4 THINGS EVERY MOM FINDS OUT...AFTER THE FACT

1. Anything Will Do As A Chew Toy. Save Your Money.

Yes, that is my son's ipad holder. :) Teethers? He can't be bothered with them.

2. Anything Soft = Stuffed Animal

 All babies want comfort. When mommy & daddy aren't available, anything soft will do. Stuffed animals are cute but not necessary. The blue polka-dot thingy he is holding came with a play mat I bought him. Its suppose to be a tummy time pillow. My boy wouldn't let this thing go for 2-3 weeks.

3.Fancy Toys Aren't Necessary OR Necessarily Wanted 

That my friends, is a bonafide, vintage-style rattle. As you can see, my son was enchanted. lol. On top of the fact that this toy will only run you about $4.00, the other great thing is that the solid handle will help with your baby's hand dexterity. 

4. Hand Mittens DO NOT Work...

^^socks on hands and not on feet-- imagine that. :) ^^

... Especially on little, new born hands. Unless you give birth to a 12 lb. baby (& God bless you if you do!) those mittens will not fit snugly enough around your baby's wrist. It's best you use socks. The elastic on socks is much more reliable.

AVENT BREAST PUMP:: TRIED + TRUE

First, let me say, before I tell you how much I like this pump: The Avent brand pump was the only pump I tried so I cant say how great of a product it is up against its competitors BUT I was so satisfied with this pump that I had no desire to try another pump out. (I hear that that is a normal occurrence in the mommy world.)

Anyways, the pump is electric and can also be used manually. This double pump allows you to pump both breasts simultaneously (a great help for the 100% of moms who don't want to spend all day pumping and storing milk!)It's super easy to put together and the instructions are simple and to the point. Yes! This pump also has memory! This means that you can manually pump until you figure out the speed and suction strength you are comfortable at, pump at that desired rate for 3 or 4 pumps, hit the blue button on the pump handle, and the machine will mimic what you were doing! Even after you turn the machine off, when you're ready to pump again it pumps at your desired rate automatically. Now, how cool is that?

The Avent Double Breast Pump also comes with these nice suction pads that also work as massagers for your breast as you pump; it actually feels pretty good (especially if you have to pump multiple times a day to keep up with your baby's appetite.Your boobs can get pretty sore). It also comes with two starter, 4-ounce bottles that may be great for most babies but, if you have a baby with an amazon appetite like my child who went from 4-ounces to 8-ounces in a matter of a month and a half, you may need to buy bigger bottles from the beginning! 

I bought mine at Babies"R"Us but I no longer see it on their website or on the Avent brand site. Avent does have another breast pump with the same name so, I think, it's safe to say that the pump has just been given a cosmetic makeover. The pump will set you back $251.

The down side to this product is that, besides the machine that powers everything, the pump breaks into a lot of different pieces (more things to clean and keep track of), and small amounts of milk gets lost in between the plastic and suction cup ( a bummer for moms who don't produce a lot of milk in the first place. Hey, the little milk loss could be one good gulp for baby!) Anyways, I still love my pump. :)  

Bottom Line: good investment, good quality, good purchase.

BOPPY PILLOW:: MOM'S BREAST FEEDING FRIEND

Ok, moms, let's face it: no matter how small your little one is, holding them up to each boob for 15-20 can seem more like an hour and can take it's toll (on the bright side, look out for sexy arms in the upcoming months. burn, baby, burn!). For those of you who would prefer to simply relax and enjoy the breast feeding session without it being coupled with an arm workout, this product is for you.

The Boppy is a c-shaped pillow that you place around your waist while breast feeding. It provides support for your arms while you are holding your baby up for feeding by filling in the space between your lifted arms and your lap. (see picture below) Perfecto! 

Check out the Boppy Website to buy products, gather care instructions, check their blog, and all that other great stuff. While you can get everything you need from the website, here are my favorite selling points for the product:

• Cover comes off for washing purposes 
• Covers come in all different colors and designs and can be bought separately to satisfy the mood of the day(yay!)
• Transitions into a prop for tummy time & lounging

You can find your new friend and Babies 'R' Us, Target, Walmart, etc. 

Bottom Line: Your arms will thank you.

LANSINOH THERA-PEARL BREAST THERAPY

Tenderness and raw skin come with the breast feeding territory.These little therapy pearls are super handy.They give you the option of soothing your breasts before or after a feeding; and for those moms who are really going through it, you can choose to use them before and after. (I know I did!)

Just warm the pearls in the microwave and place on your boobs before a feeding. It is said that the increase in temperature causes your milk to "let down". This just means that your body releases your milk supply; your nipples should, at this point, begin to leak. What is great about using the Lansinoh Thera-Pearl Breast Therapy packs before hand is that, if your milk has already let down, your bundle of joy wont have to work so hard to feed and this means he/she wont suck so hard out of frustration. (mom:1, nipple soreness:0) 

If you'd like to use them after the feeding, simply put them in the freezer before hand. As we all know, anything frozen can act as an anti-inflamitory; it will also help with soreness. What's better about using these packs than just a bag of ice, or something like that, is that these flat, circular shaped packs fit nicely in your bra! This means that you don't have to take time out of your busy schedule to nurse your sore boobs! (mom:1, time:0)

I've found this product at Target, Walgreens, and CVS. They are super easy to find and inexpensive. I recommend investing in a couple pair.

Bottom Line: Great, versatile product & very helpful. I wish the package came with 4 instead of 2 so moms can always have one frozen and one ready for the microwave.

SORRY FOR THE HIATUS

Before I finally get back to the good stuff, let me just say the I am sorry for disappearing on you moms and dads. Due to some unexpected situations, I was unable to keep up with my blog. I am, however, back on the scene (and am extremely excited about it!).

I will pick up right where I left off: Breast feeding! Be on the look out for my upcoming posts.

Love,

Ashly & RJ

WEBSITE OF THE MONTH: BABYCENTER.COM

Alright moms & dads, as promised, here is the website of the month for April: BABYCENTER.COM.

This website is amazing. It walks expecting mothers through each week of pregnancy with videos, ideas on how to cope and relax, things to consider (like the type of birth you'd like, spouse's feelings, etc.), in depth information about what to expect as far as your mood and weight, how your baby is growing and developing, and they even have pictures of what your baby should look like during each specific week! 

BabyCenter was a huge help to me as a first time mom because, for one, I didn't know what to expect and, for two, it gave me something to look forward to during the weeks that I was simply waiting for my next doctor's appointment!

Once your baby is born, BabyCenter just keeps giving! You can opt into continuing to receive emails on how your baby should be developing each week after birth; they even continue providing you with all their goodies well into your child's toddler months and small child stages.

They also have an App! Everything sent right to your phone (I couldn't get enough of it.) You can follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc!

Check them out! The link can be found to the right of my blog under 'This Month's Favorite Website'.