When I was pregnant with my first baby, I read a lot of books and articles about labor and delivery. I thought I was 100% ready for childbirth and that nothing was going to surprise me. Oh boy, was I wrong! I wish I had read more about what to expect during labor and delivery, because there were a lot of things that nobody had told me about that really caught me off guard!

I thought about things that I wasn’t expecting, and I asked all of my mama friends what things surprised them that they wished they had known about, and I have come up with this big list of what to expect during labor and delivery. This is a great post to read if you’re a first-time mom delivering at the hospital and you have no idea what to expect. This is basically what I would (and did!) tell my sister when she had her first baby!

What to Expect During Labor and Delivery

The mucus plug

Before you go into labor, you lose your mucus plug. It’s basically like a giant booger in your underpants, and it’s gross. It’s a blob of mucus that has been in your cervix to block bacteria from getting in. It’s not a great sign that labor is starting because it can “grow back,” and you may lose it two or three times. But it is a sign that you’re getting close!

The bloody show

The mucus plug is NOT to be confused with the bloody show. THEY ARE DIFFERENT! The bloody show is a better sign that labor is coming, because it means that your cervix is “ripening,” getting ready for childbirth. It shouldn’t be a ton of blood, and you might miss it if you go to the bathroom at night, and it usually happens after you lose your mucus plug.

Diarrhea 

It’s gross, but as your body gets ready for labor, you may get diarrhea, or at least runny poops. As your uterus starts contracting (even if you can’t feel it yet), it irritates your bowel, which makes you poop a lot. So get ready.

Water breaking

Your water doesn’t always break on its own. I know in movies and on TV they always show pregnant women out in public and all of a sudden their water breaks and completely gushes all over and they’re like “time to go to the hospital!” all happy and cheery. Nope. That’s a pretty rare occurrence.

And when it does break, it is WEIRD. It feels like you’re just peeing a ton and it’s all warm and weird, and with each contraction a little more comes out.

Also, if there’s “meconium” in your fluid, that means that your baby has pooped inside and the NICU team will probably have to be there at the delivery to make sure your baby is okay after they’re born.

Checking in

Depending on the hospital you go to, you might have to go to a triage before getting admitted. The hospital I went to with my third baby, I had to go into a triage and get checked there before I was admitted. They were slow and took their sweet time, and I had to be 5cm dilated before they admitted me. The hospital I went to with my first two babies, I was immediately put into a private room where I was monitored.

Getting checked

Several times throughout labor you’ll have to get checked. It’s the same thing as at your OB appointments toward the end of pregnancy where they have you lay down with your knees bent and laying out to the side and they check to see how far dilated and effaced you are. It’s uncomfortable. And it’s even worse when you’re in labor. Just be ready for it.

Monitoring

The way they monitor your baby and your contractions during labor is with two big circle things strapped to your belly. They move around a lot and in my experience, have to be adjusted pretty often. They make it hard to get comfortable, and you obviously can’t get out of bed when they are on.

You can ask to be monitored intermittently, which is what I did with my third labor so I could walk around and help things progress. I just came back to the room every 30 or 45 minutes and they put the monitors on and made sure everything was still good. I much preferred this, but everyone is different!

Getting induced

I was induced with my first and second babies, and both experiences were good for me. However, getting induced can prolong labor, and it can make your contractions even more painful. I know it’s hard to wait until you go into labor naturally, but having been induced and having gone into labor on my own, I recommend trying to wait until your body goes into labor on its own (unless you have a medical reason for getting induced!).

Labor takes a long time

I guess in some situations it can go pretty fast, but in most cases (and especially for first-time moms), it takes a long time. There’s a lot of waiting during labor, and it can be boring. Make sure you have something to do, like a book, a game on your phone, or a movie on your laptop. It can help pass the time and it helps when you’re trying to relax so your body will do its part.

Throwing up

You might throw up during labor. Sometimes it’s because of the pain, and sometimes it’s because of pain medication. But just be warned that it can happen.

The epidural

It is dang hard to sit still for that epidural. You can’t get it until you are dilated past a certain point because it can slow labor down, and usually when you are that far along it’s already pretty painful. And then the anesthesiologist comes in and is like “sit on the edge of the bed and curl your back and don’t move” and you’re like “are you kidding me?” You have to sit there for a while and you’ll probably have a few contractions during the process, and it’s hard to sit still. It’s a little scary, but once you have it in and the medicine is going, it’s magic.

You should also know that if you do get an epidural, you have to get a catheter (basically a tube that continuously drains your bladder) and that feels really uncomfortable when it goes in.

Once you do get the epidural, you will probably have to switch sides and move positions a few times in order for it to balance out and spread evenly on both sides of your body. You’ll need help to do this because your epidural will pretty much make it impossible to move from the waist down.

You might also experience shaking and chills when you get an epidural. My doctor husband told me that this is because the epidural medicine is cold, so when it goes in your body it feels cold and makes you feel cold.

One of my mama friends also told me that you can ask for a partial epidural instead of the full dosage, which if you want to be able to feel a little bit, might be a good option for you.

You can’t eat during labor

Both of the hospitals that my babies were born at didn’t allow women to eat during labor. The only thing they allowed was clear liquids (Sprite, water) and ice chips. I have heard that some hospitals don’t even allow that. And since labor takes a long time, you should probably grab a bite to eat before heading to the hospital, and prepare to be starving after your baby is born.

Your nurse

She will be in and out of your room while you’re there. You’ll probably get a little button you can push to request her to come in. Nurses also change every 12 hours (in my experience), so you might not have the same nurse at delivery as you do when you get checked in.

You might poop

I know this sounds absolutely horrible and so incredibly embarrassing, but it’s actually quite common. I wasn’t able to find a statistic on it, but it happens all the time. Your doctor will have seen it, your nurses will have seen it, and it’s really not a big deal.

I made my husband promise me that he would never tell me if I pooped during labor, and to this day I have no idea. But because your contractions stimulate your bowels, and you use the same muscles to poop as you do to push your baby out, it might happen.

There will be lots of people in the room

One thing that completely caught me off guard with my first baby’s delivery was how many people were in the room when it was go time.

Besides the nurse (probably more than one) and the doctor, there were also medical students, nursing students, and the NICU team. Plus my husband was there. If you have any other family that you want there, they’ll be there, too. It can get crowded real quick. And yes, you are allowed to request no students be in the room if you really care (but speaking as the wife of a doctor, that’s how they learn!).

By the end of labor, you have zero modesty

With everything that goes on (lifting up your gown to fix the monitors, lifting up your gown to get checked, and pushing your baby out) during labor and childbirth, you’ll have zero modesty by the end of it. You probably won’t care about nursing your baby with the nurses and doctors in the room, and you certainly will get used to having people inspect your lady parts. I’m a pretty modest person and I don’t even like nursing in public, but during childbirth, that’s all thrown out the window.

Things don’t always go according to plan

I had a formal, written birth plan with my first baby, and with my second and third babies, I just had an idea in my head of what I wanted my birth to be like. While I do think it’s important to prepare as much as you can and know what kind of childbirth experience you would like, it’s also important to remember that things don’t always go according to plan. Your birth plan may have to be thrown out, so don’t get 100% attached to it.

The #1 most important thing during childbirth is a healthy baby and a healthy mom. That might mean that you have to get an emergency C-section or that even though you wanted to go natural, you end up getting induced and getting an epidural. That’s totally okay. There’s no wrong way to have a baby (whether that’s in the hospital with an epidural or at home in the water with a midwife). Mentally prepare yourself for things not going according to plan.

Along those lines, one of my mama friends recommended learning about natural labor techniques to manage the pain even if you’re planning on getting an epidural, because sometimes you don’t have time to get one and you have to go without!

Stand up for yourself

I love listening to pregnancy and birth podcasts and one thing that I have heard several times is that moms wish they had stood up for themselves during labor. You might have an amazing doctor and amazing nurses who take great care of you and listen to your requests, but you also might end up with the doctor on call who you have never met and who just wants to go home.

There are good and bad doctors and nurses, just like in every profession. If you feel like you aren’t being treated well, stand up for yourself. If your nurse is mega grumpy and rude to you, ask for a different one. Stand up for yourself. You want your baby’s birth to be a good experience!

Pushing

Don’t expect to push through two or three contractions and suddenly have your baby. Most women have to push for a long time before their babies are born. Don’t push until your body is ready (you’ll feel like you need to poop because of the pressure of your baby’s head).

The best advice I can give you is to push like you’re trying to poop. Yes, you might poop, but like I said, it’s not a big deal and that’s common. I have pushed out three babies and every time I’ve pushed using my lower ab muscles like I’m pooping and it has worked great for me.

The ring of fire

Ever hear someone talk about the ring of fire? The ring of fire is when your muscles and skin around your lady parts are stretching as far as they can as your baby’s head comes out. It’s also called crowning. I haven’t felt it since I’ve had epidurals all three times, but I’ve heard it’s incredibly painful and that even with an epidural, you can still feel it sometimes.

Take notes

If you’re planning on writing down your baby’s birth story, take notes. Write down when you start feeling contractions, your emotions, your nurses’ names, when you get checked and how far you are, and anything else you can think of. Labor can be such a blur and at least for me, I can’t remember the little details if I don’t take notes.

Delivering the placenta

It might seem super obvious to some people but I completely forgot about delivering the placenta when my first baby was born. After your baby is born, you have to push again and deliver the placenta. It might be easy, it might be hard.

After my first baby it was easy, but after my second baby, the placenta broke inside of my uterus and the doctor had to scrape it out and push on my stomach to help free it up. That was very painful, even with the epidural I’d had. Hopefully it’s easy for you, but just know that you still have a little work to do after your baby comes out.

Stitches

If you tear at all (I have with all three babies), you’ll probably have to get a few stitches. The doctor will do it right after your baby and placenta are delivered, and the most I’ve ever felt is a little tugging while they did it. Depending on if you get an epidural or not, you might feel more or less.

Meeting your baby

Let your doctor and nurse know if you want to immediately hold your baby and delay weighing and cleaning. If your baby is healthy and there aren’t any concerns, they should let you do skin-to-skin immediately. I wasn’t able to do this with my first baby because there was meconium in my amniotic fluid and they had to make sure he hadn’t ingested it, but I did with my second and third babies and it was magic.

Let them know what you want to do, and don’t be too upset if you can’t immediately hold your baby. Remember, a healthy baby (and healthy mama!) is the most important thing.

Going to the bathroom the first time

When you’re all done and ready to change and get a little cleaned up, your sweet, sweet nurse will help you into the bathroom and she will show you how to take care of yourself postpartum. She’ll help you get some of those nice mesh cotton undies on and help you get the big maxi pads in there. She’ll show you how to gently rinse off after you go to the bathroom and how to use dermoplast spray to help ease the pain. Don’t be shy and let her help you. You’ll feel super awkward, but you need their help, and after you’ll feel so grateful!

Peeing after the catheter

If you got an epidural and had to have a catheter, be warned that peeing after it comes out is hard at first.

Postpartum pooping

It’s also hard to poop postpartum. Make sure you take those laxatives they give you, drink lots of water, and just relax. Try not to push very much.

Postpartum bleeding

You’re basically going to have a heavy period for a week or two, and then lighter bleeding for 2-4 more weeks. Your doctor will tell you 4-6 weeks, but my last one was closer to 7 weeks before I stopped bleeding. DO NOT use a tampon, and just change those maxi pads often.

Squishy stomach

One of the weirdest things after my first was born was how squishy and jello-y my belly was after he was born. It was super weird.

You may not want to shower or get dressed in the hospital

I brought my own clothes and shower stuff to the hospital with all three of my children’s births, but I have not used them once. And that’s totally okay if that’s you.

You may just want to stay in hospital gowns the whole time you’re there and wait to shower until you get home. You also might want to wear your own clothes. Either way, it’s okay. Don’t feel a ton of pressure to look your best. You just had a baby!

Sore boobs

Whether or not you choose to breastfeed, your breasts are going to hurt for a few days as your supply either adjust or dries up. One of my mama friends told me that having cabbage in your fridge to put on your boobs can really help with engorgement!

Having a baby is absolutely crazy. Our bodies are amazing and it’s wild that they can grow a human baby and then push it out and we can get up and walk around so soon after. Hopefully this post was helpful and now you know a little more what to expect during labor and delivery at the hospital! Good luck, mamas!

This post was originally published October 11, 2017.

The post What to Expect During Labor and Delivery 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.

One thing I learned early on in motherhood is that everyone’s learning as they go. We’re all just kind of winging it and figuring things out along the way. Things we learn with our first kid sometimes don’t even apply to our second kid, and we have to learn how to parent all over again. There’s a reason there are about a million different parenting books out there that all say different things!

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking as my kids are starting school and getting bigger, specifically about things I wish I had learned sooner about motherhood. Like I said, we’re all learning as we go, and there are a few things that if I had known sooner, life would have been a lot easier and more enjoyable! 

Whether you’re a new mom, a seasoned mom, or not even a mom yet, here are 14 things I want to pass on that I wish I had learned sooner.

14 Things I Wish I Had Learned Sooner About Motherhood

1. Love and take care of your body.

It has taken me pretty much my whole life to love the body I’ve been given. And as anyone who has a baby knows, your body changes during and after pregnancy. It’s hard not to focus on the weight you gain and the stretch marks and the varicose veins. It’s hard not to get down on yourself when your body might not be the same way it was before you had kids. 

But loving and taking care of your body is important. And not just because it’s the only one you get, but because the way you treat and talk about your body is an example to your kids, whether you want it to be or not. I’m so passionate about this, because I know how important and powerful it can be in our lives and our kids’ lives. I’m so much happier now that I love and take good care of my body!

If you want to read more about this, check out this post or this post.

2. Keep a to-do list.

As I’ve gotten further into motherhood, my memory has declined something fierce. My husband was actually telling me the other day that he’s concerned I might have a problem because my short-term memory is so bad. I’m not sure if it’s just me or if it’s just “mommy brain,” but I swear nothing would get done around here if I didn’t keep a to-do list!

Not only does it help me know what I need to do, but when I write things down I worry less about them because I know they’ll get done. You can have a daily or weekly to-do-list, or just write things down as they come up. Either way, keeping a to-do list has helped me not forget to do so many things as a mama!

3. Be present. 

I guess this wasn’t really a big issue when my kids were first born, but now that social media (i.e. Instagram) is so big and easily accessible on our phones, learning to be present is so important. When I step back and look at times in my life where social media takes up a lot of my time and when I keep my phone in a completely different room, I can see how much “being present” matters.

Sometimes we can get busy or distracted and our lives happen to us. We don’t actually experience the things that happen to us. Learning from the beginning (and constantly reminding yourself) to be present and pay attention to what’s going on around you will help make motherhood a lot more fun! 

4. Don’t let tasks feel like tasks.

This was something that I actually recently realized that has really changed the way I think about things like housework or changing diapers. Instead of thinking of laundry or bath time or picking up toys feel like a task we “have to do,” think of them more as things we get to do that we’ll miss later. Sure, I might not miss the smell and mess of changing diapers, but I’ll miss getting to have little moments where I can be one-on-one with my toddler. 

Instead of getting weighed down with all the things you have to do every day or week, remind yourself that this is only a season of your life, and it will be over before you know it. Don’t let those tasks feel like tasks.

5. You can’t do it alone.

Motherhood is a group effort. We need each other just as much as we need food and water. Accept help and give help. Learn from other mamas. Share with other mamas. Support other mamas. We all come from different experiences and have different ways of viewing the world. That’s a beautiful thing, because together, we can come up to solutions that we wouldn’t be able to think of on our own! We need to listen to, befriend, lift up, and teach each other. 

I’ve never been a super social person, but even just having a few really close friends that I talk to one-on-one has helped me see how much I need other mothers in my life. I can’t do this alone, and neither can you!

If you want to read more about this, check out this post.

6. Don’t compare yourself or your kids to others. 

My best friend and I were pregnant with due dates two weeks apart. Our boys were born twelve days apart. Her son did things before mine did, and my son did things before hers. Even now, her son is a better reader and my son is a better bike-rider. Kids do things at different rates, on their own schedule, and that doesn’t make them slow or fast or on time or behind.

We also need to remember not to compare ourselves to other moms. We all have different strengths and weaknesses, and that’s wonderful because we can learn from each other. It would be boring if we were all the same, so don’t ever wish you were “more like that mom” or anyone else. You’re a boss.

7. You aren’t perfect but you are perfect for your kids. 

Nobody else in the entire world can take care of your child the way you do. Nobody else knows them the way you do. And nobody else loves them the way you do. You’re not always going to get it right, but you’re their mother. You know them better than anyone else and you love them more than anyone else. 

You know what they need when nobody else does. You are the one they run to when they scratch their knee or want a hug or even just want a snack. Your child knows that you love them, and that’s why you’re the perfect mom for your child. 

8. It’s okay to not enjoy every minute.

There’s a phrase that lots of people who are done raising kids tell young mothers that just isn’t fair. Telling a new mom to “enjoy every minute!” is not good for her mental health. You’re not going to enjoy getting barfed on or waking up a million times a night or changing poopy diapers. You’re not going to enjoy it when your child gets bigger and tells you they hate you and want to live in a different family. You’re just not.

And that’s okay! You don’t have to enjoy every minute. It’s great to try and enjoy motherhood, but if you’re not enjoying every second, that’s universal. Motherhood is dang hard and it’s definitely not all sunshine and rainbows.

9. You’re always learning something new.

One of the hardest parts about motherhood is that even if you master one part, there’s always another thing coming that you’ll have no idea what to do about. Even when we have multiple kids, they’re different and have to be parented differently, so you’re learning something new while you raise them. You might be learning how to survive on little to no sleep or how to deal with a child who gets angry super easily. We’re all struggling with something and we’re all learning something new.

10. There’s a season for everything.

This is a biggie. Unfortunately, you can’t do everything you’d like to at once. Motherhood is a 24/7 job, and while you can manage a lot of things besides motherhood, you still can’t do everything. Sometimes you have to take a step back, look at your priorities, and drop a thing or two. There will be another season in your life when you can pick it up again, and you have to be okay with that.

11. Nobody knows what they’re doing.

You can read all the parenting books you want, talk to all your friends and family, and think you are completely ready to raise a child. But as soon as you take that baby home from the hospital and realize it’s just you, your spouse, and your baby, things get real.

The good news is that even though you have no idea what you are doing, you can know without a doubt that you are a mother, and that is enough. Trust your intuition, ask for help when you need it, and love your children with all your heart. We make mistakes every day, but we keep trying and we never give up. Because we love our kids, even when they give us heart attacks by breaking open thermometers and falling out of shopping carts at the store.

12. Change your expectations.

This is one I learned recently that has seriously changed me so much. I was listening to a podcast and the girl on it said that most of the time we get frustrated, it’s not because what’s happening is frustrating us, it’s our expectations of what should be happening that are frustrating us. If we just change our expectations, motherhood gets a lot less stressful and frustrating! You might thing you’re frustrated because your toddler is throwing a tantrum, but that’s what toddlers do, so if you change your expectation and just accept that toddlers throw tantrums, then when one happens, you’ll just take it and move on! 

It’s not realistic for us to think that everything’s going to run smoothly. When you have kids, things are going to get spilled, tears are going to be shed, and messes are going to be made. So if we just expect that to happen, because that’s just life, we’ll be less frustrated when they do! So simple, so powerful.

13. Relax and let go of the stress.

The same podcast (but a different episode) talked about letting go of stress in situations you can’t control. The example they gave was when you’re running late. You’re probably going to feel irritable and grumpy and might snap at your kids. But nothing you do will change the fact that your’e going to be late. But what if you let go of that stress, just accept that you’re going to be late, and try to enjoy the drive to wherever you’re going? You may not be able to change the outcome of the situation (you’re still going to be late), but you can change your attitude about it, and that makes situations we can’t control a lot easier to deal with!

14. Don’t panic about every little thing.

You know how when you have your first child and they scrape their knee and they’re bleeding and freaking out? And you start to panic because their perfect little skin is cut open and there’s blood? I’ve realized that kids look to us to see how to respond, so if we remain calm and talk gently and calmly, it really helps the way they respond to those moments, too. Another example is if they spill milk on accident all over your clean floor you just mopped. Panicking and getting upset isn’t going to make the situation any better, especially since it was just an accident!

Whether you’re a first-time pregnant mama or a third-time mama with kids in school like me, I hope this list has been helpful! I love sharing things I’ve learned so I can help other mamas make it through and enjoy motherhood. It’s such a special job and we’re so lucky to be blessed with the opportunity to raise these cute little kids!

I know I’ll add to this list the deeper into motherhood I get. I mean honestly my mom is probably still learning things now that her kids are adults! What is one thing about motherhood you wish you knew sooner? 

The post 14 Things I Wish I Had Learned Sooner About Motherhood appeared first on Life With My Littles.

This post contains affiliate links.

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.

This post is sponsored by bamboobies®. All opinions are my own. $1 of every sale on bamboobies.com in the month of October will go to the Keep a Breast Foundation!

Last year I wrote a post all about what to expect during labor and delivery. It’s basically a big long list of things that I had no idea about before my first baby was born that would’ve been helpful to know. It’s already been viewed so many times that it’s my ninth most popular post of ALL TIME. Seriously, it’s insane. I thought that since it was so popular, it might be helpful to write a detailed post all about what to expect postpartum! I shared a few things in my labor and delivery post about the hours immediately following childbirth (you can read about delivering the placenta and getting stitches here), but I wanted to give more information and talk about what I wish I had known about the first few days and weeks postpartum, because mamas, IT GETS REAL, and you’re going to need all the help you can get.

For some reason, with my first baby, I didn’t even think about what it would be like to have a newborn. All I was focused on during my pregnancy was getting to the end and pushing him out. I didn’t prepare myself emotionally, physically, or mentally for all that would happen when I was actually holding my newborn baby in my arms. I didn’t even think about postpartum bleeding or my milk coming in or what my belly was going to look like after my son was born. My goal was just to get my son here healthy and safe, and anything else was irrelevant.

But once he was here and we were the parents of a living, breathing baby, there were a lot of things that happened that I did not expect. So looking back five years later, I have come up with this list of what to expect postpartum to help prepare any first-time mamas about to have their baby. It’s a mix of tips about what to expect in terms of your body and the changes you’ll go through and your new life and what it’s going to be like with a newborn in the house! Preparation and knowing what to expect will make a big difference in how well you adjust when the time comes!

1. After your baby is born, your sweet nurse will help you clean up. Birth is messy, and when it’s all over, you’re going to need to clean yourself up. If you had a hospital birth, your sweet L&D nurse will help you into the bathroom and she’ll show you what to do to take care of your nether regions postpartum. This includes gently rinsing off with a squirt bottle, using dermoplast spray to help ease the pain, getting some mesh cotton undies on, and putting a big giant maxi pad in your undies for the postpartum bleeding. As a first-time mom, it feels super awkward to have someone help you do something you’ve been doing on your own most of your life, but you’ll be so grateful!

2. You will probably be super thirsty and super hungry after childbirth. If you weren’t allowed to eat or drink during labor (which is standard for most hospital births), you’re going to realize that you’re ravenous and parched after things calm down. And if your baby is born in the middle of the night when the cafeteria is closed and restaurants around the hospital are closed, you might not be able to get exactly what you want. Just plan ahead, know your options, and know what you’re going to do (even if that means sending your husband out for a Big Mac!).

3. If you had an epidural and got a catheter, the first time you pee might take you a minute or two. Totally normal, but it’s hard to pee the first time post-catheter. You might have to sit there for a few minutes. Don’t be alarmed.

4. The first poop can be terrifying but actually isn’t that bad. While we’re on the subject of bodily waste, don’t stress too much about the first poop. Yes, people talk a lot about it. Yes, it can be hard. But if you take the laxatives they give you, drink lots of water, and just relax, it will happen. Just please don’t push too hard! You already did enough pushing!

5. Breastfeeding will be hard at first and you might not get it right away. And you know what? That’s okay. It’s totally normal, incredibly common, and not a reason to give up immediately. And of course, if you do decide eventually to give up breastfeeding and switch to bottle feeding, that’s totally okay, too! It’s okay if you decide not to breastfeed. The most important thing is that you figure out what’s best for you and your baby and not worry about what other people say or think.

6. Your boobs and nipples are going to HURT. Regardless of if you’re breastfeeding or not, they’re going to be extra tender and sensitive. Two lifesavers are using nipple balm and therapy pillows. The bamboobies® boob-ease® 100% Organic Nipple Balm is awesome because you just need a tiny bit, you don’t have to wipe it off before nursing again (it’s non-toxic!), and it helps soothe your sore, chapped nipples. Therapy pillows are something I didn’t discover until my third baby, but they are HEAVEN! The bamboobies®Soothing Therapy Pillows are gel-free and made of super-soft rayon from bamboo and flaxseeds (so they really feel like pillows for your boobs!). They can be heated in the microwave to soothe clogged ducts and increase milk flow or cooled in the freezer to provide therapeutic cooling to soothe sore new mama nipples and breasts. They’re seriously a lifesaver for new mama boobs. And if you’re reading this and you’re horrified by how many times I just said nipples, I apologize. But that’s postpartum life.

7. Your milk supply is going to be off the charts when it comes in, and your boobs will probably leak a lot. Until your supply adjusts (which can take a few days or a few weeks), you are going to feel giant (the word “engorged” is the official breastfeeding term) and really, really wet. Especially in the beginning, it’s important to wear nursing pads that you can change often and that you’re not going to leak through. I would definitely recommend using disposable pads (like bamboobies® EcoPure Disposable Nursing Pads because they’re both antibacterial and antimicrobial) in the beginning, and then switching to washable (if you want to switch) after you feel like you’ve adjusted and you’re not going to leak in between feedings.

8. Your body is going to cramp, feel weak, hurt, and be sore in places you didn’t even think could be sore. You just did something unthinkable. You pushed a bowling ball out of a whole the size of a golf ball. Girl, you’re going to be sore. You’re going to hurt. You’re going to be physically weak and exhausted. You’re also going to cramp as your uterus shrinks back down to size. It’s unpleasant, but it will go away.

9. Even after childbirth, you’ll have very little modesty in the hospital. Regardless of if you had a hospital birth or not, childbirth involves a lot of nudity. And just because your baby is out and you don’t have to sit there with an open hospital gown anymore, you’re still going to have very little modesty in the hospital after your baby is born. Nurses will come in to check your lady parts, nurses and lactation consultants will come in to make sure you’re breastfeeding okay, and your doctor will come in to make sure that things are looking good down south. Be ready to continue revealing yourself for a few days until you get to go home.

10. Be prepared for the nurses to come in, push on your stomach, and check your bleeding. While we’re on the subject of little modesty, this is something I really wish someone had told me to expect postpartum. To make sure your uterus is shrinking back down to size, your nurses will come in every few hours to push on your stomach and feel your uterus, and also check to see how much you’re bleeding. It’s super uncomfortable and you’ll probably hate it. They’ll also help you change the little puppy potty training pads that you get to sit on after childbirth so you don’t bleed all over the hospital beds. It’s a glamorous life, friends.

11. You’re going to have postpartum bleeding for about 4-6 weeks. It’s basically like a super long period where you’re not allowed to use tampons. As such, you’ll have to use giant maxi pads that make noise when you move. Hopefully your bleeding will be on the shorter end, but if it takes 6 weeks (or even a week longer like it did with my third), just know that it will eventually end and you won’t feel like you and your baby are both wearing diapers anymore. Although sometimes I do miss those stretchy, mesh undies!

12. You’ll have a “jello belly” for a while after your baby is born. Naturally, your belly won’t be flat and tight after your baby is born, right? In the place of your once round and stretched out belly, you now get to experience what I have affectionately termed a “jello belly.” You know how squishy jello is and how it wiggles around easily when you poke it? Imagine a skin colored bowl of jello on your stomach, and you’ve got a pretty good image of what’s going to happen to your belly. It’s normal, it will eventually get a little tighter and a little smaller, and it happens to everyone. Don’t stress about it.

13. You also won’t get much privacy in the hospital. This also comes with the whole lack of modesty thing, but there are constantly doctors and nurses coming in and out of your hospital room after you have a baby. People who want to check on you, people who want to check on your baby, and of course, if you allow it, visitors. It’s not going to be calm or quiet until you go home where you can lock the front door and really be on your own.

14. You’re going to feel like you’re feeding your baby ALL THE TIME. This is the stage I have dubbed “the milk factory” stage. When your newborn isn’t sleeping, they’ll probably be eating, and heads up, newborns take a long time to eat, and they eat a lot. Hence, you’re going to feel like a milk factory that runs almost 24/7. And if you want to cover up while feeding your baby, try using bamboobies® Chic Nursing Shawl. It’s pretty stylish so people might not even know it’s a nursing cover if you’re out in public with it (and it can be used as a car seat cover), and they just came out with an Open Nursing Shawl that is open so it looks kind of like a kimono. They both have UPF50+ protection so you can use it on sunny days and not worry about your baby getting sunburned! Because if you’re away from home for more than two hours, you’ve got to plan ahead and know that you’ll probably have to feed your baby on-the-go.

15. You can decide who you want to visit you. This is a big one that I don’t think a lot of people realize or understand. I actually have a whole post about how to handle visitors after childbirth. If you’re stressed about it, I recommend reading that post because I give a lot of tips about how to decide who can visit you, how to decide when they can visit, and being okay with the fact that you are the one who gets to say when people can come visit. To sum it up here, YOU are in charge and you shouldn’t worry about hurting someone’s feelings if you’re not ready or not feeling up to having visitors. You had the baby, not them, and it’s up to you to decide what’s best for you and your family.

16. You’re going to be exhausted. The times in my life when I’ve been the most tired physically, mentally, and emotionally all happened right after my babies were born. Since your baby eats every two hours, you have to be awake to feed them every two hours. And if they have a hard time going back to sleep after eating or their days and nights are mixed up, you’re going to be awake during those times with them. For me, this is the hardest part of having a newborn, because even though they’re cute, they require so much of your time and energy. The light at the end of the tunnel is that the newborn stage doesn’t last forever and you’ll adjust to getting less sleep (even if that means upping your caffeine intake!).

17. You will likely have very little bladder control. There is a reason they tell you to do kegels, mamas. Now I’ve shared this story before, but I feel like for the sake of keeping it real, I feel like I should repeat it here. One night when my oldest was a baby and we’d been home from the hospital for a few days, I got up to nurse him and had to go pee. I figured I’d wait and feed him first, because that was what a good mama would do. Well, of course I also had to change his diaper, and as I’m trying to hold it while changing my newborn, I emptied the entire contents of my bladder all over my feet and the carpet in front of my son’s dresser. It was humiliating, and nobody was even there to see it. The next day we went out and bought a carpet cleaner (that has come in handy MANY a time). Moral of the story, if you need to pee, go immediately. Don’t try to hold it, because after you have a baby, you may not be able to hold it.

18. You might go through a phase where you absolutely hate your husband. With all the hormones coursing through your body after having a baby, you might find yourself a little irritable. Now before I say this, know that my husband is an incredibly kind and loving man. But after my first baby was born, there were several instances when I just wanted to punch him right in his mouth. It wasn’t his fault, but those hormones, man, they are A-RAGIN’! If this happens to you, let him know how you’re feeling and that it’s just because of the hormones, then give yourself some time out or some space to cool off. And again, remember that it doesn’t last forever!

19. You won’t always know what you’re doing, and that’s okay. Having a newborn requires learning a lot of new skills fast. You have to swaddle them, bathe them, feed them, dress them, help them stop crying, change their diapers, care for every little thing they need, and take care of yourself at the same time. Sometimes, you won’t always know what you’re doing or how you’re going to get through the day (especially if your baby has colic, and if so, I feel for you!). Want to know a little secret? Nobody really knows what they’re doing! Sometimes, you’re not going to know how to help your baby stop crying. Sometimes, you’re not going to know how you can possibly cook dinner and do the laundry and sweep the floor and hold your baby at the same time. You learn something new about being a mother every single day, and just when you think you’re getting pretty good at parenting, something new will come up and you’ll be back where you started. That’s okay! That’s part of motherhood, and we all go through it. You are definitely not alone there!

20. This stage doesn’t last forever, and it does get easier. My oldest son is five, and as I write this, I still think the hardest stage of his life so far was the newborn stage. For all of the above reasons, and more. Yes, there are always going to be challenges, but at least when your child is older you’re (hopefully) sleeping more and you’re able to find time to feel like yourself again. The newborn stage only last for a few months, and then things start getting easier. That might sound like a long time when you’re right at the beginning, but it goes by so fast, and before you know it, your baby is turning one (cheesy, I know). So hang in there, keep trying, and know that it WILL get easier!

21. Colic is real, it sucks, and it eventually ends. Until my third baby was born, my husband and I didn’t think colic was a big deal. But guys, that kid cried for six weeks straight, and it was SO HARD. I was exhausted, my body was still recovering from childbirth, I had two older kids to take care of, and nothing I did would get him to stop crying. From two weeks to eight weeks, I was a hot, stressed-out mess. But at eight weeks he magically stopped crying and it was like my baby was a completely new little person. So if you’re in the colic boat and you feel like you’re drowning, don’t worry. The hole in your boat will get plugged up and you’ll be afloat again soon.

22. Postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, and postpartum psychosis are serious business. I’m so glad that some of the stigmas are starting to be removed from mental health disorders, because they are SO COMMON and they won’t get better unless you admit something’s wrong and you tell someone. If you feel off, don’t disregard it. This post has more tips if you think you might be suffering. Mamas, please, please, please don’t ignore these postpartum disorders. You can always get help if you’re suffering!

23. Don’t expect your body to bounce back quickly. I assumed that after I had my first baby I wouldn’t immediately go back down to my pre-pregnancy weight, but what I didn’t realize was that it takes a long time and a lot of work to feel like your body is yours again. I never lost the “baby weight” with my second baby, and even now 20 months after my third baby was born, I still have extra, saggy skin on my belly. That’s fine! I don’t think that worrying about the number on the scale is healthy, but I do think that feeling good in your body and loving it is important. Your body made you a human being, so please be nice to it and appreciate it instead of feeling down on it. And NEVER call yourself fat postpartum. Every new mom goes through this stage. And definitely, definitely don’t compare your body to anyone else’s. With your postpartum hormones a-ragin’, that will only cause you pain. And please, don’t look for quick fixes. Don’t do anything drastic to try and get your pre-pregnancy body back. No juice cleanses, no stupid fad diets, no dumb belly wraps. Just eat healthy, exercise, drink enough water, and love every single inch of your body. You only get one body and you need to love it and take care of it.

Postpartum life is hard. With all the emotions and physical pain and major life changes you’re going through, it’s going to be hard. But we all go through it, it gets easier, and your sweet baby is absolutely worth it. Try not to compare yourself or your baby to others in your life or in the media. My friend Jen summed it up perfectly when she said, “You know what is best for you and your baby. Don’t fall slave to the judgement society gives.” Mamas, you are the exact right mother your baby needs. They were sent to you for a reason. You have the final say in whether you breastfeed them or not. You will be able to tell if they aren’t walking at 14 months because they have a development problem or if they’re just a late walker. You know what’s best for them. Take care of yourself, trust yourself, and love your baby. The fourth trimester only lasts for a few months, and you’re going to be out of it before you know it!

The post What to Expect Postpartum 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.

This post contains affiliate links.

When you have a brand new baby, the last thing you want is someone knocking on your door empty-handed. If someone is coming over to visit and you have to take the time to put actual clothes on, they better be bringing something good!

Okay, I’m obviously kidding (a little), but in all seriousness, having a baby is rough, and if you’re planning on visiting a new mom, you should absolutely bring her a gift! Not sure what to bring? Here are some suggestions of gifts to bring a new mom from real life moms (which, duh, includes me!):

1. A soft, nursing friendly robe. Something she can wear around the house, feel cute in, and be super comfortable in (something like this).

2. Flowers. A bouquet, a pot, or even a cute succulent (I know, not technically flowers). Every woman likes getting flowers!

3. A meal. Whether it’s a hot meal ready-to-serve, or a freezer meal she can heat up later, bringing a meal means one less meal she has to prepare!

4. Chocolate. Self-explanatory. I love these.

5. A bath bomb or face mask. Something she can pamper herself with when baby is sleeping! This bath bomb gift box and this Dead Sea mud mask both have crazy good reviews on Amazon!

6. Diapers. Can’t ever go wrong giving a new mom diapers! Our favorites for newborns are Pampers Swaddlers!

7. A book. Newborns eat a LOT, and it is nice to have something to read while nursing! Some of my favorites are The Magic of Motherhood, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, and my own book, Preggers.

8. Paper plates. One of my friends suggested this one and I thought it was GENIUS! Taking care of a newborn is exhausting, and when your baby is napping you absolutely don’t want to be doing dishes. So give her some paper plates! Again, GENIUS!

9. Any kind of dessert. I know I already included chocolate on the list, but this deserves it’s own suggestion. Cookies, brownies, cupcakes, really anything to satisfy her sweet tooth. They don’t even have to be homemade!

10. A few groceries and recipes to make easy meals. Another friend suggested this, and I loved it! Bring some easy recipes and buy all the ingredients to make them so she doesn’t have to go to the store and she can whip up something fast and easy. Another suggestion in this realm are rolls, deli meat and cheese, and fruit and veggie trays!

11. A giant caffeinated soda or coffee. Again, self-explanatory. You’ll be a hero.

12. Anything to help postpartum. Tucks pads, maxi pads, Dermoplast spray. Check out this post for more ideas. Maybe only bring these ones to close friends, though!

13. An offer to sit with older kids so mom can get a break. You can even offer to take the older kids to the park or the zoo! My mom used to do this for ladies who had babies at church, and looking back now, I’m sure they appreciated the break!

There are tons of gifts to bring a new mom that will help her out and make the transition to life with a newborn a little easier. Hopefully at least one of these suggestions caught your eye! And remember, don’t stay too long, either!!!

The post Practical Gifts to Bring a New Mom appeared first on Life With My Littles.

This post contains affiliate links.

I’m a pretty sentimental person. I have always loved taking pictures of my life, I have journals dating back to elementary school and middle school, and I have a giant “memory box” in the form of a giant plastic storage bin where I’ve saved cards, mementos, and special things from my past. So it only makes sense that I want to preserve these kinds of things for my kids, too.

But if we’re being honest, it’s hard! As mothers, we’re already super busy cleaning bathrooms and doing laundry and making dinner, and in our free time, we probably would rather put our feet up and watch Netflix than go back and fill out our five-year-old’s baby book we never finished.

Today I want to share several easy options for preserving memories for kids!

First of all, let me just say that putting together a photo book, organizing photos and artwork, and even just filling out a baby book is a lot of work. I listened to a great podcast from Coffee and Crumbs a few weeks ago and one of the best things they talked about was that you don’t have to do the big stuff right now. Sure, it would be great to go back and make photo books for every year you’ve been married right now (my current goal), but that’s a huge time commitment. Like I said, moms are B-U-S-Y, and you might not have time right now to take on a huge project like that. So start small. Do a little bit at a time, and don’t stress about it. Sure that 40 page photo book might be beautiful, but if you cried over it, hated making it, and had an anxiety attack trying to put it all together, it’s not worth it. So start small. Even if all you take away from this post right now is a little note in your phone with ideas you want to try one day, that’s great. You don’t need to do everything all at once, okay?

Alrighty! Here are ideas for preserving memories for kids:

Traditional baby books. I have one of these for each of my kids, and they are great for documenting the beginning of your child’s life. I love recording all the milestones and memories, and they usually have places for photos and keepsakes, too. One drawback is that they usually don’t provide more than one or two pages for details past the first year, and they only go up to your child’s fifth birthday,. If you’re looking for something that will work for your child’s whole life, this isn’t it. (I have this baby book for my oldest son and this baby book for my daughter).

Birthday books. I haven’t done this myself, but I think it’s a great idea. Basically, you make yearly photo books for your kids! It’s nice because it’s a special thing you do for each of your kids and they don’t have to share with anyone else. Plus, it’s a nice way to get those thousands of pictures that you take each year in print form! I like how personal these are, and that you can include captions and little stories based on the layout you choose. It does take a lot of work though, especially if you have several kids! You can try Shutterfly for a cheaper option, Blurb for an in-between option, or Artifact Uprising for a more high-end option.

Yearly photo books. If you like the idea of the birthday books but would only prefer to do one per year for your whole family, this is a good option! Again, you can include pictures and text, and it’s a good way to get all those pictures off of your computer and in print form. Plus they make great coffee table books or decorations!

File with papers. One thing that I had on my 1001 in 101 list was to organize all the papers I’ve collected from my kids. We used to do a lot of little painting and coloring projects, and as my son has started preschool, the papers I’ve saved have just started piling up. So I did some research on different ways to organize your kids’ papers, and came up with something super simple and easy. I got a file box for each of my kids, filled it with hanging file folders, and marked each with either a stage (baby, toddler, preschool) or a grade (K-12). Now I have a designated place to put things we make together, things they bring home from school, and eventually, report cards and special papers they write. It was really easy to do and it is so much more organized than what I was doing before! You can get a simple cardboard box, a decorative box, or even a waterproof plastic box. Plus there are tons of cute file options. I just went for the basic green hanging files (because I’m cheap), but you can get creative with these if you want.

Event books. Did you go on a vacation to Disneyland or on a road trip across the country? Doing a photo book just about that event is a good way to document it in a physical way. My husband’s aunt made photo books for everyone for our last family reunion and our kids LOVE looking at it!

Social media photo books. I think everyone has heard of Chatbooks by now, but I love our Chatbooks. I have a series that features pictures of my kids together, and they love looking at these, too. If you use Instagram they are incredibly easy to set up, and Chatbooks basically does the work for you. Plus they are really cheap, which is a big bonus since some photo books are pricey. I also like that they are small and simple, and you can include captions and dates, or not if you don’t want them. They are the lazy mom’s way of preserving memories for kids. And also maybe the smart mom’s way.

Memory box. Okay so I’ve actually kept my own memory box since high school, so I am a big advocate of this one. Basically it’s a place to save mementos that you can’t keep in a photo book or baby book. I’ve started them for each of my kids, and theirs have things like baby bracelets and hats, special holiday keepsakes, sunglasses from the 2017 eclipse, and personalized crayons from the Mall of America. My personal box has things like my favorite stuffed animal, Beanie Babies, journals, medals from races, and little pins I collected in high school. It can really be a place to save anything you think your kids might value in the future. One thing I think is important to make a note of is that you don’t need to save every little thing in here. If you think your kid won’t care about seeing it when they are 20, don’t save it. They probably won’t care about the very first rock they picked up and brought inside the house. Try to be a good mix of practical and sentimental on this one, because that box can get really big really fast if you aren’t. You can start with something small like this when your kids are young, and eventually move to something like this as they grow and you collect more.

0-5 books. A step up from the traditional baby book, but one that lets you include more than just one page for each year after the first is a book dedicated to your child’s first five years. We have a Ruby Love baby book for our youngest and while the basic book does just have a page or two for the second-sixth years, you can get extra pages (holidays, siblings, baptism or blessing, or even the second year or years 3-5). They even have pages for school ages if you decide you want to include those and continue the book past the first five years. I’ve seen other options for 0-5 books too, but Ruby Love is my favorite.

Email account. This is a cool one that I thought sounded super easy and requires very little maintenance or upkeep, other than writing emails. Basically, you set up an email account for your child that you’ll eventually turn over to them. Until the day you turn it over to them, you write emails and send them to that email address. You can write about funny things they do, milestones, good or hard days, or even just a small moment you had with them that made an impact on you. And since it’s email, you can easily send photo or video attachments, too. I like it because we all have email on our phones and it’s so easy to just write a quick email and hit send as soon as something happens. Plus all your emails and notes and thoughts will be sorted chronologically!

Memory journal. This is something I started doing when my daughter was just a few months old. It’s similar to the email account, but it’s just a handwritten journal that you write in to your child and then give them when they graduate or get married. I wrote more about them here, but I now have one for each of my children and I love writing in them. I get my journals from Scribble & Jot. My friend Dana makes gorgeous coptic stitch notebooks by hand, and they come in lots of sizes and colors, lined or unlined, and they lay flat, which I love. They are seriously amazing and I highly recommend checking them out. And don’t think that just because your child is a few years old you can’t start one of these. I started my oldest son’s when he was almost two and I don’t think that makes it any less special. Dana recently started making notebooks that are meant specifically for baby journals, and she has a bunch of new gender neutral and adorable baby and kid prints coming soon! And from now until the end of June you can get 15% off your order with code LWML15, so make sure you go check out her shop because I love, love, love my journals I’ve gotten from her.

Art project photo book. This is one on my to-do list as my kids’ papers start stacking up more. Basically instead of keeping all the drawings and crafts and art projects your kids do, you scan them or take pictures of them and then print them in a photo book! This post is kind of the inspiration here, but I think it’s a great way to minimize the papers you’re keeping and preserve them in a meaningful, easy to enjoy way. Because as cute as some of those things your kids make at school are, you’re more likely to revisit them if they’re in an easy-to-access photo book than stored away individually in a file.

Also a quick note: make sure that until you actually go ahead and make one of these, you’re backing up pictures you have online or on an external hard drive. I use iCloud storage because I have a Mac and it’s easy, but when I had a PC I used an external hard drive and that worked great, too.

Well there you have it! Eleven easy ways for preserving memories for kids. I think it’s important to preserve memories for kids, but try not to go overboard here. You don’t need to do every single one of these (or even more than just a few).  Whatever you do, make sure you pick something that will be meaningful to you and your kids now and in twenty years!

The post Preserving Memories for Kids appeared first on Life With My Littles.