Newborn Photos: What to Expect

I can't believe we are planning the little Man's first year shoot!  This year has seriously flown by.  In a true nostalgia moment, I took a look back at his newborn photos, and I couldn't help but laugh.  While we were able to capture some incredibly dreamy photos of the little Man, there were plenty of pictures that looked like this:

Having lived through the experience of a newborn photo shoot, I put together a few tips & realistic expectations for moms and dads.  Here are our tips on how to get through a newborn or first few months photo shoot:

1.  Keep the baby warm (turn up the heat, or invest in a space heater).  Alternatively, you could ask  your photographer, as they might already have one that they'll bring to the photo session.  You can even opt for a  heating blanket or pad to place under the blankets your little one will rest on.  So many of the little Man's photos where he was screaming was due to the fact that it was the middle of March and he was naked and freezing.

2.  Be patient and flexible.  I expected a newborn photo session to take an hour to an hour and a half, my expectations were a bit unrealistic, in actuality it was more like a half day.  Work around your baby's schedule: if it's time to feed, change a diaper, or take a nap, you need to take care of their needs.  A calm and rested baby will more likely tolerate a camera lens in their face.  Also, be ready for accidents, think projectile spit up, pee, or the dreaded poop.  We used a puppy training pad (extras from our pup) under the top most blanket, in case of an emergency.

3.  Timing: starting the day off early, allows for the best lighting and more time to capture your little one.  That being said, some of my favorite pictures of the little Man are when he's fast asleep.  Most photographers like to work around a baby's nap time, as in right before they take a nap.  Additionally, if you're looking for posed pictures those are easiest to achieve with a sleeping babe.  The best way to make sure your little one is on their way to a long nap is by getting your little one milk drunk, as they say, well fed and off to bed.

4.  Work with what you've got.  When your little one has about had it, try taking a break or swaddling them.  This is a great time to get photos with mom and dad.  Detail, details, details: when the little Man was not having any of it, we were able to get some great detail shots of his hands, feet, bellybutton, etc.

5.  Volume control.  We (read myself, the Mister, my mom) were all yelling "look here" and clapping our hands, which in reality just frightened the little Man even more.  Calm voices, so put away the dog if it'll bark, and soothing ambient noise is key.  White noise machines are great at soothing babies.  The little Man had one in his bassinet and we'd use it for nap times, I wish I thought to bring it out during his photo shoot.

Hopefully these come in handy, but the best advice is just to be able to roll with it.  Babies will poop, cry or scream, and you might only get 20 minutes of calm photos.  Odds are your photographer captured some incredible moments, and you and the little one survived. 

All photos taken by our talented friend: Niraj Gandhi.

The Wise Baby :: Nursing Basket Essentials

I'm over at The Wise Baby today with my go to gift for nursing moms.  A nursing basket, is a great way to pamper her.  See which products are essential in a nursing basket.

Mother's Day Bling

My besties are the best.  For Mother's Day they gifted the new mommies among us these adorable necklaces.  I was so surprised and touched.  I had no idea Kristin Cavallari had a jewelry line.  I love the safety pin necklace.  It's a perfect everyday necklace and reminds me of my little man, plus I get complimented on it constantly.   In fact I'm sporting it right now!

Mother's Day Gift Guide

Mother's day is around the corner.  And if you're still in need of a gift,  we have the perfect something for the special momma in your life.

1.  Blackboard Garden Labels for the mom with the green thumb
2. Kate Spade Mom Always Said Idiom Bangle for the mom with great advice
3. Botanical Journal for the thoughtful mom
4. Sandalwood candle for the mom that likes to indulge
5. Monogram necklace for the trendy mom
6. Liquid Freud for the mom with a sense of laughter
7. Apron Set for the mom that loves to cook

Baby Week: Helpful Links

As you can imagine there are plenty of sites out there from the best way to breastfeed to the best baby deals.  And while I certainly have not perused them all, here's a list of my favorite baby related sites, articles, and resources.  Grab that cup of decaf coffee, there's a lot information listed below.  Happy Friday! 

1. For the best baby deals I usually checkout Baby Cheapskate and Baby Savers.  I've found some really great amazon diaper deals via Baby Savers. 
2. Cord Blood, to donate or not to donate.  Although this is a personal decision, we are going the route of donating our baby's cord blood.  Once we made that decision it was a matter of donating to the public bank or storing our baby's cord blood privately.  After plenty of reading and talking to our pediatrician, we've decided to donate it to a public bank.  For a number of reasons: private banking is expensive (although if you or your significant other is a healthcare professional most registries offer a significant discount); the number of diseases that can currently be treated by using cord blood is limited; if you do not have a family member that could currently benefit from your baby's cord blood, it isn't recommended, and currently  it isn't recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.  If you decide to go the public registry route, you'll need to see if your hospital participates, and if so through which bank.  Additionally, you'll need to request a kit no later than 6 weeks prior to your due date so that you can receive your kit/paperwork on time. 
3. Documents your baby will need.  Insurance, most insurance companies allow you a 30 day window to add your new bundle of joy to your plan.  You will also need to get your baby a Social Security number, you can find the instructions on how to do so here.
4. Sign up for Amazon Mom.  You will receive 20% off diapers & wipes as well as other exclusive deals, and your first 3 months you'll also receive free shipping. 
5. Breastfeeding.  As I haven't embarked upon this potentially tumultuous journey I can't speak from experience.  However I did find a couple mommy blogs who's breastfeeding schedules and guides I thought were helpful: TheLeakyBoob, TheAlphaParent, & AskDr.Sears.   Then there's that pesky problem of drinking and breastfeeding, should you pump & dump, and do you really have to waste that precious breast milk.  I found this article by the La Leche League to be very helpful.  They also have lactation consultants who you can call and email for advice, seriously these women might just save your sanity.  
6. Cloth or disposable diapers.  I was a huge proponent for cloth diapers, and not the kind your parents had when they were kids.  Today's cloth diapers are much more versatile  easier to clean, and cuter.  Not to mention that they're safer for your baby and the environment.  Did you know that a disposable diaper is not biodegradable, because of all the chemicals it contains, now think about those chemicals on your precious baby's bum.  I however lost this battle with the mister, who thought that for the same price but extra clean up, it wasn't worth it.  If you are interested in cloth diapering here are some great resources: StyleBaby, Babble, & GDiapers.
7. HealthyChildren and not Google should be your go to resource for when you have questions about your baby.  It's backed by the AAP, and let's face it Google can be a scary place. 
8. Start doing your kegels now, because peeing when you laugh, cough, workout etc is not cute.  Why are kegels are so important, because they help strengthen your pelvic floor muscles which in turn help keep your bladder in check.  Wondering how to do kegels, or if you're doing them right, check out these references: MayoClinic, Women's Health, & LiveStrong.    On a side note, if you need a little support post delivery these leak proof undies are pretty adorable. 
9. A great article, written by a physical therapist on proper spinal alignment, and why babies shouldn't spend too much time in car seats/swings.
10. And if you're looking for a preview of what your nighttime routine with a newborn could potentially look like, I found these two sites to be insightful: StyleBaby & Delightful Mom Stuff. 

Baby Week :: Preggo & New Parent's Gift Basket Ideas

I was on the receiving end of some incredibly sweet and thoughtful 'congrats your eggo is preggo' gifts this year.  So I couldn't wait to return the favor for our friends that happen to get pregnant this year as well.  Here are some of the pregnancy gift baskets I pulled together for the preggos in my life.

For the first time mom who has had her share of morning sickness:

~ Saltines & Sprite to help keep the nausea at bay

~ Preggo Magazine for some light reading

~ Tums because heartburn is every pregnant woman's friend

~ Palmer's Cocoa Butter for those dreaded stretch marks

 For the second time mom:
~ Something sweet & salty for those cravings
~ Flip flops for her swollen feet
~ Nail polish, at least her toes will look cute even if she can't see them
~ Earth Mama Angel Baby Happy Momma Body Wash & loofah, great for nausea and a boost of energy
~ Earth Mama Angel Baby Tea Sampler from nausea to heartburn and third trimester wellness

 For the mom that just gave birth:
~ Something cute for their new bundle of joy
~ Grooming: Face wipes & Hair ties because taking care of herself takes a backseat to the new arrival
~ For her lady parts: Witch Hazel medicated pads & Tucks cooling pads, for the party in the front and the back.
~ Keep Calm and Mother On sign now available on our Etsy store: rivernorthLove

For your neighbor & new parent:
~ Baby Shampoo & Lotion
~ Diaper Rash Cream
~ Baby Wipes
~ Saline Drops & Nasal Aspirator
~ Pacifier (not pictured)

Something cute for the mom and dad-to-be:

Other great ideas you could include:

~ Pregnancy Journal

~ Stretch Mark Oils: Bio-Oil, Noodle & Boo Elasticity Oil, Earth Mama Angel Baby Stretch Oil

~ Lotions: Mama Bee Belly Butter

~ Maternity clothing such as tanks (try Old Navy, Target, H&M, & Asos)

~ Pampering gifts: A prenatal massage, a mani & pedi, LUSH bath bombs, the Snoogle Body Pillow

~ Funny pregnancy books: Belly Laughs, Sippy Cups Are Not for Chardonnay.  We annotated a copy of Belly Laughs for our newest mommy-to-be, it'll be something we can pass around and write notes to one another as the rest of us become mommies.  And it's nice to know someone else out there went through the same thing.

~ Pregnancy workout dvds: Tracy Anderson's The Pregnancy Project

~ And of course anything the momma-to-be is craving

Push Present

I love the idea of a push present.  Not because you need something extravagant for having a baby, although some would say that putting your body through 10 months of pregnancy and labor are reason enough.  It would be nice to have something that reminds you this very special day.  Here are some great options because not everyone has a couple grand to dish out on diamonds  and with a baby on the way it might not be the best use of your disposable income.  

Initial necklace | Lulu Frost code rings for the baby's due date | Cartier Love bracelet |

Charm bracelet | Birthstone jewelry | Diamond band

And although dad's don't actually do any of the pregnancy or labor part, they are still partly responsible for that beautiful crying and pooping bundle of joy in your arms.  Some ideas for dad's gifts include: a vacation, an iPad, a watch with your baby's birthday engraved on it, or just some old fashioned alone time (no baby, no wife).

New Momma Sanity Savers

With many of our friends popping out their own little bundles of joy, I thought I'd share this via Lay Baby Lay.  For all those new mommas out there who might need a little sanity right about now. Enjoy! 


{photo via Lay Baby Lay}