I had my first baby back in 2012. Like any first baby it was a world changing experience but being quite young I don’t think I was as prepared as I would have liked. I went on to have four more babies including a lovely set of twins so over the years I have had the chance to try countless baby and mommy items, some have been there nearly forever and others appeared over the years and despite being new they are firm favourites of mine I wish I had had from the beginning of my journey. Here they are:
These are absolutely gorgeous, ethically handwoven wraps made here in Scotland. I was eyeing them from the beginning but my second was a little too grown to justify one… But once the twins were on the cards and Oscha released a Tolkien inspired line it was a match made and my husband bought a lovely wrap for us which was a lifesaver with tiny babies. If I could do it all again I would have gotten one of these as a keepsake for each of our babies.
We fell into cloth diapering mainly after one of our twins started rashes upon rashes with most disposable diapers. It was really bad and he was too young for attempting potty training. I was quite apprehensive but it did not take me long to not only completely be won over. I would dare anyone to try cloth wipes over baby wipes and not make the switch, it is such a game changer. Now I tried many options but as I got more into the world of cloth nappies Bare & Boho was a brand that stood up. They are a little more dear than other brands but they proved to be a worthy purchase, the prints are beautiful, the nappies are absorbent and keep baby comfortable and are amazing through the night as well. I wish they had been around since 2012! They also do fantastic breast pads for mom!
Motherhood brings many changes, including to your body. Whether it is during pregnancy, postpartum or early years, your body goes through so much in so little time it can be difficult to feel both comfortable yet stylish and maybe a little feminine too. I remember feeling very lost after the birth of my first daughter, my cup size expanded beyond what should have been naturally allowed in my eyes, and suddenly not only all of my bras and ability to grab off shelf were now all gone but most options in my new size looked very plain (nowadays even Calvin Klein has cute options that fit me so days are changing!). It was a little sad but down the line I eventually came across the brand HotMilk and they are my absolute favourite, they fit so well and look so beautiful and after their latest magnet clips for drop cups it is amazingly more easy to use when tired to clip quickly and discreetly back on after a quick feed.
These are a newer brand of cloth nappies, just like Bare & Boho they also do gorgeous breast pads, sanitary products and adorable baby wipes. But the nappies. Oh the nappies! They are not only stylish but they wash so well, they are absorbent like a dream come true and they ride high enough if you have a little person who loves to move to allow them to be comfortable. I have had no issues of nappy burns with these, they stay in place, do not leak. If you also fancy old school, they do the best flat nappies I have tried. They have dethroned all others as my favourite nappies, Bare & Boho being almost a tie. I wish they had been there a long time ago but I am so very happy they were there for my last baby as I have loved using them so much!
So I have used Medela since my second baby. I then mainly used their breast pumps but I was familiar with the brand and as I am that type of a person who loves reading and learning I got to read about their new Calma teats before I was in a place of need with the twins. Calma forces the baby to train and use the muscles in their mouth in similar fashion to breastfeeding which is fantastic for orthodontic reasons but most amazingly also help a tiny little one like one of our twins with no proper latch to build one and eventually have the option of breastfeeding.
Well that is all for tonight! Are you a new parent in 2023? If so I hope you found something that caught your eye. I am not affiliated to any of these products for these reviews, they come straight from my heart and if you want to discuss or have any questions about any of these amazing and beautiful baby essentials, please reach out!
Have a magical day, thank you for reading,
N.
The Little Mermaid Now 