I've been thinking a lot about my pregnancy with MK this past week and what I'd do differently now that I've been a mom for 2 years. A lot of my list has to do with all of the stuff that you have to buy/register for when you're a first time mom. Those big box baby stores really make you feel like you need to have everything, and I was definitely one of those suckers! Some of these are also not baby gear related, just my mommy reflections!
Here's what I'd do differently:
1. Ditch the travel system!
I've already written a post comparing my Chicco Cortina Travel system to the Phil and Teds Dash stroller here. I wish that snap and go strollers would have been popular when I was preggo... it was a trend that came out just after I had MK and I was already pot committed with my stroller. That's what I'd go with now until I knew for sure what I wanted out of a stroller.
2. You don't need a ton of cloth bibs!
I registered for a ton and got a lot as gifts, but once I started needing them I realized that they were a terrible idea! I learned quickly that the bibs you wipe off work so much better, and if they have a little pocket in the front that's even better! My favorite (and I've tried a lot!) are these Tommy Tippee bibs.
3. Buy 0-3 month clothes and bigger.
This also could be because I had a bigger than average baby, but MK only wore newborn clothes for such a short time... we've got a huge tub of onesies she wore once! Also, people will give you clothes at baby showers (note to people going to baby showers: stick to the registry, it's so helpful to new moms... bottle liners and diapers aren't sexy gifts, but to expecting parents they so are!) so wait until after your showers to buy a lot of clothes. Also, if you can, keep the tags on them and wash when you get the baby home and figure out what sizes work best for your baby. Also- GO TO CONSIGNMENT SALES!! I was just at Divine Consign and they had a ton of barely used brand name newborn clothes for $1-2! Why pay $5-8 for a onesie they are going to wear a couple times?
4. Really research what bottle you want to use and think SIMPLE!
We got Dr. Browns just because we heard that they were the bomb and for MK they were great, but they were a pain to clean! I bet if she'd been gassy or had reflux issues we'd be singing a different song, but she was great so we had time to complain about washing bottles. The Dr. Browns have so many little parts that required little brushes! Once my milk dried up at 7 months and we were cleaning 8 bottles a day we decided that we'd had enough of the tiny parts and tried different bottles. We landed on Born Free bottles which only have a couple things to clean.
5. Don't focus so much on the "big day"
I was way too focused on what MK's birthday would look like that I didn't prepare my heart enough for being a mom and all that would entail. I wish I would have read more books, memorized some scripture and had more detailed talks about parenting with my mommy friends. It's kinda like planning a wedding, it's so easy to get caught up in the one day and not investing in the life time after the big day.
6. Plan a nursery for a big girl room.
Now that I'm planning a nursery again, I find myself thinking way more about how this nursery, that'll be used as one for less than 2 years, is going to turn into a little girls room. I'm so happy with MK's big girl room now, but I do wish I would have looked past the little baby phase when decorating her nursery. What would I have done differently: ditch the cutsie patterns and colors and used more safisticated simple bedding and fabrics that could have been used in big girl bedding. If we would have kept MK's room a nursery for K then I don't think I would feel this way... so if you're planning on making the nursery a permenant fixture in your house for all of your babys then make is as cutsie as possible!
7. Write everything down!
I blogged a little bit for the first few months of MK's pregnancy and then stopped, but I wish I would have kept a journal of how I was feeling for the rest of my pregnancy. I'd love to compare weight and how I was feeling physically and emotionally. Well, at least I'll have something to compare next time with! :)
8. Consider things outside your comfort zone.
I wish I wouldn't have turned up my nose at cloth diapers when I first heard about them! I am so jealous of my friends who got thier diaper stash as gifts at showers... talk about saving money from the start. I also wish I would have embraced the Moby wrap instead of getting intimidated at it's complexity. I'm excited to use it this time around now that I've watched this video from my favorite blog about how to actually tie it! :)
Here's my list... what's on yours moms? I love learning from other moms experiences!
Love,
K. Vog
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