BABY GIVEAWAY; Favorite Feeding Essentials...

You know what the nice thing is about your fourth pregnancy? The lack of fear and anxiety. The nursery isn't done, and that's okay. The clothes aren't freshly laundered and hanging in the closet, and that's okay. The freezer isn't full of pre-made meals (although that would be nice) and that's okay. I've been around this block a couple times and it doesn't take long to be reminded how things work - and I'm reminded time and time again what I really need for this baby and what is fluff. I'm no expert but I'm sharing some of my favorite and most needed products through my own personal experiences with absolutely no compensation.

Over the next four weeks I'll be highlighting a couple different areas of products and have a coordinating giveaway; today I'm going to focus on feeding essentials. I am a nursing mom and have been with all of my children and these are some of my favorite baby items for the first 6 months of life.


1. Lansinoh Nursing Pads: I've tried a lot of nursing pads, both disposable and reusable. Yes, the reusable make sense but the way I was supplying milk I would've had to of had 10 pairs, they're not cheap! So I switch to disposable pads which worked a lot better for me and after trying several brands the one I was most pleased with was the Lansinoh nursing pads. They were very absorbent and were very flat which made them discreet. Find it here

And not that I like to compare myself to royalty, but if they're good enough for Kate, they're good enough for me! (Notice it in her bag there?)

2. Lansinoh Lanolin cream: This was not something I used on my first child because I had no idea what it was or why I needed it. I learned my lesson and trust me, it's needed. Being a nursing mom comes with some painful stages - especially at the beginning. This cream provides moisture and helps soothe and protect dry and cracked nipples. It is a lifesaver. I've given this to many first time mothers and have always received the same confused response when they open the gift. Two months after their babies were born they were thanking me. Find it here

3. Medela Pump-in-Style Breast Pump: I received a manual hand breast pump with my first kid and I found myself using it every once in a while just for a break but it was far too much work to use very often. When my oldest child went into surgery at 9 months I was told she would have to have breast milk exclusively for the first month after surgery - they recommended a dual breast pump to ensure I kept my supply during her 5 day hospital stay. I purchased the Medela pump and couldn't be happier. It was not a cheap investment, but 8 years later it's still works like a charm and I use it more than I thought I would. I use it most when the baby is a little older and on a more regulated eating schedule. But I love the freedom it provides to allow others to feed without supplementing with formula.

One thing I couldn't live without is the car attachment. We traveled to Idaho when Mr. B was just a few weeks old and we would've had to stop every 2-3 hours on an already 17 hour drive. Instead I would pump and my sweet Hallie would feed him. It's been a lifesaver on more occasions than nought partially because I'm not super comfortable as a public nurser. Find it here

4. Philips Avent bottles: As I mentioned above, I like the freedom that pumping offers. We've gone through many bottles over the course of three children, trying to find ones our babies liked. With Hallie, we must've bought every bottle on the market, and I have a bin full of them to prove it. We finally settled on the Philips Avent bottles - and each of our children have used them with no problems. We have them in several different sizes with accompanying nipple flow as the child gets older. Find them here

5. Nursing Cover: I've used just about everything to cover up at some point or another. I know there are a ton on the market and I really don't think there's one that's better than the others as long as they somehow protect you from the baby pulling it off. I made one years ago with a simple rectangle of fabric and a strap that went around my neck. Simple as pie. Find it here

6. Built NY Bibs: I never thought I'd be a mom who was passionate about their bibs, but I totally am. I have more stained bibs than I know what to do with - even after pretreating and washing and blah, blah, blah. It's annoying. I came across some bibs years ago that changed everything for me. They're made by Built NY and they're made of a soft neoprene material that is completely water proof and stain resistant. Win-Win. I had to buy new ones in years and they still are amazing condition. Find them here

7. Burp Cloths : Cute burp cloths are always fun since I always seem to have one thrown on my shoulder - but my kids must spit up more than the average kid because they seemed to soak through my cute little burp cloths in no time. As is typical for me, functionality beat out cute and now I use the gerber cloth diapers. I prefer the cloth diapers with the absorbent padding - but I also have a lot of gerber birdseye cloth diapers as well, I just don't like them as well. To combine the best of both worlds someone gave me cloth diapers with a cute strip of fabric on one side down the middle - I love them. Find them here

Now for the fun part - you have the chance to try out some of my favorite products by entering a giveaway for some Lansinoh Nursing Pads, Lansinoh Lanolin Cream and Avent Classic Bottles; all you need to is let me know what your favorite baby product is. Open to US residents only.

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