Essentials to Surviving the First Stages of Motherhood

As excited as my husband and I when we found out we were expecting our first child, we were also a little terrified. After all, having a baby isn’t like keeping a houseplant alive; it’s not even on the same playing field! Fortunately, however, I have supportive family members and friends who helped me through these last 8 months of my pregnancy. Tips, practical (yet helpful) baby gifts, advice, etc. are just some of the things I’ve gained so far. Now that we’re coming down the homestretch, due to welcome our little one into the world, I feel as if I’m quite well prepared regarding prepping for his arrival.

Now, once the baby gets here, I know it’s going to be a challenge. A worthwhile and rewarding challenge but tough nonetheless. Navigating the waters of the first few months are something I’ve heard a lot about since I found out we were expecting. It’s not all rainbows, happy giggles and cuddles! There are going to be long nights, many diaper changes, crying for reasons we can’t even fathom, etc. but like I said, I’ve had a lot of help so far and have been assured that I’ll have help & support every step of the way after our son arrives.

All that information and the gifts that I’ve been given over these last few months of my pregnancy? I know there are a lot of mamas who aren’t so fortunate to have that, so, I’ve gone ahead and compiled a list of some of my essentials for surviving the first stages of motherhood. Some of these nifty items can even be doubled as stocking stuffers now that the holidays are fast approaching!

Tula Baby Carrier

» Created by Baby Tula, the Blossom Free-to-Grow Baby Carrier is going to make moving around with your little one so much easier, either at home or out and about. Instead of lugging around a car seat that’ll get progressively heavier as your little one grows or having your arms scream at you, the Free-to-Grow Baby Carrier is a great way to multi-task as well as bond with your baby.

Tubby Todd Basics Bundle / Travel Kit

» Tubby Todd Basics Bundle. Want to get the best for your baby regarding hygiene, while staying away from harmful chemicals? Tubby Todd offers their Basics Bundle so parents can feel at peace with things like bath time and provide necessary skin care products for their newborn. With items like the Lavender & Rosemary Hair and Body Wash, Sweet Quince and Honeysuckle Bubble Bath, both you and your little one will get the most soothing effects from bath time. Additionally, the Tubby Todd Travel Kit offers the same great products in smaller sizes to help make travel easy and stress-free!

Comotomo Baby Bottle Starter Kit & Teether

» The Como Tomo Baby Bottle gives you all of the benefits of breastfeeding, right from a bottle. Many women can’t produce enough milk to feed their little ones, and there are even some who can’t afford to miss work to enjoy breastfeeding, so Como Tomo created their bottle to mimic the act of breastfeeding while helping to prevent colic. Their Teether is another fantastic product that benefits babies by emulating their natural instinct to bite their fingers when teething.

Freshly Picked Moccassins

» I adore little baby shoes, always have. They’re just so tiny and cute! Thus, these adorable little Moccasins in Chambray from Freshly Picked are definitely an essential to have. Just look at the detail! Of course, the fact that they’re great for little foot growth is a great benefit too!

Jujube Diaper Bag “Be Classy”

» Have I ever mentioned that I love purses as well? I worried for a time that I’d have to give up cute and stylish bags once the baby arrived but thanks to Ju-Ju-Be, I put that worry behind me. Their First Lady Diaper Bag has all of the styles of the purses I love but all of the benefits of a diaper bag as well!

ZoLi Nasal Aspirator

» Breathe by Zo-Li. I’m not going to lie, those nasal bulbs my girlfriends used to bring home with their newborns always gave me the creeps. I know they’re meant to help clear up stuffy noses but boy, did they look strange! Breathe by Zo-Li is a nasal aspirator that is safe for babies while being effective in clearing up stuffy noses thanks to its steady and gentle suction setting.

ZoLi Snack Container

» Another great product by Zo-Li that I’ve been assured is a lifesaver once the baby gets older, is their PODS, the leak-free snack containers. I know how cranky I can get when I’m hungry, so I’d imagine for a baby it can get exponentially worse! Having snacks handy in a container that isn’t going to leak and is BPA free will come in handy for sure.

Pin for Later!

Although we’re still waiting for our son to make his appearance (any time now!) I’ve spent a lot of time researching and getting many different opinions on which products are going to be an essential time saver, and an-all-around miracle worker once he arrives. These are just a few of a mountain of products available in the market, but I hope that these choices can help my fellow mamas to be for when the time comes and they need another opinion to help choose the best products for themselves and their little ones!