Shep is 2 months this Friday and it’s a little unbelievable how quickly time has gone by so far! The hard days and nights are few and far between now, and even still I am just grateful to have them. Some evenings when we’re getting him ready for bed, I rock him and cry at how much I love this little boy and I know how much I’ll be wishing for this time back as he gets older. It’s somehow a bittersweet thing to watch babies grow up, and to know you’re living out ‘the good ole days’. I’ve truly loved almost every moment of his newborn stage, and the harder parts have been because of something I’ve had to learn or get through. Shep has been the sweetest little baby, and we’re thanking the Lord everyday we get to have him in our family.
Sappy aside, there are lots of things I’ve been loving during these last 8 weeks that I hope to be helpful for any new moms! If you missed it, my last post was about my birth story where I also listed out all the things I did for labor prep. It’s a very detailed post, so pop over to that if you’re interested! It’s one of my favorites.
Newborn + Postpartum Favorites
Recovery
Right after Shep was born, I was just a wreck for a few days as I recovered! These are the helpful things I used during my healing that first week or two.
Compression socks – Trust… you will need these.
Tucks pads – Helps with swelling
These comfortable and discrete adult diapers (they’re a lot less aggressive than the ones at the hospital!)
Nursing
Postnatal + Lactation support gummies
Correct flange size for my Spectra pump – If you’re pumping at all, please make sure to have the correct size flange. If your sizing is wrong, which most Spectras come with the larger size, this can damage nipples and affect supply. I got measured by my Doula but any lactation consultant can help, or you can buy a flange ruler on amazon! So so important. The more you know!
Nursing cover from We Are Amma – Super breathable and discrete
This massager – I used this on my lower back especially after nursing sessions.
Vitamin D drops – I put a drop on my pinky or nipple every day for Shep to take. Only for breastfed babies! Formula has enough supplemented vitamin D.
Nipple Shield – For those early days of learning to latch and getting through nipple pain! These are a great transition tool.
Hydration packs – Helps with your milk supply if you’re hydrated!
These bottles – Bottle nipples are better for breastfed babies as they are shaped a little more like mom. We went with the glass bottles.
For Baby
These pacis – Shaped more like a nipple for breastfed babies!
Hatch changing table scale – Great for those early days to keep an eye on weight gain and milk intake.
These wipes – More nontoxic. We’ve yet to have a spot of diaper rash.
Halo Sleep Swaddle – We never quite could get that good swaddle down with a blanket so after a few nights of re-wrapping over and over, these velcro swaddles were a life saver. Also pictured is the Snuggle Me, which we have loved.
Baby Bjorn Bouncer seat – He’s in this a few times a day as I get ready or cook dinner. We love it because he’s able to look around and be a part of everything instead of laying him down. It’s also super lightweight and easy to fold up to store in a closet.
Tummy time mat – We use this a few times a day.
Our Stroller system: Uppababy Vista v2 – The bassinet is amazing, it’s such a beautiful design, the car seat fits right into the stroller without an attachment, there’s plenty of storage, it’s lightweight and easy to fold up, and you’re able to grow with it. One of my favorite baby items we have! Worth the splurge.
Mabe Carrier – Obsessed with this! And comes in other colors. Pro tip: I did just learn that there is a proper way to carry newborns to ensure proper hip support better than you see in this photo. When the carrier is mailed to you, the leg holes aren’t set for a newborn, as this requires scooting the bottom part of the carrier in on each side with the hidden velcro piece. That way baby’s legs can hang out even if they’re tiny! I didn’t see this for a few weeks of using, but a follower reached out to share! It’s so much more comfortable for the both of us now, and his legs are in the “M” position.
I’m sure I’m missing a few things, but these are some basics to get you through! As you get into it, you’ll figure out what works best for you and your baby. <3
You might also like:
Our Nursery Reveal (with all sources!)
My pregnancy must-haves and a few registry favorites
More details on our pregnancy!
Looking for something? Here’s my Amazon storefront with all my finds.
Go back to the blog!
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