lets be best friends!

well its been a while since i posted on the blog! can i just say, no one tells you how hard it is going from one to two kiddos!? holy s**t! total game changer. i am struggling, but i am surviving. most importantly, my kids are still alive, so i must be doing something right. anyways, i wanted to share some newborn essentials that have made my life a little easier after bringing baby number two into the world!

• the DockATot || YES, this is the most wonderful co-sleeper I have ever used. YES, it is worth every penny and then some. YES, every mom should have this. in fact, this should be sent home from the hospital with you. we have the DockATot in between my husband and i and this is where tate sleeps every night. i have zero worries as a mom regarding his safety, thus I sleep so much better.  he is also within arms reach, which makes getting up and feeding him easier, as in i don’t have to even get out of bed (score!!). a definite must have!
  

  photo by melody gillikin photography

• the Tuck and Bundle Wrap || i will be honest, i always thought these wraps were ridiculous. all i saw were what seemed like yards of fabric that i somehow had to wrap around my body. it immediately overwhelmed me and i never used one with tenley because of this. but, i saw so many wraps being worn by moms, i figured i’d give it a try. i am SO glad i did. it is in fact, super easy to wear(after some initial trial and error) and you can do anything in it! it keeps my arms free so i can cook, clean, play with tenley and hold tate, all at the same time. can someone say supermom?! get 15% off with code Mulloy15 !
• a car seat cover || you’re in the store, and an old lady just can’t wait to come over and pinch your sweet babies cheeks or grab his/her hand. ummm, WHAT?! well, say goodbye to germs and random strangers’!  i go no where without my car seat cover. i have noticed that people wont even bother coming up to you if you’ve got that baby covered! as an added bonus, it helps keep baby warm in the winter, this has been a life saver so far! THIS carseat cover is my favorite by farrrr!

photo by Sarah Vanderford Photography

• a moses basket || this has also saved me. we use this mostly downstairs for naps and changing diapers. but, because of its durability, we have taken it outside on our recent random nice weather days. Plum and Sparrow is an incredible company, created by Dianna Barton. Each basket is hand woven by men and women in Africa and with each basket purchased, you are also helping to support them and their families. It doesn’t get any better than that!

photo by Jami Thompson Photography

• Love To Dream SwaddleUP || i have tried many swaddles for my little guy, but this one wins, by far! tate loves having his hands free and near his face. this swaddle allows that which promotes self-soothe aka more sleep for me! the best part of this swaddle is that it has two zippers, so you don’t have to take the whole thing off for a simple diaper change!
• a sound machine ||tenley and tate both can’t sleep without their sound machine. i also have THIS portable sound machine hooked onto tate’s car seat. it’s amazing what a little white noise can do for your tiny tots!
• my brestfriend nursing pillow || i wrote in “whats in my hospital bag” blog post on hearing great things about this nursing pillow, but that i’d never personally tried it. well, i did and it is by far, a game changer for my already difficult breastfeeding journey. it has a flat, sturdy surface so baby doesn’t roll and it clips around your waist. my favorite part is the back support for mom! it is super affordable too!
• the windi and nosefrida || don’t judge before you’ve tried it. this product is a lifesaver for those gassy bellies. just steer clear of baby’s bottom  or else 😉
• cotton on baby zip ups || i finally found a bodysuit that i LOVE. these are amazing because they’ve got two zippers (much like the swaddle mentioned above). one that zips down to get it on and off and then one that zips up for diaper changes! the patterns are adorable and they are changing them often. we may or may not have most of their patterns in each size..

so tell me, what would YOU add to this list!? i can’t wait to hear!

xoxo,

Lauren