Motherhood: My Baby Gear Picks

Ok, so I have only been a mama for 6.5 months...but, there are a few things I've learned & mastered (sort of).  I also have a pretty good idea of what gear we own gets the most use, is economical, durable and comfortable.  I agonized over several of our bigger purchases & always loved when real mom bloggers out there gave their honest opinions about baby stuff-because it can be very overwhelming!

Before Mav arrived, I was pretty adamant about not having too much stuff; after all, he's just a baby, right?!!  Well, my family didn't get the memo.  Clothes poured in, thankfully mostly second-hand & now we are a tad overstimulated with toys (which I intend on weeding out as soon as possible) over here.  That being said, if I had to chose only 6 baby gear items to keep, the ones below are it.  They are the things we use the most and really love.  Basically, these were worth every penny.

Must Have Baby Gear by lovefoxvintage on polyvore.com

1. Ergo Baby Carrier-we use this pretty much everyday.  It is the best carrier we have tried!  We also own a Baby Bjorn that a friend so kindly gave us, but after Maverick hit 13 pounds it was painful.  We love the Ergo because of the cushy hip support, padded shoulder straps, sun shade, and front pocket.  It was a great investment & we will be using this for quite some time to come.

2. Aden & Anais Swaddle Blankets-these were gifts from my mother-in-law & if I had to, I wouldn't think twice about buying these!  I use these everyday, for everything (except swaddling, which Mav wasn't into).  I use them as a nursing cover-up, a lightweight blanket over the stroller, for spit up messes & cozy nap wrapping.  I love how breathable they are and how simple and subtle the designs are.  I sorta hate most designs on baby textiles.

3. Flip Cloth Diaper System-I know there are so many great choices when it comes to cloth diapers, but for our budget Flip's have been wonderful.  So far we love these one-size diapers because they are super easy to use, maintain and clean.  I did tons of research on cloth diapering & these got great reviews on being super durable and economical compared with similar brands/styles.  

4. Sophie the Giraffe teether-this was the best $20 bucks we spent!  Mav loves chewing and slobbering on Sophie.  Real simple and real good.

5. Inglesina Fast Table Hook-On High Chair-now that we are feeding solids, a high chair was needed.  Our problem is that we have a super tiny kitchen, so we couldn't fit any high chair basically.  Except this awesome one!  We love that it's so easy to hook on, sturdy, cushy and travels well.  Highly recommend if you have a small space.

6. Boppy Pillow-I found one of these at a consignment shop so look there first.  This has been a wonderful little pillow for making nursing more comfortable.  It was especially helpful in the beginning when I was still learning to breast feed.

You can find all of these goodies at Diapers.com or Babyearth.com

Motherhood: Postpartum What?

When I found out I was pregnant, I was very happy & very curious to see how my body would change as my little bean grew.  It was quite the adventure and I truly loved being pregnant.  I mean, there were moments when I cried for no reason, couldn't sleep because my belly was in the way and cursed the heavens when I couldn't find anything in my closet to wear.  But seriously, loved it!  I did tons of research and reading so I would be prepared for both the birth and what goes on afterwards.  But, no matter how much reading you do, nothing really prepares you for your unique birthing experience & the challenges you will face afterward-I mean, the postpartum challenges.

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Don't get me wrong, it's not all bad.  It's good because your body is healing.  But there are some things that occur after birth that you must wipe from your memory or you won't make more babies!  And even though you have had a baby, it's not over...the gift of pregnancy just keeps on giving, months & months after birth.  

So, when my hair started falling out around 4 months after Maverick was born I realized just how transformative pregnancy & birth are.  And, my body has never ached as much as it does now!  My midwife told me this would happen, telling me that in a couple of months your body will feel aches in muscles you never knew you had.  Check.  And my skin is as dry as a crocodile, although this may be because I didn't use lotion for like 5 months!  Oops!  How about postpartum memory loss?  Check!  Depression?  Of course!  Luckily, not severe, but it hits you out of nowhere.  Passion and desire in the bedroom?  I'm still looking for mine.  

What has this taught me?  Well, first of all, my body will never be the same.  This is not such a bad thing because I will forever be reminded of the amazingly brave and strong act of childbirth.  I also have to relearn to love my body again and am slowly gaining confidence in my overall appearance.  Feeling comfortable in your skin is always challenging, especially when your body and soul have undergone such a huge change.  I know it will take time, but my goal is to have a healthy body image, respecting the bones & muscles that helped me birth my babe.  I'm trying to appreciate the process of healing, letting my mind and body do its thing slow and steady.  

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A wise mama told me, "things get easier and harder in different ways."  I am beginning to see this as so very true.  Parts of me heal and other parts show un-mended wounds from childbirth.  Parts of mothering get easier as Mav grows and other parts get more challenging (like, him becoming mobile-good & bad!).  I am just learning to not expect miracles & just let go of the worries I have of future postpartum surprises.  Becoming a mother is a beautiful and everlasting process.  The immensity of it can't be fully understood until you are a mom.  Just hoping my hair stops falling out soon.