when amesy came i had been 10 days past my due date. 41 + weeks was no joke. those last 2 weeks were pretty rough on my body and my mental state at times. at my last doctor's appointment i had a sonogram to measure amesy's heart rate and the amniotic fluid levels. we had so many appointments where they told us there was no progress and that the baby was staying put for the time being. so when the sonogram tech said that my fluid levels were low, and the baby was coming that day we were shocked and for the first time, totally unprepared. every time we travelled any further than our neighborhood we brought our hospital bag and made accommodations for our pup quint. this time, of course, we had nothing prepared - no hospital bag, and quint was at doggy daycare with no back-up plan of where he would stay overnight.
we ended up rushing home to pack up everything we needed. my dad, who works just over the bridge in nyc, came to pick quint up, and we hurriedly drove to the hospital. because i was way past my due date and had low fluid levels, i was induced. i labored for about 13 hours before it was finally time to deliver our little guy. that moment continues to be the most memorable space in time as of yet. pushing my baby from my body was the most empowering feeling i've ever felt. the rush of emotions i felt in those first few seconds of his life when he was squishy and gooey and i was able to kiss him for the fist time. that first cry of breath, and the disbelief and love strewn across my husband's face as his eyes met our little one's. the pure joy on my parents' faces when they met amesy in that delivery room. and the idea that this little being, once just a thought and a dream, was finally here. i'm not sure i will ever experience anything better.
but the first few weeks of newborn life if real. like, really real. we're still in the thick of midnight feedings and extreme sleep deprivation. but it's making a bit more sense now. and on top of that ames is so much more expressive. he recognizes our voices and faces, and is beginning to smile when we talk to him --> heart. melting.
so i thought i would round up some of my favorite baby/mama products that have literally saved the day in some form or another, and also host a major giveaway for 1 lucky reader!
Snacking - i love a good snack bar. i made these over the summer if you're wanting a homemade larabar. but Oat Mama Lactation Bars have been my go-to. they're gluten-free dairy-free, soy-free, and they're absolutely delicious! they're filling, full of yummy superfoods, and help you keep up milk production. but even if you're not breastfeeding they're great for late-night feedings, or to throw in your bag for a sustaining snack throughout the day. i'm also a huge fan of go macro, especially their new thrive bars which are another really great superfood bar. (and if want to purchase some, go macro is offering you all 30% off any thrive purchase with the discount code: Thrive30!!!)
Napping - Dock-A-Tot - this is like a big pillow with bumpers so your babe stays put! if ames is napping i can put it on any surface large enough - on my desk when i'm working, on the bed or couch when i need to tend to other things. plus, it's portable, so i bring it to my parents' house when we visit on the weekends so that amesy has a place to take a nap without bringing his bassinet, etc.! he also really loves to chill out in his swing. we have this one from nuna which is great for our small apartment.
Diaper talk - okay. so we went with the biodegradable, hippie-dip diapers at first, and we totally loved them! but they leaked. all. the. time. so between amesy being uncomfortable, and the huge laundry footprint we were having that totally negated our biodegradable diapers, we've been going with a mainstream brand (rhymes with hampers) for the time being. hopefully we can switch back sometime soon! California Baby are my favorite baby products so far. the ingredients in their creams and washes are free of weird preservatives, soy, and dairy. the subtle fragrance of their products is really awesome, and i love that they're a completely sustainable company - from their ingredients, to their manufacturing, and packaging.
Sleep time - my mom had bought ames a few nightgowns, and to be honest, i wasn't sure how much use he would get out of them. but they have made midnight changings a breeze! we don't have to fuss with buttons when we're half asleep. we are super keen on petite bateau brand, milk barn, and kissy kissy. they're really soft on baby's skin, plus they all come in really great colors and patterns.
Soothing Our Babe - Solly Baby Wrap - guys, this wrap has saved our sanity on more than one night. whether we're going for a walk, or soothing ames during one of his fussy periods, the solly is a total god! i love how i can wear it around the house, have my arms free while also having that super special skin-to-skin time. the material is really soft and it comes in so many great patterns and colors :) highly recommend! aside from putting ames in the solly wrap and bopping him around the apartment or going for a walk, we really love our exercise/yoga ball, too. the evenings are the fussiest for him, so between taking lots of walks in the stroller or the solly wrap, bouncing with him on the ball is just another item to have in your soothing repertoire ;)
Playtime - we have this really beautiful alphabet blanket that my mom purchased for us from amelie mancini. everything she makes is handmade and super special. we plan on using it for so many things, but for now it's thick and soft enough for tummy time.
Carseat/stroller - i've gotten a lot of questions on instagram about what stroller we use, and more specifically about the striped car seat cover we have. we have the uppa baby vista stroller which folds up really small and fits perfectly in our narrow apartment. it also has an awesome turning radius - another great thing to have in our narrow hallway! lastly, native wilds makes this awesome carseat cover that also acts as a breastfeeding cover, grocery cart cover, and scarf - boom! they also come in really great patterns! it was the first thing i bought when i found out i was pregnant, and it's continues to be one of my favorite purchases.
ok, time for the fun part! *the giveaway* i got some of my favorite brands together to give 1 super duper lucky reader a few stellar baby products! *the details* to enter the giveaway: please leave a comment below sharing a thought about expecting your little one (whether that's pregancy, adoption, surrogacy, etc.), some of your favorite tips or tricks as a new mama, or some of your go-to snacks! the winner will be announced next friday, november 18 at 5 pm. thank you so much to all of these wonderfully generous companies who so graciously worked with me to make this giveaway possible!
one winner will be chosen to win:
1 Deluxe Dock-a-Tot (pictured)
1 Solly Baby Wrap (pictured)
California Baby Calendula Cream and Calming Shampoo & Bodywash (pictured)
$75 gift card to Oat Mama (bars pictured)
$75 gift card to Finn and Emma
