Diaper Bag First Aid Kit

As a mom, I always like to be prepared.  Being prepared means keeping a stocked diaper bag.  One of the things I never thought to put in my diaper bag was a little first aid kit.  Don't ask me how this slipped my mind, especially as a mom to a super active toddler!  I recently put together a mini first aid kit and I wanted to share just what I put in there!

Here's the lowdown:
Neosporin To Go .  This lovely product was given to me complimentary from Influenster in my TLC Vox Box!  I had never seen it before, but it's genius.  It's a spray so if you're out and about with dirty hands, there's no need to touch your child's wound...just spray the neosporin on and you're good to go!  Thanks to @Influenster, I'm #NeoReady!

Alcohol Wipes.  If your child gets a scraped knee when you're out, chances are, you may not be able to get to a bathroom to thoroughly clean the scrape.  These alcohol wipes hardly take up any space and they'll quickly disinfect the cut until you can get home and clean it with soap and water.

Bandages.  This is probably pretty self explanatory.  I suggest finding a character that your child loves to help cheer them up while they're in pain.  I always buy the assorted size box too so that you can cover any size of cut/scrape!

Tweezers.  Great for getting out splinters and tons of other uses....including emergency brow shaping!  ;)

Disposable Gloves.  Once again, great for when you aren't able to wash up before bandaging your child.  Make sure to get latex free if anyone has an allergy!  Helpful hint: I also use these when applying self tanning lotion!  :)

Instant Cold Pack.  I had no clue these even existed!  They're so cool and super helpful for little ones' boo boos!

Hand Sanitizer .  Clean up before and after!  I like the kind that I can just hook to my diaper bag for every day sanitizing!


You can customize your kit for your own needs.  You might want to add heavier duty things like gauze and medical tape.  You might even want to take some benadryl.  I wanted to keep mine very small since my diaper bag is already packed full with two kiddos in diapers.  You can also keep a bigger kit in your car!

An 18 Month Journey...

Warning!  This post is about breastfeeding.  It can be a sensitive and sometimes controversial topic.  I am not against formula feeding Mommas.  I got formula as a baby and look how great I turned out! ;)  In all seriousness though, this is a post to document my journey.  Breast was best...for us!  I realize it is not best for everyone.  If you have something you want to talk about, feel free to comment or send me a private email!

During my pregnancy, I thought a lot about breastfeeding.  I knew it was something I wanted to try.  When I first got pregnant, I told people I was going to "at least try" to breastfeed.  I figured if it worked, great.  If not, no big deal!  As I progressed in my pregnancy and started researching, I started to change my viewpoint.  I decided I would do a little more than try.  I would try hard.  I read books.  I visited online forums.  I read information online.  I took breastfeeding classes.  I decided not to set a goal for myself.  Just like most people, I hate to fail.  I didn't want to set a goal and become devastated with myself when I didn't reach the goal.  I knew breastfeeding was hard and I had no idea if it was going to work for us.  

Fast forward to May 18, 2012.  My nurses all knew that I was planning on breastfeeding and I wanted to have as much skin to skin time as possible (and right away).  They were great and as soon as my son was born, onto my chest he went:

My son rooted and tried to latch right away.  I was ecstatic!  Maybe this would be easier than I thought!  During my time in the hospital, breastfeeding was not easy.  After that initial latch, Carson didn't latch so easily.  He also wouldn't stay latched.  I cried.  I thought I was starving my son.  I didn't want to give into formula because it was too easy.  The hospital was very busy and it took a while to meet with a lactation consultant.  Luckily my nurses were all very helpful and knowledgeable and helped me try different positions.  My milk hadn't come in and all I remember is being told that Carson had lost weight.  I felt like a failure!

When we arrived home, my milk arrived as well.  (Whoa, huge boobs!)  I was hoping this would help solve the problem but we still had some issues.  I was getting engorged which was making it hard for my son to latch.  Eventually I figured out a method that worked for us and everything was smooth sailing!

Cluster feeding throughout the night = we're both tired!

Since everything was going so well, I decided I would try to set a small goal for myself.  I would try to breastfeed for at least 3 months.  Once I got to that 3 month mark, I would reevaluate.  Guess what?  We made it to 3 months!

Right around 3 months, I was getting ready to go back to work.  I was pumping a ton trying to build my precious freezer stash.  We even bought a separate deep freezer for my milk!  I felt like I was constantly nursing or pumping.  It was very tolling mentally and physically.  I was thankful that I had a good enough supply to nurse and build a stash at the same time.  Once I actually went back to work, things got a bit more stressful.  My job was very busy and only allowed me to pump once each day between the hours of 8-5.  The time I was allotted to pump was actually my 25 minute lunch break.  I ended up packing stuff that I could eat one-handed.  I would try to eat, pump, and check emails all in that 25 minutes.  Don't forget cleaning up the pump parts!  Oh, and my pumping room was my classroom.  You know, the one full of 27 first graders and their germs!  Every day I had to clean my pumping area, close all the blinds, lock my door, pump/eat/email, then clean my pump, put it away, clean my area, open the blinds, unlock the door and run to get my kids.  Needless to say I was STRESSED!  Because of the stress (and probably my awful diet), my supply tanked.  I was SO upset.  Work was not going to ruin this for me and my son!

Enter Fenugreek.  I heard about this through my Mommy group and it was a lifesaver.  I took 3 pills 3 times a day and basically smelled like I was sweating maple syrup.  It was gross.  BUT, it brought my supply back up!  (Chugging water 24/7 also helped me.)

When Carson was about 5 months I made the very difficult decision to take a leave of absence from my job and stay home with him.  It was definitely one of the hardest decisions I've had to make in my life but I am SO thankful I had the opportunity to have this time with him!  Once we got into a routine at home, my supply regulated itself and we mostly nursed.  I still had a big stash in the freezer in case my husband or one of the Grandmas wanted to give Carson a bottle.  Every once an a while I would still run into little issues here and there like random engorgement or a clogged duct.  Luckily my online support group was full of people going through the same things and it was a great place to get advice.

Carson was exclusively breastfed from the time he was born until he was 5.5 months old.  At 5.5 months we tried some rice cereal with him and he didn't like it.  We waited until 6 months to reevaluate and decided to try oatmeal.  He loved the oatmeal and a few weeks later we started [pureed] solids.  He continued with breastmilk until about 13 months when we started whole milk in straw sippies.  Once he started whole milk he continued to nurse about 4 times a day.  Eventually he weaned himself down to twice a day - mornings and evenings.  By the time he was 17 months he quit asking to nurse in the morning and would only nurse before bed.  (Not to sleep, just as part of our routine.)  I'm happy to say that he self weaned right before his 18 month birthday.  I'm glad I didn't have to take away something that he loved so much!

Here are some pics of my cheerful, healthy boy:

If you're a nursing mom and have any questions or need advice, feel free to shoot me an email and I'll try to help!  :)

If you're pregnant and planning on breastfeeding, make sure to have some resources before you start your nursing journey.  My hopsital had a breastfeeding group that met weekly with a lactaction consultant as well as a hotline you could call at any time!  KellyMom was basically my breastfeeding bible...I can't begin to describe the amount of great information you'll find over there!

What a Mom Looks Like

Be honest.  What image do you get in your head when you hear "Mom"?  I'm not talking about your mom, I'm talking about moms in general.

Here's the image that comes to my head.  Yes, it's very stereotypical.  No, it's not meant to be offensive.

Minimal or no make-up. 

Yoga pants.  

Hair in a pony tail (or top knot/sock bun if you're a blogger mom).  

Some sort of spill on your outfit - food, breast milk, bodily fluids, snacks, etc.  

Screaming kids attached to your legs.   

Some sort of caffeine in the cup holder of your stroller - Starbucks or soda perhaps.

Sounds attractive and desirable, right?  ;)  Sometimes it's just real life, though!  In reality, most of us want to be Super Mom, right?  We want to do it all and look great while doing it!

I think it's possible (and not that hard) to find a happy medium between super mom and stereotypical-exhausted-rundown mom.  Although it is okay to be the stereotypical tired mom, we all deserve days where we aren't using our super powers!

Here are some of my tips to FEEL like Super Mom without actually having to BE Super Mom:

1. Get dressed every day (or as often as you can).  By getting dressed, I mean put something on besides your pajamas.  Some days getting dressed may mean workout/comfy clothes.  That's ok!

2. Spend a few minutes on yourself in the morning (or as soon as you have a minute).  Every day I take a few minutes to run the flat iron through my hair and throw on some mascara and lip gloss.  I cannot tell you how much it effects my mood.  That might sound shallow to some of you, but if I look good (or decent), I feel good!

3. Plan some sort of activity for your child(ren) every day.  I'm not saying you need to go spend a ton of money every day.  You don't even need to leave the house every day (although I enjoy getting out at least once a day, especially in these warmer months)!  I'm talking about anything planned.  It could be a trip to the library, a park outing, finger painting, chalk in the driveway, etc.  When you PLAN ahead and carry out your plans, you will feel successful!

4. Clean something every day.  When I first started staying at home, I would feel SO lazy on days that I didn't clean at all.  Even if we were out to 4 play dates, grocery shopping, getting the oil changed, etc.  I still felt lazy.  I'm not sure why, but cleaning makes me feel accomplished!  I created a chore chart for myself so that I have 1-2 small things a day that I can easily get done before Carson wakes up in the morning or during nap time.  Having the chore chart may sound juvenile, but I'm a list maker and like crossing things off a list so it works for me!

5. Meal plan!  I can't believe I didn't start doing this sooner.  Every Sunday evening I sit down at my computer and recipe book (aka Pinterest) and plan our meals for the week.  I usually try to stick in a new recipe every week or so which keeps it exciting.  After picking out what I'm going to serve for the week, I make out my grocery list.  (My meal planning often goes along with my couponing and weekly deals at my grocery.)  Planning our meals saves me so much time during the week and helps me to make sure that we will have a home cooked meal every night.  I've found that we try so many new things this way and I know we're getting a good variety!

6. Take some time for yourself!  I totally wish I was one of those moms that went and got weekly mani-pedis or shopping adventures.  Unfortunately that's just not what happens 'round here.  (Although I won't complain if someone wants to push me out the door....)  When I say "you time" I mean any time you can get to yourself that is relaxing.  Maybe you need to have a glass of wine after bedtime, maybe you want to lay in bed and read your book, maybe you want to have some time to write your blog posts.  Whatever it is, make sure you get your you time!  Since my husband works fairly late, my "me time" is usually during Carson's nap or after he goes to bed.  For example, it's currently 12:20am and I'm blogging while everyone else is in bed so I can have "me time".  It's that important to me.  :)



**Please note: these are tips geared toward SAHMs but can also apply to working moms.  Working moms are even more super in my eyes because they have mastered the juggling act!

I found this lovely gem on Google Images.  Let's all aspire to be this Super Mom!

I'm linking up with Becky today:

Tips for New Moms

{1} Trust your motherly instincts.  You know the saying "Mother knows best"?  It's true.  If you think your baby is sick, trust your gut!  I'd rather be safe than sorry when it comes to my child.  Do you research on things as well and be your child's advocate.  If you feel there is something wrong with your baby and the doctor isn't agreeing, get a second opinion!  Even if your baby is fine, you will feel good that you made absolutely sure he/she was totally okay!

{2} Stop comparing.  Don't compare your baby to other babies.  Don't compare your parenting style to others' parenting styles.  Nothing good comes from comparing.  Your baby will develop at his/her own rate and there is no need to waste time thinking about other babies who are hitting milestones before your baby!

{3} Keep the husband-wife relationship strong.  Bringing a baby into the mix can be stressful on everyone.  Babies can sense stress.  Keep the house happy by dividing your love and affection between baby and hubby.  Not only will this bring you closer as a couple, but it will make everyone happy.  I can't wait to absolutely disgust Carson when he's older with my affection towards his father.  Ha, I'm so evil!

{4} Research baby gear!  Don't pick the trendiest items or the items that your friends INSIST you must get.  Pick the items that get the best safety ratings and that have positive reviews from actual customers!  Also keep in mind that an item may get rave reviews from thousands of customers, but it might not work for your baby.
{5} Get into a routine, but don't feel rushed to do so.  I remember Carson being 2 weeks old and someone asking me what his bedtime routine was.  They made me feel like such a failure!  Why didn't I have a routine yet?!  You want to know why, because he didn't even have a bedtime yet, he was still waking up every few hours!  Start your routine when you feel your baby is ready!  If your baby isn't ready, it will cause more stress on you.

 {6} Cherish every moment.  I SWORE I would never be one of those moms to say this, but it's true - the time goes SO fast.  Take extra time to let your newborn nap on your chest.  Never say things like "I can't wait until ____."  Trust me, it will be here before you know it and then you'll be wishing you had a squishy little newborn again!

{7} Don't be so hard on yourself!  I know many new moms (including myself) who wasted too much time stressing over the little things.  It's okay if your kitchen has dirty dishes in the sink.  It's okay if your fanciest outfit of the week was yoga pants and a nursing tank.  It's okay if a messy bun is your new go-to hair style.  The most important thing is that you're now a mother to a little blessing!  Your baby just needs your love and affection, not nice hair and fancy clothes!
{8} Don't be afraid to ask for help.  This kind of goes along with #7.  If you're feeling overwhelmed, ask for help.  Most people are thrilled to help a new mother because there's an extra benefit of stealing some snuggles with an adorable newborn baby!  Help comes in many forms.  You might need someone to come over for 30 minutes so you can get a shower.  You might want someone to bring dinner over.  You might even feel the need to get out of the house.  Just don't be scared to ask!
{9} Read to your baby!  I know a lot of people think it's silly to read to a newborn, but it's not!  I even read to Carson while he was in my belly!  Although your baby won't understand the stories you read yet, hearing your voice will help to stimulate an interest in sounds which helps develop listening skills!  [Former teacher, much!?]  Besides aiding in developmental skills, reading to your baby gives you the excuse to get in extra snuggles and bonding time!  This can also become part of your routine!
{10} Find a support system.  Find some Mommy friends (in real life or online) that can answer your questions and ease your worries.  Someone you can go to to clear your head.  For me, this came in the form of a new mom's group at my hospital as well as my birth month group from a community message board.  Being able to talk with moms who are going through what you're experiencing is very important and comforting.  Carson is 15 months and I am still extremely active on my birth month board!  It's amazing what a support system can do for a new mom!

I'm linking up with Becky today: 

Motherhood Goals

When my husband and I first met, I knew we were meant to be.  (Is that enough mushiness for the first line in my blog post?!)  I spent many hours day dreaming about our future and the family we would create together.  It gave me butterflies and it still does!  I have always wanted to be a Mommy.  When I was younger, I would play with my dolls: pushing them in the stroller, feeding, them, changing them, etc.  I loved doing whatever MY mom was doing.  She was my idol and I wanted to be a loving Mommy like her!  I waited years and years to be given the precious gift of being a Mommy and over those years, I had time to think about what kind of mother I wanted to be to my children.  Like I mentioned before, my mom is an amazing mom and it made me easy to think of some motherhood goals for myself.

As a Mom I want to...

• Have patience.  Being a mom can be a hard job.  Being a mom, wife, sister, daughter, friend, etc. can be even more challenging!  I want to always be patient with my children and give them time to be kids.
• Be fair.  When I was little, my mom NEVER showed favoritism between me and my sister and she was always fair.  Everything was equal.  As a teacher, I saw many parents with an obvious favorite child and it made me so sad for the other child.  Seriously, how would you feel if you realized you were not the favorite?!  I know I could never have a favorite child, but just so it's clear, I want to be totally fair in my parenting.  Everything from they get equal pours of milk in their glasses to rules!
• Teach.  Obviously I want to help my children learn and grow academically, but I also want to teach them life skills.  I want to teach respect, honesty, perseverance.  There are so many things I can't wait to teach my children!
• Create memories.  I'm not talking about fancy trips and vacations (although those are nice, too).  I'm talking about memories of blanket forts in the family room, flashlight tag, picnics by the river.  I want to make special memories with my children that will last a lifetime!

As a mother, I have many other goals, but most of all, I want my children to know they are loved.  I plan to tell them way too often.  Carson is already smothered in my love (don't worry, he loves it)!  This is like second nature to me because that is how I was raised BUT I know all too many people who were not told often enough that they were loved.  This is so important to me.  

I'm linking up with Becky today: