Toddle Along Tuesday: Inside the Bag

Awhile back, I gave you a sneak peek inside what has become my purse; Easton's diaper bag. I promised that  I would check back as Easton grew up to see how things have changed, and what better time to do it than on Toddle Along Tuesday: Diaper Bag Edition!

So here I am, a year into mommyhood, and I'm still using, and happy with, my Vera Bradley diaper bag! It's not only stylish but it's durable, practical and easy to clean. As Easton has grown over the course of the past year, his needs have changed, therefore the contents of the diaper bag have changed, so I'm here to give you an update!

1. Paci wipes - because when Easton doesn't want his paci, on the floor it goes!
2. Diapers and wipes, duh!
3. Changing pad, because I'm OCD when it comes to laying Easton on those random changing tables
4. Butt Paste - because, well, diaper rash happens!
5. Baby food pouches and a spoon
6. Baby Tylenol
7. Hand sanitizer and chapstick for me
8. Rattle, which can probably be retired
9. Extra paci and paci clip, to help avoid the paci being tossed on the ground
10. Snacks for Easton - cherrios, goldfish and 'surfboards'
11. A ball - Easton's favorite
12. Change of clothes
13. Book
14. Sippy cup
15. Arm n' Hammer disposable bags for poopy diapers on-the-go

At any given time, you can also likely find a pair of Easton's socks, which he enjoys taking off, a hoodie for these chilly spring days and my keys, phone and credit card. Although for my birthday this past year, the hubby got me Coach's latest crossbody purse, which makes carrying a purse and a diaper bag totally feasable. Better yet, it makes leaving the diaper bag in the car while running into a store carrying a baby on your hip totally feasable! :)


I'll be back for another "Inside the Bag" update in a few months! 

Thanksful November - Day 13

Pacifiers
Today especially, I am thankful that my poor little, not only teething but has a cold, son takes a pacifier. I hate to even complain because I feel that we have honestly be blessed with such a great baby - happy, healthy, giggly, independent, and the list goes on, but this teething business is hell. Sleepless nights, drool everywhere, chin rash, runny nose, cough, excessive tears and fussiness are getting the best of us and it's no fun at all. So while what I'm really thankful for is children's motrin, I thought I might get looked down upon, and so I'm covering my butt by saying I am thankful for pacifiers which help sooth my poor baby. A normally very happy, smiley Easton in the morning and after naps has turned into screaming bloody murder baby and thankfully the pacifier provides comfort until the motrin kicks in. :) One tooth is on the verge of cutting through (the gums are nice and swollen and the first tooth has slighly broken the skin) and the second isn't too far behind. Fingers crossed for some relief once this one pops through, at least until the next one.

(Not So) Wordless Wednesday - Inside the Bag

Yes, I know, I'm breakin' the blogging law and posting an entry on Wordless Wednesday. I hope the blog police go easy on me. :) I will, however, defend myself and admit that the majority of this post was actually written last night.

As a new mom, choosing a diaper bag was a big deal to me - I had many things to consider. First and foremost, it was bound to become my right-hand shoulder man, and therefore it needed to be stylish. I wanted a diaper bag that was gender neutral -- not only because we opted to not find out the sex of our baby, but because if I had any hope of Bryan carrying it, it couldn't be feminine. I know how my husband feels about holding my purse, therefore knew he would not be caught dead carrying a pink, flowery diaper bag. Aside from the look, it had to be practical, with a spot for everything, pockets for all the little odds n' ends, and big enough, yet as small as possible. And of course, it had to match our black stroller. After talking to friends, and shopping around, I ended up with Vera Bradley's Baby Bag in Baroque and I love it!

Now, I believe you can tell a lot about a mom by looking at their diaper bag. The contents of a diaper bag varies from baby-to-baby and mom-to-mom. What I have in Easton's diaper bag, doesn't necessarily mean it's what other people should/will have in theirs and vice versa. It's what works for us! And when I said that the diaper bag needed to be big enough, yet as small as possible - this cuts it! It's the perfect size - big enough to hold everything I need it to hold, but not so big that it ends up with unnecessary items. The diaper bag often doubles as a purse and I find myself tossing my keys, sunglasses, phone and a credit card into one of the many side pockets for easy access, so I'm not stuck lugging a baby, diaper bag, purse, stroller, etc. everywhere I go.

The contents:

1. Diapers  - duh!
2. Bibs - yes, multiple!
3. Little giraffe blanky
4. Giraffe toy
5. Wipes
6. Paci clip and extra paci(s)
7. Extra outfit or 2
8. Camera and video camera - gotta be ready for those kodak moments
9. Arm n' Hammer dirty diaper bags
10. Sophie the Giraffe - a favorite!
11. Gas drops and Tylenol, plus a thermometer
12. Butt Paste
13. Aveeno lotion - mainly for me
14. A WubbaNub, giraffe of course
15. Burp clothes - multiple, again!
16. Changing pad - for between those nasty, germy changing tables and my precious baby
17. Hand sanitizer and chapstick - again, for me
18. Time killers - rattle, rings and teether

What am I forgetting?

It continues to amaze me how much this diaper bag holds for it's size and that everything truly has a place inside. On any given day, you could find a few additional, non-everyday items including a hat, baby sunglasses and perhaps some formula and bottle for backup. But other than that, it's pretty standard and doesn't require much daily repacking/reorganizing. My only struggle when it comes to the diaper bag is remembering to restock the diapers!

I think it will be fun to check in periodically and see how the contents have changed overtime as Easton gets older.

Breastfeeding 101

A quick reminder that I am currently playing "catch up" on many of my entries, recapping the past 4 months of baby Easton’s life. Please note, this entry is written in real time.

Happy National Breastfeeding Week (August 1-7)

I was reading a blog tonight and it gave me a great idea for an entry: breastfeeding. I have learned a lot being a new parent over the last 4 months, but nothing compares to what I’ve learned about breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is like a marriage. It requires love, effort, patience, dedication, time, energy, and the list goes on. There are times you’ll cry, get frustrated, stressed, and want to throw in the towel and walk away. Whatever you do, don’t give up. Nobody said it was easy….but they promised it would be worth it.

As Easton approaches the 4 month mark, I am so grateful that I’ve been able to bond with him over breastfeeding. But it hasn’t been easy. From day one, we had latch issues and found ourselves feeding Easton expressed breastmilk with a tiny spoon while in the hospital. We continued to work with the lactation consultant, and it got a little better. However, upon returning home, it only got worse. Easton seemed to be satisfied, however I was not. Talk about pain. I began to dread feedings. When Easton cried, I cried. And as he ate, I clenched my toes. I needed a Plan B.

After weeks of struggling and suffering the pain of a bad latch, I resorted to pumping, and pumping only. For 6 solid weeks, I pumped and pumped and pumped. Wherever I went, my pump followed. And when Easton ate, I pumped. There were pros and cons to this – while it was a pain to have to lug that pump around with me everywhere I went, it was nice for someone else to be able to bond with Easton over a feeding (especially Bryan), and it was a huge relief for the girls. Not to mention, it was comforting knowing exactly how much Easton was eating and that he has no problem taking a bottle.

I returned to work part-time when Easton was just 8 weeks old and while pumping was my only option during the day, it became such a hassle to try and pump and feed him a bottle in the morning before getting out the door. I thought, if I could figure out a way to nurse Easton in the morning before work, it would save me a good 20 minutes. So after 6 weeks off, back to nursing we went. And to my surprise, we clicked!! It was a miracle – no pain, no suffering, no more exclusively pumping!!! It was amazing. So while I still had to pump during the day while at work, I was able to resume a normal breastfeeding life at home and it was a huge relief.

So here we are, approaching the 4 month mark and still breastfeeding. Our only problem now: my supply. Since returning to work, Easton’s demand has increased, yet my supply has decreased. I pump 2, sometimes 3 times at work, but while Easton is eating 6oz. every 3 hours, I’m only pumping 4-5oz. per pumping session and it is beyond stressful. Not to mention, my once sleeping-thru-the-night-infant, is now waking up at 3am to eat, and it’s getting really old! My only thought is that he’s taking a full 6oz. from the bottle but not getting enough to fulfill him when nursing. I am finding myself having to supplement with a little formula here and there to complete his daily bottles and/or to top him off at night. And I’m ok with that. Some people fear that after months of strictly breastmilk, their baby will reject formula -- not my little piggy! He will eat whatever you give him. I’ve tried several combinations, from pure formula bottles, to half and half and he has no problem taking anything. I do have several bags of frozen breastmilk in the freezer that I could be using in place of the formula, however I prefer to save the breastmilk for mommy’s night out, sleepovers at grandma’s and when I stop nursing completely. My motto is that partial breastmilk for a longer period of time is better than all breastmilk for a shorter period of time.

So, while I stress that Easton’s demand is only going to increase and that I’m not going to be able to keep up with him, I’m going to tough it out and keep breastfeeding for as long as I can. I am hoping that once we introduce solids (hopefully soon!), it will help curve his appetite and his demand for milk will decrease and meet my supply. Fingers crossed!!!