New Mom Essentials

I have a few friends that are having babies soon and it got me thinking about some things for me (not the baby) that I absolutely could not have lived without those first few weeks.   

1. Lansinoh Lanolin Cream- If you plan on breastfeeding this is a must. I started using this stuff right away at the advice a few friends and I swear it saved my nipples.  I never had any cracking, pain, or bleeding and I was able to phase out of using this after a few weeks

2. Victoria's Secret Foldover Waist Yoga Pants- I cannot say enough great things about these pants- especially if you have to have a c-section.  You are going to want something comfortable that doesn't put any pressure on your incision and these do the trick.  I actually wore these for workout pants through out my pregnancy and they've been great transition pants as I get back into my old clothes.

3. Gilligan & O'Malley Sleep Nursing Bras-  when you're breastfeeding you need to wear a bra 24/7 and these are so comfy.   I wear them day and night- not just for sleeping.  

4. VitaCoco Coconut water-  It's really easy to get run down and dehydrated those first few weeks so I kept a bunch of coconut water in the fridge so I could easily grab it when I was thirsty.  The great part is you can buy them flavored so you can have a flavored drink without all the sugar from juice or soda.

5. Kind Bars or any kind of Protein Bar- When you're exhausted and running around with a baby you don't have time to think about good nutrition so having easy to access to something delicious and good for you is a must.

6. Dry Shampoo- Again you'll be busy and might not have time to wash your hair so dry shampoo is a lifesaver!  I just use the cheap Salon Grafix kind and it works great for me.

7. Sunglasses-  Thanks to sleep deprivation you're going to have nice big black circles under your eyes so rock those sunglasses. 

8. Ipad/Kindle-  My ipad mini has been my lifesaver over the past few months.  When it's 2am and you're trying to stay awake browsing the internet, reading, watching episodes of Gossip Girl , etc will help keep you awake while you feed the baby.  Trust me. 

9. Under Eye Concealer-  If I don't get enough sleep I get the worst black circles under my eyes.  I've actually had people ask me how I got a black eye. They're that bad.  My favorite concealer is Laura Mercier Under Eye Concealer.

10. Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleanser Towelettes-  I used these in the hospital when I was bedridden and continue to use them on those days that I'm just too exhausted or too busy to get a proper shower.