First of all, if you are reading this – thank you for being on this journey with me!

Pregnancy and motherhood have been one of the most profound experiences of my life. I feel that I have grown into the person I was meant to be when I became a mother. It has opened my eyes to what is really important in life and helped me to prioritize those things. So the fact that you are here reading this truly means the world to me.

My hope in sharing my experience is to make other mothers feel seen, understood, and not so alone.

Pregnancy is such an exciting and special time. However, I want to make sure that I don’t gloss over the challenging and extremely hard parts as well. I believe they aren’t talked about enough!

Barre Classes and working out while pregnant – What I am doing for my workouts

If you are wondering if you can work out and continue barre classes while pregnant, Yes! It is totally safe and actually encouraged to stay active during your pregnancy if it is safe for you to do so. However, during my first trimester, I honestly wasn’t able to continue my daily workout routine. Even 20 minutes of yoga or barre would often make me feel like I was lightheaded and like I could barely stand up. This time around I am also chasing a very active 14-month-old around every day, which keeps me moving a lot. What I did end up doing during my first trimester was taking lots of walks and 10-15 minute gentle workouts or yoga. I really tried to listen to my body and not force myself to work out. If I did force myself, I ended up depleting my energy instead of creating more.

I think that rest is just as important to talk about here as exercise. During the first trimester, I gave myself unconditional permission to rest whenever I got the chance. For me, this looked like lying down when my son took his naps. Sometimes this meant that we would wake up for the day at 5:00 am, and I would be back to sleep for a nap at 7:30/8:00 am. I was so exhausted that I would fall asleep immediately, often taking two naps a day and going to bed around 8:00 pm.

Finding out this baby’s gender

One of the first things people will ask you when you tell them you’re pregnant is if you know what gender you’re having. I am guilty of doing this too, I can’t help myself but ask! My husband and I decided to found out our baby’s gender for this pregnancy (we didn’t the first time) and I am so glad that we did. We opted to find out at 10 weeks with the optional genetic labs that were drawn. While on a family vacation five days later, I got an email that said our results were ready. I will write a separate blog post about the gender reveal!

Nausea, Cravings, Aversions + Food

Similar to my first pregnancy, I started to have morning sickness (aka all-day nausea) around week seven. I am writing this at week fifteen and still experiencing some nausea on and off.

I still am not really craving chocolate, sweets, or ice cream. None of these foods sounded appetizing to me during the first trimester. I was also repulsed by green salads, fresh vegetables, and coffee (which are some of my favorite foods!) and I instead craved bagels with cream cheese, lemonade, and tart popsicles.

A few things that helped my nausea:

• accupressure sea bands
• mint lozenges
• lemon or frozen fruit in ice cold water
• mini bagels
• eating frequently
• lemon ginger green tea
• trying to keep my body cool (not overheating)

Other Things I’m Doing to Prioritize My Wellbeing

Staying hydrated – Ensuring that I am drinking enough water, especially during these past hot summer months. Did you know that your blood volumes increase by about 20% during pregnancy (woah!) and it is just super important to prevent dehydration. One time that I learned is to try and hydrate in between meals. Drinking a lot of water during a meal tended to exacerbate my nausea so spacing it helped was helpful.

Taking prenatal vitamins + supplements – this time around I discovered prenatal gummy vitamins and am obsessed! I used to take the large pills but swallowing them with water made me nauseous, so I gave gummy vitamins a try and am never going back!

Journaling – I am obsessed with Promptly Journals and purchased one for this baby right away! You won’t believe how fast time flies by and how soon you forget the little things about pregnancy and motherhood. I make sure to carve out time to journal and jot a few things down as often as I can, but ideally several times a week. They are cherished entries that I know I will look back on and pass onto my children someday.

If you’re like me when you start creating a baby registry for the first time you have no idea what to add! How do you figure out what is essential and what is just for fun! How many burp cloths do you need?!

This can result in asking Google for the answers, and don’t get me wrong – there are a ton of very helpful guides out there, but a lot are sponsored or affiliate links. Although I am only a year into motherhood, I now know what was used every day from my registry and what items weren’t.

Just to preface my take on baby items – my hubby and I value quality over quantity. We would rather invest in items that will last and are well made than those that would have to be thrown away or replaced in the future. We also value a home that is decluttered and don’t love having a ton of “extra” lying around. So everything that I’ve included in this list meets both of those criteria – well-made, quality items that are used often (essential if you will!).

• Burp Clothes – we went through a ton of these! We kept them downstairs, upstairs and in the diaper bag, so you’ll want at least two sets. The Burt’s Bees clothes are super soft, absorbent and we found that they didn’t stain. Although the muslin burp cloths are popular – the ones we tried were a little scratchy and I just liked these the best!

• Newborn Diapers – You cannot go wrong with bringing diapers to a baby shower! And these are by far the best option, especially for newborn sensitive skin! The last thing you want is for your baby to have a diaper rash or be allergic to the diapers you choose. The Honest Company diapers are super soft, absorbent and, fit incredibly well. We tried other natural brands such as Seventh Generation + Pampers. Both gave our son a rash or leaked.

• Aquaphor – This is the only skin cream or diaper cream you will ever need. Our pediatrician told us to use this and nothing else, and boy was she right! This stuff really works, and only has one ingredient. Because we use the Honest diapers, our son rarely gets a rash or redness but when he does one application of this and it is gone by the next diaper change!

• Baby Bar Soap – This is the ONLY baby wash you will ever need! It is all-natural, non-toxic, and smells delicious. Our son’s skin has never been dry or irritated, and he has a bath every night! One bar of soap lasts approximately 6 months too! If you do want to add a little extra to go with the soap, the baby powder and baby oil from Primally Pure are also wonderful. I wouldn’t use anything else!

• Rohm Portable Sound Machine – Every mama needs this! Seriously, we use our sound machine for at least 14 hours a day. And it is still going strong, even over a year later. In our experience, having white noise really soothes the baby and helps them get better sleep (and we all know how precious sleep is!) This one has lovely sounds, is rechargeable + portable so it can be strapped to the stroller, car seat, or taken on your travels.

• Ollie Swaddle or Love to Dream Swaddle – speaking of sleep, a swaddle that is easy, secure, and comfy is literally everything as a new mom and will not only increase the quality of your baby’s sleep but also allow you to get more rest too. You will be getting that little babe in and out of the swaddle every 2-3 hours, day and night. Believe me when I say that you don’t want it to come undone, and you don’t want it to be complicated! We tried a lot of swaddles and ended up using these two exclusively. I would have both on hand or add both to your registry. They are also easy to wash and hold up well!

• Bibs Pacifier – You may be sent home with a pacifier from the hospital. We found that without the small bulb on the end, it fell straight out. After trying basically every other kind of pacifier, our son LOVED these! We are so thankful that someone gifted them to us at our shower. They were also recommended by our lactation consultant.

• NoseFrida – This sounds a little bit strange at first, but yes – you absolutely need this!! There is nothing worse than a newborn who is congested or has nasal secretions and can’t breathe well. This ingenious device is easy to use and makes a huge difference. Don’t come home from the hospital without one!

• Lastly, you can never go wrong with a Gift Card for Take Out or Amazon – There is nothing quite like being newly postpartum and having a nourishing meal available for you without having to cook. I appreciated the take-out gift cards and the amazon gift cards immensely as a new mom!

My husband and I very meticulously created our baby registry together. I spent so many hours reading reviews, watching Youtube videos, and looking at articles. Looking back, we did an excellent job at choosing the items that we purchased for our first baby but we also definitely learned from the experience too!

Today I’m sharing the items that I would recommend splurging on, and the items that are just as good secondhand, borrowed, or bargained!

Splurge:

Baby Monitor

Getting a video baby monitor was really important to me. In hindsight, it helped ease some of the postpartum anxiety that I experienced and I love being able to see that my baby is safely sleeping in his crib. I would also recommend getting a monitor that doesn’t work via wifi. This allows it to be transportable and you can take it with you if you need to! We have this one. Rocking Chair

Car Seat

Of course this is on my list for splurge, and it also goes hand in hand with the stroller. A lot of companies make carseat stroller duo’s that work easily together. I recommend finding a car seat that has high safety ratings, is brand new (this is important! please do not EVER buy a used car seat. If a car seat is in an accident of any kind it is deemed unsafe, and when you buy a used car seat you do not know the history of it) and is hopefully compatible with your stroller. My husband and I were deciding between the Nuna Pipa Lite and the Uppababa, but went with the Uppababy since it easily attaches to our stroller and I couldn’t be happier!

Stroller

Our most used baby item! We opted to go with our dream stroller and car seat combo (purchased on Black Friday for extra savings) the Uppa Baby Vista stroller and car seat combo. We have used this stroller every single day for 8 months, in sunshine, rain, and snow! It folds easily to transport in your trunk and goes smoothly over the bumps. If you live in an area that doesn’t have sidewalks or pavement perhaps consider getting a sturdier stroller such as a jogging stroller to take for walks so the baby doesn’t jostle around.

Mattress

Save sleep is extremely important in newborns. I highly recommend getting a new mattress for your baby. You never know how long a used one has been used for and they may be indented and uneven. We bought a foam mattress that is GreenGuard certified and love it.

Postnatal Education & Support

If there is ONE takeaway from this blog post, please do not overlook this section! Looking back, I wish I had invested in postnatal education and support for both myself, my baby and my partner. Instead we struggled and scrambled and suffered. I do not want this to happen to you! You can find a list of my favorite perinatal educational resources on my “resources” tab – it is a freebie of mine!

Save:

Changing pad

I thought that I wanted the fancy changing pad that cost over $100 (this one). I’m glad we didn’t get it! No need! I ended up changing diapers pretty much everywhere, on the floor, couch, etc. We bought THIS ONE! and it’s worked perfectly. We use it without a cover and it is wipeable and clean always.

Crib

I adored looking through the Pottery Barn websites and oohing and ahhing at the beautiful cribs. It gave me great inspiration! However, the crib is an awesome place to save since cribs are not used for very long. We found a gently used crib on Facebook Marketplace and the family lovingly passed it down to us. Save some money here!

Clothes

Books

Used books can be so fun! A lot of folks on Facebook marketplace or a secondhand baby store offer them in boxes or bags. We actually asked for books instead of cards for our baby shower and it was a fun way to build our little library! Now when we read them, we know who gifted it to us because I wrote their names in the front cover!

Birth class

Although a birth class may feel IMPERATIVE at the moment, I would emphasize postnatal and newborn care over birth preparation. Your birth experience is largely out of your control. You lean into your bodies plan and it happens and is over within a few days. The postpartum period is challenging, beautiful and much longer. I did not feel prepared for postpartum and would encourage you to invest in postpartum classes and support.

Diapers

There are a ton of diaper brands out there and we’ve tried a lot! The best option: Target Up & Up. They don’t leak or cause rashes. Our second favorite brands are Huggies Little Snugglers and The Honest Co.

For newborn diapers (don’t buy a ton!) but definitely get The Honest Co. to start with. They are super soft and didn’t cause any rashes on the sensitive baby skin.

We did not have a great experience and I would say to avoid: Seventh Generation (leaked & scratchy), Luvs, Pampers (rash!),

Wipes

The target fragrance-free wipes are awesome! No need for expensive wipes to wipe the pee and poo 🙂

Self-care is the act of caring for oneself and doing things that make you feel more like YOU. Self-care is more than pampering. It is a daily act of kindness and compassion that allow us to live well and care for others. 

Why self-care is important.

As mothers, we continually give. We give time, energy, love, encouragement, and even give physically through birth and breastfeeding. Eventually, we will burn out. We will become worn out, fatigued, and mentally unavailable. Self-care is extremely important because it is the only way we can continue our roles as mothers and continue to give to others, by taking care of ourselves first and foremost. As the saying goes, you cannot pour from an empty cup.

I believe that self-care is an integral part of your wellbeing.

10 ways for moms to give themselves self-care:

Simply put; whatever works for YOU. There is no “one size fits all” for self-care, regardless of what society or social media has led us to believe. Simplicity is key for self-care in motherhood. Tiny moments of self-care can make all of the difference!

Here are some examples of small, simple acts of self-care that can be integrated into your daily routine:

• Take five deep breaths.
• Seek support by delegating a chore to your partner.
• Turn your phone on do-not-disturb for 20 minutes. (First thing in the morning works great for me!)
• Take a 5-minute walk outside. 
• Choose a time at night after which your only job is to rest, everything else will wait. 
• Unfollow or mute any accounts on social media that make you feel inadequate. 
• Intentionally brush your hair for a few minutes. 
• Pick one day a week to sleep in. 
• Stretch in your chair or before you eat a meal. 
• Rub lotion into your hands and give yourself a mini-massage

The bottom line: self-care is an individual and unique practice. Explore what makes YOU feel good, and once you identify it, make sure it is something you prioritize daily. 

Today I am sharing three things that I have used daily for eight months!

I use these three items DAILY to take care of myself and they were especially helpful immediately postpartum. Tag a mama who needs to know about these!

1. Small Sound Machine

1. A comfy bathrobe

1. Eyemask

And… coffee

When I was pregnant, I watched soooo many YouTube videos about what to pack in a hospital bag for birth. I tried to pack as minimally as possible. The COVID pandemic added a few things to my packing list and changes in our plans. I wanted to share what was useful in my experience to hopefully help other mama’s out!

This is not an all-inclusive list (those can be found in many other places) but instead is a list of specific things that I couldn’t have gone without!

Essentials for Your Hospital Bag

• An Eye Mask – I purchased THIS eyemask from Amazon and used it to sleep in the hospital! It was incredibly helpful. I also used the eye mask during labor when I became so tired that I just needed to tune everything out.

• Comfortable Face Masks – My husband and I were required to wear masks during our 2-night stay. I highly recommend bringing a comfortable facemask to use during labor. I love the ones from Gap! They even have a wired nose piece.

• Sound Machine/Night Light – we received the Hatch Baby sound machine as a gift and I am so glad that I packed it for the hospital. I loved the ambient sounds of rain during the long night of labor. It felt familiar and cozy since we also use a rain sound machine at home.

• Small Portable Fan – this is a MUST. Do not think twice! Go buy this fan now! This one is rechargeable and small so that it travels easily. Our hospital room was kept incredibly warm. Combined with postpartum hormones changing rapidly and doing skin-to-skin I was so hot and sweaty. The fan was a lifesaver. I’ve also used this many times clipped onto our stroller during our summertime walks!

• A Hair Dryer – I completely forgot to pack a hairdryer. All I wanted to do was dry my hair and feel semi-normal after my first post-birth shower but sadly I had to let it air dry. I will not make that mistake again if I have another baby!

• Toiletries You Enjoy – the first shower after giving birth was like going to the spa. I recommend packing toiletries that you love and will look forward to using.

• Boppy Pillow – I wish I had packed my boppy pillow to nurse with. Instead, I had to learn how to breastfeed using approximately 100 terrible hospital pillows stacked on top of each other. When I got home with my son and first used the Boppy pillow, nursing seemed so much simpler! I wish I had had it all along.

• Small Speaker – We packed a Wonderboom speaker for music. I had a variety of Spotify playlists ready for the hospital. I wasn’t sure what would sound appealing to listen to. When it finally came time to push, I asked my husband to play some music for us and it was so comforting!

• Car Seat & Car Seat Cover – Once admitted to the hospital, we were not permitted to leave our room. At all. Make sure to bring EVERYTHING you will need on your way in, including the car seat. I also loved having a car seat cover to leave with. I felt that my son was more protected while walking through the hospital. We love this one.

• Nursing Friendly Pajamas – Button-down PJs are a must. The hospital gowns were one-size-fits-all and were extremely large and bulky on me. I hated them. I was so thankful I had packed some soft, comfy pajamas. I lived in these for two days. Order a size up!

• A Large Water Bottle – We packed a 32-ounce hydro flask. It was a lifesaver. We literally could not go across the hall to the kitchen to refill our water, so having the nurses fill our water bottles a few times each day was helpful instead of continually asking for cups to drink out of.

No Need To Pack:

• Tucks Pads, Peri Bottle, Sitz Bath, Pads, Large Underwear – these are provided to you by the hospital.

As I’m writing this blog post, I’m curled up on the couch watching the snow come down heavily. We are in the midst of winter storm Harper, and it feels like -19 degrees outside!

Jonathan and I left for our honeymoon on January 4th, exactly five months after our wedding. We traveled to the Dominican Republic, and were greeted with sunny skies and a fruity cocktail. We spent the entire week relaxing at the beach – reading, swimming, snorkeling and talking. I read three whole books! It was absolutely perfect, exactly what we needed and wanted for our trip together.

Leaving behind a brown and white winter season in VT made the colors seem so vibrant and lovely.

An early morning walk on the beach.

We LOVED the coffee at our resort. It was made in the DR and was so, so tasty. After our morning runs together, we’d eat a buffet breakfast (which consisted of made-to-order omelettes and fresh fruit) and sit by the pool for cappuccino’s. The mornings we spent together was my favorite part of our honeymoon.

Yesterday Jon spotted (aka almost bumped into) an owl on his evening run! We went back this evening to see if we could spot it. Jon and I watched it hunt and interact with other birds for a while this evening. I named it Harrriet.