We're Having A Baby- Top 10 List

Our new little baby girl arrived last week! Every time someone I know is having their first baby, I always want to give them a list of what I would call my Newborn Baby Survival List. However, most new moms are bombarded with advice, so not wanting to add to their poor brain's overload, I normally just tell them my number one necessity. This post is featuring some of the items that I would miss dearly if I didn't have them while taking care of a post-labor self, and a newborn baby.

Honorable Mention: Aveeno Baby Daily Moisture Lotion

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For my first baby, this item would've made the top 10. From my experience, this lotion is only essential if your baby has sensitive skin and you live in a dry climate (like the Mojave desert). This lotion is still great for any place, but not a daily necessity in this wet Louisiana humidity. In my opinion, the regular baby Johnson & Johnson that "everyone" has, doesn't do a very good job. I would slather my first baby with it, and her skin never improved one bit until I tried Aveeno Baby.

10. Aden + Anais Classic Muslin Swaddle Blankets

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These blankets are little pricey, but are a great size and very breathable. I normally keep one of these blankets in my diaper bag when we go anywhere because I am one of those moms who is constantly worrying if my baby is too hot, or too cold. I forgot to bring one to the new baby's first pediatrician's appointment, and naturally is was absolutely freezing cold (luckily, her big sister's random extra sweater in the bottom of the diaper bag was sufficient to keep her warm)! These blankets are also great for swaddling, tummy time, and keeping the germs of all your baby's adoring fans at bay (but maybe that last one is just wishful thinking)!

9. The Happiest Baby on the Block DVD

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Most new parents are a little worried about bringing home a new baby, especially if they won't have much help from family upon it's arrival. This DVD was helpful to my husband and I with our first baby. It gives you techniques for soothing your baby, and gave us an overall feeling of, "Okay, we can do this." It has over 1,000 reviews on Amazon, with a solid 4.7 stars. If you're worried about having an inconsolable newborn, this video may give you the confidence you're looking for!

8. Shout Advanced Ultra Concentrated Stain Removing Gel

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New baby girl is just over a week old, and I've already begun using this product on her clothes. Why would one need to use stain remover on a baby's clothes, you ask? Two words: diaper explosions. Mine typically occur at night, where I have to completely change my baby's clothes while half asleep... sigh. This stain remover is really easy to use- just rub the gel in with the brush on the bottle, let it set for a few minutes, and wash it as you normally would. Washing that soiled white onesie without it is wishful thinking, my friend.

7. Always Maxi Pads

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I had to go there, right? Well, most women know that bleeding will occur up to about 30 days after birth. The hospital provides maternity pads, but what kind of pad can you find at your local drugstore that is post-labor "stitches friendly?" Well, I ran out of hospital maternity pads once I got home, and sent my poor husband out to get more. I knew him finding good ones was a long shot, so I wasn't too dismayed when he came home with ultra-thin, scented pads, lol. My poor husband... don't feel too bad for him, though, because he just walked through the door with Chikfila... without Chikfila sauce (insert irrational outrage here). Anyway, after I went to the store myself, I settled on Always Maxi Pads. Ultra-thin is the enemy of your recovering body because they tend to hug the area too closely... this is getting gross, sorry. Anyhow, these pads are the right thickness and provide good coverage without the pain of getting too close.

6. Rain, Rain Sleep Sounds App

Find on iTunes

Our first time around, we used a little lamb that played white noise. It would automatically turn off every 30 minutes, so for this baby we started using the Rain App on my iPhone. It has a variety of different rain noises, nature sounds, and even home appliance lullabies. It can play all night, or you can set a timer for it. We use this app every night, and we also use it to help our toddler fall asleep and stay asleep through her little sister's night feedings.

5. Pack 'n Play Playard (Newborn)

Find on Amazon

We keep our Pack 'n Play in our living room for use during the day. Ours has a diaper and wipe holder on the side, as well as a changing table (Note: we do use a small blanket on the changing table because if the baby pees in mid-diaper change, there will be pee on your baby's back all the way to her ears.) A cozy bassinet is also included, and we lay baby girl in there while she's sleeping. The newer models I see listed on Amazon even have decent storage now. They have music, nature sounds, and vibration options. The newborn attachments can be taken off, and the mat can be lowered for your growing baby.

4. Boppy Nursing Pillow

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Especially with a newborn baby, a Boppy pillow is a good asset for nursing. Newborns are so small that you need to bend your back to feed them. This pillow puts the baby in a good spot, so your back can be pain free, and your arms can relax. I use my Boppy mostly for night feedings because I'm half awake. I feel like using one is the safest way to be half awake, holding a newborn in the middle of the night. Once your baby is a few months old, a Boppy is great to prop your baby up so she can look around and relax beside you while you watch five episodes of The Office on Netflix (or maybe that's just me...).

3. Summer Infant SwaddleMe Adjustable Infant Wraps

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We swaddle our newborn babies most of the time, but we are always sure to swaddle at night. The Happiest Baby on the Block talks about the importance of swaddling, but in a nutshell- it helps the babies feel like they're back in the womb and promotes calm. The SwaddleMe's have various velcro locations on each swaddler, so they are pretty dumby-proof. They are perfect for the new parent who is intimidated by swaddling "from scratch."

2. Rock 'n Play Sleeper

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Rock 'n Play's are just the best. We used ours on our first baby until she was about 6 months old, and our new baby has been sleeping soundly in it since we brought her home. The pad is washable, and the whole apparatus is lightweight enough to easily carry to various locations around the house. Rock'n Play's are great because they have an inclined seat, which seems to be how baby's are most comfortable (also helpful if your baby has reflux). Ours does not have the fancy-dancy auto-rocking or vibrate features like the newer models do, but it works just great as is. The reviews speak for themselves. If your baby isn't a good sleeper, give a Rock'n Play a try-- and your arms a rest.

1. Earth Momma Angle Baby Nipple Butter 

(& A Little Advice)

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Breastfeeding is hard. Nobody really tells you that until you are in the thick of it-- crying and wondering what happened to your calm, happy little boobs. Nipples can crack, bleed, and just plain make you want to smack your husband's handsome, oblivious little face. The best way to keep your nipples healthy (other than a good latch from your baby) is nipple butter. It keeps them coated in goo, which promotes healing. I used nipple butter after every feeding with my first, and never cracked. Seriously, I can't say how up a creek I would feel without this stuff. Dare I say it, if your nipples are dry, sore, and happen to touch or stick to something- you will cry giant crocodile tears of regret. I only used this nipple butter for the first week with my newest baby, but with my first I used it for the first solid month. 
As a side note for nursing, disposable nursing pads are important to prevent leakage until your milk evens out, and don't be afraid to keep some formula around! I had to use formula for a few feedings within the first few days of having both of my girls, and it made all the difference in keeping both of us calm while figuring out how to adapt to each babies nursing needs. Within the first few days, ice packs are a lifesaver in between feedings to help prevent your boobs from ballooning to watermelon size. If all of this sounds awful and complicated... take heart, the hard part will be over before you know it, and you'll actually start enjoying the bonding time you have with your baby while nursing in the coming months (the second time around was much easier, so be encouraged in that, as well)!


Phew! That was exhausting, but I hope it proves helpful to at least one new mommy out there!

"The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand."  Psalm 37:23-24

There And Back Again: A Human's Tale

Having a child defers all obligation to continue a blog, I think, until one's brain turns back on after about two years of joy and craziness. In all seriousness, I haven't had anything to say... so that's a pretty good reason not to say anything at all, right? Well, with all of the transitions and newness going on in our life right now, reopening this blog seemed like the best way to share it!

From California to New Orleans happened in about two blinks of an eye. My husband was selected for an army engineering position (which he was over the moon about), and we were assigned to New Orleans. We packed up our house with a lot of help from hourly childcare and caffeine, and we started the transition to the South within a few weeks of hearing the news.

Nobody really talks about what *really* makes being an army wife difficult, in my opinion. And quite honestly, I didn't even know what it was until this move. Being a loving, gentle, interactive mom is hard... but throw in zero environmental and scheduling consistency... and being a loving, gentle, interactive mom is about as easy as peeling potatoes with the backside of a spoon. Being a hard working, reliable, sane wife is hard... but throw in pregnancy hormones, packing a whole house, and leaving all the friends (and babysitters) that I've grown to love... and being a hard working, reliable, sane wife is as hard as peeling... Well, you see where I'm going. Sacrifice is almost always affiliated with deployments, but for me, I now see the constant transitions of mayhem to be what I really admire the most in army spouses.

This move was the most taxing aspect of my husband's career thus far. Having a daughter, who I love so much, drive me insane because of huge changes in her life made me sad. I know she's two. I know she doesn't understand change. Goodness, I'm 12 times her age and I don't understand change. Even though I knew those things, being in a hotel room with a toddler left me running back and forth between the doorstep of, "I'm losing it!", and the doorstep of, "I'm trusting God with all of this." Most days in the hotel, I flip flopped between the two, but at the end of each day I usually settled with trusting God with the big mess we felt we were in.

There are too many details to bore you with, but after staying in a hotel for about a week, we needed to get out of there. One, because we needed to have some normalcy again. Two, because the army only pays for 10 nights in a hotel once you reach your new duty station. With no military housing nearby, we had three days left to find a house to rent. It felt pretty hopeless. The houses we did see had BIG red flags on them--either bad neighborhoods, bad landlords, or odd/unsafe features. We wanted to rely on God to bring a house to us, and after those seven days of hotel life, God started to show us how He planned to provide for us.

Before moving here, I knew I had at least one connection to one human being on the very most basic of levels in New Orleans. I knew of a woman down here, whose parents have attended my parents' church since probably forever. I knew that woman's husband planted a church down here, and so our first Sunday in New Orleans we headed for that church. Honestly, I had forgotten about going to church in all the sadness and confusedness of our hotel stay... but "something" reminded me the Saturday night before to suggest it to my husband. The church was very small, which can be a bad thing for newcomers... but it could not have been better for us. They loved on our little girl, and after quite embarrassingly sharing our story-- they loved on us! I shared that we needed a house, and what our situation looked like. They prayed for us, and I kid you not- probably 80% of the people there came up and talked with us after the service--encouraging us, telling us they'd keep their eyes open for houses, giving us their information if we needed anything. My heart was FULL. We had no family, and no help... and God provided those people to show us His love when we needed it the most. God knew our needs, and he provided the support we desperately needed with their sincere, intentional kindness.

We ended up staying the next week with a sweet lady, named Pam, who we met that Sunday. She lives alone, and God had touched her heart to open her home to us (later we found out that her children were very against it, which I completely understand... strangers living with my widowed mom would probably not go over well with me either). While coordinating our move to her house, I could not fully grasp how accommodating she was, and that she was actually EXCITED to have us move in with her! Seriously, not too many people are excited about having strangers move in with them- especially when one stranger is super pregnant and another happens to be a two year old. Her response to my bewilderment was that God had given her a big house and the things in it, so He can use it for His purpose. We really could not have stayed with someone who made us feel more like family for that next week. God provided for us, even if it was totally not the way we pictured it. If we wouldn't have been "homeless" for that short time, we would not have felt loved so deeply by the people we've met here. We wouldn't have had something so big to feel such joy about! Joy comes out of suffering, and God's joy is something I didn't expect to find during this move.


"You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock. " Isaiah 26:3-4


More to follow soon...