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Floradise

A lifestyle blog by Marette Flora

Flora Family Photo Session

** This post contains affiliate links. I am compensated for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting Floradise!

Graham and I have a tradition of taking photos around the time of our wedding anniversary to document our life together. It’s been so fun to capture the changes to our family: Over the past four years we’ve gone from just the two of us to a family of four. We have chosen to be photographed by Abigail Joyce Photography of the Chicago metro area for three of the past four anniversaries now. I love the style of her photos and she is really good with kiddos! We recently had our session in Elmhurst at a beautiful park that Abigail loves. I could immediately see why she shoots sessions there.

I chose our outfits based on a chambray toddler dress I saw at Target for V. Addi had a Carter’s chambray heart romper that matched it, and then we bought a similar-color Tommy Hilfiger shirt for Graham to wear so that our outfits all tied together. I paired her little romper with gold moccasins, but we also took those off for some shots because baby toes are the cutest. I wore a floral dress I purchased for Mother’s Day but never wore. (It’s no longer available, but it’s from the brand Xhilaration. My shoes are block heels by the brand A New Day.) I think our outfits looked nice together, if I do say so myself.

We posed near a gorgeous weeping willow tree that I adored, as well as a pond. I am in love with the scenery and the photos Abigail captured! These are special because they are the first professional photos we have of us with our girls.

 

 

As I have written about before, I highly recommend Abigail Joyce Photography if you’re looking for a couples, family, newborn or maternity photography in the Chicago area.

Do you take photos with your partner or family every year?

Shop the post**:

Chambray Toddler Dress

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Infant Chambray Heart Romper
This romper is under $6!

Related posts:

My maternity session with Abigail Joyce Photography
OUR FIRST ANNIVERSARY PHOTOS
OUR LITTLE SECRET

ABOUT ABIGAIL:

Abigail is a Chicago based newborn photographer specializing in newborn photography, maternity photography, and children’s portraits. She meets with clients both on location or in-home, as well as her studio in Westchester, Illinois. She plans to open a studio in Oak Park.

Note: This post was not sponsored.

 

 

Free in Chicago: Lincoln Park Zoo and Conservatory

I’ve wanted to visit Lincoln Park Conservatory since we moved to Chicago three and a half years ago, but I didn’t make it until this summer. My cousins visited for a week recently and I thought they’d enjoy Lincoln Park Zoo.

The Lincoln Park Zoo and the Lincoln Park Conservatory are both free. I would suggest both to visitors and locals looking for affordable things to do in Chicago, especially for families. You can pack lunches and enjoy your food just about anywhere, and you can save by either taking public transit or using SpotHero to find a lower-cost parking spot nearby. (Parking at the zoo is a bit expensive at $20-$35.) Use my SpotHero link and you can get a $7 credit!

There are upgrades happening at the zoo right now, including improvements to the lion enclosure. It was a 90-degree and humid day, so after strolling along and enjoying shaved ice, I suggested going into the conservatory for some shade.

I could have spent a lot longer wandering around the conservatory and the zoo if it weren’t too warm for the baby to be outside that long. I suggest that you have kiddos in strollers you bring a clip-on fan and plenty of sun protection during the summer. We took many breaks in the shade, too.

The conservatory is beautiful and peaceful.

You can find plenty of picnic and photo opportunities outside of the Lincoln Park Conservatory, too! I love finding new views of the city that I haven’t seen before.

 

Have you visited the Lincoln Park Zoo or Conservatory? Add it to your Chicago list!

Related posts:

Lincoln Park Zoo Visit

Lincoln Park Zoo, Take 2

Garfield Park Conservatory, Chicago

 

 

Adelina’s 4-Month Update

I can’t believe how quickly four months have flown by. Adelina just had her four-month pediatrician appointment and as I drove to the office I wondered where the time went. Addi is such a happy and sweet baby, and I have really loved seeing her change these past several months.

Adelina’s Four-Month Update:

Sleep:

Adelina started sleeping through the night just before turning 3 months old. She typically falls asleep around 8:30 or 9 p.m. and sleeps until about 7 a.m., sometimes as late as 8 or 9 a.m. In the past week or so, though, she has started waking around 3 or 5 a.m. for a feed, which I suspect has to do with the cold that our entire family had along with possibly a temporary drop in my milk supply. (Or the 4-month regression?) Her naps have shortened significantly as well. The pediatrician suggested at her appointment that we now try to teach her to fall asleep on her own, which may help with the naps. She also still sleeps in a bedside bassinet but we are transitioning her to a crib this month. Wish us luck!

Feeding:

We are still breastfeeding, but after two months of not needing to supplement, I needed to give her formula again when I noticed a drop in my milk supply and she seemed to still be hungry. I am working to increase my milk supply again, but I also have no problem whatsoever with formula. Fed is best, after all. Her pediatrician says that we can start introducing rice cereal and purees between now and six months if she shows an interest in our food. She gave us guidelines to follow when we decide to begin.

Stats:

She weighs 14 pounds, 13 ounces, putting her in the 50th-75th percentile. She is 25.3 inches long, which puts her in the 75th percentile. She wears size 3-6 months clothing and size 1 diapers.

 

Adelina's 4-Month Update
I purchased her milestone blanket on Etsy.

Adelina's 4-Month Update

Highlights:

She loves to babble and use her little voice.

She loves when we play music, sing to her and dance.

She loves being outside and if she’s ever fussy she’ll immediately calm down when we take her to the backyard.

She doesn’t enjoy tummy time at all.

She isn’t interested in taking a pacifier, but she does use the teether clip I got her.

She constantly has her hand in her mouth, too!

She loves to watch whatever her big sister is doing.

She smiles constantly and laughs sometimes, too! My favorite part of the day is when she wakes up and immediately smiles at me when she hears my voice.

She went on her first flight at two months and slept the entire way.

She’s been to the Shedd Aquarium, two Chicago Cubs games at Wrigley Field, the Chicago Botanic Garden and Lincoln Park Zoo.

Adelina's 4-Month Update

 

And that’s about it! If you have any tips for transitioning to a crib or sleep training please leave them in the comments!

Shop her milestone blanket**:

** This post contains affiliate links. I am compensated for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting Floradise!

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Related post:

Flying With a 2-Month-Old Baby

Life Update: Our New Home

 

We Bought A House

The past few months have been huge for us. In addition to welcoming Addi to our family, we also closed on our house last week!

Our apartment lease runs through July, so we can take our time to move. That’s nice because it’s been difficult finding the time to pack. Slowly but surely we will get it done, though.

We wanted a home that we could update to make our own. We need to do some upgrades to make the house what we want, but we are excited to put in the sweat equity. The kitchen needs to be completely redone, so that will be our first project. I’m also pumped to have more space, especially a garage and driveway! After three years of having to find a parking spot on the street in Chicago, I am thrilled to not have to do that anymore, even if it means moving just outside Chicago city limits. The neighborhood is perfect because it is next to a shopping center with some of my favorite retailers, plus a cycle bar and a yoga studio! It doesn’t get better than that!

Searching for a home in the Chicago area was a bit challenging because homes move quickly and often receive multiple offers if they are a good deal or updated. The home we ended up buying had been on the market for a long time and needs some work. The seller had turned down higher offers than ours due to an emotional attachment to the house, but I wrote her a letter assuring her that we wanted this to be our family’s home and we are excited to make memories there. We are so happy she accepted and we feel the negotiation process was fair.

Would you be interested in home renovation updates and a house tour? Let me know in the comments!

 

What I Didn’t Know About the Fourth Trimester: Maternity Leave Lessons

Maternity Leave Lessons

Maternity leave is over. I’m back to work full time as an editor. A positive is that I can work from home, though returning to work was still depressing and overwhelming. But on my first day I realized I also felt something I didn’t expect: relief. I felt relieved to be forced into a routine that is in some ways familiar. I felt more like myself than I have in months. Now that I am working again I’ve started to reflect on the past 12 weeks of maternity leave. I went into my maternity leave with grand illusions of being able to accomplish so much. I was going to cross off major blog to-dos, complete my summer bucket list and enjoy my time with my girls. Boy, was I wrong (with the exception of my time with my daughters)! I’m sharing some of what I didn’t know about the fourth trimester, aka the first three months postpartum.

What I Learned During Maternity Leave:

Maternity leave is isolating. This is especially the case if you don’t live near family and close friends. My mom was able to visit and help for two weeks, which helped immensely, but other than that I didn’t have much help. (I am grateful that my mother in law plans to visit soon, though.) People gave me advice about taking time for myself without realizing that I’d love nothing more; I just didn’t have any help with child care and wasn’t ready to leave my baby with a babysitter. I have had some friends visit, which I loved, but for the most part it’s been just me and the girls while Graham works. He has many long days due to the nature of his work, and sometimes his schedule was unpredictable, but we have survived so far.

You need help. If you have people willing to help in whatever way they can during your maternity leave, take it! I wish I could have had that luxury. By help I mean assist with household chores, errands, shopping, child care, whatever!

Your emotions are all over the place. I expected the baby blues, but not to the extent that I felt them. For me they lasted longer than just a couple of weeks. My anxiety has also resurfaced. A contributor to my blues was being alone so often with the girls. I was also anxious and afraid to do things alone with them for fear of what could go wrong. It took time for me to become more confident in venturing out. Some days still have tears, but talking to people honestly about how I feel has helped. Hearing people say that they will help in any way they can has also helped, even if I know they can’t do much from far away.

The bodily changes continue. It doesn’t end with giving birth. Postpartum life also comes with hair loss! Everyday I wonder how I could be losing this much hair. Also, your cycle can return at different times depending on whether you’re breastfeeding.

Twelve weeks of maternity leave is not enough. I know I am privileged to even have 12 weeks off work when many women have to return much sooner due to financial and other concerns. My maternity was unpaid and I had to pay for my health benefits during my leave. I was able to save for it beforehand, but I am still missing out on my big chunk of my annual salary this year. This experience has taught me that 12 weeks is not nearly enough for a woman to recover, and that more companies should show they value their employees by compensating them during leave.

The fourth trimester tests your marriage/relationship. With so much focus on the baby (and your other children), it becomes more challenging to make time for our marriage. But that relationship is the foundation of our family, so it’s important to refocus on it. Now that I am getting slightly more comfortable with leaving the baby I hope to find a night for a date sometime soon depending on Graham’s schedule. Another challenging aspect is figuring out how to work as a team to handle things such as nighttime feedings when you’re both exhausted. Showing appreciation for each other is key during this transition.

Have you experienced the fourth trimester? What did it teach you?

Pin this post:

Fourth Trimester, Maternity Leave Lessons

Related post:

Adelina’s Birth Announcements

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Flying With a 2-Month-Old Baby

Flying With a 2-Month-Old

I mentioned last year that we canceled our trip to Puerto Rico right after the hurricane because the island was hit hard (No hotels were available at the time.) and pregnant women are advised not to travel to places affected by Zika. We ended up with Southwest Airlines credit to use before it expired at the end of June. I didn’t think I would be able to use it after giving birth, but we asked ourselves, “Why not?” This is our how our first experience flying with a 2-month-old came about over Father’s Day weekend.

We booked a quick weekend trip to Phoenix so that Adelina could meet my side of the family and we could check up on our condo. To say I was nervous to fly with a 2-month-old is an understatement. I was terrified she would cry incessantly because of the ear pressure change or that she would be fussy the entire flight. (We typically don’t worry about V because she is an expert flyer by now.)

Here’s how it went:

We got a late start heading to the airport. We booked a parking spot at the airport on SpotHero, which I’ve written about as a great source of cheap parking, especially in the Chicago area. (If you use my referral link you get a $7 credit and I get $7. Win, win!) This required a shuttle ride to the airport, so my first tip would be to give yourself at least an extra hour to get to the airport and through security than without kids. It was valet parking, which I recommend to save time. We also brought our stroller, which allows V to stand or sit on the back and connects with our infant car seat. This stroller** is great if you have a toddler and a newborn!

Security wasn’t terrible; we went through the family line. Remember to put all your breastmilk and formula in a clear bag and in its own tray for security check. The stroller and car seat had to go through the scanner, which we weren’t prepared for. (Last time they let me push the stroller through with V in it!) Second tip: Take your time and feed your baby before you go through security. I gave A a quick snack feed because she was starting to get fussy.

We got on the plane during family boarding and headed toward the back of the plane. I wanted to be near the bathroom and on the aisle in case I needed to change her. Tip and something I wish I had done: Keep a small bag of what you might need handy, or put everything in the same pocket so you’re not fumbling around on the plane. I had diapers, changing pad, paci, wipes, nursing cover and bottles in different pockets of a backpack, and it was not that easy to find what I needed in the dark. It would be easier to set up mini packets of what you might need for feedings, changings and entertaining.

As far as travel times, we went with flights that were around the kids’ bedtimes. This was a gamble because Addi has been fussy before bed lately, but luckily she wasn’t. I made sure she napped enough during the day and was well fed. I rocked her in the stroller while waiting in the line at the airport and she fell asleep for a bit. Tip: Go with flight times that work best for your baby. If your baby is happier and sleepier at a certain part of the day, that might be the best time to travel. Try not to travel during the busiest times at the airport, either.

My last tip is to go hands-free. We gate checked our stroller and car seat and Addi was my lap child. She was in my carrier for most of the time but I also just held her. Don’t try to carry too much other stuff. Learn from my mistake: I spilled a venti Starbucks drink on the plane because I had too much stuff in my hands.

Overall the first two flights went well! The most stressful part of the trip was getting to the airport with enough time, and that was our fault for not leaving earlier. As long as you allow enough time, it’s fine!

Have you traveled with a baby? What tips do you have for my future flights? Share with me in the comments!

Related posts:

Gift Guide Wish List for On-the-Go Parents
Lessons From First Month With Newborn

Shop Our Stroller**:

null ** This post contains affiliate links. I am compensated for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting Floradise.

Baby’s First Outing With the Binxy Baby Shopping Cart Hammock

** This post was sponsored by Binxy Baby. All opinions and photography are my own.

Binxy Baby Shopping Cart Hammock

I tried to be as minimal as possible when registering for and purchasing baby items because we don’t have a lot of space in our Chicago apartment for excess infant gear. I searched for infant items that are efficient and can make life easier in the city. Also, because we chose a convertible car seat that can evolve as Adelina grows (vs. an infant car seat), we won’t be carrying our baby around in the seat during errands. We opted instead to use a baby carrier and another item I am really excited about: the Binxy Baby shopping hammock.

Binxy Baby is a hammock in which you can securely rest your infant (or your infant in his or her car seat up to 50 lbs) while you shop. I was gifted the floral pattern Binxy Baby shopping hammock a couple of months ago, and I’ve been eager to use it for baby’s first store run.

Adelina is still quite sleepy, so she continued to rest comfortably during our shopping trip to pick up essentials for her older sister’s birthday this week.

The Binxy Baby shopping hammock is used for babies until they can sit up on their own. It attaches to standard size shopping carts and is safety tested. (The hammock also has safety buckles to keep the baby secure.)

I like that I can quickly and easily place her inside and that safety straps on the side of the shopping cart keep the hammock in place.

The Binxy Baby shopping cart hammock comes with detailed instructions for how to use it. It doesn’t take up much room in my diaper bag, which I appreciate.

If you’d like to try the hammock or gift it to a mom friend or family member, you can use my discount referral link.

GRAB A DISCOUNT ON THE BINXY BABY SHOPPING CART HAMMOCK!

RELATED POST:

BABY PRODUCT WISH LIST GIFT GUIDE FOR ON-THE-GO PARENTS

 

4 Lessons from My First Month With a Newborn

** This post was sponsored by DockATot. All opinions and photography are my own.

Lessons From First Month With Newborn With DockATot

It’s hard for me to believe that Adelina has been with us nearly a month now! The days have been long but all too short at the same time. I’ve learned so much about taking care of a newborn and myself in the past four weeks, so I wanted to share four lessons I’ve realized in my first month as a mom of a newborn (and a toddler).

  • Ask for help. Don’t try to do everything. This has been the most difficult lesson for me. On the first day I spent alone with the girls when Graham went back to work I tried to do everything. I judged the success of the day by how much I accomplished, but I quickly realized that is not sustainable, nor is it the best use of my time. When my mom came into town to help I really focused on taking as many naps as I could when baby slept and to just relax as much as I could. It’s been difficult for me to let go of control — of how my home looks, how things are done around our house, and so much more — but I’m learning it’s necessary.
  • Soak in every moment. This is really what your focus should be as a newborn mom. I will never get these moments back, so who cares of the house isn’t perfectly in order? (It’s easier said than done, but it’s something to strive for.)
  • Take care of yourself. I learned I need to make sure to drink enough water, sleep when I can and not neglect my needs. This has also been extremely difficult, but I am working on it.
  • Baby items with more than one fuction are a must. Hands down the most helpful item for me as a newborn mom has been the DockATot, a multifunctional lounger, cosleeper and playtime lounger. I am able to transport it easily anywhere in the apartment (and beyond) so I can always have the baby near me. It’s been a life saver for us so far and Addi loves being in it. She sleeps so soundly during her naps and I feel reassured that she is safe, not to mention it has a beautiful floral cover that looks lovely in our home. Florals speak to me.

Lessons From First Month With Newborn With DockATot

The DockATot is 100% cotton and tested for breathability. I can place the DockATot on the bed or on the floor near me as I do things around the house, and she is secure and comfortable. It creates a micro climate for baby Adelina that keeps her cozy, and the DockATot will help make a smooth transition into a toddler bed later on. (I have the Deluxe size for babies up to 8 months but the Grand fits toddlers 9 to 36 months.) Also, I can easily wash the cover when needed and I can switch the cover for another design, too!

Lessons From First Month With Newborn With DockATot

I also can’t wait to use the DockATot when we visit family in Kentucky sometime this summer. We took the DockATot on our Kentucky Derby day outing to a racetrack and it was so helpful to have!

Lessons From First Month With Newborn With DockATot

Have you heard of the DockATot? Check out the DockATot for yourself or gift it to an expecting momma in your life!

Connect with DockAToT:

GET $10 OFF YOUR DOCKATOT PURCHASE!

Related post:

Baby Product Wish List Gift Guide for On-the-Go Parents

Adelina’s Birth Announcements

** This post is sponsored by Basic Invite. 

Basic Invite birth announcement

When it came time to pick first and middle names for our baby girl, we obviously wanted to pick options that had a special meaning for us. Among many other things, Graham and I share a love of the music of Johnnyswim. We danced to their “Take the World” at our wedding and we see them play live every chance we get. We last went to their concert in the fall, just about the time we were discussing baby names. I have always loved one of their songs called “Adelina,” which is about Abner’s mother.  It’s sung beautifully.

Some of the lyrics:

Darling can’t you see that you’re my sea and sun?
Oh, the battle rages but the war is won.
Adelina, Adelina, Adelina, oh, there’s hope for us.
Adelina, oh there’s hope.

…

Tú eres mi cielo, mar y sol
Tu fortaleza cambia al derredor
Adelina, madre mía
Adelina, mi cielo, mar y sol

To me, Adelina seemed like the perfect choice for a name, and Graham thought so, too.

It was the middle name that was more of a challenge. We knew we wanted the name of a flower or some sort of flora. We originally selected Ivy, which has special meaning for us because of Graham’s work and our memories. But we also really love Hawaii, where we got married and plan to move someday. That’s when Leilani came to mind. We discussed it on our babymoon with someone we met there, and I feel like I came closer to falling in love with the name. Leilani means heavenly child or flower, so it’s perfect.

Because we kept the name a secret until she was born, we wanted to share our choice in a birth announcement as well as social media for our families, who live thousands of miles away. That’s why I turned to Basic Invite again like I did for Victoria’s custom adoption announcement last year. The cards came out so well that I knew I would not be disappointed in how they came out.

I chose a flower design, of course, from Basic Invite’s countless birth announcement options, which can be customized. It fits perfectly with Adelina’s name and I loved the font.

Basic Invite birth announcement

Basic Invite birth announcement

One of the things I like about Basic Invite is that you can pick the color scheme, text, etc. You have almost unlimited color options with instant previews online. Once you select a design you can change the color of each element on the card to over 180 different options so you can make sure the card is exactly how you want it down to the littlest detail.

Basic Invite birth announcement
I customized the color of the flowers in this birth announcement design from Basic Invite.

 

More reasons to go with Basic Invite:

  • Custom samples: You can order a printed sample of the actual invitation or announcement to see exactly how it will print as well as the paper quality before placing a final order.
  • More than 40 envelope colors: Also, envelopes are peel and seal so they can be quickly and securely closed.
  • Address capturing service: Basic Invite offers an address capturing service that allows you to share a link on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or any other form of social media to request your friends and family’s addresses, which will be stored in your account and can then be selected during the design process. Basic Invite offers recipient address printing at no cost on all Christmas card orders.
  • Foil: Foil cards are available in gold, silver and rose gold. Choose flat or raised foil on all of Basic Invite’s foil designs.

I can see myself turning to Basic Invite for future milestones as well, like birthdays, weddings, holidays, senior grad announcements, graduation thank you cards, and grad party invites. Right now you can get 15 percent off graduation announcements with the code 15FF51.

Basic Invite grad announcement
Graduation Invitation Courtesy of Basic Invite
Basic Invite graduation announcement
Graduation Announcement Courtesy of Basic Invite

Connect with Basic Invite:

Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | Twitter
Basic Invite is offering 15% off with coupon code: 15FF51

Related post:

Our Adoption Story and Custom Announcements

What I Used From My Hospital Bag

** This post contains two products provided by WikiBuy. This post also contains affiliate links. I am compensated for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting Floradise!

Today is my due date, but Adelina is 2 and a half weeks old now! I still can’t believe it.

In honor of my due date,  I am sharing what I packed in my hospital bag and what I actually used. I am also listing items I brought but ended up not needing or using for whatever reason. As I mentioned before, I almost didn’t have my hospital bag packed when my water broke and it was time to head to labor and delivery. I was in denial as I threw in whatever I could think of and headed out the door, not knowing I would spend FOUR days in the hospital.

What I packed in my hospital bag:

Pink nursing robe: I found this beautfil pink robe with lace trim on WikiBuy, a shopping website I tried last month that helps you find deals online. This robe is super soft and comfortable. I wore it in the hospital for photos with baby Adelina and Graham.

I found this robe on WikiBuy.

Newborn gown, sleeper and onesies: I ended up mostly keeping her in the hospital onesies because they were easier to deal with at the time and she kept being undressed to be examined. I had also packed a Little Sister sleeper to go home in, but she ended up not wearing it. I found a super cute sleeper gown on Wikibuy as well but it had to wait until she got home because she was a tiny newborn.

Newborn sleeper gown provided by WikiBuy.

Baby headbands: Used for photos!

Baby Bella Photography

 

The rest:

  • Newborn diapers: I didn’t use my own.
  • Muslin swaddle and another blanket: I used these for photos and to take Addi home.
  • Pads: I didn’t need these either because I used the large pads given at the hospital.
  • Underwear: I only wore one pair that I brought; the rest of the time I used the mesh underwear at the hospital. I didn’t find it to be uncomfortable.
  • Concealer, blending sponge, brow gel, brow pencil, liquid lipstick, blush, mascara, Mario Badescu facial spray, dry shampoo: I used this to get ready in five minutes for photos.
  • Lip balm: I kept this at my side during the entire labor process and afterward. You need to pack this!
  • Camera and GoPro: Graham filmed the labor on the GoPro and I hope to find the time to edit the video soon. We took some photos but were so tired that we ended up purchasing the photos offered in the hospital instead.
  • Slippers: I wore these out of the hospital and during our stay.
  • Flipflops: I wore these in my room at first but switched to non-slip socks later on.
  • Non-slip socks.
  • Going-home outfit: I wore a maternity jacket with non-maternity joggers. I also brought a nursing cami and nursing bra. I wore both.
  • Prenatal vitamins.
  • Headphones: I liked listening to music and videos during labor.
  • Snacks. I was glad I had these when I moved to my recovery room late at night when there was no room service.
  • Water bottle: I wanted to be eco-friendly and reuse the bottle but nurses often brought me water in new cups. I also was given a large bottle in the hospital and that one was much better. I still use it now.
  • Earth Mama Herbal Perineal Spray: I am so glad I brought this because the nurse said they were out of Dermaplast, what hospitals typically use, when I arrived in my room. I liked this more natural option, and it smells nice!
  • Lansinoh Therapearl 3-in-1 Breast Therapy gel nursing pads: I didn’t use these in the hospital.
  • Boppy pillow: I used this for nursing at first but then I ended up using My Breast Friend, which the lactation consultant in the hospital seemed to think was better.
  • Hair ties: Definitely used.
  • Towel: I didn’t use my own; no idea why.
  • Toothpaste, toothbrush and mouthwash: Definitely used.
  • Contacts, glasses, contact solution, contact case: Definitely used.
  • Face wipes: I cleaned my face with them a few times.
  • Chargers: People say to get an extra long cord for your chargers and I completely agree.

What I forgot:

  • Shampoo and conditioner: I regretted this when I took a shower. I had to use baby shampoo.
  • Diaper bag: I didn’t really forget this, but it was delivered to our place the day Adelina was born. Graham later brought it to the hospital and we filled it with things the hospital sent home with us, like a HALO swaddle.
  • Our own pillows and blankets: The hospital pillows are the worst. So uncomfortable. Bring your own in a non-white cover!

What did you pack or forget to pack if you have had a baby?

Related post:

Adelina’s Birth Story
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