Five Tips for New Moms!

So, you've found out your pregnant! Congratulations! Right now you are probably feeling an overwhelming amount of joy, fear, worry, or a mix of all three! Let me tell ya, you are not alone!!

I went through many phases of emotions during my pregnancy with Aria, and now that I'm 15 months into this motherhood thing, I feel like I need to share some of my tips with those of you who are currently where I was a year and a half ago!

1. Don't buy your baby every baby item known to man! They really don't need a lot!

     My "baby supply" list was about a mile long! Diapers, wipes, clothes, crib, bottles, bottle warmer, bottle washing thing for the dishwasher (no, I don't know what it's called ha), bottle drying rack, pacifiers, blankets, swings, mobiles, nursery decor, you name it...if it can be found at Babies R' Us, it was on my list! As time came to actually purchase these items, I narrowed it down to what my baby would actually need in her first few months of life and all of a sudden, having a baby in the house seemed like it would be a little less stressful! I am the type of person that gets stressed and a little depressed when I am surrounded with mess and clutter (which unfortunately happens too often in my home.) So the less baby stuff I had laying around waiting to be used, the better. Stick with the necessities and buy what your baby needs as your baby grows. Your wallet and sanity will thank you! (However, if you find an insanely good deal on something that you know your baby will need, get it asap and make sure you have a place to store it away out of sight until it's needed!)

2. Have a parenting plan, but be prepared and open to changing it daily!

     I decided while I was pregnant that I was not going to co-sleep. From what I read, it seemed unsafe and not practical for my families living situation. That plan flew out the door the first night home from the hospital! Co-sleeping ended up being the only way we could actually get any sleep around here on some nights! Now, I'm not saying that it will be like this with every plan you make, but you and your baby are about to go through a life long learning process, and it will be much less stressful for both of you if you are willing to make changes to your plans when necessary. It's just like they always say, "never say never!" Great...now I'm going to have Justin Bieber stuck in my head all day!

3. Trust your instincts! Mom knows best!

     You have probably heard this time and time again, but it really is true! You don't really understand the term 'motherly instincts' until you have a child. No matter what advice you are given (even in this very blog post,) whether it is solicited or not, always remember that no one knows your baby better than you! If you think your baby needs to go to bed by a certain time, then do it! Don't let any friend or family member or even parenting expert, tell you otherwise. My baby needed to be in bed between 6 and 6:30 pm, otherwise we couldn't get her down until closer to midnight! That makes for a tired baby, and two exhausted parents! Everyone said I was crazy, and said I should gently push her bedtime closer to 7 or 8. Nope! Not happening! I knew when my baby was ready for bed, and that was what worked best for us, so that's what we did! Just remember that as soon as you become pregnant, every person that's ever had, cared for, or even looked at a child will suddenly become an "expert." Just ignore when necessary!

4. Be prepared to take care of yourself physically and mentally, just as much as you are preparing to take care of your baby.

     This is one that I wish I would have focused on more while I was pregnant. You hear about postpartum depression and all the items you need to help your body heal, but you don't really think a whole lot about them. You are thinking about your baby and everything he/she needs and how much he/she will cry or how much he/she will eat and sleep etc etc. Rightfully so, the baby is the exciting part in all this! It's not fun to think about PPD, or tearing, or c-section scars, or nipple blisters and mastitis! The baby isn't the only one being born here. You are being reborn as a brand new mom. With that comes a lot of changes. Maybe physically, maybe mentally, but most likely both. When I wrote about the day Aria was born, I left out a lot of stuff that happened after her birth. Mainly because when I read that, I want to be reminded of all the happiness I felt that day! But I spent her whole first day of life in the hospital writhing in pain. I thought I had a UTI and my doctor didn't believe me. I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep, I couldn't shower, I couldn't even really hold or enjoy my newborn baby! It wasn't until the next day they realized I was dealing with some very serious urinary retention (I never even thought of that as a possibility while I was pregnant) and I spent her second whole day/night of life attached to a catheter. I know, this is some really fun stuff to talk about, huh? I don't know how common that situation is, but it threw me for a loop and definitely put a damper on this exciting new chapter of my life. That, followed by another hospital stay for Aria's jaundice, accompanied with a few very frustrating doctors visits, and that threw me straight into some PPD. Ladies...I know it's not fun to think about these things, and you are probably saying "that wont happen to me" and I truly hope it doesn't! But just in case, do your research, get familiar with all possibilities, and be as prepared as possible for them.

5. Accept help when it is offered to you!
 
     This was another one that was difficult for me! I am a very independent person. I don't like help. I want to do anything and everything on my own. Especially when it came to baby! I brought this baby into the world, so now I need to do anything and everything on my own. Well, if you are blessed to have family and friends who want to help you out at all, let go of your independence for once in your life and let them in! Maybe they want to cook you dinner, or help clean your house, or maybe they want to snuggle your baby for a few minutes so you can go take a shower. Just say yes! You will have plenty of time for the rest of your life to be your independent self. Now is not the time! Enjoy that shower, honey! You deserve it...and let's be honest...you probably need it very badly haha!

Motherhood is definitely a change, but it doesn't have to be a scary one! Follow these tips, and I'm sure it will be a much better experience for you and your new baby!

Do you have any tips for a new mom?? Leave them in the comment section!


~Rachel~

Five Must-Have Makeup Products for Mom (or anyone who wears makeup!)

Let me start by saying I'm not what you would call a "glamorous" person, but I do like to feel pretty. My dear husband would tell me that I am always pretty no matter what. He's a smart man! However, I know that I feel prettiest when I've got a little bit of makeup on. I don't have to wear a ton, and I don't have to wear it everyday. I love the natural features that God has given me. But it just puts a little more oomph in my step. Ya know what I mean?

After I had my daughter, I did not feel very pretty. I just had a baby! The world didn't expect me to be pretty! But I didn't feel like myself, and when you are trying to learn how to live a whole new life that revolves around someone else  entirely, it's important to try and tap back into who you once were in order to avoid losing your whole self. 

For me, the simplest thing I could do was try to get myself back to feeling pretty with the very little time and effort I could afford. I wasn't about to sit there every day for 15-20 minutes and do my hair and makeup. No new mom has time for that! Unless your name is Kim Kardashian. But then you have someone to do that for you. ANYWAYS! I needed to find products that were quick and easy to use, and that stayed put all day so that I wasn't fussing with my makeup half way through the day. 

These are the products I think every woman, but especially every mom should have in her arsenal!

1. A good long wearing/natural looking base. For me and my normal/dry skin it is the Revlon Colorstay Whipped foundation. I cannot say enough good things about this foundation! It is my holy grail! I only wear a thin layer of this stuff and it doesn't move all day! I also love it because I don't have to wear a powder over it, so it's just one quick step and my skin is perfected. If you don't like foundation, a BB cream or tinted moisturizer are both good options! Some days I skip this step and other days it's the only step I do. It all depends on my skin and the time crunch. 

2. A good under-eye concealer! It's no big secret that moms are tired. I'm going on almost 10 months of constant sleep deprivation! *yawn* But with this Maybelline Instant Age Rewind concealer, my dark tired under-eye circles are gone! Once again, I don't even need to top this with a powder for normal every day wear. Quick and easy! 

3. A nude colored eye liner for your water line. If your eyes are looking red, this is the key to getting them back to looking bright and awake! I use the Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal eyeliner in Nude just on my lower water line and it makes a huge difference. HUGE! And it stays on pretty well for a decent portion of the day. Yesterday I went shopping with my mom, and I applied this at 9am and it was still on when I got home and 6pm. GOOD stuff! I really like their black and brown eyeliners too because they don't smudge, but the nude color is one that I MUST have! 

4. Don't have time to do eye shadow? Me either. Don't like to do eye shadow? Me either. Maybelline Color Tattoo by Eye Studio is your new best friend. I use Barely Branded for every day, and Bad to the Bronze if I want to up the ante a bit for a date or girls night out. Just apply this with your finger, and 15 seconds later you'll look like you actually put a whole lot of effort into doing your eye shadow. If you are ambitious, you can top this with powder shadows to create a glamorous look, but for me, just this is enough to satisfy!  Complete with your favorite eyeliner and mascara (or not!) and you're good to go. 

5. Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Stick. This stuff is UH-MAY-ZING! It is my absolute favorite lip product of all time. The color pictured here is Sweet Watermelon, which is a very universally flattering pink. Sometimes, as a mom, I feel like I'm walking around looking and feeling like a zombie, and this adds the perfect pop of color to my face so I don't feel so....dead, for a lack of a better word! If you are familiar with EmilyNoel83 on YouTube, she described this as the "sweatpants of lip products" because it is so easy to apply and comfortable on your lips. She was absolutely right! The one category this doesn't fit into is long lasting, as with any lip product really. But it is so easy to reapply, I don't even need to use a mirror, so I love it! 

Now if you're a blush person, just add a dab to your cheeks, and you're all set for the day! 

What are your favorite must-have makeup products in your routine? I would love to hear about them in the comments! Thank you so much for reading!

Easy DIY Headbands for Baby!

I can't tell you enough how much I ADORE a flower or bow on my bald little girls head. It's just so stinkin' cute! I was getting bored with the same ol' headbands that I had, so I decided to make up some new ones!

Here is what you will need:

1. Random accessories such as pre-made felt flowers, buttons, silk flowers, bows, whatever you want!! 

2. Elastic headbands. I bought a pack of headbands from Wal Mart for $2.50. I didn't like the bows on them but the elastic was the type that I was looking for (it fits my babies head best) so I just took the bows off and had the elastic left over. You could make your own by just sewing a length of elastic together, but I wasn't feeling that ambitious :) 

3. Felt scraps. Just in case you need to add a backing to any of your flowers, buttons, or bows.

4. Snaps. I used size 4 but something smaller would work too. I would use anything larger because you might be able to see it while the baby is wearing it. 

5. A hot glue gun and glue. You could use a needle and thread and sew these things, but I'm much too lazy for that, and waaaayy to impatient! 

Now for the fun part...making them!

There are only three easy steps...

1. Hot glue one half of the snap to your elastic headband. I use the flattest side of the snap so that it doesn't dig into my babies head. I also attach it onto the seam of the band so I don't have to worry about that showing while she's wearing it. 

2. Hot glue the other half onto the accessory of your choice. Here I used a pre-made fabric flower that I bought at a craft store. You could make one yourself if you were feeling extra crafty! 

3. Snap them together! Ta-da! Now you have a really cute headband! 

But wait....we're not done yet! The point of using the snaps is so that your headbands can be interchangeable, so go ahead and repeat steps one and two for all of the bands and accessories that you want. In the end, you will have a variety of headband combinations to choose from! 

If you check your craft stores clearance section, you can usually find some good deals on their pre-made flowers. That's where I found most of mine! But if you really want to do this on the cheap, you can make your own flowers out of felt, old t-shirts, fabric scraps, the possibilities are endless! Have fun, everyone! 

What's In My Diaper Bag? Newborn Edition

This subject has fascinated me since the day I found out I was pregnant. I have no idea why! I guess I just always open a "What's In My Diaper Bag" video or blog post hoping to get a better idea of what I should be carrying around with me in order to make my life easier. So here goes! Hopefully this will make your life easier! If not, then I hope you enjoy anyway! 

The diaper bag that I carry is the Carters Laguna Twill Tall Duffle Diaper Bag. Wow, what a mouth full! I have a couple of other bags that I will carry depending on the occasion, but this is the bag I am drawn to most often. I love it because it doesn't scream "diaper bag," and it has a lot of pockets for the insane amount completely normal amount of items I carry with me!

           
The main thing I carry in my diaper bag is this diaper clutch by Munchkin. It can easily be carried alone for a short outing, or thrown into my diaper bag when I know I'll be gone the whole day. It has a fold out changing pad that has a little pillow for comfort, and the pad is detachable if you don't need it.

In the diaper clutch I carry...
     1.   Diapers: That's the whole point of this, right? Otherwise this would just be a purse! I usually keep six
           diapers with me at all times, unless I need more than that for an extra long outing.
     2.   Wipes: The diaper clutch came with the wipes case, so I just add to it whenever necessary.
     3.   Aveeno Diaper Rash Cream: I don't use it a lot, only when I notice a bit more redness than usual, but
           I always have it on me just in case.
     4.   Plastic Bags: These are small scented plastic bags from the Dollar Store. They are called "Diaper
           Bags" and come in a pack of 75 for only a dollar! You just can't beat that price! They are the perfect
           size for dirty diapers, or clothing if the baby has a blowout or leak.

     5.   Receiving Blanket: I LOVE receiving blankets. They are so versatile! I use it to keep baby warm, as 

           a nursing cover, as a burp rag, to lay out on the floor to put baby on...I wont leave the house without

           one of these. 

     6.   Nursing Cover: This is a cover that was made for me by a family friend. It's very similar to most 

           covers you can buy. I'm a very private person, so I always like to cover up when nursing in public.

     7.   Lanolin: I don't need it so much anymore, but during the first four weeks of Aria's life, this stuff was 

           a boob saver! 

     8.   Extra Outfit: Just in case Aria poops, pees, or throws up on the one she's wearing!

     9.   Socks: Also, just in case something happens to the ones she's already wearing!

   10.   Burp rag: I usually prefer using the receiving blanket as a burp rag, but I will give this to friends and

           family when they have holding duty. No point in their clothes getting ruined too! 

   11.   Onesie: Again, just in case something happens to the one she's wearing! 

   

   12.   Johnson's Hand and Face Wipes: I use these to clean spit up off of Aria's hands and face, or to wipe

           off any germs that may have come from someone touching her hands, face, head, feet...you get the

           idea ha!

   13.   Johnson's Baby Lotion: No one likes dry skin! I use this on Aria, but mostly on myself!

   14.   Pacifier: Always have to have an extra! We would be in big trouble if she lost her pacifier and we 

           didn't have a back up!

   15.   Thermometer: I must confess that I don't ALWAYS have this with me, but these are all the things that

           I carry when I'll be gone a whole day. I feel more comfortable if I can take Aria's temperature, just in

           case. 

   16.   Snot Sucker: Just in case!

   17.   Pacifier Wipes: I have pacifier clips that prevent it from dropping on the ground, but sometimes it still 

           manages to hit the floor! These are easy and convenient to have on hand. 

   18.   Hand Sanitizer: No explanation needed, I'm sure!  

   19.   Gas Drops: These ALWAYS go with me! I will use them any time Aria eats. The last thing I want 

           when I'm out and about is a fussy baby with gas!

   20.   Home-made OxiClean: I spray this on Aria's clothes if she has a blow out so they don't stain!

Finally, I have a few things for me! My wallet, ya know, so I can buy things! I also keep a cosmetic bag with extra breast pads, a maxi pad (in those first few months, you never know when you're going to need one,) some under eye concealer, Advil, and chapstick! 

I never realized how much I carried with me until I took it all out to do this post! Now that Aria is nearing the three month mark, I feel like I can clear some of this stuff out, but for those first three months, everything in this bag has come in handy! 

What do you all keep in your diaper bags? Do you have a blog post or video about it? Link it in the comments below!