Time really does fly when you’re having fun. I’ve been a mom for 2 months! I can’t even believe it. After my first motherhood post (you can read it here), I received a ton of questions about being a first-time mom and the new mom products I’ve been using for life with a baby. So I’ve rounded up my favorite new mom products and put it in one post for you all. Before we jump into them I wanted to share a real life update on being a new mom.
Second Month of Motherhood and 15 Products To Make Life Easier
Mom Life – 2 Month Update
I have two months of mom life under my belt and I have to say that I’m really rocking it! As time has gone by I’ve gotten into a groove. I have a pretty good handle on what works for us and what doesn’t. I’ll admit some of it comes down to trial and error, but I’ve also relied on recommendations from friends, my Instagram followers and other bloggers. There is so much information at the tip of your fingertips in a simple Google search.
I love a good routine so getting on one with Elizabeth was really important to me. I know the words routine and baby usually don’t get together, but I’m trying. It’s not a strict routine, but we have a general flow every day that includes plenty of naps, playtime and snuggles!
With my maternity leave half over I’m starting to get a little sad. I also realize that maternity leave isn’t everything I thought it would be. I thought I would be super productive and that I would accomplish a lot of little things while taking care of a baby. And boy, was I wrong!
The Three Biggest Myths of Maternity Leave
- Productivity Will Be High – I was planning on organizing the house and KonMari my closet. Well my leave is half over and all I did was clean out under my bathroom sink and binge watched 5 seasons of Younger. Being super productive just isn’t something that is happening right now.
- I’ll Sleep When The Baby Sleeps – This is a great idea in theory, but not easy to do. I’ve probably done it twice. When she sleeps I want to get stuff done around the house or blog. I also find myself watching her sleep a lot because she is so cute!
- My Days Will Drag On – This is the one that surprised me the most. My days go so quick! I thought for sure I’d be staring at the clock waiting for time to go by, but that’s not the case. I look up and it’s already noon on some days.
What I have figured out on maternity leave is I’m really loving this mom thing! I’m also loving figuring out what works for me, baby and our house. A nurse in the hospital told me “they will sell you anything, but that doesn’t mean it’s good” Boy was she right! So here is what I found works best for me.
Products That Make My Life Easier For a New Mom
When I was pregnant I was adamant baby stuff would not take over our home. I’ve been pretty good about sticking with that theme and searching for new mom products that are useful, modern looking and have a small footprint. We live in a condo so we don’t have a ton of space so I want to be thoughtful with what I put in the condo. I know that I won’t always be able to keep a super clean modern looking home, but for now I’m trying my hardest.
Simple Human Rechargeable Soap Pump
What’s the one thing that gets dirty every 15 minutes with a baby? My hands! Whether I’m changing a diaper, feeding her or cleaning up, my hands are constantly dirty. When my hands are this dirty I don’t want to touch a soap dispenser, I just want to get soap ASAP.
The Simple Human Rechargeable Soap Pump is the world’s best invention! It has a sensor so you don’t have to touch the pump to get soap. Simply wave your hand under the pump and it dispenses soap. Talk about a lifesaver when my hands are filthy. It also has two soap levels. I call them normal and emergency! Emergency gives you more soap for messier hands.
The sleek design is ideal for a modern kitchen and matches mine perfectly. It’s also perfect for the bathroom and won’t look out of place. While Elizabeth is a long way away from washing her hands I love the idea of her using it when she is a little older. It will always give her the right amount of soap to wash her hands.
Simple Human Countertop Can
We don’t keep garbage cans in any of our bedrooms. I keep them in the bathrooms but not the bedrooms. I have never liked having a garbage can, even a small one in the bedroom. Anything I needed to throw out I could bring to the bathroom to dispose of. And it’s one less thing to have to empty every week.
This theory, like many other, went out the window once Elizabeth arrived. I was constantly creating a pile of trash to dispose of in her room. The biggest culprit has been tags from clothes. I don’t remove the tags from her clothes until she is ready to wear them. When I do remove the tags I don’t want those plastic pieces to accidentally fall on the floor as that could be a choking hazard.
Having the Simple Human Countertop Can on her dresser is perfect to throw the little tags in. It keeps them off the floor and away from her. It’s also ideal to throw away wipes and tissues quickly. The modern design blends in perfectly with her nursery. I opted for the silver color, but it comes in rose gold too, which would be so cute for a little girl’s room.
I’m wild about the Simple Human products because they are built to make life easier. The design of the products are clean and sophisticated. They are everyday products that I have out on display in my house and it makes the house look so put together. You can see how I’ve incorporated other Simple Human products into my home in this post here.
Larken Nursing Bra
The first challenge I faced as a new mom was breastfeeding. While I loved the time I got to spend with my baby she wasn’t able to fully nurse, we had to supplement with a bottle, which meant I had to spend a lot of time pumping. Pumping isn’t hard, but it’s incredibly time consuming. I needed to be able to pump hands-free so I could at least do something productive while pumping.
I initially tried other bands and bras for hands free pumping, but they were a hassle. What I love about the Larken X is that I can wear it all day long. I don’t have to put it on over another bra or change into it when I’m going to pump. It’s comfortable and provides enough support to wear as is or with your nursing bra if needed.
The design of the top is genius! Probably because it was created by two moms who were searching for a comfortable and simple way to nurse and pump. Products created out of real life needs are some of the best inventions.
I absolutely love to support women run businesses too. Did you know that Larken means fierce? And that is exactly what this brand is about. Fierce women creating products for fierce women, what’s not to love about that? The criss-cross design allows the pumps to sit perpendicular to your body, which is ideal so there is no spillage in the pump. It leaves my hand free to do other things, like my makeup, reading or blogging a little.
Baby Breeza Formula Pro Advanced
I’ve nicknamed this the Baby Keurig because it makes a bottle at the perfect temperature in seconds. I’m not exclusively breastfeeding so we mix in formula here and there. The Baby Breeza has been a lifesaver for late night feedings when she is starving and screaming. So glad I waited so long to have a baby so awesome new mom products like this existed.
Binxy Baby Shopping Cart Hammock
I’ve been to the grocery store twice with Elizabeth and the first time was challenging. Where do you put the baby? If she is in her car seat you can only fit a few things in the cart. The Binxy Baby Hammock is a life saver. I can securely put her in the hammock and still grocery shop and fill the cart up. Made by a mom for moms, it’s a lifesaver for grocery shopping.
Weighted Wipe Dispenser
Baby wipes are a necessity with a baby. I can’t even count how many wipes I wasted because they didn’t come out of the package properly. It’s annoying wasting so many wipes! The weighted wipe dispenser solves this problem. It fits all standard wipes and has a removable weight that holds the wipes down. You can easily get one wipe out at a time. I also love that it has a simple design in all white.
Products I Love For Baby
4Moms Playard
I was torn on the idea of playard in the house. I didn’t think I needed one as we live in a condo and everything is on the same level. We actually used this as her bassinet for her to sleep in in our bedroom. It’s lightweight, sleek looking and provides use now and later when she gets bigger.
PUJ Bathtub
Best infant bathtub out there! It lays flat for storage and pops up to place in the sink. It’s made of a super light weight material that is soft for the baby. It’s easy to wipe down when done and dries quickly. You can only use it for a few months when baby is small, and it’s been perfect for us so far.
Nose Frida
My initial thoughts on this product was that we will never use this. My thoughts after using it to clear her nose…this is the most amazing product ever created! It seems gross and weird, but this is a life saver to help clear her little nose.
Baby Bjorn Bouncer
This is a great option to have that grows with your baby. It has a sleek design and can be folded up flat. It’s great for storage in small places. I just started using it and wish I took it out earlier to use. Elizabeth loves to bounce in it.
GB Pockit Stroller
I accidentally registered for this stroller and ended up loving it. It’s the worlds smallest folding infant car seat carrier. It can be folded into a small square that you can carry in one hand. You can even take this onto a plane with you and put it in the overhead compartment. When your baby grows it converts into an umbrella stroller, you’ll just need to buy an attachment. It’s lightweight and easy to use. We also have a the City Select, but find ourselves using the Pockit Stroller a ton due to the small footprint.
Cybex Car Seat
Elizabeth arrived early and we didn’t even have a car seat picked out yet! We had done all the research, just didn’t pull the trigger with the purchase. This car seat has a small footprint (great for small cars) and is lightweight. It is compatible with both of our strollers.
Lovevery Play Mat
I was truly influenced to buy this play mat. When I was pregnant I saw it on everyone’s Instagram feed and loved the look of it. Now loving the look of a baby product is one thing, but it also has to be good for the baby. After looking into Lovevery I realized what an amazing brand it truly is. Their products are designed by child development experts and distilled to their simplest, purest purpose: to be exactly what children need at each stage.
I love the philosophy behind it and Elizabeth loves playing on the play mat. It comes with a booklet that guides you on activities to do with your child at each stage in life. The booklet explains each activity and how it work with your baby’s developing brain.
Burts Bees Sleepers
For the first weeks at home I kept Elizabeth in sleepers all day. She was so little that having her in actual clothes didn’t make much sense. The Burt Bee’s sleepers fit snug and have elastic around the ankles. This was key for me to have her legs fully in the pant portion of the sleeper. They come in a variety of colors and patterns and are super soft.
SwaddleMe Swaddles
To swaddle or not to swaddle, it was so difficult to decide. Based on my pediatrician’s recommendation I swaddle her every night to sleep and even for naps. These swaddles are easy to use and have velcro that guides you on how to wrap her up. She looks like a little burrito and I love it!
Comments
Comments are closed