Current Favorite Baby Products That Work For Us ...

Ok, so I know that there's a million different baby products out on the market & us mommies are always on the hunt for the best  ones. It can become overwhelming in choosing products to use because ultimately we don't know how our babies will react to them and if at all like them. We become subject to constant trial and error, and I know how irritating that can get especially when money is almost being thrown away. 

Products that work for some, doesn't always work for others. But the process for searching becomes easier when you have recommendations from other fellow mommies. 

So with that said, here is a few of our favorite products that Honor seems to take well to ...

Coco the monkey

Coco the monkey is a great alternative to the infamous Sophie the giraffe. This teething toy seems to be one of Honors favorites. It is easy for babies to hold on to coco, making it much less frustrating for them when they need quick relief to soothe their gums. You can find Coco at any target stores or online through amazon.

Comotomo baby bottles

Comotomo baby bottles ... OH MY GOODNESS! I can't emphasize enough how much I LOVE these baby bottles! The design of them is great, especially since there's nothing else like them. The bottle portion is a soft silicone material that almost mimics the overall breast that babies tend to hold on to when breastfeeding. Also the nipple on these bottles are the absolute CLOSEST to a nipple and breast making it a seamless feel for baby when feeding. I know that a lot of moms rant and rave about the Tommie Tippee bottles but I just don't think they are the greatest. When I used those bottles initially in the beginning the nipple caved in every time when Honor would feed, that then caused a big mess all over her face. Comotomo bottles are BPA free which makes them that much more awesome! I purchased my bottles through amazon.com by searching “comotomo baby bottle”.

Pacifier clip

I have always been on the hunt for cute, trendy pacifier clips to fit Honor's gumdrop pacis, but I haven't found any really worth raving about. So the one I currently use is holding up for now until I can find cuter ones... Or better yet, making my own! This particular one is made by the brand Munchkin, and was purchased at target.

Baby orajel naturals & Night time Orajel

Honor's new journey of teething has sure had its fair share of good and bad days. On the days where it almost seems to be unbearable for her I like to coat and massage her gums with baby orajel naturals. This helps relieve some of the discomfort she goes through. Also if it's bad at night we use the baby orajel night time gel. Both are great to really help with whatever it is their mouthes are going through. We will be ordering and trying out the amber teething necklace soon as well. So I will let you guys know how that works later on. You can find the baby orajel almost anywhere.

Cuticle Scissors

Have you ever had trouble cutting your baby's nails with a regular nail clipper?! Or have you only been able to cut a certain amount of the nail and they are still too long? Well I have the solution just for you! Honor's nails grow like crazy and are always so sharp! If I don't keep them trimmed on a daily basis I end up with scratches, nail marks and little cuts if I don't make sure they're well maintained. I have never used regular nail clippers because when she was little it was so hard to get it on her finger. So I found a great alternative! Cuticle Scissors!! Cuticle scissors allow you to cut as close as possible while easily going along with the shape of your baby's nail. These were such a lifesaver and I absolutely love how well they work to keep her nails short and trimmed! These can be found literally anywhere, but Walmart may have them for the cheapest price!

Nuby ice gel teething ring

This teething ring is great for babies because they can use the ring to easily pick it up. Though it is a teething ring, Honor seems to just play with it rather than gnaw on it. We found ours at Target.

Cosco Baby Walker

This inexpensive walker is great to start your little ones in. It's simple and still interesting enough to keep them entertained. I also use this in place of a high chair when I am feeding her solids. This item was also purchased at target, for just under $30.

Child of Mine Neck Pillow

Although the purpose of this pillow is for traveling and to wear around your neck, I use it for a completely different purpose. So since honor is pretty small, she still doesn't fill out her walker enough to sit straight up. She ends up leaning forward and that is obviously not comfortable. So I found this pillow and I use it around her waist when she is sitting in her walker. This helps fill in the gap, and provides more cushion for her when she wants to lean forward, and helps fill her body in all around. We found ours at Walmart.

Gumdrop Pacifiers

These are the best pacis hands down! These are by far Honors favorite compared to others. They come in cute colors and are nice and sturdy. We purchased ours at Target.

Formula Separators (diaper bag and nursery)

Diaper Bag

Nursery

Ok, so for my formula feeding mommies, I absolutely love these formula separator containers. I keep one in her diaper bag and one on her nursery dresser. Both have formula separated according to specific feeding ounces. This makes it easier for when you are out and about and need to get a bottle made ASAP. You don't have to worry about measuring the proper amount of scoops since you've already done so. Now it makes sense why I have one in her diaper bag, but you're probably wondering why her dresser. Well, Honor still gets up for a "nighttime" feeding at about 5 am, and I learned that it is so much easier and convenient for me to have night feeding formula separated. This helps cut down our "awake" time, and making our night/early morning feeding much quicker so I am not trying to measure scoops while I'm still tired and sleepy. Aside from the convenience factor for me, it also keeps Honor from being able to throw a fit so early in the morning. I always change her diaper and her bottle is made before she even has a chance to fuss. (It also helps to have a bottle with water already measured at the desired ounces sitting there ready to be mixed. I do this every night before bed to make my life much easier). I purchased both of mine at Walmart.

BPA free water bottle for formula mixing 

I carry this water bottle in Honor's diaper bag along with her formula separator. It is filled with her special nursery water so I am always prepared for a feeding if we are out and about. This water bottle helps out a lot because I know that she is getting clean filtered water, and I can easily measure the ounces when I pour it into a bottle. It's always nice to be prepared! This particular water bottle was purchased at Target, in the "exercise"/"outdoor" section.

Aquaphor 

Aquaphor is great for your babies face if they are experiencing any red bumps from irritation. Red bumps can be caused from their saliva sliding around their face, or can even be baby acne or a heat rash. No matter what the reason is for the red bumps, aquaphor takes that all away. If you apply a thin layer on the effected areas (making sure their face is clean/freshly washed first of course) in the evening, 90% of the bumps will be gone. If you repeat every night, they will have that flawless baby skin just like that! Aquaphor is also great for any little dry patches your baby might have that regular baby lotion can't moisturize due to its thin invisible drying power. This product is great to use on baby (they make a baby aquaphor) as well as yourself. Aquaphor can be found anywhere.

Just for Mommies ... Post Pregnancy Acne

I think we can all agree that pregnancy and bringing a new little life into the world is one of the greatest experiences to go through as a woman. But no one really talks about the struggles us mommies go through post baby. Since our bodies change drastically during pregnancy we tend to sometimes be naive that we will bounce right back to our pre pregnancy bodies and overall appearance. Well that's not necessarily the case with many of us. 

Although pregnancy makes all women radiant and glowing like never before, we tend to neglect the changes and recovery process post baby. For me, I can openly admit that my biggest hurdle at the moment is dropping this baby weight, but this post isn't about the weight gained and lost or in process of losing (that'll be for another day). This post is solely intended for the hormonal changes that my body went through Post baby, and I'm sure many of you other mommies can relate... 

I have had pretty decent, clear skin for most of my adult life, despite one bad year of bad acne. During my pregnancy I didn't have a single breakout! My skin was beyond flawless, and I was so grateful for that. Well after I gave birth to Honor my skin went for a turn for the worst! About 4-6 weeks after having Honor my skin broke out all over, due to my hormones trying to balance itself out to its normal state again. It literally left me miserable, and just down and out. After I initially started to exercise and eat healthier for my weight loss purposes, I started to notice my skin on the path to rebalancing itself. Now I know it sounds cliche to say eating right and drinking water makes your skin glow and clear up, but it's true. However this wasn't the only thing I did to clear my skin up completely. After a bit of trial and error, I have come across a skin care routine that has literally worked wonders on clearing up my post pregnancy acne. 

So here are the products that I have witnessed amazing results in clearing my acne issues, and I use them in this order ...

Biore Warming Anti-Blackhead Cleanser

Basis Cleaner Clean Face Wash

Neutrogena Rapid Clear 2-in-1 Fight and Fade Toner

T.D. Dickinson Witch Hazel Cleans & Refreshes Cleansing Pads (THIS IS THE KEY TO CLEARER SKIN!!!) These witch hazel pads have literally cleared up my skin like magic! I kid you not when I say that if I have a new red blemish coming in by the evening, I complete my skin cleansing routine, and the witch hazel pads really diminish and eliminate any new and existing breakouts over night. It's honestly so crazy to me how effective these pads are with acne breakouts. Not to mention they are incredibly inexpensive!

Lastly, I use Oil of Olay Original Moisturizer (nice and lightweight, and doesn't clog pores). 

So those are all of the products I use to try and fight, diminish, and relieve my skin of post pregnancy breakouts. 

Eventually I will incorporate more high end products for anti-aging purposes later on, because it's never too early to "reverse" the aging process - or at least slow it down. 

I really hope that this helps out any of you mommies who may experience post pregnancy acne and don't know what to do or where to begin to clear it up. 

No one should ever suffer or settle for acne prone skin. I know how it feels to be conscientious of your skin and every mommy deserves to love every inch of themselves, especially if it's as easy as buying over the counter products that can help you gain the confidence you once had. I know that has helped me in so many ways! 

Xoxo