Author: The Diaper Bag Confessions

If there is one thing you learn from being pregnant a few times, it’s that comfort always triumphs over style. Ultimately, what you want is something that is going to fit right, breathe well and support your growing belly – if it happens to look good at the same time? That’s just a bonus.

Second to comfort, the next thing you tend to prioritize is cost efficiency. Unless it’s your third (or more..) pregnancy, chances are you don’t really start needing maternity clothes until about week 12-18 depending on how you carry. Why do you want to spend a lot of money on clothes you’re going to wear for 20-28 weeks?

When I was asked to glance over the Envie de Fraises Maternity Clothing site (A maternity brand from France, just making it’s way here to the USA), I loved what I saw. I also appreciated that it wasn’t unreasonably expensive! While glancing around, another thing caught my eye – numerous pieces were multi-functional! Not only were they made for maternity wear, but also for post-pregnancy breast feeding. This meant they lasted longer, making it even more worth the already affordable cost.

They asked me if I would review a couple items for them.. I am slightly embarrassed to say this made me extremely excited.. and a little nervous. If there’s one thing I don’t do much of, it’s post photos of myself. Especially in swollen pregnant form. The excitement over their line of clothing won, and I anxiously awaited the items they had chosen for me.

First was an adorable top, the Fiona long-sleeved maternity and nursing top. It was perfect. It hugged in all the right places on my baby bump. I wore it to my pre-baby spa and high tea day out with my friends. It never got too hot or uncomfortable. I loved that I actually looked pregnant in it! It washes well and you can’t tell (unless you know..) that it’s also a nursing top!

In addition to the Fiona top, they also sent me their Homewear Kit. From the moment I put this set on, I didn’t want to take it off! It’s so comfortable and super cute! It comes with a comfortable, loose pair of pants, a short sleeve cross-front maternity and nursing top (very similar to the look of the Fiona top..) and a matching loungewear cardigan. I was completely in love with it. I knew instantly the perfect use for it. The hospital. It was so relaxed and comfortable that it would be a great post-delivery option. The pants were loose and breathable. They would hide the post-delivery swelling and not over heat me. Add in the fact that the top was a nursing top, it meant I could easily nurse the baby while still looking decent when guests arrived.

The fit and sizing, I found, to be incredibly true-to-size. I’m on the smaller side of the size they sent me and it wasn’t too loose, wasn’t too tight. I found them to have the perfect amount of give, but I never had to worry that they were too big and they definitely weren’t too small. The material used allowed them to just fit which is rare for maternity clothes.. At least most that I’ve worn!

Even postpartum I can honestly say I still love these clothes, just as I thought I would. I brought the Homewear Kit to the hospital, where it did not disappoint. It was the perfect, most comfortable outfit to put on and actually feel presentable while still comfortable. The cardigan has also come in handy as a great coverup while nursing, in addition to the nursing top that is amazing! It doesn’t get in the way or impede the nursing process at all. Plus- it’s cute and inconspicuous. (Warning.. Unflattering postpartum pictures. This is what real people look like after delivering babies.. Haha)

Every piece of clothing has gotten much use in the weeks before and now after, the birth of my baby. That alone makes them well worth purchasing!! None of my other maternity clothes are as accommodating after baby! I am not at all disappointed by Envie de Fraises, and I hope you will all love it as much as I do!

Note: I was provided these products from Envie de Fraises for review.

There are certain parts of motherhood that are less glamorous than others. Especially if you’re a nursing mom. Sure, you got this amazing instant boob job – but wait too long between feedings and your boob job will spring an obvious leak. You’re frequently covered in spit up and you hope that the explosion you heard coming from the diaper stays contained within it long enough for you to get to a changing table before it leaks all over you.

With all of these new “accessories” now adorning our wardrobes, wouldn’t it be nice if other, often bland and boring motherhood accessories could be more stylish?

Take the breast pump for instance. Working moms have to tote their pumps to and from work, along with all of the pieces and collected milk, every day. Any mom traveling that is pumping has to bring their pump wherever they are going. These pumps often come with these bland black bags that scream “Why yes, I do have a breast pump and a collection if milk in my bag.” They think by making them shoulder bags or backpacks they are helping.. It’s not. The bags are still obviously containing a breast pump.

Well, what if you could make that piece of motherhood a little (okay, a lot!) more stylish? What if I told you that you can now take your pump to and from work, on trips, etc.. Without the world instantly knowing what was contained within it. Not to mention, while adding a cute and fashionable bag to your outfit. Nurse Purse has changed the way we pump! By taking the trend of cute and modern diaper bags and blending it together with the less-than-attractive breast pump bags.. We can now transport our pumps with ease and style.

The Nurse Purse bags aren’t all form over function, either. They are extremely useful for your day to day toting, with built in compartments for the breast pump and accessories, plus space for other daily items like your laptop/tablet, files, or to use as a diaper bag or purse. No need for carrying multiple bags when you need your breast pump.

The bags are made with a laminated canvas, which makes it water (or breast milk..) resistant. It also makes it easy to wipe down if and when needed. With metal feet on the bottom, your bag will not be directly on your desk or the floor keeping both the bag and table surfaces clean.

There are plenty of pockets, both inside and out. The pockets on the inside are zipped and the interior has a water-resistant lining to keep everything safe from anything that may leak. (If only our shirts were equipped with this feature..)

The Nurse Purse accommodates many different brands and styles of pump, as well. I use my nurse purse with my Lansinoh Signature Pro Duo, but I also have a Medela and it fits nicely. I love that the access to the pump is quick and easy.. And I can keep my pump put together when it’s stored. No need to break down the tubes/cords.

It’s such a functional product that brings style to nursing and pumping! It’s quite comfortable to carry and doesn’t scream “breast pump!!” When you’re carrying it. It can also be quite usable when you have ceased the pumping stage.

I do wish that they made a matching insulated cooler pack for milk storage, but there is plenty of room within the bag to pack a standard insulated lunch bag to transport milk.

I love my Nurse Purse. A great product for stylish moms, especially when we’re covered in milk and spit up.

**Note: I was provided a Nurse Purse to review, but was not otherwise compensated. The opinions expressed are my own honest opinions.**

When it comes to nurseries, and baby products in general, there are those you don’t mind having all over your home. In fact, many baby products have taken the style factor to an entirely new level and strive to integrate products into home decor. I’ll be honest, I prefer the products that fit into my home.

We are room sharing parents. (Okay, we’re co-sleepers.. but baby has his own space in our room.) With the addition of a baby in the room, the “romance” of the room can quickly turn into a baby changing station. (I know, I know. Baby supplies aren’t the only romance killer right after baby.. But your space should still feel like your space!) I prefer to give the baby his space to make our life easier.. But also keep our room looking nice enough to relax into after our older boys go to bed. As much as I try, though, there are items when you have babies and toddlers that are necessary to have around.. But just aren’t attractive. For instance, stacks of diapers and the plastic container of wipes.

No matter how the manufacturers try, those tubs stick out – and often have large photos of babies on them. I don’t have enough photos of my own children.. Why on earth do I want photos of stranger’s children on display in my home? Until recently, you just had to deal with it. For some it isn’t a big deal, but if I can integrate it into my decor, why not?

I was thrilled when Jill, founder if CleverRelish, sent me their product – WipesWraps. A stylish, reusable cover for those plastic tubs of wipes. Now even our wipes coordinate with our baby’s space in our room and don’t distract from the rest of the room.

I had an interesting time getting it on the container of wipes.. But once I figured it out, (ie: read the instructions.. Oops lol) it was simple. It fits nicely on our Pamper’s wipes containers.

There are so many different styles to choose from, I’m fairly certain I could find one to coordinate with any room in my house. I might just challenge myself to this, actually. After all, my house is now baby central.. And there is no telling where I’m going to need wipes.

Go take a look at the WipesWraps and tell me, which is your favorite print? I have many pregnant friends right now.. So if you’re one of them, you might just receive the print you comment with as a baby gift! (Life can’t be all surprises, you know..)

Note: I was sent WipesWraps to review. The opinions expressed are my own and I was not otherwise compensated for my review.

Hello all! Boy am I behind. When my baby arrived earlier than expected, I ended up with blog backlog and I’m slowly attempting to weed through it. You will all be inundated with posts in the next week, so prepare yourselves!

Speaking of preparing.. As parents we realize that part of the process of preparing for a baby is the research. Getting to see and hear about products and birth information. That’s why I am thrilled to be part of the VIP Bloggers attending this year’s Northwest’s Biggest Baby Shower in PDX.

I’ll be covering the even live on Twitter and Instagram and then I’ll bring you an information filled post right here after the event. I’m excited to have the opportunity to interview January Harshe (of Birth Without Fear) and Liza Huber (of Sage Spoonfuls) as well as chat with some amazing brands (like Orbit Baby, Ergo Baby, Britax, Joovy, and Earth Mama Angel Baby!)

I will be giving away 10 standard couples tickets today! Then you can get in on the experience, too! Just head on over to Facebook for a chance to enter!

“I can’t wait to read your birth story” seems to be a common remark lately. I had a hard time deciding, as odd as this sounds for a blogging mama, how much of his birth story I want to share. I guess the natural thing would be to just start writing and see where it leads me.

Obviously this means the Diaper Bag Confessions Baby #4 has made his triumphant arrival. He was born a bit earlier than expected.. but we were all ready for him to be here and the dramas of the pregnancy to be over. He was born at 37 weeks 2 days – “early term” is how they refer to him. He was 4 pounds 15 ounces and 17 3/4 inches – “small for gestational age” they say.

Regardless of the labels and terminology, he is a strong, healthy little boy who never needed any additional care outside of the realms of a normal newborn, with the exception of blood glucose monitoring for the first 24 hours.. This is apparently routine for babies of his size.

His labor and delivery took me by surprise and was quite memorable. I had just seen my doctor at 2:00 in the afternoon. By 4:00 pm the contractions had started. I tried to sleep and couldn’t. Decided to take a family walk.. I made it one block and had to turn around. I ate dinner and argued with myself about whether or not I was in labor, after all.. I just had an appointment and it could easily just be cervical irritation. At 7:00 pm, when nothing was helping the contractions subside, my husband put the kids to bed, we called his parents and headed to the hospital. (This was playing out exactly how I hoped.. Kids put to bed as normal by us with little disruption in the routine!)

I wish I could say “then Tada! We had a baby..” But I can’t. Despite the contractions that were occurring every 3 minutes, no progress was being made and the hospital staff wanted to send me home. On the instruction of my doctor, I was sent home at 11:30 pm on “therapeutic rest” — basically a drug concoction to help me sleep. If it was false labor, I would sleep through it and eventually it would stop. If it was real labor, the rest would help with progress and eventually I’d be unable to sleep through the contractions.

We arrived home and I immediately fell asleep on the couch. That “rest” concoction was amazing stuff. However, 1:00 am arrived and I awoke. I woefully stumbled my way upstairs in tears. “I can’t sleep through this!!” I cried to my husband. He called the hospital.. “They sent her home at 11:30.. But now she’s in a lot of pain…” They instructed us to return. So, another call to the in-laws and another drive to the hospital. After a short pit stop for me to vomit in the parking lot (Seriously.. A lot of pain!), we made it back into the hospital around 1:45 am.

“You’ve progressed.. A little.. ” they said. “We’ll call your doctor and see what she wants to do.” She chose to have them give me IV fluids and keep me for monitoring. The intensity of contractions picked up.. But progress was sloooow coming. “We can’t admit you until we know you’re in actual labor.. and labor is defined as regular contractions that cause dilation and effacement..” The nurse said. Frustrated, I pleaded with them not to send me home again. I just knew I was in labor.. I had the regular contractions part.. I just needed the dilation! Fortunately for me, my doctor clearly knew it was actual labor as well. She continued to instruct them to keep me there and monitor me.

5:00 am came. BAM! Progress. FAST progress. “We’re going to go call her, now!” I was relieved. My doctor was on her way, as was my blissful epidural. “We’re going to try and hurry through the admitting process now!” Yeah.. I had yet to actually be admitted and that apparently needed to be completed prior to my epidural.

My doctor arrived, cracked a few jokes about me keeping her up all night and then everything stopped. “You stopped progressing.. Baby turned himself and he’s facing sideways. His shoulders won’t make it through this way.. So we need to get him to spin..”

That process was ridiculous and lasted over an hour. I had some great conversations with my doctor and husband.. Neither of which had left my side. My nurse’s shift ended at 7:00 am – she clocked out and returned to my room. “I’m staying for this.. I’ll go home when he’s here!” she said. Finally, at 7:44 am our little boy made his grand arrival. Much smaller than anyone anticipated, but much stronger than anyone expected.

This pregnancy was a physical and emotional roller coaster. Now that it’s over and I have this beautiful little baby in my arms, I am so thankful to have him and that he’s healthy. Especially after seeing the large bruise-like spot on his placenta – The source of the hemorrhage. This baby may be small, but he is mighty.

He is the perfect addition to our family and his brothers all love him so much. He’s 2 weeks and 5 days old now (today is his official due date!) and while we’re still adjusting to the balancing act of a new baby.. So far, four kids isn’t too overwhelming. Trying to balance adding in blogging is a little more difficult, but I’m figuring it all out. Slowly.

Our older boys both adjusted well when their younger siblings were born. Our oldest was, by far, the most flexible. He was a little over three, as self-sufficient as a 3-year-old could be, and change didn’t bother him. His little brother was induced, so we knew when it would happen and everyone was adequately prepped and taken care of. Honestly, at that time my largest concern was whether or not my in-laws would remember how much and when to feed the dog.

Our second born was also an easily adapting little boy. He was scheduled, but made his own schedule. If he was tired, he didn’t let little things get in the way of his sleep schedule. If he was hungry, he’d tell you. He preferred his home sleep environment, but other than that he was quite easily adjusted. I had early labor at home with our third for almost 36 hours – and a doctors appointment the morning of his actual delivery – so we knew he was coming. Had their things prepared, were able to brief the grandparents on their needs/wants and I felt confident in our plan.

Both of the older two had no significant reaction after their younger sibling was born. They enjoyed the new addition, adapted well to new schedules and habits.. And neither had any jealousy or resentment. It was a smooth transition.

Now here we are, attempting to prepare for the delivery of baby number four – and realizing things are much more complicated. Two of our kids in school during the week. There are now three of them.. But most of all, the complexities of our youngest make this process very hard to plan.

As I’ve mentioned, our toddler has some pretty significant physical, but mostly developmental, delays and disabilities. Some have specific labels attached to them (Sensory Processing Disorder, Speech Delay, Hypotonia) and others are yet to be labeled as their underlying cause is unknown. This had brought new priorities to the way we prepare for this arrival.

He doesn’t communicate well. The average person only understands about 30% of what he says. He doesn’t deal with change well.. At all. He requires structure. He has severe anxiety, especially around people and situations that are new to him – he also has sensitivities to noise and touch. When his anxiety kicks in, he simply shuts down. He’ll stand there and stare off into nowhere while his little body trembles and shakes. Then he covers his eyes and ears and eventually begins to scream in a panic. He also gets physically exhausted quickly resulting in muscle weakness – he will require constant supervision to prevent falls and injury in these situations.. and may need held or carried.

His routine must be followed completely or it will fail. Bedtime must be completed the same way every time. He even has a routine for the way his diapers get changed. He doesn’t do loud noise or busy environments well.. This means taking him out shopping or to a restaurant isn’t an option without one of us present to know how to counter-react to his stresses. And, food. His Sensory Processing Disorder has had the biggest impact on the food front. He is VERY particular about what he will eat, and fighting him or trying to force him to eat something will not go over well.

Finding someone capable of caring for him – someone he is comfortable with and someone who understands him – is proving very difficult. Until a month ago, he only ever let two people besides my husband and myself hold him.. They are close friends and don’t push his boundaries. He’s recently added one grandparent to that equation.. But it took a lot of work.

Our work with him doesn’t stop at just finding a solution for when our newest baby is actually born, but we need to also consider the process of adjusting after baby is born. When the routine changes. The schedules don’t align. Mommy and daddy must be shared with a new attention stealer. The loud noise of baby cries. Another car seat in the car. It will impact every single one of his very rigid specifications. Well, except for the food aspect.. At least we’ve got that on our side! (As long as I make sure my pantry and fridge are well stocked..)

To say I’m getting nervous about adapting a special needs child to the changes of a new sibling and the process of that new sibling arriving is an understatement. An entirely different process than I’m used to. We got ourselves so accustomed to the way things are for him now.. I’m scared I won’t be able to accommodate things properly. That somehow this will cause a regression for him.

We’ve bought him a baby, we’re talking through everything with him, he knows which items in the house are for new baby and which items are for him to play with.. We read him books about becoming a big brother and having new babies in the house.. But I’m well aware of the impact the new and unknown has on him – and perhaps I am preparing (… Or trying to prepare..) for the worst.

If you had asked me 10 days ago what I had purchased for this baby, I’d smile, laugh, and then state quite simply – “Pajamas.” If I were being more specific, I’d tell you “One pair of pajamas.”

That’s right. This isn’t my first ride on the baby merry-go-round so I wasn’t in a huge rush.

But here I am, 32 weeks pregnant and beginning to panic. Why did I wait so long?! Luckily, I was prepared enough to have built a Registry on Diapers.com – at least I know that anything I need can be here in 1-2 days! Even though I procrastinated, they never do!

The first items arrived from my registry last weekend. We had spent the day running around and arrived home to find a fabulous stack of boxes.. That were ordered the afternoon before!

Contained within those boxes were three items that, as the mom of soon-to-be-four children, I find very exciting!

In the first and largest box was a 4Moms Mamaroo. (In Silver Plush! Baby’s colors are blue and grey, so it is perfect!) If you already have children, you know that finding a safe place to set down an infant while you entertain/feed your older children or desire a shower is essential. If it can soothe and entertain baby at the same time – even better! When this baby arrives, I will have a toddler with special needs, a preschooler that is only at school for half of the day, and a 2nd grader that comes home daily with homework. The 4Moms Mamaroo is going to be a critical part of staying sane. Well, that and coffee. With the plush fabric, motorized motions that mimic how you move baby to soothe them, and a noise machine capable of hooking up your own MP3 player to – baby is sure to be comfortable. I may have to put Darius Rucker’s “Wagon Wheel” on repeat just so I can giggle as it moves back and forth playing “Hey, Mama Rock Me!” See, it is entertaining for me, too. An all around winner as far as infant seating and entertainment goes.

Contained within the second box were two other fabulous essentials. The first of which is the Baby Chef Steam Sanitizer. I breastfeed – but I know how critical it is to be able to hand someone else the baby and a bottle of pumped milk. It not only assists in my husband and older kids’ being able to bond with baby – but while they do that.. I can actually manage a shower or putting a healthy meal on the table. When you use bottles, getting them properly cleaned. Especially when you perhaps find one that has been lost under the couch for a week. The Baby Chef Steam Sanitizer allows me to sanitize baby’s bottles without needing to run an entire load in the dishwasher. I can guarantee with ease that I always have a sterilized bottle handy. I’m hoping it will work for pacifiers, too. We all know how germy those can get. It’s not obtrusive and sits neatly on my counter.

The last item of that first registry shipment was quite possibly my favorite. As most of you know from reading this blog, my toddler is completely in love with Sophie the Giraffe, PhiePhie to him. So much so, I still can’t get him to share PhiePhie, however.. It’s a product that babies adore and entertains them. Luckily – PhiePhie now has friends. Adorable friends. One of those friends arrived in that Diapers.com box. Gabin the Bear. Oh how I love that adorable little bear! I’ll admit, though, I have Gabin the Bear hidden still. I fear my PhiePhieMonster will love him as much as he loves PhiePhie – and I really want to have that sweet little bear for our new baby.

I am so glad that, even though I procrastinated, my Diapers.com registry has everything I need for baby listed on it and those items can be on my doorstep within a day or two. I can panic less now. I can even take advantage of the 10% registry completion discount for the truly last minute purchases that haven’t already been bought.

I’m more thankful than ever that I chose Diapers.com for my baby registry. Between convenience of delivery, free shipping, wide (and I mean huge!) variety of brands and product options, and the overall ease of use — I know that we will be well equipped by the time this baby arrives. (And if we aren’t, I can always place an order from the hospital and know it will likely beat me to my doorstep!) For more reasons I chose Diapers.com for my registry, feel free to go read my post “Shopping and Baby Registries.”

 Your (and my…) friends and family can take advantage of Diapers.com’s special registry shopping promotion. 15% off a registry purchase! A registry that not only benefits you, but your friends and family, too!

I should probably go order some diapers, at some point in time, but as I’ve shown you all above – I don’t need to stress about them arriving in time.

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by the Registry Program at Diapers.com. The opinions expressed are my own and honest. I was sent products for this review from Diapers.com.

I have said numerous times that we are not a family that conforms to the lines of gender bias. My boys are definitely tool-toting, rough-and-tumble kind if kids.. but they aren’t restricted to that. My boys adore Disney. All things Disney, right down to the Princesses. My oldest also loves the color pink. In fact, he says it’s his favorite color.

We have My Little Pony toys, Princess castles, baby dolls and strollers in our house. We also have Lego Ninjago, super heroes galore and a lot of cars/trucks/trains.

My boys have never thought anything of their interests. We’ve only used the phrase “Those are made for girls..” once and only with our oldest. Glittery pink TOMS shoes. I actually felt horrible for letting that phrase leave my mouth. WHY did it leave my mouth? I was afraid of how others would treat him if they saw him wearing them.

The world is not as accepting of the non-standard as our family is. This was proven yesterday, when in a fit of excitement our 8-year-old wanted to take his new Frozen doll, Elsa, for show and tell. We allowed it and he came home upset. His classmates, and some of his friends, laughed at him.

I gave him the only answer I could.. “Some people don’t think boys should play with dolls – but that is silly – and no one should ever make fun of someone for liking different things than they do!”

He proceeded to point out that no one laughed at the girl in his class that handed out Star Wars valentines. Or that no one made fun of their good friend, a girl, that had a super hero birthday party.

I’m sad. We clearly have made strides in embracing and empowering girls to be and like whatever they want.. But our society still shuns boys for doing the same if it doesn’t fit within the structured notions of the stereotypical male?

We praise companies for making building/engineering kits aimed at girls. She can do what boys can do, after all! We make construction vehicle toys in pinks and purples! Why aren’t we as accepting of boys who want to play daddy with dolls or fix someone’s hair?

8-year-olds should be enjoying life without the fear of being bullied, judged or ridiculed for their likes. And those doing the bullying and laughing? They learned it somewhere.

Parents, not all girls have to play with babies or dress up.. and not all boys have to do karate and play with trucks. Stop putting labels on young kids who simply just want to be KIDS. Not boy kids and girl kids.. But KIDS. Teach your children to be accepting of others, even if they don’t like the same things.

How boring would our world be if we were all limited to liking and thinking the same things?