I can’t believe that Nash’s little brother is going to be here in less than 3 weeks. I remember how I felt at this time a year and a half ago, I was nervous, anxious and scared as I waited for Nash join our family. Luckily, I had my good friend Renee Herlocker to lean on. Renee had just had her son Camden, 3 months earlier has a great Vlog on Youtube where she’s always talking about the trials and tribulations of raising a little one as well as her favorite products. She became my go to person when it came to all of my questions about products, apps, traveling…pretty much everything. Well we are back at it again as Renee just had her beautiful little girl Bowynn a week and a half ago and Nash’s brother will be here within the month. Renee and I got to talking about how we get asked all the time about our favorite baby and mom products so we decided to team up on a few blog posts to talk about some of our favorite must haves for bring baby #2 home. I’m not going to say we are experts, but we’ve certainly got experience with our first ones and below we are featuring some of our favorite products that we will be using for baby #2. Be sure to make it to the end and enter our Giveaway which features over $1500 worth of products from the very brands we love! Enjoy! – Jenn
So I have this product listed first because the Medela Freestyle Pump was a LIFE SAVER for me! Nash was born almost 6 weeks early, so he had a lot of trouble latching on. Because of this, I almost exclusively pumped and fed him by bottle because I was always concerned he wasn’t getting enough milk. The best part about the Freestyle pump is that it’s hands free, so it allows you to clip it on your pants and do other things around the house. I love how small and lightweight it is too! I was traveling for NFL a lot after Nash was born and it was great to be able to bring this with and not have it take up too much space in my suitcase. I definitely think this is a must have product for a mom that is pumping to feed or trying to store up extra milk.
Click HERE to learn more about the Medela Freestyle Pump.
As you can see by the pictures, I used our Orbit Stroller System everywhere with Nash and I can’t say enough amazing things about it. My favorite thing is the 360 degree swivel design that allows you to access your little one from any position. It is SUPER helpful when putting them in the car because you don’t have to lean over and buckle them in, you can have them face you, buckle them in, then swivel them into position. The other great thing that I’m looking forward to start using is the Helix attachment that will make my current stroller into a double stroller. I’ll be able to take Nash and his brother for walks and I can’t wait to try out all the different seating configurations.
Click HERE to learn more about Orbit.
We used the Halo Bassinest until Nash was 6+ months old because we were in the process of moving to our new home and it was easier to have him sleep in our room that create a nursery for a month. My favorite thing about the Bassinest is the swivel sleeper design that allows you to move it when you are getting in and out of the bed. It’s the only bassinet that rotates a full 360 degrees! As I mentioned, I was pumping round the clock to feed Nash so it was extremely helpful to be able to move the bassinest out of the way and not wake him. It has an adjustable height that allows the bassinets to be lifted up above your mattress so they can sleep right next to you safely. It also has a patented retractable wall that allows one side to drop down so you can lift them in and out easily. The Luxe series incorporates a soothing center with a night light, white noise, lullabies, nursing timer and 2 speeds of vibration along with a floor light to illuminate the area when mom gets out of bed, a coordinated storage caddy to hold baby’s essentials, an extra sheet and waterproof mattress pad. I loved this with Nash and will be using it again for his brother!
Click HERE to learn more about the Halo Bassinets Swivel Sleeper
Now this is a product I wish I’d had with Nash. Seeing Nash had trouble latching on, I never knew if he was getting enough milk. I spent a lot of time at a lactation consultant which was great because she had a scale and would weigh him before and after feeding so we could get an idea if he was eating enough. But when I went home, I never felt comfortable that he was getting enough so I was always supplementing with a bottle. Enter the Hatch Smart Changing Pad. It’s got a built-in wireless smart scale that allows you to track weight, number of feedings and wet diapers and it sends all of the info to an app on your phone. I am so excited to use this product with Baby #2 because I will be able to breast feed with confidence and know my little guy is getting enough milk!
Hatch is giving $20 off if you use code Jenn20 at Checkout.
Click HERE to learn more about the Hatch Smart Changing Pad.
For those of you that follow me on social media, you probably saw the post I did about a year ago featuring Nash’s nursery. His room is hands down my favorite room in our house and I owe it all to Annalisa, the founder and designer of Oilo. Not only is she one of the nicest people that you’ll ever meet and she has an incredible eye for design. Her bedding options for nurseries are the best I’ve seen and the colors and designs have something for everyone’s taste. I’m so excited to be working with her again for Baby #2 and can’t wait to see how the nursery comes out!
Click HERE to learn more about Oilo.
I first learned about évolur at the ABC Baby & Kids Expo Show in Las Vegas and I am going to be using their furniture in the nursery for my new little one. The thing I liked most about this brand is the versatility of their designs. I love that their crib can be transformed into a toddler bed then a full bed when needed. Each of their collections are European inspired, blended with modern and traditional elements and a touch of vintage craftsmanship allowing each piece to transform with any style. Crafted from solid wood and wood veneers, évolur not only evolves with your baby, It evolves with you. Another great thing, it’s extremely affordable so you won’t be breaking the bank when it comes to your new little one’s furniture!
Click HERE to learn more about évolur.
This product I am so excited to use with Baby #2. The Owlet Monitor is up all night so you don’t have to be. It’s also the only monitor to use hospital technology called pulse oximetry. Owlet is designed to alert you if your baby stops breathing, I mean WOW! I really wish I had something like this when Nash was born because I can’t tell you how many times I would wake up at night those first few months just to make sure he was still breathing. I love that now you can have peace of mind and hopefully get a good night sleep!
Click HERE to learn more about Owlet.
As you can see by the pictures above, I love Kickee Pants! I think that is all Nash wore for the first few months of his life and it’s all Nash sleeps in at night now. The material is made from bamboo which makes it super soft and the designs are super cute! My favorite is the cookies! This is my go to baby shower gift because they have the cutest newborn gift sets that come with a onesie, pants and a hat. If you haven’t tried Kickee Pants, do yourself a favor and order a set for your little one, I promise it’s all they’ll wear from then on!
Click HERE to learn more about Kickee Pants
A friend of mine told me about Belly Bandit before Nash was born. She swore it was the reason she was able to get back down to her pre-pregnancy waist very quickly. I knew about the concepts of wraps or corsets being used to shrink a waist, but I’d never tried one. I decided to give it a try and I am very thankful I did. I actually took the belly bandit with me to the hospital and wore it the day after Nash was born. I pretty much wore it 24/7 and I was very happy with the results! I, of course will be doing it all over again as soon as this little guy comes. The Belly Bandit “Viscose from Bamboo” postpartum compression band is Mother Nature inspired and designed to help reduce the tummy, waist and hips post-pregnancy. Designed with specialized medical grade elastic to aid in tightening the belly, minimizing stretch marks and supporting core muscle structure. They also have an amazing shape wear line called Mother Trucker that I highly recommend. The leggings and tanks are fab!
Click HERE to learn more about Belly Bandit.
Renee is who first told me about Baby K’tan. Now I’ve tried a bunch of baby carriers that are wraps and my biggest takeaway is that I always felt like I needed an instruction booklet and youtube instructional video every time I wanted to put it on. The Baby K’tan is SUPER simple. I watched a video once on how to do it and that was it. I also love that you can wear your little one in multiple positions. They come in a bunch of colors, fabrics and designs and they have men’s sizes too!
Click HERE to learn more about Baby K’tan
As I mentioned above breast feeding was somewhat of a challenge with Nash, but I am determined to do it with his brother. I’m so excited to try out Ergobaby’s award winning nursing pillow. They pulled out all the stops with this one. Here’s some of the awesome features!
- Unique contour positions baby tummy-to-tummy for comfortable breastfeeding support
- Supports baby’s head above tummy which may aid in digestion
- Places baby at a comfortable height and position to prevent back pain from slouching
- Firm foam maintains shape for continued support
- Pillow wraps around waist to provide an armrest
- Plush pillow cover is comfortable for baby and is removable + machine washable
Click HERE to learn more about the Ergobaby Nursing Pillow
Summer Infant Babble Band Monitor
I love the idea behind this product! I have a baby monitor that I used with Nash that had the video screen, but the problem with that is, it wasn’t very mobile. I always had to keep it plugged into an outlet which made it cumbersome when I was doing things all over the house. The Babble Band by Summer Infant is the first and only wearable audio monitor for parents to monitor their little one from anywhere in the house. It has a soft wristband that adjusts to fit both Mom and Dad. It features 3 monitoring modes, audio, vibration and sound lights and it has a rechargeable battery that lasts up to 8-hours!
Click HERE to learn more about the Babble Band.
I love 4Moms. They have great products and I’ve used a ton of them with Nash. The bounceRoo is the only bouncer with 3 unique vibration modes (heartbeat, wave and bee) and 3 intensity settings to help calm and soothe baby. The bounceRoo also entertains with a fun, natural bouncing motion created by your baby’s movement. My favorite thing about the bounceRoo is the lightweight and compact design which makes it easy to move around the house or take on the go.
Click HERE learn more about 4Moms.
When your little one comes and you are breast feeding it’s all about easy access to the boobs! New moms are definitely going to want to invest in a few nursing tanks and nursing bras. I used Bravado’s tanks and bras after Nash was born and I can’t say enough great things about them. The bras are super comfortable and they have a bunch of different materials and styles to suite your needs. They have a new Body Silk Seamless Yoga Bra that I can’t wait to try out. The tanks are perfect for wearing under a shirt or sweater or just on their own. They also have a great maternity line you should check out if you are pregnant or plan on getting pregnant.
Click HERE for more info on Bravado.
Learning to swaddle a baby was the first thing I research after Nash was born. The nurses at the hospital showed me how to do it, but I never felt like I could get it as good as they did. Swaddling is so important because it soothes babies by mimicking the familiar snugness of the womb. It also helps babies sleep through the night without startling themselves awake and this is something Nash did a ton until I got the right swaddle. SwaddleMe is great because it has 4 stages of swaddles to grow with your little one.
Stage 1: Pod (5-12 lbs)
Recreates the comfort of the womb. Tiny zipped pod for secure swaddling.
Stage 2: Original Swaddle (7-18 lbs)
The proven design for easy, safe swaddling.
Stage 3: WrapSack (9-20 lbs)
Safe for swaddling when baby can roll over. Arms can be in or out.
Stage 4: Wiggle Blanket (12-24 lbs)
Extended sleeves keep baby’s arms warm and provide a feeling of security.
Click HERE to learn more about SwaddleME.
I just recently learned about Loyal Hana and I can’t wait to try out their super stylish designs for nursing. One thing I realized after having Nash is there wasn’t really a lot of great options for nice clothing that catered to nursing. There were a lot of t-shirts and tanks but nothing that I felt I could actually wear on camera or out to a nice dinner. Loyal Hana seems to have thought of everything. From cute tops, flannels, jump suits and dresses they’ve got something for everyone’s style. The best part about their clothes is the built in zipper that allows for easy access when nursing.
Click HERE to check out all the fab Loyal Hana designs!
GIVEAWAY
So I hope my reviews have been helpful to you mommas out there that are looking for some amazing products to help make the transition of bringing your little one home from the hospital easier. I’m really excited to announce that Renee and I were able to get most of the brands on board for being a part of a giveaway so one lucky reader can have the chance to win the fab products below. We are giving away over $1500 worth of products and store credits. To enter follow the instructions below. The winner will be picked on May 16, 2016. Good Luck!
One lucky winner will win all of the following:
@medela_us – Freestyle Breast Pump
@OwletCare – $100 Shop Credit
@ErgoBaby – Nursing Pillow
@SummerInfant – Babble Band Monitor & Swaddles
@babyktan – Carrier of your choice
@OiloStudio – $100 Shop Credit
@EvolurBaby – Sleep Mattress
@KickeePants – Newborn Gift Set
@Halosleep – Swaddles & SleepSacks
@BellyBandit – Bamboo Belly Bandit
@Loyal_Hana – $100 Shop Credit
@BravadoDesigns – Dream Nursing Tank & Yoga Bra
First Time Loves The Second Time Around Giveaway Valued at $1500
