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baristamademommy · 7 years ago

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Whats in my diaper bag?

(Picture of the first time we used Coopers stroller, age 14 days old)

When I first packed my diaper bag, I couldnt close it. I had put so many things inside of it that I wasnt sure Id use but I wanted to be “safe instead of sorry”. After going out a few times, I was able to take out things I wasnt going to use and put in things I didnt realize Id need. Heres what I keep in my bag at all times-

Diapers- Duh. Probably 6-8 at a time.

Wipes- Duh again. One big refill pack of like 60 or something.

A&D ointment- Always good to have.

Diaper Waste Bags- These are great to have when youre somewhere without a trashcan and you dont want poop leaking inside your diaper bag. Theyre even scented. I have the Arm and Hammer Disposable Waste Bags.

Travel body wash and wash cloth- I go visit my moms frequently but I dont have anything there to bathe my lil man in, like a baby bath or a kitchen sink thats the right size. If he ever needed a quick sponge bath, I atleast have soap and a wash cloth and could bum a towel off of her.

Tissues- Runny noses. End of story.

Long sleeve and short sleeve onesie- The Bay Area has some crazy weather. Antioch is hot af, but when I come thru the Caldecott tunnel, its foggy and cold! So I keep a long sleeve and a short sleeve.

Sleep and play onesie- I keep one of these because if its really cold or baby has ruined his pants hes wearing, I can atleast stick him in this and he’ll be completely covered up again. Gotta have options in the bag.

Socks mittens and hat- You will be in public one day and you will look down and be missing a sock or a mitten or even a hat. It will happen. Where it goes Ill never know, but I always have a spare pair in the bag.

Gas drops- Because gas stops for no one.

Bulb syringe- I always keep this in the bag for emergencies but I NEVER use it. If hes kinda stuffy that day, I throw my Nose Freida in the bag before we leave. The bulb is just a back up just incase I forget to bring my good one.

Changing mat- SO not every place you go will have a changing table and even if it does, I can almost guarantee you its not clean. People do drugs on those things, they dont sanitize them after they use them, etc. So I lay my changing mat on the changing table and change him. Or if there isnt a changing table, I change him where ever I can, counter, restaurant booth, back seat of my car. Its cushioned which is nice when the counters are hard.

Nursing cover- I honestly could care less who sees my boob in public because Im feeding my hungry child. Dont get me started on this topic lol. The only two reasons I cover are because I wore a shirt that isnt easy to feed in and Im embarassed to show my stomach or two, Im in a place like a church or something that I would rather not just whip my boob out. But nothing stops me from whipping my tit out, sorry not sorry. And with summer coming up, my son doesnt deserve to sweat under a sheet to eat.

Pacifier wipes- Binkys will touch the floor, or something gross. Quick wipe and youre good to go.

Hand sanitizer- For when a sink isnt close by.

Wubbanub- A toy with a binky on the end, a 2-for-1 in my book. Cooper loves his so I keep an extra in the bag.

Extra shirt for mommy- Because sometimes you get shit on when youre hours from home.

Chapstick

Nursing pads- There is NOTHING worse than leaking in public, especially when youre wearing a light colored shirt. AHHH.

Menstral pads- Same as above, but when youre wearing light colored pants. Or a dress.

What else do you guys keep in your diaper bags? Do you prefer a bag or a backpack style?

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baristamademommy · 7 years ago

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Products sent from the Heavens for New Parents

I thought that after 3 baby showers, I had everything you could ever need. I checked off every category on my registry. I read lists on Pinterest. But I was so wrong. Through the process of trial and error at 2am, I found what did and didnt work for me. Below are the 10 items Id buy again in a heartbeat-

(Picture of Cooper at age 9 weeks, 2 days)

Gas Drops aka Mylicon Drops aka Simethicone Drops- Im currently using Little Remedies but Ive used Infants Mylicon before as well. Both brands seem to work the same to me. Coopers still young and his digestive system is still developing but I felt like the gas wasnt “moving along”. I was giving them every time I fed him and now I give them maybe 3 times a day. I always have an extra box on hand.

Windi by FreidaBaby-LIFE. SAVER. OMG. When I first saw it, I was hesitant to stick anything up my sons little bum, but I got over that once I saw how well it worked. Its a little tube that you insert into their bottom and it helps push gas out. The first time, nothing happened and I was pissed. The second time, I heard a little whistle as the gas was coming out. A little bit later, he was farting up a storm and then poop came. The third time, I heard the whistle but then I felt pressure. Thank God I read the box and reviews that said to keep a clean diaper near by because out came a yellow river of poop. Julian almost threw up on our baby LOL. Now I always have these on hand.

Nose Freida by DermaBaby- ANOTHER life saver. And NO, the boogers dont get in your mouth. Its a large tube that you place against babes nostril, creating a seal. You suck out of the red end and create your own suction and BAM boogers are free. Theres a sponge filter inbetween the tubes so the boogers never get into your mouth, but theyve never even come close to the filter when I use it. Pair this with some saline spray and your little one will breathe easy once again!

DermaFreida by FreidaBaby- This super soft brush is used in the shower to help exfoliate any dead skin off your baby, primarily on their head. Its helped remove most of Coopers cradle cap. I wish I had found this sooner, its amazing.

Fisher Price Deluxe Take Along Swing and Seat- I have two swings for him, one at each grandmas house. This was the second swing we purchased because it was on sale and I honestly think I want this one at both of their houses. Its super lightweight, folds up super small and compact and was a breeze to assemble. Its such a cute swing I absolutely love it.

Sleepsacks- If you have a wild sleeper like me, youll need these. I bought velcro swaddles and Cooper screamed at me like he was in a straight jacket and he always got out of my muslin swaddles (but Ive recently gotten better at swaddling him and he stays in there tight 😈) so I invested in these. Theyre also great for cold nights when they need a little extra warmth, since you dont any to put any blankets in their bed. Theyve got long and short sleeve ones. I called them little potato sacks!

Chicco Bravo Travel System- I was SO excited to buy this travel system! I added it to my registry and waited to use my completion coupon at Babies R Us to buy this. I got there and they were offering it for 10% off and said they werent sure they could honor my 15% off coupon. I told them to call a manager and figure it out because I was 8 months pregnant and I earned my coupon and I wasnt leaving until they honored it. I rolled out of there happy as can be lol. Its all SO easy to use. Everything is one click. One click to put the car seat in the base, one push to get it out. Folding the stroller out takes one push and then it clicks. Folding it up takes one pull of a lever. I know its pricy but its worth every penny. It makes taking your baby out in public soooo much easier.

Graco Pack N Play Nearby Napper- My mom bought me this for Christmas and I cried lol. Its the only thing I wanted. We dont use a crib, we only use this. I wanted it because of its functionality as he grows. The bassinet is removable and flips over to be a bouncer. He slept in the bassinet every night without fail. Since its removable and lightweight, I was able to carry it room to room with me. The bouncer helped soothe him and I swear it helped him poop LOL. I never really used the changing table side but its there for those who want it. Once he out grew the bassinet, we removed both of those parts and he sleeps on the upper level. When he gets too heavy or sits up, whichever comes first, we will lower the mattress to the bottom. Well worth the money if you ask me.

Wubbanub- We go no where without it! Coopers had 4 of them so far (because Miah thought they looked fun too and ate two of them...) and he loves them! Hes always loved the Soothie type binky the most so these are great because the binky can never get lost!

Boobeazy Nipple Balm- I used Lanolin Nipple Cream and it honestly didnt help at all. I thought breastfeeding was the most painful thing ever and Id never find relief but then I found this balm. It goes on soooo smoothly and it helped the pain go away. Best product out there.

Are there any products you cant live without? Leave me some comments below!

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baristamademommy · 7 years ago

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You can now call me “Mom”.

Bringing my son home for the very first time was the most terrifying, exciting, unreal feeling in the world. I was officially a mom. I was responsible for taking care of someone other than myself. HOLY CRAP.

Before bringing Cooper home, Julian brought a blanket home to Miah the day before so she could smell the babys scent and know I was okay too. She slept with the blanket that night. Throughout my entire pregnancy, she would cuddle and kiss my belly. I honestly think she knew I was pregnant before I did. I knew she would be a great big sisssy and protector to her baby. When we brought him home, she was so excited and just couldnt stop staring at him and sniffing him. She definitely was a little jealous, and still is, but we make sure to give her plenty of attention and new toys so she knows she hasnt been forgotten or replaced.

The first two weeks were a blur. Why? Because I was running on minimal sleep, I was packing an apartment getting ready to move, adjusting to breastfeeding, on pain meds for my C section pain, and because he just grew up SO FAST. Im so thankful Julian took off two weeks from work to help me, because I totally needed it. We were so nervous, we rotated sleep LOL. One of us was always awake while the baby slept. Was it necessary? Probably not. But it kinda eased our nerves. Cooper wasnt really a hard baby though. We had a couple nights in those first two weeks though that were ROUGH. I specifically remember one night where he cried for like 4-5 hours. I fed him, changed him, rocked him and he just wasnt satisfied. He eventually fell asleep and we tip toed around the apartment because we were so afraid to wake him up LOL. Having Julian there to help me do everyday things was so great. I couldnt bend so I couldnt put shoes on, I couldnt pick up dog poop, I couldnt pull clothes out of the washing machine. He was so helpful and it allowed my body to rest. I highly suggest having someone home to help you for the first two weeks, C section or not, because your body reaallllly needs to heal.

Newborn really sleep a majority of the day, which he was doing, which let me get some rest. They tell you “sleep when baby sleeps” and you really want to. Chores can wait. But he was also an extremely gassy baby, which kept him up some nights. At about 2 weeks old, we started giving him gas drops/mylicon drops and OH MY GOOODNESS WHAT A RELIEF. We also started using the Windi by FreidaBaby and another “tool” sent from the Heavens. Gripe water really didnt seem to help too much. I used it mostly for hiccups.

Cooper is too young to be tested but I think he may have some allergy to dairy. Im actually allergic to dairy and soy, so I avoid dairy with the exception of cheese and a few other things lol. I had to start paying attention to what I ate because it was possibly affecting his little tummy. You can look up which foods they say to avoid while breastfeeding because it can cause gas/fussiness. I havent changed my diet too much, I just think his digestive system needed time to develop.

I downloaded the app Baby Tracker to keep track of his wet/dirty diapers, his sleep, his feedings and which side I left off on. I tracked for 2-3 weels until I got the hang of telling he was “normal” (6+ wet diapers, 8-12 feedings). Also, breastfed babies dont need to poop everyday so dont panic if you dont see poop daily, but Id call the doctor if your baby seems to be in really bad pain and the gas drops and the Windi arent helping. Coopers pediatrician told us not to use the Windi on a regular basis, you want to avoid excessive rectal stimulation because you dont want them to rely on you to help them poop so I only use it when hes screaming because hes backed up.

Breastfeeding hurts. Lol. It takes time to get used to. Clusterfeeding, or when baby wants to suck your boobs off all freaking day, makes them so sore. I used Lanolin nipple cream and it didnt help much at all. I bought Boobeaze after a few weeks and it helped soooooo much. After babys done feeding, dry off your nipple then apply and let it airdry if possible. If you develop a fever and notice red streaks on your boob, call your doctor to be seen for possible mastitis asap! Its an infection that hurts suuuper bad. Ive been lucky to have never gotten it, but it can happen whenever to anyone.

What were your first few weeks at home like? Or what do you think theyll be like when you finally bring your baby home?

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baristamademommy · 7 years ago

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Delivery Day

(Pictures of me at 38 weeks pregnant & the day Cooper was born, at 39 weeks 1 day)

Ah, the day that my life changed forever. I cant even begin to explain the fear and excitement I was feeling the night before. Id never been on an operating table before. I was scheduled to have a C section at 39 weeks because Coop was still breeched, so I knew exactly when I would be meeting my son for the first time. It was a day Ill never forget.

So, my appointment was set for 930am Tuesday March 6th at Kaiser. You show up 2 hours before for monitoring, to get surgery ready and to meet your operation team. So we got there at 730 and they hooked me and baby up to listen to our heartbeats. Answered some questions about my health, religious preferences, plans to breast feed. Stuff like that. They then got me hooked up to an IV for fluids and medicines Id need during and after surgery. The dr came in and did an ultrasound to confirm the babys position was the same and explained the procedure. Then the anesthesiologist came in and explained the meds theyd be using. So they use a “spinal injection” now thats a little less hardcore than an epidural essentially, but it still numbs you from the waist down. He explained that Id be on oxygen and that they could give me nausea meds during the procedure in my IV if I needed it. They give you some anyways before hand, along with some antibiotics I think to prevent infection. Basically the 2 hrs before are to prep you, do paperwork, monitor you and baby, and introduce you to the team.

So at 915, we walked to the operation room. Its SUPER COLD IN THERE. And I think thats when it really hit me. I saw the different nurses, one for handling equipment and scissors and things, the one for the baby, the one to assist the dr, etc. They all read off their station check lists and prepped everything. The anesthesiologist sits you on the side of the table and checks your back to find the best spot for the meds and then once they mark it and find the spot, they give you the spinal. Let me tell you. It. HURT. Or atleast for me it did. I wasnt expecting it to hurt so bad. And when he did it, he asked where I felt it. Im assuming it wasnt the meds at first but I kept feeling it only on one side so he kept sticking me again to find the center position. I felt maybe 4-6 pokes before it was in the center and I felt it going down my leg and once it did, I was numb within like a minute. They helped lay me down and put my legs up bcause I couldnt feel them anymore and then they put the blue curtain up so I couldnt see anything and then they brought Julian in to start.

I had the oxygen mask on and to be honest, I was sick the entire procedure. I had my eyes closed almost the entire time. I had to have a barf bag because I threw up the entire time. And it was hard because when you gag and throw up, you use your stomach muscles but my stomach muscles were numb so it was reaaaalllllllly hard to throw up but I still did. I was like using only my throat muscles to throw up. They gave me more nausea meds but I was still rotating between oxygen mask and barf bag. I felt nothing though, I was numb completely. It seemed to go pretty fast once they started. Ive never had surgery before so it was just kinda surrreal to me. Like how in movies youre laying on the table staring up into the bright light while the dr asks for his scissors or knives. They pulled the baby out and Julian told me when he was out but I was so out of it I just nodded my head. I think he was really nervous for me because he could see I wasnt opening my eyes much and I was constantly throwing up. My blood pressure dropped once or twice too. They let him cut some of the umbilical cord and then they let him take pictures of the baby and they took ones of him holding him and then the nicu nurse cleaned him up and did their measurements and stuff before placing him on my chest. I only held him there for a few min because I needed to throw up again so I had them take him, but I really wanted that skin to skin while I could. They sent Julian and Cooper to our recovery room while they stitched me up and then they rolled me over there with them.

The procedure itself wasnt that bad. It was just my nerves before it started. I was so afraid as they were numbing me and then throwing up the entire time had me really out of it. I dont know if it was too much pain medicine or what but they said some people do throw up so I guess it was normal, but vicodin makes me puke so maybe its just me. I dont know the name of what they gave me though but atleast I wasnt in pain. It didnt seem like i was there forever and once it was over, I was exhausted like I had actually been in labor, like I had done a ton of the work or something. I threw up more in recovery. I didnt hold Cooper in there because I felt so tired and sick but I could see him right next to me. He was so beautiful and perfect but I was afraid I was too sick to hold him so I just waited.

Once they moved us to our room, I started to come out of it. I slept more and the meds they gave me took away my nausea and I was able to eat dinner and drink water about 4-5pm and feel better so I could hold him and breastfeed. He latched really easy which was surprising to me. The nurses show you how to hold your boob so he latches deep and not just on your nipple. It feels reaaaallyyyy weird and uncomfortable at first but it isnt excruciating. I walked the hall once that night and they called me a warrior for being up so fast lol. But I was determined. They also give you a catheter while youre numb and they remove it 12 hrs after they put it in. I got a little scared because I couldnt pee on my own for like 5 hrs after they removed it. It was kinda hard. I walked because they said it would help with being able to pee and because if you cant pee on your own again, they put it back in and I didnt want that. It didnt hurt having it in but like I couldnt sit on the edge of the bed without slightly feeling the tube. It was hard because I felt the urge to pee but I couldnt get it to come out, but eventually I did. I wasnt trying to push too hard and strain something. I just sat on the toilet and drank tons of water. Think of a broken sprinkler-Thats how my pee came out. Start then stop. Start then stop. But the second time I peed it was easier and then the third it was almost normal again. You get a lil gassy from being opened up and like peeing, I couldnt really fart. I didnt want to push hard and get hemmorhoids or anything but walking helps move the gas. They give you stool softeners too but I had my first poop at home and it wasnt really painful but it was uncomfortable in my tummy area so I can only imagine not being on the softeners would have made it worse.

My legs and feet were really swollen from the fluids and being in bed so again, walking helps and drinking tons of water. I was soooooooo swollen. It wasnt so painful until I tried to bend my legs or something.

All in all, my experience wasnt awful but it wasnt the best. I really didnt expect to be so sick off the meds but I was just thankful my son was healthy and my procedure was successful. My team of doctors and nurses were AMAZING.

My personal advice for recovery-

Take the pain medicine ON TIME REGULARLY. You might not be in pain right away but it will come. And it will hurt.

Take stool softeners right away. Pooping and not being able to pass gas is really uncomfortable.

Drink as much water as possible. Itll help your swelling and youre feeding a baby now (if youre BF) so you need to be hydrated!

Walk walk walk!!! Walk a lap around your hospital room, walk the halls, anything. It seriously speeds up your recovery.

DONT BEND OR LIFT ANYTHING HEAVIER THAN YOUR BABY, ESPECIALLY if you had a C section. You dont want to tear stitches. Your body needs to heal.

If youre breastfeeding, buy Boobeaze Nipple Balm. Your nipples will be realllly sore as you adjust to breastfeeding.

Take ALL the stuff in your hospital bathroom for the pads/mesh underwear. I didnt wear regular underwear for a week because I was bleeding and uncomfortable.

Accept all offers for help and food! You will be tired. Let someone watch your baby while you shower or nap. Have someone bring lunch if they want to come hang out and see the baby. Stay off your swollen feet.

**Because I was having a C section, my hospital stay was expected to be 3-4 days so I packed more in my bags. Did I need to? Nope. Heres what I actually used in my bag and what Julian used in his (yes pack dad a bag too!)-

clothes- 2 pairs. I honestly didnt shower in the hospital, no shame. I only wore one pair of clothes and that was the clothes I went home in. They say pack clothes that fit you at 6 months pregnant because your belly wont be instantly flat lol. I packed sweats and a long tshirt. And dont forget a nursing bra!

my own hospital gown- look on Amazon for a hospital gown that zips/buttons/fastens in the front. Its way more comfortable than having your ass out in the one they give you and it makes breastfeeding so much easier. I found one that had velcro on the shoulders so I could let one side down at a time to feed and not expose anything else.

CHAPSTICK. your lips will be sooooo dryyyy. trust me.

Hair ties- you dont want hair in your face during your delivery or when youre recovering.

Clothes to take baby home in- I wasnt sure what size Cooper would be so I brought newborns and 0-3 outfits. Also, socks, mittens, a hat. Keep baby bundled up if its cold!

Brush, toothbrush, deoderant- bring any other toiletries if you want. Like I said, I didnt shower there. I was exhausted and sore from my c section so I wanted until I got home. All I did was brush my teeth and my hair. Whoops.

PHONE CHARGERS- Seriously you dont want to be in the hospital without a charger for two days

Snacks- hospital food is cool and all but having a granola bar and a gatorade at 2am is a lifesaver.

Things for Dads bag-

Pillow and blanket- Dad will be spending time sleeping on the pull out bed or in a reclining chair so might as well try to make him comfortable.

Dads charger- youll be pushing baby out or being cut open so his phone needs to be on and working for pictures! And to call everyone and give updates while youre in recovery.

Health insurance paperwork- whoevers healthcare baby will be on, bring the info to jumpstart the process of getting him/her covered.

Clothes- because dad needs to change his clothes after a day or two.

Travel toiletries- because he needs to shower and shave too.

Car seat- you cant leave the hospital without a proper car seat for baby!

Obviously my hospital experience was different than others so some people may have packed more and used more. I packed tons of things I didnt even touch- shampoo, lotions, extra clothes, nursing pads (I wasnt leaking yet), underwear (seriously just use the hospital pads they make you, and take ALL the extras home), and poor Julian had to carry it allllll back down to the car when we got discharged, plus the baby lol. Adjust this list to fit your needs!

Was this post helpful? Do you have any questions? Are you just ready to have your baby?! Lol leave me feedback below! ❤️

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baristamademommy · 7 years ago

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Baby Registry Checklist

This post is EXTREMELY long lol. I originally wrote it for my good friend Raven to help her set up her first registry on Amazon, but I ended up sending this to many of my first time mom friends because they wanted to make sure they registered for everything.

I personally didnt know what I was doing when I set mine up. What bottles did I want, should I add that expensive crib on there, did I add too many items. Honestly, no one looks at how many items you have. I added everything I wanted to mine and then some. Reason being, you get whats called a “completion coupon” to use after your baby shower. These coupons are good for usually 10-15% off whats left on your registry. Babies R Us’ coupon was good for 15% off, which I used to buy my stroller, sheets, cart cover, etc. Why I loved Amazons registry the most though, is they give you TWO completion coupons good for two months AFTER your due date. So if you have your baby and decide, yeah you needed that changing table or breast pump that no one gifted you, you can buy it yourself and still get the discount. You can even add items to your registry after your baby is born and as long as it says its a qualifying item (aka baby related), itll work with the coupon! If you use the Amazon registry, I highly recommend doing one last haul before baby comes and saving the other for after the first month. Dont waste your coupons on a single item unless you REALLY dont need anything else, which I dont think has ever happened to anyone lol. And the best part is most of it is Amazon Prime eligible, so you dont have to leave the house. Hallelujah! So below is my run down of each category on Amazons Baby Registry, including some products I have.

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Out & About-

Carriers, I have a cloth wrap and the Ergobaby 360 All Carry Positions carrier. I havent used that one yet because hes small and doesnt have full neck stability and I dont want to buy the infant insert if hes about to grow out of it lol. The wrap works well though.

Travel system, I have the Chicco Bravo, Infant car seat and base and the stroller. I LOVE it. It rolls really smooth, folds in one pull, everything clicks to let you know its locked in, base installed in like 5 min. I have no complaints at all. I also got the stretchy car seat cover to protect him from wind, rain, bugs, etc. Its not super thick but its thicker than using a nursing cover or blanket. Its so worth it and it doesnt get in the way of it snapping into the base or stroller.

Playyard, I have two pack and plays. One is a regular one, with just the flat bottom for literally playing inside and the other one is the one that he sleeps in, the Graco Nearby Napper with portable infant bassinet. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my pack and play. The bassinet was removable and I took him into different rooms of the house without having to wheel something heavy around. I never used the changing table side lol. I used it for storage, I put diapers wipes extra clothes etc right there. I just changed him on my bed on a towel incase it was messy. Now hes sleeping on the upper level of it so I took the bassinet and changing table out and when he gets too heavy, he will sleep on the bottom level just like a regular pack and play.

Nursery-

I dont have a crib since hes sleeping in the pack and play. We didnt get one simply because we dont have room for it and hes doing fine where he is but you can buy conversion cribs that transition into each stage. So it goes from crib, to toddler bed, to twin bed so you never have to really buy another bed, Just new mattresses for the new “size”.

Gliders and rocking chairs are soo nice. Theyre really great for late nights rocking baby to sleep when youre exhausted and cant get comfy anywhere else. I totally wish I had one.

Never used the changing table on the pack and play. Some people get the huge furniture one, some put the little changing table station ontop of like the babys dresser. If you do that, make sure it has straps to secure the baby so he doesnt roll out/off the dresser. But like I said, we just change him on our bed or couch with a towel or changing pad underneath.

Bedding, get WATER PROOF SHEETS AND MATTESS COVERS lol. Your baby will pee and you dont want to ruin the mattress. I didnt use a changing table but I ordered water proof changing pads to put underneath my waterproof sheets just incase. I also change him on those instead of towels. I ordered the extra large bamboo ones. Super soft, realllly big. The ones that fit in the changing table of my pack and play are small and flimsy and dont absorb much. I went for functional over physical appearance. Yeah theyre big and square but they protected my stuff better lol.

Bathtime-

I have the The First Years Sure Comfort Deluxe Newborn To Toddler Tub, and its worked out for us! No complaints. We use it on the counter since we dont have a bath tub but you could easily sit it inside of an empty tub so you can empty the water out of it easier. I wanted the Blooming Bath, which is a sink bath cushion thing but I didnt need it. I honestly didnt bathe Coop til like 5 weeks. I wanted to ensure his circumcision and umbilical cord healed all the way first. He didnt stink so I just gave him a few sponge baths until we got the all clear from the dr.

Towels, I have a few hooded towels and a few regular baby towels. I have some wash cloths too. Nothing fancy.

I havent bought Cooper any tub toys yet because we dont have a tub and because hes small. Ill worry about that later.

Shampoos and stuff are up to your personal preference. I use baby Dove and have no complaints. I got it at my shower so thats what Im using LOL. They say not to use any lavender scented stuff on baby boys especially because it can cause them to develop little breasts at a young age. Babies usually have sensitive skin anyways so unscented everything even lotions. I bathe Coop once a week just to get dry skin and stuff off but thats all he needs. Baby wipe “baths” work just fine during the week if he really needs it.

Diapering-

You want a diaper bag that can hold a LOT but that isnt too bulky. Its personal preference as far as style but get one that can hold a decent amount of stuff. Julian and I have our own, mines a tote style and his is a backpack but we honestly only use mine. Its good to have separate ones for each car if you rotate who takes baby for the day, but we only have the car seat base in one car so we keep the diaper bag in the trunk. Ill be posting a blog about whats in my diaper bag at all times!

Diapers, another personal choice. Cloth diapers just arent for us. Too much of a hassle washing them in my opinion. Financially theyll save you tons of money but its not really something I was interested in. I love the amazon brand Mama Bear diapers, they work great for me. Then huggies/costco brand are tied. I havent tried Luvs or anything else. Pampers was ehhhh for me. I only use them because I got them from my shower and Im not wasting free diapers LOL.

Wipes, same. I have no preference. Just as long as theyre unscented.

Changing mats, definitely buy one for your diaper bag. Not every bathroom has a changing table so that means putting baby on the hard counter. Also, changing tables arent always used for changing babies. People roll blunts and shit on there and some people dont wipe up after their baby. I always put my changing mat down ON the changing table because I dont want him laying on all those germs and things. I have one for home too but I rarely use it.

I didnt buy a diaper caddy. I just kept his stuff close to his bed. But some people like the idea of a caddy and having everything in a small little handle box so they dont have to get up and go get water bottles to make formula or extra diapers. Another preference choice.

Diaper pails AND their refills are expensive. I have the Ubbi because it can fit regular trash bags if I dont wanna buy the Ubbi brand bags. I totally recommend a diaper pail because throwing away 10-15 diapers a day, A they stink, B theres a ton of them, and C they stink LOL. You dont wanna fill up your bathroom or kitchen trash with diapers. This thing actually holds a ton of diapers. I empty it maybe every 5 days.

Feeding-

I LOVE tommee tippee bottles. The anti colic bottles have a stem in the middle that changes colors if your formula/milk is too hot to give baby. Cooper took these first try and I think its because the bigger nipple is so similar to a boob. Ive heard great things about the nanobébé. Its literally a boob shaped bottle but Ive never tried it.

I have burp cloths but I never thought Id use them. Until I got puked on at like 6 weeks old. Ive used them since. Lol. Keep them in your diaper bag too.

Feeding pillows are also personal preference. I have a boppy and I dont use it much. It was so hard to get him high enough to my boob with it when he was little. I just stacked regular pillows ontop of eachother. Theres a brand called my breast friend and leachco natural boost. The leachco looks like a good one since it looks kinda adjustable.

I dont have a bottle sterilizer because Coop is mainly breastfed but its good to have if you plan on going out and having someone feed him pumped milk from a bottle. Im gonna get one soon. Theres electic ones or microwavable ones. Both work pretty much the same.

Breast pump, I heard the Medela and Spectra S2 are the best. I just took the free Ameda one I got from Kaiser. Think about if youll be pumping anywhere but home and thatll help you decide if you want one that uses batteries and is travel friendly or not.

Every baby is different with pacifiers. Cooper isnt tooo picky but he loves his Wubbanub. The paci attached is the soothie kind they give you at Kaiser and hes loved it since. I introduced it at 2 weeks old so he wouldnt get it confused with my nipple and mess up his latch. Its good to have a few different kinds incase he doesnt like one.

I have my cousins old nursing cover. It does the job but it could be bigger and softer but I only cover when IM not comfortable. Fuck making everyone else comfortable lol. Find one you like or free the boob and nurse uncovered!

I havent gotten a high chair yet but they have ones you can strap into a regular chair or the free standing ones.

Clothing-

Dont over do it on clothes!!! Yes theyre cute af but babies grow SO fast. I didnt start returning clothes until he was born. I didnt know how big he would be so I didnt want too many or too little newborn sizes. I sorted thru my gifts and picked out what I really wanted to keep and then put the ones I was going to possibly return to the side with tags still on. Then when he was born I went thru the bag again to see if I needed to keep any of that stuff and then I returned the rest to the appropriate store for credit or a bigger size. You can never have too many plain onesies. I dont like putting him in shirts yet because they rise up and his stomach gets exposed. Pants I have a few pairs. And I loooove his footsie pjs and the sleep and play zipups. Rompers are like onesies but they have a lil more length. I have a couple.

Socks and mittens, you willl lose them. Its just a fact. But its good to have many pairs. I dont put mittens on him anymore unless his hands are reallly cold. I only used them for a few weeks when he was born so he didnt scratch his face until I could cut his nails.

Swaddles and sleep sacks are LIFE. Cooper likes being swaddled but it isnt safe now since he can roll, he can get stuck and suffocate. So I have velcro swaddles with the legs free and I have sleep sacks that have the arms free. All of them work wonderful and they keep him bundled and warm and night. I really recommend the sleep sacks though. Especially the short sleeve because you can put a long sleeve onesie on and stick him in there and hes perfect.

Play & learn-

He has a bouncer. Kinda sorta uses it but not much. He likes it though.

He looooves his swing. He falls asleep in it all the time. Amazon has great one, Fisher Price Deluxe Take Along Swing & Seat. I LOVE this thing.

He has an activity center for tummy time but we dont use it that much yet. Im sure going forward we will more. I dont have a baby gym for him.

Toys I have only given him rattles and an elephant with different things on it. A mirror, a crinkley ear, a teething side, etc. He doesnt have much interest in either yet.

He has a TON of books. I did that at all my showers too. I asked for books instead of cards so he has everything from colors and shapes to nursery rhymes. Books are sooo great to have.

Health & safety-

You can buy baby monitors that link up with your phone so you can see them on the screen which I think is cool. The owlet monitor goes on their ankle and monitors their oxygen levels and heart rate and alerts your phone if it drops. Good for if baby wont be sleeping in your room.

Humidifiers are great to have if your room gets stuffy. We have a cool mist one and we put essential oils in it and its helped with his congestion.

You need atleast 2 thermometers, a rectal and an oral. Rectal gives the most accurate reading. You can also get one that you use on their forehead.

I havent gotten any safety stuff yet because he isnt crawling but once he is, Im plugging up all the outlets, corner protectors on table corners, cabinet locks and latches, etc.

Mom-

Nursing clothes make public breastfeeding easier but you can always use a nursing cover or the two shirt method if you dont wanna order them.

Belly cream is good for stretch marks but I dont use it yet. I probably should lol.

I use boobease nipple cream after I feed him and it helps SO much.

Bra pads are necessary. I leak everywhere, day time, night time, in my sleep.

Tell me! Did I forget anything? Do you have any other products you highly recommend? Let me know if this list helped!

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baristamademommy · 7 years ago

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Pregnant life

Oh pregnancy! It feels like forever but seriously, it goes by so fast. It feels like just yesterday I was waddling my way around the espresso bars at work, eating everything in sight on my breaks lol. Working at Starbucks while pregnant was hard for many reasons. As a supervisor, Im responsible for running the shift- breaks, lunches, inventory counts, money, cleaning, etc. and when we were down a body or two, Id have to try and make things run as smoothly as possible to get my job done still, while being round and hangry and tired. It was also super hard because I was reallly nauseous the first trimester of my pregnancy and my back was realllly painful the last trimester.

My first trimester, I spent a good majority of my time either sitting on the toilet peeing or bent over the toilet puking or dry heaving. I seemed to have more “morning” sickness when I had to open at 3am but sometimes it hit me before bed too. I tried crackers and ginger ale in the middle of the night so my stomach was never “empty” and even sucking on lemon drops during the day, but for the most part, my prescription medicine saved me lol. I took my prenatals at night too because some women said it made them nauseous too. Sometimes I threw up food I had just eaten the day before! I think my son just liked to keep me on my toes, ugh lol. Growing pains sucked and I invested in a body pillow early on. I ended up going through 3 different ones as I got bigger because the support I needed changed as time passed. I started drinking less caffeine, but my body went through some withdrawls and I got bad headaches so my doctor told me it was okay to drink caffeine since my body was so used to it. I tried to limit myself to 2 shots of espresso per day, or 2 regular shots and 2 decaf shots, but most of the time I decided to drink black tea.

Second trimester, I felt pretty good. My appetite came back and I really wasnt puking much anymore, just an occasional surprise puke whenever my son thought I was enjoying my food too much. I remember seeing my son getting bigger on each ultrasound and being in disbelief that he was inside of me until I felt him kick. Oh maaaaan, do I miss feeling those little kicks and flips. I would always make Julian touch my belly and he didnt feel anything until probably the third trimester. I downloaded ‘the Bump’ and read week by week how big he was and what changes and growth him and I were going through. Id say this trimester was the most “boring” out of them but soooo much was happening so quickly! This one just flew by.

Third trimester sucked lol. I was huge, my back was hurting, my clothes really werent fitting, I was getting scared, I had just made it through the holidays at Starbucks and Cooper was still breeched. They offered to do an external version to flip him into the head down position but I decided not to go through with it. I was too afraid of him either turning back after being turned or his umbilical cord being around his neck and needing an emergency c section because he was in distress. I wasnt sleeping well at all because everything seriously hurt and Julian snores like a trainwreck. When they say you never sleep normal again once you get pregnant, they arent lying. Here I am, 1130pm, everyones asleep, except for me lol. I worked all the way up until 36 weeks and looking back, Im not sure how but I made it. I had 3 baby showers each weekend before I went out on maternity while still working 25-30 hours a week and then once I was on leave, I went into full nesting mode. Well, nesting/moving/packing mode. Our apartment lease was up the month I was due LOL. So I never really rested during my maternity leave before my son was born. I had to pack and clean the apartment, while preparing for my C section since he wasnt turning. The last 8 weeks of my pregnancy were exhausting.

Nesting hit me pretttty hard. Here are some things that I did during that last 3 week stretch before my baby came!

After your baby showers, go through your items. Sort out any duplicates of things you dont need, things you dont want/need. I sorted all my clothes by size. I picked out what I wanted to keep and what I didnt. I was gifted waaaaayyy too many 0-3 clothes so I picked what I wanted to keep and put what I planned on returning for store credit/a bigger size to the side. (I later returned clothes and diapers that I didnt need/want for over $200 in store credit to Target, Walmart and Carters!) I also sorted out clothes that didnt fit the season (tank top onesies in a 9 month size- at 9 months old, we’d be in winter so too cold for that) and returned those too. Id say I probably kept 10 newborn outfits and 20 0-3 outfits and returned everything else in those two sizes. I also got TONS of used clothes from friends and family and Im so grateful. The honest truth about clothes is your baby will grow faster than you think. Cooper was in newborns for about 2 months. I didnt think he would be in them for so long but he was. Hes currently 3 months old and this growth spurt almost has him out of 0-3s in less than 2 months. He hasnt even worn everything in his drawer once yet. Onesies are your friend too. You think youll be dressing your baby up super cute all the time but at home, onesies are easy and quick diaper changes and if they get ruined, it isnt the end of the world. Dont get me wrong, I still dress him up in cute things, especially when we go out, but he has practical clothes in a practical amount for the proper season. I made sure he has plenty of clothes in bigger sizes to grow into by returning smaller sizes I didnt need. Within my first few days of maternity leave, I had all his clothes washed, folded and sorted into bins marked for each size. I had socks, mittens and hats all washed and put into ziploc baggies too.

Bottles and binkies I boiled and sterilized. I kept probably more than I shouldve but I wasnt sure if I would be able to breastfeed, I wasnt sure which brand of bottle he would prefer. I wanted to be safe not sorry and since it was all gifted to me, I felt I wasnt really losing anything by keeping more of this stuff.

I washed and folded all his blankets, bedding, swaddles and burp cloths and put that in a bin of its own.

You can never have too many diapers. Seriously. Wipes either. I held onto all my newborn and size 1&2 diapers. I exchanged anything bigger or unused for store credit or those sizes because Id need them sooner than a 3 or 4.

Freezer meals SAVED us the first week. We were so tired we forgot that we had to eat sometimes lol. Get frozen breakfast sandwiches or freeze your own. Freeze meals in advance so all you have to do is reheat them (pinterest has tonnnnss of ideas) or buy a quick frozen lasagna. Seriously you cant run out for food every day, youll be too tired.

Make sure your hospital bags are packed!!! I had a scheduled C section date but babies can come whenever they want and you dont want to be without your bags! Read my post about my delivery day and see what I had packed in my bags. Let me tell you, I packed WAAAAYYYY too much.

Install your car seat base! Youll need it soon.

Get anything else you need for your baby that you didnt receive at your shower. Read my post “Baby Registry Checklist” as I went through each section of my Amazon registry and talked about what I needed, didnt need and what products I love!

Test drive to the hospital and set up a hospital tour! Lucky for us, our first test drive was in a hurry because I sliced my hand open a few weeks before delivery and had to get stitches 😅 but seriously, tour where youll be delivering. See what the rooms are like, how far of a drive you have, WHERE TO GO WHEN YOURE IN LABOR (fyi its not the E.R lol). Sign up for classes too! Theyll answer all your questions and itll ease your nerves.

If you can, REST. I couldnt because I was in panic mode because I had to move with a newborn after a C section and I probably shouldve but its your last days baby free ever. After baby comes, youll never be alone or bored again lol.

I tried to make sure I was organized and prepared for his arrival but also for our move so maybe I over did it but it all worked out perfect for me. All in all, I had a relatively easy pregnancy. I was put on a modified duty at work towards the end of my second trimester because of my back pain but that was really the only “complication” I had. Looking back, it went by sooo fast and I told myself Id never say it but I really actually miss my belly LOL. Just having my baby that close and all to myself. Definitely something Ill never forget.

How did pregnancy and nesting go for you guys? What was your favorite part of pregnancy, what was the worst?

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baristamademommy · 7 years ago

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A little background on me...

Sooo, many of you know me as Dani. Im 25 years old, currently living in Oakland, California, working as a shift supervisor at Starbucks. I have one younger sister, Becky, whos the crazy Beyoncé obsessed Auntie that Cooper never knew he needed until they met LOL. I have an emotional support animal, my Pit/Doberman mix Miah. Shes my best friend. I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety in middle school but things got really hard for me after my second miscarriage in 2016 and while I was pregnant with Cooper, so she means everything to me. Starbucks is literally my second home. My partners (at whats now my old store) are my second family. Ive been with the company for almost 4 years now and its been a rollercoaster of emotions. Im pretty sure I bleed espresso and cold brew now. Ive truly struck gold with my fiancé Julian. Hes literally my backbone, my other half, my happily ever after (most of the time LOL). We have had our ups and downs like everyone else, but I couldnt imagine my life any other way than this. Hes an amazing daddy to our son and hes such a hard working man, providing for his family in every way. Im a 49er, Warriors and Giants fan, sports are pretty big in my life. Im a musician, Ive played since elementary school, mainly the flute and bari saxophone. My phone is filled with thousands (literally) of pictures and my Spotify is always on, thanks Starbz. Im a gamer in my spare time, which is rare now, but I always enjoy a good hardcore team deathmatch game on CoD now and then. Cooking is probably my favorite past time these days and Im working on writing down all my favorite recipes, so keep a look out for that!

Becoming a mom has truly changed me. And I know everyone says that, but my mentality is so different now and its crazy how fast it changed. I can also do most things with one hand now, or on little to no sleep. From the moment I found out I was pregnant, I knew it was no longer about me. I had to take care of the little life inside of me, and now that hes here, putting his needs infront of mine just comes naturally. Mom adrenaline is real.

Ive always wanted to be a mom, I just wasnt sure Id ever be one. Julian and I went through two miscarriages in under two years and it hurt me physically and mentally. The first time, I didnt know until it was too late. I bled for almost two weeks. Looking back, I shouldve taken a test. I shouldve went to the doctor. I guess I was just too afraid to realize what was happening. The second time, I found out at 5 weeks in the emergency room and a week later, my baby was gone. I didnt even tell many people because it was so unexpected and it all happened so fast. I had a D&C and it felt like they took out a part of my soul too. From the day I found out to the night before my next visit, I just felt like something was wrong. The doctor told me the day I lost my baby that it just wasnt growing anymore and that my bloodwork and ultrasounds showed I was going through a miscarriage, which explained all the pain I was feeling. Im so thankful for my sister, because she held my hand through the entire procedure that day. It hurt SO FUCKING BAD, like nothing Ive felt before, even my C section wasnt close to that pain. Im sure it was probably traumatic for her to be sitting next to me, her hand being squeezed white while Im screaming and crying as they removed what was left of my baby from my body. But I couldnt have gone through it alone. I needed her more than she knew, more than I even knew. I went home and laid in bed sobbing because within 7 days, I went from excited about the future to wanting to hide away forever. I couldnt even get out of bed to go to work.

So when I found out about Cooper, I told myself not to get excited. I didnt want to get attached again. I was so afraid of feeling that pain again. But I wanted things to be different, I wanted a healthy baby. So I tried everything I could to give my baby the best chance I could, prenatals, water, no lifting, all the precautions I could think of. Once I got to about 7-8 weeks, something told me that this time was right for us and our baby would be fine. And to this day, hes perfect and as healthy as can be ❤️ Cooper is our rainbow baby and I thank God every day that hes given me the chance to be a mom. Id do anything for my son and I want to become the best version of me that I can be for him. Im learning so much as I go but so much is actually coming naturally. I never knew my heart could love someone this much. I love him and I love who hes made me. I now understand why my mom has so many pictures of my sister and I just sleeping- hes the best thing to ever happen to me and Im just in awe that I carried him inside of me for nine whole months. Everything he does is worth remembering because its already going by so fast. He will never be this small ever again. Call me crazy or obsessive or whatever, some days I just cant believe this is my life and that this little angel is my son.

So enough about me! Tell me about you! Id love to hear about who you are, what youve been through, what youve learned so far or hope to learn as you become a parent.

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