Baby Registry Must Haves Series {Feeding}

So glad to have you back for my "Baby Registry Must Have Series". Yesterday we talked about my must haves for travel. Today I am talking about must haves for feeding.

This list is for the breastfeeding mama and the bottle feeding mama. Most of the items I used with Raegan, and some items I'm hoping to use with Hudson like the My Breast Friend pillow and the Milk Snob nursing cover.

1. Boppy- This pillow is great for nursing or bottle feeding. It can also be used for tummy time when baby is practicing holding its head up.

2. My Breast Friend Pillow- Since I didn't get to breastfeed with Raegan I'm putting this on here in hopes it'll be great for breastfeeding Hudson. I've heard great reviews.

3. The Windi- Get this. You'll thank me later. This was a lifesaver for us when Raegan was tiny and had tummy problems. It's a little catheter that goes in baby's bottom to help release air or umm the other stuff. And watch out. Because when it's the other stuff, you don't want to be in the line of fire. Lesson learned.

4. Gas Relief Drops- We liked the gas drops more than the gripe water. The amount she had to take was less and you could it up to like 10-12 times a day, which we never got close to, but it was nice to know we couldn't OD on it.

5. Countertop Drying Rack- Since Raegan was exclusively bottom fed we needed somewhere for the bottles to dry. Instead of putting it on the counter, Kyle drilled holes in the bottom tray, and we placed it in our side sink. It fit perfectly and wasn't an eye sore in the kitchen.

6. Milk Snob Nursing Cover- Remember seeing this guy on the travel section as a car seat cover? Well you did! And guess what? It can double as nursing cover. Sold.

7.  Dr. Brown's Bottle Warmer- LOVE this wamer! We had the Cuisenart warmer and quickly switched to this one because it has a water reservoir that you fill up on the side. That way you don't have to fill it up with water each time you need it.

8. Dr. Brown's Bottles- There are tons of bottles to choose from and each baby is different. Raegan was on a special bottle until after her cleft palate surgery then we used these. I'm hoping Hudson likes them too. If not, like I said, there are tons of bottle options out there.

9. Green Sprouts Drip Drop Bibs- These bibs are the bomb dot com! They have a collar around them that helps with the milk dribble. Raegan would get a red ring around her neck from milk getting caught ahd it was almost impossible to get rid of until we got these amazing bibs. Cleared it up right away.

I know that was a lot, but I couldn't leave any of them off because they were all so helpful! 

I'm taking a break tomorrow since it's bump update day. Head back on Monday to hear my must haves for sleep.

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Baby Registry Must Haves Series {Travel}

As I'm now more than half way through this pregnancy it's time to start thinking about everything we need for this sweet baby. Lots of what we got for Raegan we can reuse, but there are a few things I want to add to our home for baby #2.

All of the items I'm listing are items we have in our house and they proved to be must haves. Then a few items I'm wanting to try out for Hudson.

I will say if you're reading this and you are pregnant with your first, you can read all of the "baby registry" posts you can get your hands on, but once baby is here is when you will really realize what works for you.

Yes, having these posts to read were a life saver for me, which is what I hope this post is for you, but just know, you won't get everything you need before baby comes.

I can't tell you how many times Kyle and I went to our local Buy Buy Baby store in search of the next item we needed that we hadn't thought about before she arrived.

I'm hoping this time around I can use what I learned with Raegan and skip the many many trips to the store.

When I started complying everything I loved I realized I needed to break up these posts. I don't want them to be overwhelming at all so I've decided to do a "Baby Registry Must Have Series" and will post all of my must haves for travel, feeding, sleep, play, and bath separately.

Also, keep in mind that every baby is different. What works for 1 baby may not work for another. So don't worry if you have to try a few different types of items before finding the one your baby loves. These are just what have worked for us.

So first up in the series are my must have for travel.

1. Britax Car Seat- When we registered for a car seat with Raegan we didn't really have a preference, but once she was here I was glad we got this one. Some of the infant car seats are too plush and when baby gets bigger, they get really cramped. So this was a nice middle ground between the two.

2. Britax Car Seat Insert- While Raegan was tiny we used this insert to help secure her a little better and keep her head from falling over. Once she didn't need it, we took it out and put the Britax insert that came with the carseat back in.

3. Brica Backseat Mirror- I love being able to look in my rearview mirror and see my baby. This mirror goes on the back of the headrest on the seat that baby's carseat is installed in. Now that Raegan is older she can see my reflection in the mirror too and it helps 

4. City Select Baby Jogger- what I love about this stroller is that it's a single stroller when you need it to me and then when you're ready to turn it into a double stroller, all you need are the attachments and another chair. AND you can also get attachments for it to hold your infant car seat. Or if you want the bassinet attachment you can use that too, when baby is really little. Yes, the price tag is high, BUT you never have to buy another stroller again! It was well worth it in my opinion.

5. Solly Wrap- This wrap is the best when the baby is itty bitty. It does take a little practice to get the hang of tying it, but once you do, baby will be a happy camper. When Raegan was little she was take her naps in it or when she was super cranky and I needed to get stuff done she'd just hang out on my chest, happy as can be!

6. Ergo 360 Baby Carrier- We have the regular Ergo carrier from when I had Raegan, but I love this one, because baby can face forward or towards you. Raegan loves looking out so I wish they had had this one when I had her because she wasn't a fan of the Ergo we have now.

7. Milk Snob Car Seat cover- This thing is so cool! It just stretches right over the carseat and voila! Baby is protected from the wind and maybe any wandering hands that want to touch baby.

8. HoMedics Sound Spa On the Go- This little guy was so nice to have when Raegan was itty bitty and we were in a noisy place. I'd turn on the white noise and she'd be good to go. No outside sound bothered her at all.

I hope this post was helpful as you plan for your little one. Join me tomorrow for the feeding must haves of the series.

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Raegan's Schedule

I don't know about you, but I thrive off a schedule. Well turns out, so does miss Raegan!

Now there are many opinions out there about when it's appropriate to put a baby on a schedule. As a new mom, I had and sometimes still have no clue what I'm doing! But I paid attention to my little love bug and started realizing I was actually the one making her cranky and fussy! 

I know!!! {insert shocked face!}

Now newborns are on such sporadic schedules that trying to put them on one will likely drive you insane! Especially because they are up throughout the night numerous times. 

From the time Raegan came home from the NICU we just continued the schedule we had learned in the hospital. Feed every 3 hours. And before you feed, change her diaper. So that you can put baby back down right after her feeding. And that worked well for us at the beginning when she was sleeping all the time!

Then she started to be more awake and we kind of took the stance of if she's awake, we will let her be awake. Yeah, that didn't work. Babies need sleep and they won't always go to sleep even when they need to! So the result of that was a very overly tired baby and very tired parents.

So I started doing research and it showed that a baby Raegan's age, 6 weeks old (yes, 6 weeks. I can't believe it either!) should only be awake 40-50 minutes at a time. 

Well there was our problem! We were keeping her up too much!

She needed some awake time to allow her to get stronger both physically and socially, but she was getting too much! She was getting overly tired and pretty much wasn't napping at all during the day and if she was, I had to be holding her and if I did manage to nail the transfer from me to the bed, they were short little cat naps.

I was getting nothing done and things had to change!!

Hence, I started Raegan on a schedule. Every baby is different and may not be able to tolerate a schedule at 6 weeks. This is just what worked for Raegan and I. You have to do what's best for you and your sweet baby.

So let's start at the beginning of the day. 

Raegan wakes up at 5:30am from sleeping the whole night. So we will start there. 

I know, we are blessed with a baby that sleeps through the night at 6 weeks. I've decided we are due something easy because Lord knows getting pregnant with her was anything but easy!!! 

And then her 28 hour birth and stay in the NICU earns us easy potty training right?! ;)

Alright, onto the schedule.

5:30am- Kyle feeds Raegan while I pump. Praise Jesus for that man! I do my devotional while I pump. It's the only time of day where I can fit it in! Early morning with my Lord!

6:15am- Kyle leaves for work and I go back to bed. 

8:30-9am- Raegan wakes up. I change her and feed her and put her right back down. Whenever she is being fed or sleeping, she is swaddled. This is a physical cue for her to know we are eating then going to sleep. 

9:30am-12pm- nap

12pm- I change her and feed her. If she's acting like she's tired. I put her back down. If she's awake, then I put her in her rocker in the bathroom with me and I pump while doing my make up and hair. Impressive multi tasking going on! Then we play for alittle bit before putting her down. I watch her for cues of yawning or rubbing her eyes. If she does this while I'm getting ready, I stop and put her down and continue getting ready after she's down. And if I need to run an errand, this is the time I do it and I don't put her down. She takes a few cat naps while we are out.

3pm- change, feed, and down for a nap. She may sleep till 6. If she does, great, if she doesn't, we play for a bit. But I don't get her up until at least 5:15 so that she's not overly tired at 6pm for her feeding.

6pm- change, feed, and play until daddy gets home around 7pm. 

7pm- go for a walk, take a bath, then one last feeding before bed. 

8-8:30pm- down for the night.

She normally will sleep until 4 or 5 the next morning. She may eventually need a dream feed (10-11pm) before we go to sleep, but she hasn't needed that yet.

Of course, her schedule changes occasionally up or down an hour, but I just go with it. And sometimes she sleeps less or longer. You have to ebb and flow with baby's tempo.

If you have any questions, let me know in the comments and I will answer them the best I can!

Don't get discouraged if your baby doesn't respond to a schedule yet. They will! 

And sometimes you will have to sit by their bed as they sleep to help soothe them if they are waking up multiple times throughout their nap. 

That's exactly what I'm doing right now!

Tune in for my next post of how I put Raegan down and how I keep her asleep! 

And because you have to keep a smile on your face when you want to rip your hair out...

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