Hello! It is so great to be post again after a little "fourth trimester" hiatus. Things have been busy around here for us, with loving on our little boy, helping our friends plan their wedding, and spending time with family! It seems to me that when August hits, it's only a blink away until Christmas comes.
One thing I love about being a mom is the immediate sense of community that you have with other moms. I love hearing advice and stories from others, especially tried and true tips and tricks. Logan is now 14 weeks old (!!), and we are out of the "fourth trimester" as they say, so I wanted to write a post sharing the things that helped me tremendously through the first three months with a newborn. I would love to hear your recommendations of products that you love for your little ones.
1. White Noise Machine:
( I have this one )
So many baby sleep articles recommend using white noise to help babies sleep, because it is similar to the sounds they hear in the womb. I bought one for Logan when he was just over a month old, and saw a difference almost immediately! It helped calm him down, and signal to him that it was going to be nap time soon. I love this one because it is portable and inexpensive. :)
2. The Solly Baby Wrap:
Baby wearing is pretty commonplace now, and for so many great reasons! I used the Solly wrap a ton at various family events, while running errands or at restaurants when Logan was really little and slept all the time. He would curl up and fall asleep pretty quickly and soundly ( he even stayed asleep from the car seat to wrap transition!). Now that he is older, I still carry him in it while I grocery shop, and he is able to look around. It allows my hands to be free, and allows me to look around without having to try to keep track of my stroller. He is 15 pounds now, but still is able to fit comfortably. There is something super special about having your little one so close to you. I think it really helps bonding too :)
Originally, I was only going to get a simple sound monitor to use at family and friends homes, but after reading the reviews on the Angel Care monitor, I had to have it, It is a sound and movement monitor that will sound an alarm if your baby stops moving. Logan has slept in his crib, in his room, since we brought him home from the hospital, and this product gave me SO much peace of mind. I could go to sleep knowing he was okay and moving. It has a great range from the base to the sound monitor, and the sound system is easily portable (to take on vacation, etc). It comes with a nightlight which really came in handy for those middle of the night diaper changes. I opted for this over the Owlet Care system, because he won't ever outgrow it.
4. A Baby Memory Book
When you have a newborn, everyone will tell you to enjoy it because time goes by so fast - and they are all 100% right. I have loved using my Promptly Journal to keep track of Logan's month to month stats, and various fun memories I want to bottle up and remember forever. I love this journal because it is super compact, simple, and is designed to be used from birth - 18 years old. I brought mine to the hospital and was able to write down his first moments while there.
5. Baby Help Book
I highly recommend getting one or two baby books from the library or Amazon before you deliver, and to have them around during the first few months with baby. I read quite a few and found myself going back to them for advice on sleeping, scheduling, nursing, etc. My personal favorites were Cherish the First Six Weeks and The Nourishing Traditions of Baby and Child Care, but I also read Babywise and Secrets of the Baby Whisperer, which I was so so about. (Babywise was my least favorite - mostly because the writing style - but I still think it can be really helpful). Everyone will have their unique parenting style and figure out what works for them, but these were helpful guides for me to figure out what I wanted to do and what worked for us.
6. A Good Friend
During my first weeks with Logan I texted/called my mom, and two friends, Ashley and Cheryl, a TON. I trusted them to give me good advice and loved learning what worked for them. Their babies are older than mine so their perspective was a huge encouragement. They told me I was doing a good job when I felt completely out of sorts, and prayed for me in this new season. Seriously, find someone you can text anytime of day, with any question, and use their help! If most of your close friends aren't in a season of motherhood, reach out to someone who is. Chances are they will be MORE than thrilled to help you in this new season and will have lots of good advice.
/ XO. B
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