Hey friends! It’s been a long time since I’ve posted anything other than a class recording, and I figured I’m a little more than overdue. The good news is that I’m about 23wks pregnant with our second little one, and I’m starting to think about what I need and want to have on hand for once he’s here, which gives me the perfect thing to share with you!
James, the night he was born
First football game with daddy
As one might expect, preparing for baby number 2 is bringing with it an awful lot of reminiscing about the night that James joined us, and those early days and nights, so be ready for a bunch of adorable pictures of him throughout this post.
Both of our kiddos have been a surprise (cue all of the jokes about knowing how that happens. Yes, we know. But, you know…it’s fun, and we’re good at it. Plus, as we found out in Sept. 2019, we make dang cute babies!), and those surprises have been immense blessings, but for someone like me that likes to be in control and make the decisions, it’s also been a lot to process for me. I wanted the chance to try for a baby, and get all excited when we got that positive test. Instead, each time I’ve been waiting for my cycle to show up, getting nervous, and then feeling overwhelmed and even some dread when that test showed up positive. It’s not glamorous, it’s not what we like to talk about, but it’s true, and we should probably talk about the truth a whole lot more often, you know?
Anyway, for both kiddos, the easiest “prep” for me to start with was the baby registry. It’s fun, it’s easy, and you don’t have to share it with anyone until you’re ready. I had a ton of stuff on my first registry, and we can talk more about it in a different post, but I will point out a couple of my favorite things that I put on that registry for James – and maybe one or two that I didn’t put on there, but definitely should have.
Favorite Registry Items:
Tula Explore Backpack Carrier
Haaka Silicone Breast Pump
Swing (I got this one, and loved it, but there’s so many options out there)
Infant car seat/stroller combo – I picked out this one, with a jogging stroller, because the large tires offered the best off-road capability, which is pretty important for us since we are basically never on pavement of any kind
Convertible Car Seat – we picked out this one, and I freaking love it. James stayed in his infant seat until nearly a year, because it was so convenient, but we switched to the convertible before our big road trip for my sister’s wedding. Receiving this at a baby shower can take a massive load off of your mind down the road, because these aren’t cheap, but they are a necessity. I’m so thankful we did the infant seat, too, but I will absolutely be getting another one of these for the next baby.
Items That Didn’t Make My Registry But Should Have:
Wrap carrier – I didn’t think I would really want both, but I loved the wrap for when James was really little, because it held him so close. Once we were up and moving more, and he was more mobile and interested in the world around him, my Tula Explore was a Godsend.
Okay, so. Once you’ve got your registry at least started, what’s next? Well, if you haven’t already, you need to decide on your care provider. Personally, I chose a midwife who would support me in a home birth – also something I’ll talk about further in another post. So do your research and figure out what your options are for your area and what your personal preferences and needs are. I know that I do not do well in a hospital environment. My stress levels are extremely elevated, among so many other things, and that’s just not a good place to be for delivering a baby. My first choice was a birthing center that would provide a happy medium between hospital and home, but that’s not an option for our area, which is how James came to be born at home. It was amazing, and such an immense blessing, and it was an absolute no-brainer to do the same thing with #2. If you want a natural, peaceful birthing experience in your own space, I cannot recommend it enough. If nothing else, the lack of beeping machines, and the ability to sleep in your own bed after your body goes through the biggest thing its ever done before, is worth it in and of itself!
If you want to chat about all of the things that I loved about it, and what all went into my choice, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I would love to help you find the best fit for your family!
Hangin’ with daddy by the fire
First visit with Uncle James
Now – this has gotten way longer than I anticipated it would, and I haven’t even gotten to the thing that first inspired this post in my mind, but I really need to go get dinner started, and I’ve already put it off too long! So. Stay tuned for Pt. 2 where I’m going to share what my PostPartum Checklist Item are – what I loved the first time, and what I’m adding this time around that I either forgot or didn’t know I wanted.
