This is probably going to be one of my longest posts and it’s been a blog post that I have been waiting to write. I am so excited to share all the items we have tried, all the items we got but didn’t use and just items that we highly recommend as first time parents. But just a fair warning, Arnel and I are both pretty laid back in some aspect so we weren’t the types to try out a million products so we try to keep it as simple as possible.
To back up a little, Sofia is almost 5 months old and the time has been flying. The days go by so quick and our entire life has completely changed. While there are days that are super hard, there is always something new because they are rapidly growing and changing so it’s never one in the same and other days you feel like you are finally getting the swing of things. They are constantly learning something new and if you have caught Sofia on Instagram then you know she has such a big personality but then is just the sweetest little snuggle bug. She is so curious and is overall a very happy baby, she does get fussy when she wants to eat and when she is sleepy and or uncomfortable other than that she has been a great baby and we are very blessed.
Sofia had a very hard time eating (let me elaborate) when I was breastfeeding her I felt like because my boobs were so large and she had to suck so hard she would get so exhausted and get so fussy. When I was pumping which was brutal, she was eating better but I still felt like she would spit up or not have enough. After about 2 months I just couldn’t do it anymore and after getting mastitis and being on antibiotics for over 2 weeks and constantly being in pain I just finally decided that it’s not for me. I was also starting to notice red flags with anxiety and depression and we made the decision that mental health is way more important than breastfeeding. While others might disagree, it’s what was best for our family. The decision to do that was not an easy one, it came with lots of crying, lots of pain and speaking to my OB about it. So if you are feeling a certain way and you aren’t feeling yourself and it’s been a few weeks, definitely talk to your doctor because there are women who experience different emotions when breastfeeding and it’s not always a positive emotion. If you want to learn more, you can look into D-MER and as always do your own research and speak with your healthcare providers.
Formula Feeding: Arnel did all the research when it came to formulas and we had ordered a box of formula called HIPP Organic, it’s european and compared to the US ones, it’s much healthier, contains less chemicals and harmful ingredients. We were happy and wanted Sofia to love it, we really did, we tried the dutch version but she kept spitting up and then stopped gaining weight, we then tried the German, then tried the sensitive versions. Overall we wanted her to love it but she just didn’t and when we noticed that weight gain was becoming an issue, when eczema continued to flare up we finally decided okay that’s it organic or not I need to find a formula that works. After lots of recommendations we landed on Similac pro sensitive and we haven’t looked back. Sofia started gaining weight again, her eczema was under control and I could finally breath again. Sofia was in the 90th percentile when she was born for weight, she had dropped to 60th in the matter of a few weeks with my breastmilk and the organic formula. Once we put her on Similac she was back to the 70th percentile in just a week. She still eats it and our pediatrician recommended we don’t start solids until 6 months of age because of Sofia’s sensitive nature with food. So trust your instincts, do what works for you, every baby is different.
Now that you guys have an inside scoop of Sofia’s sensitive nature to food and products then you know finding the right products was important to us, especially when it comes to products touching her skin directly.
Things we have really love for Sofia:
Diapers– we use the honest diapers (you can subsrcibe on the honest website as well as on amazon), we have tried other brands and just didn’t like the quality of them so Honest wins for diapers. Arnel also did a ton of research about healthy diapers and honest definitely contain less harmful and less toxic chemicals.
Noodle & Boo Baby Wipes and Products– We use their baby wipes and they baby shampoos and body wash. We love it and everything is hypoallergenic. We had tried others that are a bit more organic but it would give Sofia a rash, the less ingredients the better. (linked our wipes and shampoo and body wash below that we use for Sofia)
Burts Bees Onesies and Burp Cloths– We love Burts Bees Clothing, it’s made with a 100% organic cotton and we are huge fans. We love their onesies, their burp clothes, their bibs, you name it. She normally hangs out in a bodysuit during the day because it’s hot in the south and keeping her body cool is important for eczema so we let her feet hang out. She also learned to pull off her bibs so these bibs by burts bees are the best because they slide over the head and she can’t pull it off.
Bugaboo Stroller– We love our stroller, the bassinet was perfect for when sofia was a newborn and she has now transitioned to the seater and loves it so much. It can be adjusted to face you or to face forward, the wheels are also wonderful and it rides smoothly. It also has an attachment adapter that you can get for car seats (only certain car seats work).
Dockatot– So we used the Dockatot for the first few weeks of Sofia’s life and really loved it. Then we stopped using it for a while because at night we were just using the bassinet and then during the day she was just napping in her big crib (sounds complicated). After she outgrew her bassinet after about 2 months, then we started using the dockatot after we transitioned her to the big crib. There is no real right way to use it, I know some say you shouldn’t use it in the crib because it’s a hazard but what’s a hazard is sofia rolling around in her crib and landing in weird positions like getting her head caught and not being able to adjust it. Eventually we will transition into the bigger dockatot, it keeps her nice and snug and she likes it that way.
Lollaland Baby Bottles– Arnel’s area of research, he was very persistant about finding healthy baby bottles and these are made with a specific glass. While he has broken a few, they are truly the best and we have never tried any other ones. We have the 4oz and 8oz ones.
Baby Books– We are big believers in reading to your child, especially at such a young age. We started reading to Sofia the day she got out of the hospital and we make sure that everyone reads to her, multiple times a day. I have linked a few of our favorites, please not I majored in Biology and Chemistry so I love all the little science books for babies, they are so adorable. We also read to Sofia every night before she goes to bed. Amazon has great books and they are very affordable, Sofia has a massive collection!
Pacis– Sofia likes the BIBS pacifiers, we had tried all of them and she hates them all except the BIBS. We recently realized that she had the size 3 because my sister had purchased them and she wasn’t paying attention that they weren’t for newborns and well that’s the only one she likes. They are limited to where they can be purchased which has been a pain because the ones on amazon and spearmint baby come in all kinds of weird sizes even if you are specific about it which is annoying. So I found them on Little Greensleeves.
Tubby Todd– The all over ointment has been a life saver for Sofia’s eczema, try it before putting your baby on antibiotics and or steroid creams. You can also use the all over ointment for cradle cap and apply it on their face. We used it at every diaper change and put it all over her body and within a few days it was completely gone (highly recommended).
Commonly asked questions:
Do you send your little one to daycare? We do not, she has wonderful people who watch her while I work half days.
Are you breastfeeding? I am not, I stopped after about 2 months
Do you have any pregnancy advice? Pregnancy is different for everyone, it truly is, it’s a journey that is so unique to every single person. But I can add a few tips, trust your gut, if something feels off go to the doctor you know better than anyone else. Trust your OB/midwife and if you don’t trust them then change them ASAP. Drink lots of water, eat healthy and walk as much as you can.
What did you do to prep your body for pregnancy? Arnel and I eat very healthy, Arnel is a big cook (thank goodness) and always cooked us healthy meals, we also worked out 3-4 times a week I also was never on BC so when we decided to try for a baby, it happened rather quickly which we are very thankful for. Lots of you ask how long it took to get pregnant after birth control and I was never on the pill so I can’t elaborate on any of that. It’s best to talk to your doctor and there is nothing wrong with going to your OB/GYN before trying just to make sure all is good. Also start taking your pre-nantal vitamins because FOLIC ACID is very important.
What are things you wish you hadn’t registered for or thought didn’t get as much use? The wipe warmers, honestly I had such an intense recovery that the last thing I could keep up with were the wipe warmers. We just wanted Sofia to get used to regular wipes because I wasn’t going to port around wipe warmers (sorry). Also don’t register for a ton of different baby bottles because every baby is different, same goes for pacifiers. The hospital gives you a paci and if your baby likes it take it and ask for extras.
What are some sleep safety recommendations? We honestly didn’t want to use any monitors because according to healthcare providers, they aren’t necessarily proven and I was always worried to attach my kid to some sort of electronic monitor. The thing we did was take shifts who gets to watch her sleep. We were deathly afraid of SIDS and legit didn’t sleep for the first 2 months, not the smartest thing but I didn’t trust anything else. If you keep the baby in the same room as you it’s proven to reduce SIDS because they can sense mom/dad in the room. Sofia still sleeps in her crib in our room and we don’t plan on transitioning out until about 9 months of age. We also use Taking Cara Babies for sleep advice, highly recommend it.
What are some activities that you do with Sofia? We read a ton, like I mean a ton, she loves books and if you show her a book she instantly reaches and wants to flip the pages. It’s also very important to talk to your baby, while they can’t reply, they listen and recognize your voice and pick up on things. We also recently got her a little jumper and we love that, she doesn’t last very long in it, but it’s nice because she plays with the toys and interacts with them.
What is Sofia’s sleeping schedule? Sofia goes to bed around 7pm after having a bottle. We also give her a bottle around 9:30 before we go to bed and it’s her “dream feed” and she normally wakes up around 5am when I get up for work and she gets another bottle and goes down for about an hour and half and wakes up at 6:30-7am to start her day.
Some of Sofia’s favorite toys? She honestly loves her books the most, she has a few teething toys and her stuffed animals that she adores.
Best Advice on getting through a night of no sleep? Caffeine, light lunch and lots of sun exposure! I also ask for extra help on those days and take a nap when Sofia is napping in the afternoons.
What are some things you wish you knew and things you think are important to share? Well having a baby hit really hard because we didn’t have anything else to think about but ourselves, we didn’t have pets and got to do whatever we wanted and travel when we wanted, it was “FREEDOM” and now that we have sofi bear, vacations are limited and everything revolves around the baby. When you want to go out or attend a wedding/special event, finding an appropriate night time babysitter who is qualified and whom you trust can be hard. Also planning a trip is hard work because you have to make sure her care take cares can watch her 24/7 during that week or two week trip. Running to the grocery story just got really complicated because your baby eats and poops when they want to especially in the beginning so basically if you had the freedom like Arnel and I did, well things are about to change drastically. This isn’t me complaining, it’s just a change in our lives and it’s the truth. It’s very important to have a game plan and make sure you are willing to change your life in a whole new way. It’s also nice to remember that all babies are different and it’s important that everyone’s journey in this is unique and to trust yourself always, no matter what it is, you know best. I also think getting your finances in check is very important, especially if you function on a tight budget already and don’t have the luxury to spend as freely as you would like because baby expenses can add up. Starting a college fund for your baby, Sofia already has one and all the money she receives gets automatically gets put in her college fund. We also contribute to it monthly.
There are still a ton of questions but I am hoping to spread them out and just do a monthly recap of commonly asked questions. If you also want to read Sofia’s Birth Story here.
Let me know if you all want me to go into further detail about things, as always thanks for stopping by we love and appreciate you all.
xoxo
Lejla, Arnel and Sofi Bear
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