Picture perfect at 6 days old!
Hello again mommies :). Hopefully you’ve taken a look at one my previous posts: Bringing home baby, there’s no “wrong way”. If not, you can view it here. I have been meaning to write this post for a VERY long time but Ava has occupied so much of my time (shocking right?!) and I’m still playing catch up- LOL. Mommy-hood is such a trip and there is such an overwhelming feeling from the start. Highs, lows, confusion, excitement, exhaustion, and more. In my opinion, the best way to keep up with it all is to make sure you have support; whether its in person, on the phone, via FaceTime, or via the web. The old saying of “it takes a village to raise a child” is absolutely and without a doubt 100% true! That being said, here are a few tips, tricks, and tools that have helped me those first few moths of craziness. It’s so hard to list them all but below are my top picks :). Remember to also check out my page, “Kimbra’s Picks- having a baby in KL” for baby gear store recommendations here in KL.
All smiles!
Favorite Mommy-Support Forums/Information Websites:
Kelly Mom– an amazing website geared toward breastfeeding- answered so many questions I had in those early days!
Ask the Chicks– Without a doubt the best Facebook group I have ever been a part of!! A loving & caring place to post any and every question you have as well as see other questions and help other mommies out from around the world!
Baby Center– a true resource for everything baby
Pregnant Chicken– The “Mother” of “Ask the Chicks”; this website is a great tool for learning about baby products and more!
Momastery– love this blog, will lift you up and make you feel not so alone in this crazy parenting ride, Glennon is REAL peeps!
Lisa-Jo Baker– another great blog….true food for your soul!
Jen Hatmaker– she’s just awesome.
snoozing in her graco pack & play with bassinet!
Favorite Apps:
The Wonder Weeks– If you haven’t heard about this book/app, you must check it out. It explains so much about your baby’s developmental processes!!!
Eat Sleep– A very simple app to help track eating, pooping, and sleeping. Not complicated at all :).
Sound Sleeper– The BEST app for noises….Ava loves the rain, ocean, and in the beginning, the “sshh” sound.
Rhymes– Such a fun app as they learn nursery rhymes!
Infant Visual Stimulation– another great app with black, white, and red objects with soothing noises for their budding senses.
Ava and her bouncer!
Favorite Books:
Baby 411– An experienced mommy friend told me about this one, its a godsend!!
The Happiest Baby on the Block– seriously read this book and watch the DVD BEFORE baby arrives. Taught us how to soothe Ava when she was hysterically crying.
Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child– another mommy friend filled me in on this one- the best way to get babes on a schedule!!
What to Expect the First Year– as a followup to What to expect when you’re expecting, this is a nice overview of the monthly growths of babes.
Love this shot!
Favorite Kuala Lumpur Mommy FB Groups:
KL Mom Shop & Swap– best place to find gently used baby items!
Buy & Sell in KL– another great place to check out gently used baby/lifestyle items
IBU Family Resource Group– join this group and become a member too!! Amazing resource for everything!!
Fit for 2– a great place to stay fit and go to talks geared towards babies and parenting.
The Marketplace ™– another great gently used group!
Tummy time on the playmat!
Favorite Baby Items for those crazy first months:
Hooter Hider (with wire)- I was gifted a couple in the states as well as received 1 in KL from my friend Amy at The Batik Boutique. Amazing….must have one with wire- makes your life so much easier in public places!
No Hands Pumping Bra– wow, a couple mommy friends told me about this gem….I don’t know how I could have pumped without it!
Dual Medela Pump in Style Advanced– The BEST. Has a battery pack to pump in the car, etc as well as a great starter kit of supplies. I was going to get just a single pump since I ‘m not currently working but even if you are a SAHM, you still don’t have time to deal with doing 1, then the other!
Earth Momma Angel Baby Products– love their baby lotion & oil, nipple ointment, and more!
Baby Bjorn– We originally didn’t get this. We had the Ergo (which we used ALL the time now) and the Moby (which I could never quite figure out but will try again for the next baby) but after borrowing a friend’s Bjorn, we immediately went out and bought one for ourselves. Its great for the smaller babies and perfect for both forward facing and towards your chest. Both mommy & daddy can wear!! Ava is too heavy for it now but for those first 6 months, awesome.
Halo Swaddle Sack– Without a doubt the best & easiest way to swaddle your baby (has velcro!!) and perfect for that transitional time of arms out.
Baby swing– We were lucky enough to get a hand me down; this is a lifesaver!
Baby chair/bouncer– another great hand me down….perfect for mommy’s shower time- LOL 🙂
Play mat/gym– great stimulation and great for practicing tummy time, etc!
Pack & Play with bassinet– this is the only thing Ava would sleep in the first month!
The swing helped her pass out- lol!
Well, I think thats about it. Again, this isn’t a complete list, its just a few that really stood out for me and saved my butt more times than I can count- haha. Whats your favorite my experienced mommy friends?
Halo sleep sack!
Until next time, happy life mommies & babes~
Kimbra (& Ava) 😉
Mommy & Ava with the Bjorn!
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