The Newborn Fog: Things I couldn't live without during the 4th Trimester

THE FIRST 90 DAYS after a baby is born is often referred to as the "4th Trimester", or as I like to call it, The Newborn Fog.  This hypothetical "fog" you live in as new parents can last up to a year with your first baby, and months after your next one(s), giving you a free pass to be completely anti-social due mainly to sleep deprivation and Mommy-brain.  You are also constantly finding old spit up in your hair, then grimacing at the fact you are too tired to wash it, followed by a up-the-back-poop from your little peanut while your old college roommate is blowing up your phone with text messages to go out to Happy Hour downtown in 20 minutes?  Yeah......you'll pass, again.  I was one of these Moms, definitely the first time around and a little bit even the second time, so it's understandable that I didn't know where the bulk of my belongings (or my sanity) was at a moment's notice.  However, when it comes to actually making it OUT of the newborn "fog", I was sure I had these FOUR things on hand for Round 2 when I became pregnant again 11 months after my first was born, whoops.  And this isn't a list you'll find much anywhere else, so listen up:

1.  A swaddle. Or a couple hundred swaddles, because your baby will spit up sometimes non stop and it's the only thing around within reach for those "Oh SHIT!" moments, and trust me, those moments are plentiful.  However, the reason this item was #1 on my list, is because a correctly-assembled swaddle resembles "home" to the baby aka your womb, where little Junior just spent the last 9 months growing.  It can calm them down, help them sleep, reduce SIDS, reduces anxiety, help combat the Moro Reflex, AND it helps SLEEP LONGER.  If longer stretches of sleep for you & your baby aren't in your plans when you have a newborn up all night, then we can't be friends ;) The swaddles above are from Little Unicorn, but my personal favorites are from Little Ewe and Me (pompom swaddles) and all the fun prints from Charlie Rowan Designs!

2. My smartphone.  My, my how things have changed.  I'm always advising my clients to have white noise to help soothe a baby and assist them as they pass through those pesky partial arousals, right? There are a TON of apps these days to download a white noise right to your phone, that you can play while you're breastfeeding in the the middle of the night, while you're reading the latest Rolling Stone article (because they are I swear perfectly long enough to read during a feed).  You can also use your phone to download a breastfeeding assistant, record a sleep log, type in your feed & poop schedule, and obviously take at least 100 pictures per day of your new one.

3. My breastfeeding infinity scarf.  Aside from the obvious diapers & wipes (and swaddles and Iphone from above), I NEVER left my house without this infinity scarf from a company called Itzy Ritzy.  My daughter was born in October, so the fact that this "scarf" is actually a breastfeeding cover in disquise was a God send!!!  Before I was using a swaddle, and it was always falling off my shoulder unless I did some ninja tuck-it-under-my-bra-strap stuff, which still sucked. This scarf is super soft, stretches well to slide baby under, easy to throw in the wash, and matches everything!  It was one of those "I had no idea this existed" items, so I'm happy to share it with you all today.  You can also find this scarf sold in a ton of colors on Buy Buy Baby as well!

4. A statement tee.  This tee from a little shop on Etsy (found here) is an item I often buy from my expecting friends.  When you have a baby, all your family and nice friends will ask, "Can I do anything for you?  Coffee?  Target Dollar aisle grab bag??"  I LOVED any help, don't take this the wrong way, but probably the best thing anyone did for me in those first few weeks was offer to hold baby WHILE I SLEPT.  So please, just let me sleep.  And return the favor, she won't forget!!  

That's all for tonight, dolls!  Is there anything you couldn't live without with your newborn?  That isn't super obvious??  I'd love to hear!  Head over to my Instagram and let me know via the comments and you could be featured on my feed! xo