Colson's Favorite Things - 1 & 2 Months Old

1. aden + anais Swaddle Blankets - There is a reason everyone has these on their favorites list! I didn't originally buy them because I thought that $35 for 4 swaddle blankets seemed like a lot. Luckily, we got them for a shower gift because they truly are the best, especially for a summer baby! They are stretchy, lightweight and breathable, but HUGE. They are the only thing we can actually use to swaddle our wiggly boy. I also use them to cover up his carseat when we go out it doesn't make me feel like I'm suffocating him under there!

2. Rock & Play Sleeper - This is probably my #1 must have! We bought this in place of a bassinet because it came highly recommended by many people! It props the baby upright to reduce reflux and the way it's shaped makes them feel cuddled. I have it right next to my bed and when he fusses I can just reach over and rock him back to sleep. It is light and folds up easily to take or store anywhere. I actually ended up buying another one from a lady because we used it so much and we have 3 levels to our house so it was nice to have one on two floors. Colson is still sleeping in his, but a few other moms told me that their child used it until about 4 1/2 months (when they can start sitting up in it).

3. Busy Bee Security Blanket - I'm not sure why I can't find the Target link to this, but it is selling all over the internet for $40! Don't worry- you can buy it at target for about $7. I didn't get it until he was about 6 weeks old, but ever since Colson LOVES it. He can be screaming at the top of his lungs and if we give him kisses with the cow, he immediately starts smiling and giggling. It's so soft and cuddly! Maybe I should go buy a backup before they run out... because I don't want to get desperate and have to pay $40!

4. Baby Gap Triple Roll Socks - These socks are the best! They always stay on and they come in cute colors! {Target's brand is also similar and work very well... and are only a dollar! Can you tell I shop at target a lot?!}

5. Norwex Hooded Baby Towel Set - This hooded towel and washcloth set is SO soft and comfy! The washcloth is super absorbent and holds so much water and the towel is big enough to wrap him really good (31"x31"). Plus I feel good about using natural & antibacterial products on that sweet baby skin!

6. Dr. Brown's Bottles - Colson was not a good nurser at the beginning, so we gave him a bottle very early! I had originally bought the tommee tippee bottles, but after realizing he needed a bottle right away I read up on them and a lot of people said their baby had choking problems due to the forceful flow. I filled one with water, tipped it upside down and sure enough, their was a constant stream of water without any pressure or sucking. Luckily, I had bought 6 of the Dr. Brown's bottles {at a garage sale for $6!} and they have worked great. He had no problem transitioning from nursing to bottle {I would nurse him, then pump & supplement with a bottle}. He switched over to almost exclusively nursing at about 5 weeks, but only because I had had enough bonding time with my pump! He still takes a bottle at night for dad pretty decently and has had no colic, reflux or spit up at all!! The downside- there are a lot of parts to clean!

7. Boon Grass Countertop Drying Rack - If you are pumping or bottle feeding, this is a must! Especially if your bottles have 5 awkward pieces to them! And it's pretty inexpensive so it's not a bad buy. I did see that they have a bigger one online that isn't available in stores!

And again... here is my advice on what I should have saved my money on! Everyone is different, so maybe your kid loved some of this stuff. If so, come on by... I have some stuff you can have :) 

1. Velcro Swaddle Blankets - Don't get me wrong. I think these things are AWESOME! So awesome in fact, that I bought every single one I ever saw at a garage sale. I think I have 10 of them. And my son HATES them. I should have known when he had his hands by his face in every. single. ultrasound. that he would not like to be confined in a tight little blanket. So my suggestion - buy one or two and resist the urge to pick up any more until you know if your kid will contently sleep in a sweet little wrap {or will become a wiggler like mine!}.

2. Wipes Warmer - The thought of using a nice, warm wipe on your babies soft little butt is sweet... until you are out in public and they scream because they are shocked by the cold wipe that you are now using. Why not get them used to it at home? It's really not that bad. Colson LOVES diaper changes. Weird, I know.

3. Infant Bath Robe - These are adorable! But I would really like to speak with whatever mom wiggled her wet infants arms down those thick, tight, terrycloth arms and find out where she got her skills. Because trying to put Colson in his bathrobe is like trying to stuff a cat down a straw and completely ruins our nighttime routine - not worth it.

4. Expensive Pack 'n Play - This one depends, because a lot of people use their pack 'n play bassinet while the baby is still little. And I was very hesitant to buy a pack 'n play because our Target only had 2 styles in store and the cheapest was $159.00. I did end up buying one used, in perfect condition, for $30 and I'm so glad I saved the money! I put Colson in it once, he screamed the entire time, and then I put him in his rock 'n play & he immediately fell asleep. It's been packed in the closet ever since. I am sure we might use it at some point when he's bigger, but definitely not enough to justify $160. The nice thing about buying these used is that a lot of people barely use them, so you can get a great deal on one in perfect condition! Mine was from a grandma who used it with her grandkids just a couple of times.

5. Baby Bath with a Sling - It's very possible that I just don't know how to use this. But Colson's first bath we used the sling and he kept sliding down and there was no way to clean his back side. Plus, the water doesn't rise above them so he was cold once he got wet {despite putting a wet rag on his chest}, which made him mad. It was just very awkward for me. After that, I took the sling out and just laid a towel down under him for traction and it worked MUCH better! He LOVES bath time and will sit in there and kick around for 30 minutes if I let him.

6. Baby Powder - I honestly don't even know what baby powder is for because I don't know anyone who uses it! But our pediatrician told us that they don't even recommend it anymore because it's dangerous if the baby inhales it. I think Colson's butt has been fine without it so far. And he still smells good :)

Let me know if there's anything I just HAVE to have for months 3-4. So far, we started loving the boppy & the play gym. :)

my pregnancy must haves {and what you can save your money on}

When I was pregnant, I kept a list of things that I wanted to remember for next baby because they made my pregnancy life so much better! I recently saw one of the items & realize I'd forgotten about all of this stuff. I tried lots of stuff and found that some of it worked great and some of it, not so much! So here it is... learn from my mistakes! 
1. Tennis Balls - I had back pain from about week 10 in my pregnancy due to muscle spasms. I used these often when I didn't have anyone to rub out the spasms along my spine. I just laid on the floor with the tennis ball in between my back and the floor and moved a bit until it rubbed out the pain.

2. Zantac - This was a miracle mostly in my second and third trimester. Please note that I did not buy this over the counter. I got a prescription from my doctor. If you do buy over the counter, please double check with your doctor on the dosage that is safe for pregnancy! And don't listen to those people who tell you if you quit eating sugar & grease your heartburn will go away - I got heartburn from water! Just get some zantac and enjoy the good food while you still have time to sit down & eat a meal! 

3. Long Tank Tops {non-maternity} - I bought several of these long, cheap tank tops during my pregnancy. I got mine at Gordmans, but the one above is from Heartbreaker, both for $5. If you don't have those stores, I know Walmart carries super long tanks for $4-5. They are awesome to put underneath your regular shirts to make them last with your growing belly. I got away without needing to wear maternity shirts until I was 8 months pregnant! I did prefer the ones without a shelf bra as they were easier to keep in place. 

4. Victoria's Secret Yoga Pants - Loved these! I wore them up until the very end... I think I even wore them to the hospital! I really don't know if the brand matters because the ones at Walmart look the exact same as my expensive VS ones, but I haven't tried them to know for sure! 

5. Snoogle Body Pillow - This is probably my #1 favorite thing for pregnancy!! I thought it was crazy to spend a lot of money on a pillow, so I bought a $10 body pillow at Target and that was just fine for me! But my mom got sick of me whining about my back pain and bought me one of these... it was like I was a new person! I used it with the long side around my back and the shorter sides fit perfectly under my head and under my belly. It was such good support... I am thinking about busting it out again even though I'm not pregnant! 

6. Suave Dry Shampoo - I love this stuff! My hair got so flat while I was pregnant and this worked perfectly to give me some extra volume and texture! It also worked great on those days when I skipped washing my hair in the shower because it took forever. I did lots of research before buying a dry shampoo and this one by far had the best reviews and the plus is it's only $2.74!

7. Mustela Ultimate Hydration Body Lotion - I thought the price of this was absurd. But after spending $40+ on lotion that would keep me from scratching a hole in my belly, I tried this and it worked great! They have a pricier cream that is smaller in size, but I found that this one worked perfectly. It spreads easily so you don't need to use a lot and it smells great! I also love it on my post partum belly because you can really feel how much it hydrates your skin. I have no idea if this really helps with stretch marks or not... I got just a couple but not until about 2 weeks before I delivered {and I was  HUGE. There was no way around them no matter what cream I used} but it is great for that itchy stretching skin. 

8. Flexible Ice Pack - I had upper rib pain my whole last trimester, only on my left side. This worked great! Every night when I went to bed I pinned this underneath the bottom of my bra and it relieved all of the pain! {I have also seen you can make these packs yourself on pinterest with dawn soap and alcohol... I haven't tried it though!}

9. Electric Heat Pad - Like I said, terrible back pain! It was mainly the muscles along my spine that were in constant spasms... and those muscles are really hard to rub! A heating pad was also part of my nightly routine. I prefer the electric heat pad to the packs you warm in the microwave because they stay the same temperature until you shut it off. 

10. Yoplait Dessert Yogurt - I developed a hard core sugar addiction {that I am still dealing with!} while I was pregnant. These are great because they actually taste like dessert! The boston cream pie one is my favorite... I don't know how they actually get yogurt to taste like boston cream pie!! 

And here are some things that I will definitely go without in any future pregnancies! Now keep in mind, some people swear by these items, so I know it is just a matter of opinion! But from my experience, you can save your money. 

1. Intelligender Gender Prediction Test - I have no desire to spend $25.98 to find out that I may or may not have a boy/girl. Just get an ultrasound, people! Your insurance will pay for it and you can use the $25.98 to buy adorable little tie bows.. you know how many bows you can buy for that price!?

2. Bella Band - These are one of the things people swear by, but in my experience, long tank tops did the exact same thing! I did make one out of a large tshirt and I never wore it because I didn't like the feel of leaving my pants unbuttoned or that you could see the seam line at the top of my belly.

3. Palmer's Stretch Mark Cream - Don't waste your money. I applied TONS of this stuff and my skin still felt dry. I did think that the tummy butter worked better, but I didn't like that it left my skin so greasy. I didn't think it was worth the money and when I wasn't using mustela, I just used baby oil with Vitamin E. 

4. Maternity Underwear - Am I the only one who doesn't understand why these are necessary? Victoria's Secret cotton hiphuggers fit like a dream my entire pregnancy! They are the most comfortable underwear and then you can wear them after the baby comes as well! 

5. Sea Bands - I bought these in my first trimester and didn't think that they provided any relief. What they did do, was made a huge dent in the inside of my wrists and a bruise that I could feel for days. Just try some sugar free peppermint candies... much better tasting and you don't look like you're wearing sweat bands to work.

Well, before I start thinking that I want to be pregnant again, I think I am going to go pump while my sweet 10 week old snores next to me! :-)

colson's birth story

I know I promised to post baby C's birth story 2 months ago, but it has taken us a while to get on a good schedule where this mama actually has time to get things done. I have read each and every email that you've sent & tried my best to reply, but let me tell you it means so much to read your encouraging words even when I've disappeared! So on to what I've promised - gory details included - so be forewarned. I just love birth stories, but you may not, so here's your way out if you want one! :-) 

I was convinced that Colson was going to stay in a week over my due date and my doctor didn't seem to mind leaving him in there. The doctor I worked for was going to be out of the clinic the last 2 weeks of my pregnancy, so his last day in office was a Thursday and I decided I was ready to be done working that day. At 37 6/7 I planned to go home after work and go on a long walk until I went into labor, but when I got off work it was 90+ degrees and humid, so air conditioning sounded better and I gave into being pregnant until 41 weeks.

That night it was storming and lightening and I couldn't sleep a bit. I finally dozed off at midnight to be woken up at 12:30 by the wonderful sensation of peeing my pants! I sat straight up in bed and Travis looked at me and asked what was wrong. My reply, "Oh, nothing. The dog just jumped on me and woke me up!" He went back to sleep and I grabbed my phone so I could google whether or not my water had broken.
{Being a nurse, I have heard way too many stories of people who thought their water broke and when they got to the hospital they had just peed their pants and I was not going to be one of them!} I was having some contractions so I monitored them for about an hour and they were 10-12 minutes apart. They weren't painful so I was sure that this wasn't the real thing. 

In my google-ing, I found that you could tell if your water had broken by laying down for a while and if you have another gush when you get up it's the real thing. So after my hour was up, I got up and sure enough, it happened again! I still wasn't convinced. So I got up {2:00 am} to see if my contractions would get worse if I walked around. I cleaned the bathroom, washed my face, googled some more.... and they got even farther apart. So I tried to go back to sleep, but I was too wide awake. After a few more gushes and some blood, I thought maybe I should call the hospital and see what they said. In my mind, I was still not having this baby for a few more weeks. 

After talking to the OB nurse, who told me to come in immediately, I woke up Travis, who was not happy that I hadn't woken him earlier. I thought that we were just going to the hospital to rule out labor, and we'd be back home soon. I wanted to get to the hospital by 4:00 so that they could monitor me for an hour or two, then we could be back home in time to get ready for work. We didn't even bring our bags or the babies stuff or anything. Luckily, Trav grabbed my bag and the carseat on our way out. The entire way to the hospital I kept telling him how sorry I was that we were going to have to go to work on such little sleep, but that we'd be home again soon. And he believed me! 

{daddy is excited!}

Once we got to the hospital, the nurse tested the fluid on the bed while I was in the bathroom and I heard her telling Travis, "Well, you guys aren't going home like you thought!" I immediately started crying and got super scared of having to deliver a baby. I was in denial still and I remember telling Travis that I wasn't ready for him to come yet... not for 2 more weeks! The nurse checked me and I was only at 2 cm & 80% effaced, so she hooked up the IV's and got us rolling. Because my water broke on it's own 5 hours earlier and I wasn't progressed, I had to get pitocin to move things along. 

The rest of the day is kind of a blur. I remember several hours of thinking, "These contractions do not hurt, it can't be real!" and then all of a sudden they got very painful. I was terrified of an epidural and I held out until about 1:30 pm. Then all of a sudden I got really scared of pushing a baby out of me and feeling the entire thing. By this point I was so exhausted that I barely even thought of the huge needle going into my spine and just wanted to take a nap. The anesthesiologist who came was wonderful!! He stopped when I was having contractions and was very patient in placing it. He waited in the room for 45 minutes until I was completely numb. It was 2:00 and I was only at 6 cm, so things were not moving quickly {like 4 cm in 10 hours slowly!!} My doctor came and checked on us and said we'd hopefully be pushing around 7:00 pm. I had to go on oxygen and stop the pitocin because baby's heartrate was going down. I took a nap and they slowly started the pitocin again. 

{the real last belly pic}

Around 4:15 I woke up and felt some pressure in my lower right side. I had Trav go get the nurse to turn up my epidural and she did right away. She checked me again and said, "Well, I bet you are feeling pressure! His head is right there!" We pushed a couple times and she called the doctor. I then pushed for about a half hour and it was the most relaxed experience ever! We chatted in between contractions, the doctor just sat at the end of the bed, Travis was enthralled with seeing all of Colson's hair and after a few minutes later he told me push once and then stop. I did exactly that and Colson came right on out!

{colson james * 7-13-12 * 7 lb 2.8 oz * 21 in. long}

He came out with his eyes open staring right at me. I wish I could say that I'm one of those wonderful, sweet mothers who cried and got all emotional... but I was kind of in shock and a little freaked out that I just pushed a baby out of me! Colson let out a couple of squeals and when they put him on my chest he contently looked around, checking us all out. I think he was as shocked as I was! 

Recovery was truthfully a breeze. I only had two stitches and I was back to my regular clothes by the time I left the hospital. Colson was born on Friday, July 13th at 5:04 pm and we were discharged by Sunday at 11:00 am. I am SO thankful for such a wonderful experience!

{content from the start!}

Now it's two months later, Colson FINALLY nurses like a champ, and we are both loving being parents! Trav is so great with him and I am so thankful! It's the scariest blessing I've ever received!