Navigating Motherhood

It’s hard to believe, but my little Eloise was four weeks old on Wednesday. One whole month! She has grown so much since birth and thanks to an insatiable appetite she is plumping up more each day. 

In this first month there have been a few items that have made my job of navigating motherhood much easier. From our time in the hospital to the first days at home and onward, here are the items that have been essential in my first month as a mom:

Aden + Anais Muslin Swaddles

Kushies Burp Pads

myMonkeymoo Stroller Blanket

Swaddling Blankets

Since Eloise is still so small I am always concerned about her temperature and as a result, we keep her swaddled most of the time. Flannel receiving blankets are great, but by far the best blankets for swaddling are the beautiful Aden + Anais cotton muslin swaddles. Ample in size and super soft, these blankets also double as a nursing cover when we're out and about.

A Breast Pump  

The powerful Medela pump I used in the hospital was awesome, but I opted to purchase the more compact Medela Swing for use at home. Not quite as effective but certainly more portable, the Swing is working well so far.

A Nipple Shield

This weird contraption, given to me by my midwife, made breastfeeding my tiny babe possible right from the get go. Apparently, it’s a rather controversial item in the medical community, but I don’t care. If it wasn’t for my Medela Nipple Shield it would have been much harder for Eloise to gain the weight she needs to grow.

Nursing Bras

I never considered nursing bras until I began to breastfeed, but once you start looking you soon discover that most look like something Brünnhilde would have worn. Luckily, I was able to find a nursing bra that is as lovely and lacy as it is comfortable at Change, one of my favourite lingerie stores.  

Bamboo Nursing Pads

I’m sure this was mentioned in the multiple pregnancy books I read, but I must not have been paying attention: leakage is par for the course when you're breastfeeding. Tired of changing my shirt numerous times a day, I purchased bamboo nursing pads from Hip Baby on 4^th and have been much more happier (not to mention drier!) ever since.

Burp Cloths

The aforementioned nipple shield may be a lifesaver, but it also requires more clean up and Kushies' generously sized burp cloths have been the best. Better yet, you can even buy this Canadian-made product at Walmart!

A Cozy Blanket

We received a gorgeous myMonkeymoo stroller blanket at Christmastime and have been using it daily since Eloise was born. This blanket is cozy and warm, so we cart it around with us everywhere to keep our little peanut toasty, whether we're at home, in the car or on a stroll. Better yet, myMonkeymoo products are Vancouver-made!