Whew! Time is definitely flying by. A month ago, I was in the hospital awaiting the biggest and best gift I would ever receive; my first born Richard Joseph. He is absolutely precious with his beautiful brown eyes, soft skin and a sinister smirk. At only one month he has stolen my heart.
I would be lying if I told you this past month has been a breeze; because it has not. I remember hearing other moms warn me about the first month of motherhood however, I kept telling myself it can't be that bad. But, I was wrong. Between waiting for my milk supply to increase; operating on nearly 0 hours of sleep and learning the checklist of items to go over during each of RJ's meltdowns; this mommy business is tough. However, thanks to a few essential items the last few weeks have gotten better each day.
So to my mom's to be here are the items that helped me over the last month and have become essential in our day to day activities. Skip past the cute outfits when building your baby registry and go for the following items, you will thank me later.
Baby Registry Recommendations (no particular order)
Dock-a-Tock
On our first night home, after literally 1.5 hours of sleep due to endless hours of RJ's yells; I got on instagram and started talking to my childhood friend Heather. With tears in my eyes, I asked her how she survived the first night with her baby Jack. She explained how the Dock-A-Tock saved her life. Sleep deprived and sore from my c-section; I ordered the Dock-A-Tock from Target and picked it up same day.
This is literally a game changer for us and was worth every penny. We use it for everything from lounging to sleeping and honestly, I don't know how how we’d live without it. Its perfect for newborns because it creates a little cove around their body that hugs them. RJ is just as cozy as can be in his comfy little bed, and I love that it’s lightweight enough that I can move it around the house.
Swaddle Me
Prior to becoming a mom, I did not know there was a term for wrapping a baby tightly in a blanket nor did I understand the importance of swaddling. Swaddling is super important in the early days because it helps the baby sleep. Newborns have terrible reflexes that keep their arms and legs swinging. This unnecessary sleep aerobics can keep them up at night; so swaddling can become the way to keep your baby sleeping at night. At the hospital I tried to master swaddling RJ, but he was always able to use his super baby powers and get his arms and legs free. Enters the Swaddle Me.
Swaddle Me has been a life safer for us. The velcro in the swaddle makes for a easy applicator that helps you snuggle your baby in the perfect swaddle. No more worrying if he can get out of the swaddle or if while sleeping the blanket will come loose. The Swaddle Me makes for a perfect swaddle each time.
4Moms: MamaRoo
I love this item. If you're like me you love holding your sweet baby but also, got things to do. The Mamaroo has been one of the ways I am even able to write this blog post. RJ naps in this swing/bouncer so well. I love that it has multiple modes such as the Kangaroo and RJ's favorite: car-ride mode. RJ loves bouncing up and down and with the Mamaroo he's able to bounce and be moved side to side. He's also able to sit up or lay down while relaxing. I have heard mixed reviews from other moms but I will say I knew RJ would love it because throughout my pregnancy he loved movement. I was able to stay active during pregnancy because RJ seemed to sleep when I was up moving and went into full karate mode when I sat down. Although it is a pretty penny, to me its definitely a winner with 5 different motions and 5 different speed modes and four different sounds including the ability to play music from your phone.
The Doona
The Doona came as another recommendation of my dear friend Heather. This to me is the perfect new mom stroller gift. The Doona is suitable from 4lbs to 35lbs and easily accommodates preemies. Now, I will say, it is definitely an investment with the price of this stroller/car seat/ carrier seat being $500. ... But if you're a city mom who does a lot of walking around or a mom who is constantly on the go, this is the stroller for you. You don't have to struggle with carrying a super heavy carrier while also pulling a bulky stroller out the trunk on top of the sweet cries of a newborn. We love this stroller and it has easily become one of my favorite items ( thanks mom)!
Nuk Pacifier
RJ loves this pacifier, he took to it the easiest out of the many pacifiers I placed in front of him. I love that Nuk Pacifiers are known for the orthodontic benefits such as naturally exercising baby's tongue, palate and jaw while also encouraging correct development of their teeth. I am not sure if this Pacifier will keep me from spending thousands on braces but it does soothe RJ right away. My biggest advice would be to buy different pacifiers until you find the one that baby loves.
Taking Cara Babies Newborn Class
This class came as another recommendation and gift from my friend Heather (honestly, Heather definitely has held me down this past month). I was hesitant of what this class could teach me as I had already taken a newborn class, but I was wrong. Taking Cara Babies came at one of my breaking points. Until this class I was not a believer in Swaddling nor did I understand how to utilize swaddling in my nightly routine to ensure a good night rest for myself and RJ. The class comes in 7 different modules that can be completed at your own time and revisited. The goal of this class is to sleep train your baby. One of my biggest takeaways was how to calm RJ down when he's in complete meltdown. I definitely recommend this class.
Well guys thats it for now. I know as RJ grows I will have new recommendations to share with you all. I remember how daunting building a baby registry is, so hopefully this list makes it a little bit easier for you. Best of Luck and I can't wait to share the things I learn as I continue on my mommy journey.
XO