baby while you’re out on date night), can be used in conjunction with the Smart Sock, displays the temperature, clear image, night vision, talkback feature, secure, encrypted connection to WiFi, 130 degrees lens, also has the 45-Day Peace of Mind guarantee

Cons: Difficult to set up (it works through a different app than just the Smart Sock, and even after I figured that out it took me two days to set it up and pair it, even though we have a very strong internet connection), can’t zoom, can’t move it once you’re out of the room, keeping the video on on your phone drains your phone’s battery fast

The Owlet Cam retails for $149.00 on their website, but there’s a payment plan available for this, too. Or you can buy the bundle and get both the Smart Sock and the Cam for $399.99 on their website. I think it would be awesome to use them together, but my son is now too big for the Smart Sock so I can’t!

Choosing a baby monitor can be stressful and overwhelming. Hopefully, you feel a little more confident and know how to choose a baby monitor now (or at least know what type of monitor you want!). And no matter what you get, you can always just go in and peek on your baby, right? Because what new mama (or even old mama) doesn’t do that anyway!?

The post How to Choose a Baby Monitor appeared first on Life With My Littles.

DISCLAIMER: I’ve been getting a lot of mean comments on this post telling me how cynical or awful this post is. Guys, chill. Yes, I think some of these gifts are lame, but all gifts are good when they come from the heart.

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If you’ve had a baby shower, I guarantee this has happened to you.

You’re sitting in front of your guests opening presents when you open one that’s just awful. You fake a smile and pretend it’s the cutest thing in the world while mentally making a note to return it or donate it as soon as the party is over. You graciously thank the gift-giver and set the present with the rest, happy to move on to the next one.

Am I right?

For some reason, there’s always one or two people who just don’t know how to give gifts at a baby shower. It might be your elderly neighbor, your childless friend from high school, or your aunt who you’ve only met a few times, but there’s one at every baby shower, and sometimes, it can make you feel pretty awkward.

Today I’ve written a post filled with gifts NOT to give at a baby shower, and hopefully it will spread around enough that some of these common (and unwanted) gift ideas will stop being given to pregnant moms. Please. Just stop.

Here are some gifts not to give at a baby shower:

1. Quilts. Unless you’re a grandma or great-grandma, please don’t sew the baby a quilt or other handmade blanket. New moms get so many blankets (receiving blankets, swaddle blankets, stroller blankets) and honestly, babies don’t even use quilts until they’re over a year old. Nobody has room to store a bunch of quilts until then. And nobody wants to save a quilt from someone they barely know to use later in their lives. So just stop with the quilts. 

2. Decorations or art for the nursery. New moms usually have a very specific idea in mind for how they want to decorate their baby’s nursery. And it’s usually already done by the time they have a baby shower (especially for first-time moms!). I guarantee that whatever decor or art you gift them probably won’t match, and they’ll probably end up getting rid of it. The rare exception is if you found it on their baby registry. Otherwise, no.

3. Anything homemade. You might’ve seen a cute homemade drool bib or a no-sew bow or even a pair of baby booties you could crochet. But people don’t throw baby showers to get handmade gifts. They throw baby showers to get gifts from their registries. And just because they have baby mittens on their registry doesn’t mean you should make them baby mittens. Just buy them. They registered for those for a reason.

4. A music box. You might be thinking “Who would give a baby a music box?” but I can assure you, it’s happened. A music box is not a practical gift for a baby and it will just take up shelf or closet space. Babies don’t need music boxes, they need diapers. Be sensible.

5. Clothes that are bigger than 12 months. Gifting clothes can be a tricky one, but I’ll just say don’t give the new mama any baby clothes that are for babies older than a year. She’ll forget about them! This has happened to me more than once, and while yes, it’s a good idea to give the new mom clothes for a size other than newborn or 0-3 months, they’ll get put in a box or on a shelf and then they won’t be found until the baby (or toddler, by then) has already outgrown them. Try to stick to 0-3 months or 3-6 months.

6. Something they won’t use for years. In an effort to get something helpful that nobody else will get you and your baby, some people go so far as to get them things for the future, like a strider bike or pull-ups. Again, people don’t have unlimited storage for these things, so please don’t get them things that won’t be helpful or needed for years. 

7. Stuffed animals. Stuffed animals are the worst. Babies honestly don’t need them at all (they can’t even cuddle with them until they’re older) and even then they only need one or two. But somehow, we always end up with like 1,000 stuffed animals per kid. We’re basically drowning in them. Please don’t gift stuffed animals. No more teddy bears, puppies, or kitties. NO MORE.

8. Toddler toys. You know how every year on the anniversary of their birth, people celebrate birthdays and they’re given gifts? Well THAT is the appropriate time for a child to receive toddler toys, not at the mom’s baby shower when the baby isn’t even born yet. If they won’t use it within 6-9 months of the shower, it’s not a good gift. 

9. Anything used. It’s thoughtful and kind to give a new mama a gently-used high chair or Bumbo seat that your baby didn’t destroy, but save that for another day. Don’t gift her something that’s been used. Go buy some pacifiers or a pack of diapers, and give her the high chair after the party’s over. Be classy, guys. Be classy.

I know this post of gifts not to give at a baby shower might be a little harsh and hard to hear (the truth hurts), but it’s time someone spoke up for mamas-to-be!

If you really are having a hard time trying to decide what to get someone for their baby shower, just get them something off of their registry (Amazon Baby Registry is my favorite!). They put it together for a reason (it’s full of things they actually want!), and they’ll be thrilled when they see your gift!

Happy gifting, friends!

The post Gifts Not to Give at a Baby Shower appeared first on Life With My Littles.

This post is sponsored by Pampers. I am a proud member of the Pampers Baby Board.

It’s no secret that I love Pampers diapers. I haven’t been shy in telling you guys how much we love them, even since our oldest was a baby. In the last year, Pampers has come out with a new line of diapers and wipes (Pampers Pure) and made some pretty amazing changes to their existing lines of diapers (Baby Dry and Cruisers). You know a company really cares about the product they put out there and the people they’re serving when they’re improving diapers that are already the best on the market!

Pampers Swaddlers have been the first diapers each of my babies have worn. They’re absorbent, fit snugly and don’t leak, they’re super soft, and with that yellow indicator line, they’re perfect for new parents! No wonder Pampers is the #1 choice of hospitals, nurses and parents (including me!).

And guess what! Pampers Swaddlers are the latest line to get an upgrade. They’re now softer and more comfortable than ever, and that’s a big deal! Every parent wants their baby to be surrounded by comfort and love from the moment they’re born, and nothing touches a baby’s skin more than diapers. Think about it! They wear diapers nearly 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! So don’t you want their diaper to be as soft as possible? YES!

Baby skin is so sensitive and soft. And even as a toddler, our youngest still has the softest skin in our family. As a parent, you of course want a diaper that’s going to be just as soft and gentle so it won’t harm or irritate their skin. Having a soft diaper absolutely matters, so I am thrilled that a diaper I already thought was soft and perfect for babies (or toddlers, in our case!) is now 2x softer, offering the softest comfort and best protection ever! They’re seriously blankie soft, and they gently wrap your baby in Pampers’ best blanket-like softness. There’s a reason they’re called Swaddlers, mamas!

You’ll know your’e getting the new Swaddlers by the Blankie Soft Heart Quilts™ picture on the package. They no longer have Sesame Street characters on them (which my kids never got into, so fine by me!), and instead they have cute new designs!

What do they mean by “heart quilts?” Well, look at the inside of the diapers! This absorbent layer is made of breathable mesh and patterned with heart quilts! Pampers Swaddlers still have up to 12 hours of protection with their unique Air Channels™ that allow air to reach your baby’s skin, helping keep them dry and comfortable.

So how does it work? Well the top sheet is dual-layered! The outside resists liquid and the inside draws liquid inside. Basically, this special sheet absorbs wetness and then keeps it inside, keeping your baby’s bum dry! They literally pull wetness and mess away from the skin. These new Swaddlers keep your baby’s bum virtually 100 percent dry. How amazing is that?

I even tested it by pouring water on top and then feeling it, and then pouring some more on top and feeling it again. Guys, it really does work! I could tell the diaper was wet, but my hand didn’t get wet when I touched it. It was amazing! No more worrying about irritation from a wet diaper! Which also means that your baby will sleep longer and wake up happier. Even if your baby pees at night, they’ll still wake up feeling dry! Hooray!

Babies should feel swaddled in love with every touch, and that includes the touch of their diaper. Thanks to Pampers and their team of hardworking innovators, you never have to sacrifice softness for protection!

The post Swaddling Your Baby in Comfort with Pampers Swaddlers appeared first on Life With My Littles.

I recently visited my sister after her second baby was born, and instead of feeling baby hungry after I left, I was reminded of how hard the first few weeks and months with a newborn are. You’re exhausted, your body hurts and doesn’t feel normal, and you’re mentally trying to adjust to the fact that there’s a tiny little person living in your house whose life is 100% in your hands. It’s flat out hard.

We’re especially vulnerable and sensitive in the weeks after having a baby, and it can be hard to stay positive and not feel weighed down. I think back to when my babies were all born, and even though I didn’t suffer from postpartum depression, there were definitely moments of doubt, sadness, and anxiety, especially during the months our youngest had colic.

Today, I want to talk to all new moms and tell them what I wish someone would have told me. Here are 7 things all new moms need to hear after having a baby:

1. Don’t stress about your body. I mean it. Don’t compare your body to anyone else’s, love it for what it is and what it has done, and be grateful for what it is and what it has done. Your body is AMAZING, and the last thing you should be thinking about after having a baby is what you look like in the mirror. Don’t even think about dieting or about getting back to your pre-pregnancy weight, and don’t step on a scale or try to fit into your pre-pregnancy jeans for at least a few months postpartum.  The first few weeks and months after having a baby are not the time to worry about your weight. All women who have ever given birth in the history of forever have had that weird wiggly belly for a while, and unless you’re a movie star and can afford to have a personal chef and personal trainer, it’s going to stick around for a while. Not only is that normal, it is what should be expected without any thoughts or comments from yourself or anyone else.

2. Ask for help. Girl, you’re going to need help. Whether it’s asking a fellow mom or your own mom for advice, asking a teenager to come babysit for an hour so you can go to the grocery store, or even asking a neighbor to grab you some milk while they’re at the store because you’re out, help is good. And you’re going to need help whether it’s your first baby or your third baby (trust me). We all need help, and we should all be willing to give help to any new mom who asks, or even who doesn’t ask.

3. Read about postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety so you’ll recognize the warning signs in yourself. Postpartum depression and postpartum depression are so real, and it’s almost unfair that you can have that added trial during your baby’s first year of life. They’re more than just feeling sad or stressed, and they are very, very treatable. You should never suffer “just one more day,” because that one more day is one more day of suffering. So be aware of the warning signs and tell someone close to you if you think you might be suffering.

4. It’s okay if it feels hard. It is. Something we do in our society is that we highlight good feelings and shame bad feelings. It’s almost there’s an unspoken rule that you’re not allowed to feel bad about things. I mean when was the last time you asked someone how they were and they told you they were bad? Mamas, being a new mom is hard, and it’s okay to feel that feeling. I’d actually be surprised if you didn’t feel that way. Even with my first baby, who was my easiest, there were still times where motherhood felt really hard. Acknowledge that it’s okay to have that feeling, feel it, and then try to figure out what to do to make things better. I promise it will get better, and you’ll get through it, one day at a time.

5. It’s okay if you feel lost and unsure. We all do. When you’re a new, first-time mom, you’re beginning on a journey you’ve never been on before. You’re going to come up against challenges you never expected and questions you don’t have the answers to. But I believe with all my heart that you are the only perfect mother for your child, and you are the one who is best suited and best equipped to take care of them. So even if you feel lost and unsure, that’s okay. We’ve all been there. Turn to friends, your pediatrician, your mom, or even Facebook to ask your questions. Someone out there will have the answers you’re looking for.

6. It’s okay if you don’t immediately bond with your baby. You will. You hear stories of moms who see their baby for the first time and immediately feel this explosive, all-encompassing love for them. But you should know that for a lot of moms, it doesn’t happen that way. It might take a few days or maybe even longer to feel that bond with your child. But rest assured, it will come. Just keep trying and never, ever give up. Your baby will be patient.

7. You’re not alone. You might feel like you’re alone because you’re stuck at home with a tiny baby and haven’t spoken to an another adult in hours, but you’re not. You might feel alone when you’re nursing your newborn every two hours during the night while your husband sleeps soundly in bed next to you, but somewhere, there’s another mama doing the exact same thing and feeling the exact same way. Motherhood doesn’t alienate us, it connects us together. When you become a mother, you join this tribe of women all around the world and throughout all history, all of whom have gone through the same things. Your’e not alone, because you’re a mother, and we all have each other’s backs. They say it takes a village to raise a child, but I think it also takes a village to raise a mother. We need each other, and even though our families might not look exactly the same, we’re all just doing our best to raise the best people we can. We’re all in this together.

Being a new mom is hard.  I’ll definitely give you that one. But before you know it, you’ll be an experienced, seasoned mom and you’ll be the one helping new, younger moms who need to hear what you’ve learned. Hopefully at least one of these things all new moms need to hear after having a baby has spoken to you. I truly believe every single one, and I hope if you’re a new mom reading this, you’re starting to feel a little more hopeful already! Good luck, mamas! You’ve got this!

The post Things All New Moms Need to Hear After Having a Baby appeared first on Life With My Littles.

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They say slow and steady wins the race, and in my experience, that applies to transitioning your baby out of a swaddle, too. Yes, you can stop swaddling your baby cold turkey, but that’s not going to work for every baby. Luckily, getting rid of a swaddle blanket isn’t as intimidating as it sounds, and there are lots of swaddle blankets and sleep sacks that help make it simple!

Obviously, there are two different options for transitioning your baby out of a swaddle, and you really just have to pick the one that’s best for you and your baby. Some parents try option one first, and some parents go right to option two first. Every baby is different, so you just have to experiment. And if you try option one and it completely throws off your baby’s sleep schedule (and yours!), it’s absolutely fine to switch to option two!

A quick note: I have heard different things about when to stop swaddling. Some say before your baby starts trying to roll over, and some say when your baby starts trying to roll over. So you can decide. My kids have been on the later end, but if you’re worried about it talk to your pediatrician and they can give you the latest AAP guidelines and help you make an informed decision. We all just want what’s best for our kids!

Option 1: Stop swaddling cold turkey. Basically, just stop swaddling your baby! Some babies have no problem completely quitting the swaddle in one move. And hooray for them! That’s so easy! But of course every baby is different, and some babies need a more gradual transition. We tried this with our daughter at around 4 months, and it was a nightmare! Factor in the 4 month sleep regression that hit at the same time, and I’m sure you can imagine how tired and cranky everyone in our house was. That’s when we moved on to option two!

Option 2: Stop swaddling gradually. The idea here is that you start with a full swaddle, then gradually transition your baby to sleeping without one! There are several steps, and it’s really not that complicated. You can use a traditional swaddle, a velcro swaddle, or even a sleep sack (you can see some of my favorite swaddle blankets here).

If you decide to use the gradual method (which, I’m assuming is why you’re here reading this post), here are four easy steps:

1. Start by leaving one of your baby’s arms out when you swaddle him. It will be free to move around, and his other arm and legs will still be secure in the swaddle.

2. Once you feel like your baby is sleeping fine with one arm out, swaddle him with both arms out left out, with only his legs tucked in tight.

3. Move to a sleep sack where your baby’s legs aren’t completely free, but they can still move a little more. We used this sleeveless one with our third baby and he slept in it past his first birthday!). If you’re worried about keeping your baby warm, you can also use a long-sleeved sleep sack like this. I also had a friend who swore by the Zipadee-Zip sleep sacks, so you can try those if you want, too!

4. Take the sleep sack away! There will probably be a few months between steps three and four, and that’s fine. But once your baby is big enough to sleep with a loose blanket (at least 12 months old), you can finish the transition from a swaddle!

Transitioning your baby out of a swaddle doesn’t have to be hard, although depending on your baby, it might take some time! Just be patient with your baby, be open to trying something different than you expected (like maybe a new swaddle blanket), and you’ll figure it out. Good luck, and I hope you don’t loose too much sleep during the process!

The post Transitioning Your Baby Out of a Swaddle appeared first on Life With My Littles.

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I think every parent looks forward to the day their baby gets to start eating solid foods. The event is usually documented on video, and both parents are usually present. It’s usually messy, doesn’t go well, and requires a bath after, but it’s an exciting part of being a parent!

I thought that having multiple kids would make some of the firsts less exciting, but introducing solid foods was still as exciting with our third child as it was with our first. And there are a few “must-haves” that I’ve had on hand every time my babies have eaten. Today, I want to share some baby mealtime essentials we used that I absolutely recommend having on hand when you feed your baby!

1. A good bib. In the beginning, I recommend using cloth bibs with snaps or velcro. Your baby most likely won’t pull it off, and you don’t need anything with a little pocket since they’re only eating purees. As your baby gets bigger, we love using silicone bibs (easy cleaning) that have a little pocket on the bottom to catch anything your baby might not quite get in their mouth (this bib has lasted through all three babies). A good bib you love is DEFINITELY a mealtime essential!

2. Somewhere for baby to sit. Of course your baby can’t start off in a regular chair, so you’re going to need either a Bumbo seat with a tray or a high chair. We’ve used the same Graco high chair for all three of our kids (it transitions to a booster which is amazing!), but I have friends who love the IKEA high chairs, too! And they’re way cheaper. And remember to buckle your baby!

3. Dishes. Bowls, spoons, and plates (for later on). We love for these soft tip baby spoons from Munchkin. And of course, it’s hard to beat IKEA’s super cheap and durable bowls and plates! You don’t want anything you can’t put in the dishwasher, either!

4. Contigo Kids Water Bottles. For milk, we use these water bottles from Contigo. They don’t ever spill when you drop them on the floor, and while you do have to take them apart and wash them every day, they are great because they are bite-proof, durable, and made of hard plastic that won’t break!

5. Munchkin 360 Miracle Cups. For water, we like Munchkin Miracle 360 cups. They teach kids to tip their head when drinking so they’re preparing to use real cups, they’re super easy to clean, and they don’t leak. They really are miracle cups! And I saw that they now even have stainless steel ones, so that’s cool!

6. Baby wipes. You HAVE to have baby wipes on hand when your baby is learning how to eat. Honestly, I still use them for my preschooler sometimes! But seriously, they make cleanup so much easier, especially since it’s inevitable that your baby will get messy (and that’s okay, I promise). They’re also nice for when your baby spits those peas out in your face!

Mealtime can be a lot of fun with your baby, and trying new foods is always exciting (and sometimes funny!). Make sure you have all of these baby mealtime essentials on hand so that when the time comes to feed your baby, you’ll be ready!

The post Baby Mealtime Essentials appeared first on Life With My Littles.

This post is sponsored by Baby Dove.

When you live in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, you have to take time to explore them, right? We moved here last year and have big plans for a summer of fun before our oldest starts kindergarten in the fall. One thing we plan on doing a lot is going to the beach! We went a few times when we lived in Texas, and our kids absolutely loved it. Now we have a 16-month-old in tow, and our beach day is going to be a little bit different! When you’re preparing for a day at the beach with a baby or toddler, you have to think about pre-beach day and post-beach day, too!

Here’s what to pack in your beach bag when you’re going to the beach with a baby or toddler:

1. A hat for keeping the sun off your sweet little one’s head and face (assuming they don’t pull it off!).

2. Some type of sun shelter like a large umbrella, a tent, or a canopy so your little one has a place to play out of the sun.

3. A beach towel for drying off, sitting on, or snuggles.

4. A swimsuit that includes a rash guard to protect your child’s arms and torso from the sun.

5. Swim shoes, if your baby or toddler is walking, to protect their feet from the hot sand and any sharp shells or sticks hiding in the sand.

6. Sand toys so they have something to keep them occupied.

7. Sunscreen to protect their soft skin.

8. Water so nobody gets dehydrated.

9. Snacks so nobody gets hangry!

10. Swim diapers and a few regular diapers, because you will definitely need them both.

11. Baby Dove Rich Moisture Baby Wipes for gentle cleansing with instant moisturization for all over use (hands, face, and bottom!). They’re as gentle as water and are perfect for bringing to the beach because they effectively remove any impurities while instantly moisturizing!

12. Baby Dove Rich Moisture Baby Lotion to help retain your baby’s natural skin moisture.

Going to the beach with a baby or toddler can be a lot of fun, with proper preparation! I love watching my kids discover the feeling of sand in their toes for the first time! And it’s such a relaxing way to enjoy a day in the sun! Unfortunately all that time in the sun can really dry out your child’s skin! The sun’s rays can penetrate skin and remove a lot of the moisture and oils that keep skin healthy and soft. So when you get home, make sure you take care of your child’s skin and keep it nice and soft with Baby Dove products!

Baby Dove has your baby covered from head to toe, and only Baby Dove goes beyond mildness to replenish essential moisture and skin-natural nutrients lost during bathing! During a single bath, baby’s skin can lose moisture up to five times faster than an adult’s, making it vulnerable to dryness. I’ve had a baby in the house for over five years, and I’ve tried a lot of different cleansers and lotions. Baby Dove is definitely my favorite, and the only one that really helps restore my son’s soft skin after bath time!

Baby Dove cleansers and lotions are made with 100% skin-natural nutrients for delicate baby skin, and not only are they dermatologist and pediatrician tested, but they are hypoallergenic and created with no dyes, no parabens, and no phthalates. Baby Dove cleansers and lotions contain nutrients that are 100% identical to those found naturally in skin, and the full range of products work together to go beyond mildness by helping replenish essential moisture and skin-natural nutrients in baby’s skin.

Baby Dove has products for all skin types in its Rich Moisture and Sensitive Moisture ranges. The Rich Moisture range was developed for babies with normal to dry skin, which is my little guy! The Baby Dove Rich Moisture Shampoo helps keep baby’s scalp moisturized and hair soft. It’s mild and caring formula has a fragrance specifically developed for baby’s delicate skin, and it’s made with 100% skin-natural nutrients combined with gentle cleansers to help replenish skin lipids to keep delicate baby skin nourished and healthy. Plus it’s a tear-free formula!

We also love the Baby Dove Rich Moisture Tip to Toe Wash because it gently moisturizes baby’s skin all day. It products a rich and creamy lather that leaves skin feeling clean and soft, and the mild and caring formula has a fragrance specifically developed for baby’s delicate skin!  And if you’re a fan of bar soap for washing your baby’s body, you’ll love the Baby Dove Rich Moisture Baby Bar! It’s milder and more moisturizing than other ordinary baby soap bars.

After bath time we use Baby Dove Rich Moisture Lotion. It’s made with 100% skin-natural nutrients and gentle moisturizes for 24 hours of moisture, and it even soothes dry skin from the first use! It leaves my son’s skin feeling soft and delicately scented (seriously, I just love smelling him when we use it!).

Preparing for a day at the beach with a baby or toddler includes more than just knowing what to pack in your bag! It also means taking care of your sweet baby’s skin when you get home from playing in the sun! Baby Dove is the best choice for keeping your child’s delicate skin nourished and healthy. While there’s no one right way to parent, there is a superior way to care for baby’s skin! You can find out more about Baby Dove products by visiting BabyDove.com, and make sure you sign up here for Baby Dove coupons sent right to your inbox!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Baby Dove.

The post Preparing for a Day at the Beach With a Baby or Toddler appeared first on Life With My Littles.