Nursing Secrets from tanks, dresses, bras, and more

About two weeks ago I was introduced to nursing tanks! I had no idea these things existed but I'm so glad because before I would have to pull up or down my tank top to nurse (and stretch it out the wrong way... super annoying)but now with nursing tanks I can easy pull down the tabs (like in nursing bras) and feed my little guy.

Great idea right!  I got my tank from Glamourmom who has a variety of color and styles of nursing tanks, nursing bras, and other maternity and nursing clothing to make your nursing experience more comfortable. As you can see from the above picture, this tank provides full coverage while nursing in public and is extra long (hence it's name "Nursing bra long tank") to hide after baby tummy and back.  I love how it fits and easily comes down for me to feed my baby.  There is no bulk (like I have when I feed with regular tank tops) and the adjustable spaghetti straps help me adjust the tank to the right place.

Galmourmom also has other nursing tanks to suit your nursing needs.  Their nursing tanks include: 

Nursing Bra Tummy Control Long Tank (pictured above)

Nursing Bra Full Bust Long Top

Nursing Bra Long Tank

Nursing Bra Long Top with Adjustable Chest Band 

Nursing Bra Long Top

Nursing Bra Full Bust Slimming Long Top

Nursing Bra Top with Lace

Nursing Bra Tank

Glamourtank Bra Tank (Non-Nursing)

Maternity Bra Tank (Non-Nursing)

Beyond tanks, Glamourmom has cute clothing centered around your nursing needs.  I love this Long Sleeve with Detachable Nursing Bra that's so cute and allows you to detach the bra part which is brilliant.  

Another favorite is the Nursing Bra Dress that is so cute (I would love this in the fall with some tights and boots) and instead of awkwardly lifting my dress to nurse or pulling the collar down, this dress provides the perfect solution.

Another product Glamourmom offers is their nursing bras.  This is the Mpress Lace Microfiber which has cotton lined cups, back wing support for excess skin, one hand hooks, and inner lace.  Love all of these awesome nursing products from Glamourmom, check out more of what they offer on their website! 

Staying comfortable while feeding my newborn

Yay Baby Pears is three weeks and I can't believe how big he's getting!  I thought I was prepared for what it would be like having a baby, but the thing that has caught me most off-guard is the physical exhaustion I feel from the lack of sleep and discomfort from carrying, holding, and especially feeding him. 

  

My back and neck especially have been aching so I've been trying to figure out some ways to be more comfortable because he's been eating about 8 times a day averaging about 35-45 minutes each time. With feeding, burping, and rocking asleep I would say it comes up to about 7-9 hours a day.  That's so much strain on my back and neck and body I've tried a few things but what's worked the best is My Brest Friend nursing pillow which by far is the best nursing pillow out there because of it's designs and features.  Here are some of the benefits I have found through My Brest Friend and how it has helped my aching nursing body.

1) Back support
One thing missing from other nursing pillows is a back support.  I've tried different pillows which go just across the front of my body or somewhat go behind my back but leaning back is so uncomfortable and their just not built right.  My Brest Friend has one piece that wraps behind my back and snaps into place (adjustable to size) and is not too bulky or low on my back.  It feels so comfortable and does not get out of place like other pillows.

2) Flat cushion design
I love the flat cushion design from this nursing pillow.  Other nursing pillows are, well, just pillows and don't give equal balance and support like My Brest Friend.  The foam used with My Brest Friend is cushy but not swallowing up your baby or making him uncomfortable.  I love on top of My Brest Friend that there's two small mounds which are perfect to slightly lift the baby's head on each side you nurse.

3) Pocket
Another convenient feature for feeding my baby is a spot to put things in to keep it near. Once my baby starts eating, he's going to finish eating so taking even a short break if I need something is hard.  I love the idea for nursing pillows to have pockets so I can keep things near whether it be a bottle, paci, book etc.

4) Elbow rest - awesome for shoulder support
Once My Brest Friend is snapped into place, you have two comfortable places to rest your elbows.  When nursing I would get so uncomfortable because I would be crouched over and was in a bad posture with my arms. The elbow rest with this pillow really helps me keep a good posture.

5) Machine washable
When I hear noises from my baby's diaper when feeding my first instinct is oh no it's going to get all over me! Thank goodness for nursing pillows with fabric that easily comes off and that is machine washable.  You never know when your baby might have a destructive diaper that goes everywhere!

5 Ideas for getting sleep with your newborn

I'm writing this as a first time mom at a ridiculously early hour. Adjusting to being a parent has been so great but definitely can be draining especially from the lack of sleep. If I could give advice from my experience to new moms, here are some tips to get some sleep with newborns.

Sleep when baby sleeps. Everyone has given me this advice and they are right. Now having a newborn I can't plan when to nap or sleep (or do a lot of things) so napping at least once a day when he sleeps helps give me the extra energy especially at night when he is up. Many mothers will try to get things done when their baby sleeps (including me) during the day which can easily add up to a drained and exhausted mommy. So again, if you can squeeze in a once a day nap you will feel so much better in helping your little one.

Bonding time with baby in my arms or on my stomach gives me time to nap or at least relax. Even if he doesn't sleep and is looking around, I can engage with talking to him or singing which many times puts both of us to sleep but if not I can get a little relaxing time while bonding with baby.

A newborn doesn't know day from the night. Slowly developing patterns to show him day and night (for instance at night be less engaging, keeping lights lower, etc.) can help slowly teach him when bedtime should be. My husband and I have started to do this when our baby was about two weeks old. He definitely didn't sleep through the night, but he's sleeping longer strides at night and less during the day so hopefully it will continue like that.

A few hours before going to bed, we try to keep our baby awake so by the time he eats next, he is worn out and really wants to sleep.

Find out the things your baby enjoys to fall asleep. Our baby loves soothing music to fall asleep. Some like to be rocked, sang to, etc. I think our baby is starting to realize that after being fed and burped then turning on his little soundtrack, it's bedtime routine.

Fall in Love with Mommylicious

School has started and the temperature is dropping which means.... it's Fall where I live!  Trying to figure out how to dress your pregnant body, here are some cute maternity styles from Mommylicious Maternity.  I love Mommylicious Maternity's cute patterns, colors, and styles they have to make pregnant women feel great!  Here are some of my favorite outfits from their store that would be so cute this fall season.

This loose cut top has a cowl neck and comfy pockets which is a great look this fall.  With a pair of skinny jeans and boots this outfit is perfect to go out to the mall or date night.  This Room to Glow top is a must have and comes in plum, black, and heather gray.

Maxi dresses are perfect for all seasons, especially when you are pregnant.  I love how flowy and airy maxi dresses are and how they can hide my swollen legs... thank goodness! This is my favorite maxi from Mommylicious, love the colors and how flattering the black top is with the nude colored bottom.

Hide and Chic Top is super cute and flattering fit on top for any pregnant body.  I love this stylish top paired with leggings which is a popular style this cold season.  

Another favorite top is the Bow Leave it or Not.  Having a tie in the back of your maternity tops can help create a better look and fit. This top is long enough for 3rd trimester tummies and I love the lace design on top with two cute bows.   

Another favorite dress from Mommylicious is the Allison Hip Dress.  I love the trendy chevron pattern on bottom and black fitted 3/4 top.  Pairing this dress with boots and tights would be perfect to wear this fall and winter.  

So what are you going to wear this fall? Not only does Mommylicious Maternity have cute fall clothes, but maternity clothes for all year round.  Check out their nursing, active wear, plus size, sleep wear and more!

My birth story... Baby Pears is finally here!

First of all I have predicted for awhile that our baby would come early and I guess I was right! Baby Pears came 2 1/2 weeks early.
4:00pm I was getting ready to get into the shower when I noticed one or two drops running down my leg which I knew wasn't urine.  My doctor was out of town and the office was closed for Labor Day so I didn't know if I should call or not to come in. I called around 4:15pm and the doctor on call called me back and said I should come into Labor & Delivery.  My husband and I got ready and brought our hospital bags just incase. On the way to the hospital I broke down because I thought something was wrong because I was leaking fluid and it wasn't my water breaking.

4:45pm we arrived at Labor & Delivery and I was hooked up to two monitors.  The nurse took a quick test to see if my water broke and it came up negative. I kept telling my husband that I was probably going to not be admitted as we waited for the second test to see if my water broke.  When the nurse was checking my monitors, she kept telling me I was having contractions and they were 3 minutes a part and my dialation was a 3-3.5.  I couldn't even feel them and she would say "wow here's another big contraction can you feel that?" The only thing I could feel is when I would touch my stomach and it was hard. My pain level at this point was a 1 if that. My doctor was on her way back from her vacation which was great.

6:00pm My nurse was gone for awhile and when she came back with the second test, she said congrats and we were going to have a baby! I was so excited to be admitted but it was nerve racking as well because I still felt I had time to mentally prepare myself for my delivery.  I got an IV at this point which I hated looking at.
During the next few hours my water still wasn't breaking, I had a small hole/tear in my placenta and I needed to walk around to possibly help it break.  I got on my shoes and my husband and I power walked all around the Labor & Delivery.  I could only be off of the monitors for 45 minute so we walked all around the delivery floor and nothing happened so my doctor needed to break my water when she came in.

10:20pm My doctor came right to the hospital and checked me and I only progressed to a 3.5 and my water still was not broken.  My contractions were about 2.5-3 minutes a part and I still couldn't feel them, I was more uncomfortable so my pain level was about a 2.  I saw the huge crochet needle they were going to use and definitely was not excited for that.  I freaked out and was so distracted that it would hurt that all of the sudden I felt all of my water come and didn't even feel it break thank goodness. By this point I was so hungry, I didn't eat much that day because I was feeling sick but I could eat popsicles and flavored ice which were good but not that filling.  The IV was keeping me super hydrated which was nice.

12:00am My nurses told me around 6pm that I could get an epidural whenever I felt ready.  By midnight I was dialated to a 5-6 and I was feeling more pain. I felt only about 4 contractions during this time (pain about 5) and I decided to have the epidural then because it would take about 30 minutes and then about 15 minutes to get into my system.  The epidural was the most painful part of my labor.  They had to put in the needle twice in my spine which really was not fun.

1:00pm The epidural was put in by this point and slowly starting to work. I was dialated to a 7 so I'm so glad I had the epidural starting to work then.  My pain level went down to a 1 again and it was super weird having my whole bottom half be totally numb, I tried to keep waking up my legs but they were totally numb.  I didn't want to be totally numb when I delivered so I made sure the epidural was minimally coming into my body.

3:00pm I was dialated to a 9+. I was so tired and was trying to get sleep the last few hours but was excited/nervous/not knowing what to expect so I think I got less than half hour. I had nurses coming in frequently to make sure my levels were ok and my husband had a bed/chair that he pulled right next to my hospital bed.

4:10pm I was at a complete-complete (dialated to a 10 and ready to have a baby!)  Around this time I didn't feel that much pain but I freaked out that I would feel a lot of pain when the baby came so I pressed the epidural button for security.  4:15 I started pushing which I was terrified of, but it went awesome. I was in no pain, not completely numb like I wanted so I was able to push and feel everything.  5am I pushed the button again and at 5:20 the doctor came.

5:40am Baby was born! It was so excited seeing our little baby for the first time, it was such a special/spiritual moment.  They cleaned out his lungs and put him on a towel on my chest. It was so great seeing his little eyes and seeing my husband hold him for the first time.  Little one got measured and cleaned up, he came back over to me and stopped crying and just sat wide awake looking at both of us.  It was so cute and a moment I will never forget.

Maternity Cake Lingerie

So, I've been maternity bra shopping and gosh it's easy to find something comfortable but what about cute and sexy?!  All of the sudden you get to maternity underwear and there's no lace, cute patterns and colors, and sexy designs.  So frustrating, I'm just glad that places like Cake Lingerie make us pregnant/nursing mothers feel good and don't need to take a step into the 'boring underwear category'.

Whether you are looking for a nursing bra for sleeping at night or one during the day, Cake Lingerie understands the nursing mother's needs and creates beautiful bras, sleepwear, and underwear that are not only practical and well designed, but cute and sexy for mothers to enjoy. 

Maternity Bras

This bra has beautiful lace on the edges with cute bows and ribbon throughout.  Do you see how cute the Cake Lingerie Maternity bras are? Definitely not boring and the cups of course drop down for easy nursing convenience. 

Rocky Road Bra

 Another one of my favorites from Cake Lingerie is this Velvet Delight Plunge love the color and design and how it's built with a soft cup that can be easily dropped down.  This bra is gorgeous and what nursing mother wouldn't feel sexy and good wearing this?

Velvet Delight Plunge

Besides cute underwire bras, Cake Lingerie has seamless bras (like the one below), contour, non-wire, and plus size bras.  This is my favorite seamless bra, if you want something comfortable at night or lounging during the day, this bra is more basic in fabric and style if that is more comfortable for you.  I love how this style has no garment tags, side sling for feeding, adjustable hooks and low t-back for support.

Black Cotton Candy

Maternity Sleepwear

Besides bras, Cake Lingerie carries beautiful sleepwear.  I love this Rocky Road Maternity Short Chemise with A-frame support, drop down cups (awesome!), stretchy fabric for stretching, and elastic under the bust line.  So comfy at night and perfect for nursing.

Rocky Road Maternity Short Chemise

This outfit has loose comfy pants and cute wrap which would look adorable as well being paired with different tops or bottoms.  The wrap top has an inside tie for an easy wrap, cute polka dot panels and outside ties, and perfect length that you could choose to wear this piece on it's own.

Apple Crumble Robe and Wrap

Maternity Underwear

Whether you prefer briefs, boy shorts, or thongs, Cake Lingerie has it all in cute colors and styles.  I love these two cute styles with lace or lace designs and cute bows in the center.  All of their bras have a matching pantie set (which you can buy separate) so you can look and feel good during your pregnancy or nursing period.

Sherbet Brief

Blue Berry Boyleg

So which underwear will you be getting from Cake Lingerie? If you love cute and sexy underwear, this is the place to shop!

Mercedes Hill Maternity Fall Tunics

What better way to welcome the fall than to buy some cute fall clothes :) There are so many cute pregnancy clothes for fall and winter and I love my new cute tunic from Mercedes Hill Maternity.  Tunics (aka shorter dresses/ longer shirts) are perfect for pairing with pants or leggings and my favorite fall accessory... BOOTS!

Here is the Jersey Knit Dream Tunic with a cute turquoise, black and tan design and after the baby this would work great as a cute dress with tights.  What a fun print and outfit entering into the fall.

So comfy and I love how I don't have to worry about bending over and showing my back or stomach because the tunic is always long enough.  Another cute idea to wear this tunic (or others from Mercedes Hill) in the fall is to add a cardigan and a belt over your belly.

Here are some of my other favorite tunics from Mercedes Hill.  Love how all of these would also look great with boots, cardigan, and some leggings or pants for a cute and comfortable stylish look.

Check out Mercedes Hill for cute tunics and other cute apparel from dresses to tops to help you get your maternity wardrobe set for this fall!