Breastfeeding

Let me start off by saying that this is my opinion and if you do not share the same views on what I'm about to say, that's perfectly fine too.
That having been said, I love breastfeeding. I think it's a natural and beautiful way for a mother to bond with her child and healthy too. However, I did not always feel like this. When I first got pregnant, I decided to breastfeed as a way to save money on formula, plus I'd always heard it was healthier than formula. When my baby girl was born, I just assumed she'd know how to breastfeed and that she and I would be pros in no time. Boy was I wrong. I felt so nervous and uncomfortable holding her to breastfeed her, I felt like any sudden movement would somehow hurt her, and she just did not want to latch. It took days before she would latch long enough to actually eat and even then, we both had some issues sucessfully breastfeeding. My breasts were engorged and in so much pain, they were warm to the touch, leaking, and it felt like my nipples were being lit on fire each time she latched on. Then I started slacking on how much I breastfed her and started letting her be bottle-fed more. Then, a few weeks ago, I realized how much I missed the closeness, the bonding, that I got from the constant breastfeeding. I started feeding her only from the breast except for one bottle of formula after her bath to help her sleep longer. A few days ago, I stopped the bottle completely. Don't get me wrong, breastfeeding takes up a great majority of my time and one of my nipples still hurts quite a bit at times, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. Plus, it takes less time to get ready to feed her than if I were to get the water ready, then pour the formula, feed her, then sanatize the bottle, and when I look into my little angels beautiful face as she breastfeeds it gives me a since of unshakable love and pride to see how happy and healthy she is. 
Don't get me wrong, I'm not bashing mothers who cannot or choose to not breastfeed, it's their right to choose and in some cases, a medical reason prevents mothers from breastfeeding and I understand and respect that. That is the reason so many different types of nutritious formulas out there. Personally, I've found that Similac and Enfamil to be the best brands of formula even though they are quite pricey.

In search of new beauty products..

So tired of always fussing with my hair and skin everyday. I honestly don't have time for it anymore. But my hair always gets so frizzy and my skin gets all splotchy sometimes so I have to fuss just to look semi-presentable unless I just throw my hair up in a semi-bun/ponytail thing. But sometimes I wish I could just brush it and be able to go. So I'm starting my search for some good hair and skin products that'll help me waste less time but still look nice and won't leave me bankrupt.

Sites I love

http://www.thebump.com/

I started using this site when I found out I was expecting and it's been so helpful. There are countdowns to your due date and to baby's birthday, they show you how big baby is while in the womb, and what's happening to baby developmentally in and out of the womb. Not to mention all the helpful articles on just about any issue with trying to conceive, pregnancy, labor and once baby is born. The shop is, in my opinion, pretty pricey but nevertheless fun to look at. There's also a message board so you can connect with others in your area or just find others in your particular situation to talk to. 

http://www.lilsugar.com

I just recently found this site, actually. It doesn't have as much to offer as The Bump does, but there are still some helpful and entertaining articles. Not too many articles focusing on newborns, but there's a lot on tots and older kids, not to mention articles about being parents. There's articles on different activities to do with your children, articles on development, even on style and easy looks for a busy mom. 

http://www.modernmom.com/

This one is A LOT like The Bump, without a message board, and more focused on mommy. There are a lot of helpful parenting articles, but also articles on pre, during, and post pregnancy fitness and health, articles on during and post pregnancy style and even articles on relationships.

Mommy-Daddy time.

So, the fiance and I went on our first date as parents without our LO. We took her to Mamaw's house for a few hours while we ate and went to see The Avengers. (If you haven't seen it yet, GO SEE IT! Seriously, it's AMAZING!) As soon as we pulled out of her driveway to go, I missed my Sweet-Pea and it felt so weird to not have her with us. (As you can tell, we don't spend a lot of time without her. Actually, this is really the first time he and I have gone anywhere together without her and that was the longest I've gone without her.) Fiance took it much better, but I guess it has to do with the fact that I haven't been without her since I was pregnant lol. My point is, it's important for you to leave your baby periodically starting at this age with someone you trust so that you get your 'me-time' and you and your SO get 'us-time' and it gets the baby used to being around other people even when you're not there and gets you used to being sans baby for a little bit. As difficult as it is for some to leave their LO for any amount of time, it's healthier and better for you all in the long run because you need some time away to keep your sanity and you want your LO to be comfortable in social situations, especially when it becomes preschool time.

Curse this Texas heat

Don't get me wrong, I'm proud to be a Texan and I love my state, but 90 degrees is just plain hot. (Yes, not as hot as it could be, but still hot!) Especially if you have a 1 month old baby and are trying to get out of the house periodically to run errands or just to get out and try to avoid going insane or postpartum depression. Well, due to this heat, (and our cars crappy AC) our Sweet-Pea has been sweating a lot! This has resulted in a heat/sweat rash (along with the normal baby acne) and while as of right now, it doesn't seem to really bother her, it's not fun to see my sweet baby's face all splotchy and rough not to mention I'd like to keep it from getting worse. Some things I've found that help so far are:
Dr. Smith's diaper cream, this stuff really is amazing. Sweet-Pea has pretty sensitive skin, like mostly ever baby, so she's pretty prone to diaper rash that seems to cause her a lot of pain, but this cream helps it almost immediately. Since the heat rash is caused by moisture just like diaper rash, the cream helps not only heal it, but helps prevent it since it locks out the moisture.
Lanolin, yes the nipple cream. Now, this won't help prevent it, it just helps moisturize the dry skin caused by the rash.
We've also been told by a few people that cornstarch helps a lot too since it keeps skin dry like baby powder but won't irritate sensitive skin like a lot of scented things do. I personally have not tried this yet but if/when I do, I'll post about it. In the meantime, if anyone has done this, let me know how it worked.  

Munchkin Safety Baby Bath Cradle

The fiance and I received this as a gift at our baby shower. We've been using it even though our little girl's umbilical cord fell out just after a week (she's about 6 weeks now). The portion where you lay their head helps hold their head semi-still and prevents her from thrashing around while we bathe her. While it doesn't really work if you try to put it actually in the sink, like some baby bathtubs, you can lay it on the counter right next to the sink or just lay it in the bathtub. We've taken to laying it in the tub and sitting in the tub to give her a sponge bath. The pad is spongey so it's soft but breathable so you can flip them over in order to wash their backs easier. The disk in the pad is great to make sure the water is just right for the baby and prevents burning their skin. It would make it even better if there was a way to keep the water from being too cold, (but then I suppose that's what hands are for and it's easier to tell if it's too cold for the baby than it is to tell if it's too hot.) Anyways, I would definitely recommend this product for parents and parents-to-be for their little ones.