Can't Live Without: Month One of Motherhood

As I was getting ready for bed tonight, I was frantically searching through a pile of clean laundry (that was on my not so clean floor waiting to be folded and at some point put away) for one of my Medela Nursing Sleep Bras. Due to the ginormous size of my boobs, and the over abundance of milk I produce (I am talking I could feed the entire Gosselin clan with these puppies), I have to keep them on lock down when I sleep at night, and the only thing I have found to be comfortable are the Medela sleep bras. After finding one that had become attached to the velcro tab of one of Marlo's sleepsacks, I thought to myself how I have come to rely on certain items the past 4 weeks and this led me to this post. I figured I should share with my other Mamas out there the things that I have found that I cant live without anymore (no longer is it my 5 inch Michael Kors heels and evening glass of red wine - ah how times have changed) in no particular order I should add:

1. Medela Sleep Bras: I mentioned it before, but I feel like I need to say it again - my boobs are huge. I can pump 2-3 ounces out of each boob every 3 hours, if that gives you any idea as to my milk production. But with this bountiful supply comes bountiful bosoms. BB (before baby) I liked my 36 small D boobs, and I liked to free them from their underwire cages when I went to bed at night. Those days are gone. Not only do I need something to put my breast pads (so that I don't leak through to my shirt) in, but I need something to keep them supported because otherwise I am in pain. Enter the Medela Sleep Bra. At $19.99 you can't go wrong with this sports bra-ish bra. I say "ish" because it doesn't have anywhere near the support of a sports bra, but it just looks like one. It is very thin and soft, and does the job I need it to do, without cutting into my boobs like most nursing bras do. I don't even feel it on when I sleep, which is what I was most looking for in a sleeping bra.
2. First Years Milk Storage Organizer: As I just mentioned, I am "Moo-tilda" so I need some place to store my excess. This organizer does just that. Keeps the bags of milk flat and upright, and doesn't take up too much room in the freezer. As for bags I love the Medela ones that attach to the pump, but they are pricey so I switched to these byLansinoh.
3. APNO: Better known as All Purpose Nipple Ointment, this prescribed ointment is like the La Mer of nipple creams. At $75 for approximately 3 ounces, this turned pumping around for me. I had yeast build up in my nipples (I know TMI) that was making them red and irritated and making feeding and pumping terribly painful. My Lactation Consultant called in a prescription (with doctor approval) for this wonder cream and away the infection went. I use it after each pumping and feeding and it makes everything soft and pain-free. I am not sure if the cost is due to my crappy insurance or not, but I do know that each batch is hand made when you order it, so that might have something to do with it. Either way, it is worth EVERY penny.
4. Carter's baby clothing: When I found out I was pregnant I went out and bought a bunch of baby girl clothes: short sleeved onesies, little dresses, and other impractical things for a newborn, but what the hell did I know! For the past 4 weeks, my daughter has lived in Carter's baby clothing. Especially the one pieces with the feet. Her little feet are too small for any socks, so these are perfect. Plus, it is 20 degrees outside! What was I thinking with the short sleeves? You can always find these on sale somewhere, be it Babies R Us, Target, JC Penny, Kohls or you can visit there fabulous outlet store in Wrentham. They are cheap, they wash up just fine, and you don't mind if your baby spits up on them, unlike the Ralph Lauren clothing she has hanging in her closet that she will most likely not wear while she fits them. So much for my fancy baby!
5. Things we stole from the hospital: OK, so we didn't steal all of these, they offer them to you, but I think we took more than alloted...and thank god! The first item is the white asymmetrical tops they put on your baby. For the first week or so at home, Marlo lived in these (whether solo or under Carter's gear)- wrapped in my second favorite item, the hospital blanket. My husband was obsessed with these for some reason, so we have about 15 of them. They are perfect for swaddling your little one before they can fit into any swaddling sacks. And finally the Nasal Aspirator Bulb-thing. I lived with this by my side for the first two weeks Marlo was at home (I got sick, therefore she was sick too and you can't blow a babies nose!). That was, until my dog got ahold of it and chewed off the pointy end (I should say she did this the two we brought home from the hospital). It is terribly gross, but so satisfying to suck out baby snot. HA! I have yet to find one of that size and quality in stores, so if you can get your hands on one, put it in a safe place!
6. My iPhone and holder: It gets lonely and boring to pump in the nursery for 15 minutes 8 times a day. My iPhone has become my new best friend. I just place it in the trusty holder (which about two years ago I was planning to invent and become a millionaire, but little did I know someone beat me to it), and hook it on my glider and play one of the many games I have on there (Scrablle, WordWorm, and Monopoly as of late). I have also loaded it up with a fabulous mix of songs (Disney, Rock Lullabies, some Indigo Girls, Ray LaMontange, Ella Fitzgerald, and instrumental music from movies) and put it on speaker while I am rocking the little peanut to sleep.
7. My Dutalier Glider: This was one of many very generous gifts from my parents, and has certainly been put to good use. We feed Marlo at night in this, we rock her to sleep, I pump while sitting in it, and I even take naps in it sometimes. We got the one with the highest back and widest seat to accommodate my large bum and my husbands crazy long body. Some people say you don't need one of these, but it has been a blessing to have.
8. DVR: I took a 3 hour long nap yesterday at 3 PM, and could have easily slept until this morning. Needless to say I don't stay up and watch tv like I used to - I don't even stay up to watch the 7:30 Jeopardy some nights. So I thank God for my DVR, and thank God that episodes will be new again this week!
9. SKYPE: I put Skype on my computer years ago so that we could talk to my sister-in-law and her family in Spain. Other than that yearly phone call, we never used it, until Marlo came. For Christmas I gave my grandmothers webcams (one is in Dayton, the other in Denver), and got them set up on SKYPE so that they could "meet" Marlo. My parents have it at their house in Florida now...we can chat with my brother-in-law and his family in New Jersey, and my father-in-law in upstate New York. While none of our family lives within a 4 hour drive, they are now in our living room whenever we want! For free! Who would have thought my 86 year old grandma would live to see the day when she would meet her great granddaughter via a camera on a computer. It is just like Horizons at Epcot!!!
10. My Husband: I don't mean to toot my own horn, but I am the luckiest woman on the planet as I married the best man alive. I kid you not. Despite having to be told on occasion that it is OK to buy your wife flowers (even if she says she doesn't want anything for her birthday or Valentine's Day), he is seriously the perfect husband. And now he is the perfect father. It makes me want to cry when I see him with Marlo in his arms (she is so tiny and he is so big) - I catch him just staring at her sometimes in amazement and my heart leaps. I sometimes forget that he too had been waiting for her so long...And now that she is here he goes above and beyond the expectations I had for him as a father. He is first to go to her if she makes a noise, always wanting to feed her, has no problem changing her (both diapers and outfits), always wanting to hold her in his long arms...he even came upstairs the other day with a book in hand and told me that he felt like reading to his daughter. I thought I would melt! Even being back at work, he is willing to get up with her in the middle of the night to allow me to get sleep. He is always concerned about me getting enough sleep, or being healthy (I was really sick for over a week and now again feel like I am coming down with something) - both physically and mentally. He has also taken over dog-walking duties for the next few months so that "his ladies" can be warm at home inside. Every day when he leaves work I get a phone call asking if he needs to pick anything up, and without question he will run here and there to pick up food or anything else I ask before running home to see all his ladies. I don't, and will never, take him for granted, and know that I am lucky to have such a loving husband (and a hot one at that). Sorry I got all shmoopy on you :)

Changing Table & Glider

Changing Table – Those of us that actually have changing tables have ones from Pottery Barn. Those of us that don’t simply placed a changing table pad on top of a dresser in the nursery. Whatever you do, remember to register for multiple changing pad covers as there will be pee and poo all over everything in the beginning!

Glider/Rocker - You will need a comfortable place for feedings, rocking to sleep, story and quiet time. And for the first few months it is sure to double as a “bed” for mom or dad at some point! Whether you use something you already have or purchase a new chair, it is nice to have a chair that actually moves (whether it be gliding or rocking) as your baby will be soothed by the motion. Some Mamas use their gliders all the time, while others use them more to throw dirty laundry on. These can run you up to $700 for a chair and ottoman set, so you might want to look into getting one second hand, because at this point you don’t know if you will use it or not.

Other – Other items you might want, but aren’t necessary, to have in the nursery are a dresser and bookshelves.

Accessories – Laundry basket, soft lighting, humidifier

Cribs & Crib Bedding

Cribs - You don’t need to spend a ton of money to get a decent crib. For anywhere from $199 - $399 you can get a good looking, good quality crib, that your little munchkin will be more than happy in. You don’t need anything huge and grandiose, as your baby won’t know the difference! Babies R Us has a nice selection, ranging from cheaper portable cribs to more fancy solid wood cribs. Remember to register for a crib mattress as they are sold separately. Here you don’t need to spend a ton of money either!

Bedding - There is such a wide range of crib bedding out there, we aren’t sure what to say here! You can get it basically anywhere baby items are sold, and can spend anywhere from $60 to $1000 on it. But again, will the baby really care if you buy the best, softest bedding available? We have had ours hand made by our moms, purchased from Pottery Barn, bought at Target and Babies R Us to name a few. The only items you really will need are a bumper and a fitted sheet.

Accessories – Sleep sheeps are a must! This soft adorable creature can be attached to the side of the crib, and plays soothing songs and sounds to lull your baby to sleep. We also like Tiny Love mobiles!