September 20, 2013

Mommy Favorites

These are my Mommy Favorites that have gotten me through motherhood so far!!


1. Bella Materna
Since I am larger chested, I couldn't just go to TJ Maxx, Target or even Motherhood Maternity to pick out a bra. I thought I could just get away with going up in band size which increased the cup size a little bit each time, but I was very wrong. I went a full 10 months wearing completely the wrong size. After 10 months, I threw in the towel and thought "Since I'm having more kids, I need a nursing bra that fits! I don't care how expensive they are!" 

Bella Materna bras not only have my correct size (which after taking my own measurements, I had to go down a band size and up 2 cups sizes!), but they are also comfortable and come with some cool features. First, I love that although expensive, all of their bras come with bra extenders allowing you to wear them while pregnant and through nursing. After you are through with nursing, the bras come with little connecting rings to change your bra to a regular bra, if you choose.

They come in underwire, wire free, night time use etc. I was a little disappointed that I couldn't find my unicorn of a bra with this brand. (I swear I'm not looking for something that's so unreasonable! I just want a bra that a) comes in my size with under wire b) has foam cups for modesty and d) has FULL coverage so there's no spillage). Although I couldn't find this with Bella Materna, I did like some others that they had. 

*If you see anything that comes even remotely close to my unicorn bra, let me know!!*  

Larger sized bras (anything over a DD cup) are hard to find. Stores don't really carry them, and shopping online is a HUGE pain because you can't try anything on. But Bella Materna's customer service was spectacular! They worked with me over the phone many times on how I could get bras shipped to me to try on and then shipped back free of charge. They really do put their customers first!
2. Tervis cup
Being a mom on the go, I need a sturdy cup that'll fit most cup holders, plus one that'll keep my beverage hot or cold, especially since I end up forgetting about them quite often. Tervis cups do not get condensation on the outside of the due to its double cup layers. It's great not having to worry about it dripping or slipping with a baby in tow. You can find these at Bed Bath and Beyond cheaper than any where since you can use their 20% off coupons on both the cup and lids (which are sold separately, boo). Another plus though is that they are dishwasher and microwave safe!!
3. Udder Cover
The best thing about this cover is that it was free! They run promo codes all the time to get a free cover and all you pay is shipping. This cover comes in handy when nursing in public. It has a flexible top that allows the cover to arch so you can see baby, but that also makes it handy for people behind you to sneak a peek. :o/ In an effort to avoid that though you can just keep the top loose, and fold it down so there is no gap. I've also seen the shawl type covers and thought it'd be neat to try those, but wondered how well they would work, especially in the summer when it'd be pretty hot.
4. Blogger 
Ever since staying home, I love that I have the time to blog. I do have to plan and schedule things out to make sure I have the time, but it's worth it! I usually blog during nap times and/or after C's bedtime. It's a great way for me to have an outlet outside of baby world, as well as help keep my interests and loves at the top of my priorities. It's fairly easy, free and there's no pressure to impress (especially at my level when there aren't thousands of readers) :o)
5. Total Baby App
This app has been a life saver! Although it costs $5, it paid for itself the first day I used it! It's an amazing app that tracks EVERYTHING: diapers (pee, poo), feedings (nursing and which side, bottle feeding, juice etc.), pumpings, milk storage (plus expiration times), bath times, nap times, medicines, growth charts, doctor appointments, vaccines, timers for when to feed and change them, and so much more! 

What I use daily with this app, are mainly the timers. I time C's naps and I keep track of his diaper changes and feedings. I'm horrible at remembering when I fed him last, and my timer will ding at the set time lapse that I set. I also love looking at the growth charts. I'll plug in his data when we're at the doctors office and I'll be able to see how much progress he has made. Check it out, it's great!!
6. Glamourmom Nursing Bra Full Bust Long Top
I love this tank top because it's a full coverage top, and it's long! There's nothing worse when you're nursing, and your breasts are already larger than normal, to be wearing a tank top that will show major cleavage. It's just wrong for anyone, including women with smaller chests. NO ONE needs to see side or in between boob. This top I do not mind wearing outside of the house and it's very comfortable. Since I'm larger on top, I wanted something that I didn't need to wear a bra underneath. This top lets me do just that. It's supportive enough (I'm not going to be doing jumping jacks or anything) and I like that it has an adjustable band. They also sell these tanks on Amazon. The only downer is that if you purchase a white tank, the top fabric is just see through enough that you can tell there are holes cut out on the underneath layer. If you wear breast pads, they seem to help cover it pretty well. I also used the sizing chart on Glamourmom's site, and it fits great.
7. The First Years Breastflow Milk Storage Organizer 
I really liked having this milk storage organizer while I was a WAHM (work at home mom). I was able to put my pumped milk bags into this organizer, and it would squeeze them flat while standing up right! After they were frozen, I could then switch them to ziploc bags labeled with their expiration date. It took up less room in my small freezer and it helped keep things very organized! For only $14 it was a good investment.

8. KellyMom I really love this website because it's SO informative. I'd use its search engine all the time to find out pretty much anything concerning breastfeeding such as which medicines can I take if I have a cold, what to do about a fast let down, when to start solids and how, how to encourage good breastfeeding manners etc. Another thing I love about this awesome resource is that they also have a Facebook support group where you can ask questions, and other mother's can respond! They also have a pregnancy support group.
9. First Frame
This was a great site that allows you to customize your own baby frame! You can choose between different fonts, clip art and add up to 200 characters to the top and bottom portion of the frame. I created a simple baby collage of C from the hospital to put in my frame. It came out great, and I plan to use this site for future kids!
10. Crawford-Lehigh RC40 40-Feet Retractable Clothesline
This clothes line has come in real handy even though we live in a condo! We set ours up between our two patio banisters, and even though it's a small space to line dry items, it still works! I purchased the 40ft. line instead of the 8ft or even 20ft. because I know that we will not always live in the same place, and when it comes time to line dry at a new, bigger house, I'll be ready! I love that this clothes line is retractable and easy to set up. The unit it pretty large, but that doesn't bother me. I have yet to buy a set of laundry pins, but I plan on purchasing these in the future since I've heard great things. When drying my items, I either drape them over the line, or thread the clothes line through a sleeve, pant leg etc.
Ahhh, swimming lesson season :o)
Check out my baby favorites: 0-3months, 3-6 months, 6-9 months, and 9-12 months

What other kind of mommy things would you like to see?

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