Jenny in the City

Diaper Changing Station Essentials with Triple Paste

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx on behalf of Triple Paste. Thank you for supporting brands who support Jenny in the City.

So I have officially been a mom for about 5 and a half months now and I finally feel like I’m getting in the swing of things in regards to my new normal.

2020 has been quite the unexpected year and has involved a lot of changes from having to give birth with only one support person to limited contact with friends and family in order to keep my son safe from the current pandemic.

Since we have been spending so much time at home, I quickly came to realize what the key essentials were for baby Everett’s diaper changing station.

1. Triple Paste Diaper Cream

Let’s be real, babies are bound to get diaper rash at some point or another so making sure you have the right product on hand is essential. Triple Paste is my go-to because it is free of unnecessary ingredients.

Before Everett was born, I did a ton of research on different products and made it my mission to use clean products on his sensitive skin and I was thrilled to discover that Triple Paste is free of fragrance, parabens, and a lot of other harmful ingredients that you wouldn’t want to put on your babies’ skin.

I love that Triple Paste is recommended by pediatricians, dermatologist tested and endorsed by the National Eczema Association and it makes using it a complete no brainer.

2. Diaper Cream Brush

I know this sounds odd but a diaper cream brush is an essential in my household. It allows you to spread the diaper cream without having to worry about getting it all over your hands.

3. Diapers and wipes

This one is a bit obvious but these are important to have at your changing station. My changing station is a changing bad on top of my son’s dresser and we keep the diapers inside the top drawer of his dresser and the wipes in a container on top of the dresser for easy access.

4. A spare washcloth/towel

If you have a little boy then you know that sometimes they like to pee everywhere so having a washcloth or towel handy can help prevent them from soaking you and the room with pee. I have tried using wipes for this as well but it doesn’t work as well in my opinion.

These are just some of the things that I couldn’t live without at our diaper changing station.

Also, Triple Paste was kind enough to do a giveaway with their products so mamas and mamas to be make sure to enter to win some goodies from Triple Paste below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now I want to know, what are your top essentials at your diaper changing station? Leave a comment below and let me know.

Everett Gray’s Birth Story

So it’s been a month and a half since Everett graced us with his presence and I can’t even believe it. Time is just flying.

I had a bit of a crazy labor and delivery experience so I wanted to share that with you all and document it on the blog so I don’t forget it either.

So it all started on June 10th around 2:30 pm. I was sitting on the couch working on some client work for my business Savvy Podcast Agency and Michael was in his office since he was working from home that week.

My back randomly really started to hurt and I couldn’t get comfortable in pretty much any position. It wasn’t completely unbearable but it didn’t feel great either.

After a few minutes of switching up positions trying to find one that was comfortable and failing, I did what any first-time mom would do and called my mom to ask what she thought might be happening.

She said it sounded like it could be the start of labor and I could potentially be experiencing back labor. Then I had Michael look it up and see what our good friend Google had to say.

All signs pointed to that I was experiencing back labor so whenever it got painful, I would hop on the exercise ball and bounce a little bit until the pain subsided a little bit.

I downloaded a contractions app on my phone shortly after coming to the conclusion that I was in back labor. We wanted to start to track my contractions and time them to see how far apart they were so that we could have a better idea on when it would be time to go to the hospital.

I continued to do a little work while the contractions weren’t too bad or too close together over the next few hours and then we ended up ordering Chili’s for dinner that night.

After eating, I packed up the remaining few things in my hospital bag so it was all ready to go when it was time to head to the hospital.

My contractions continued to grow in strength over the next few hours and eventually got to be pretty consistent between 7-10 minutes apart.

During my contractions, it was almost impossible to sit or lay down. As soon as one started, I’d pop up from where I was sitting or laying and start pacing until it subsided so basically I never went to sleep that night.

I called my doctor’s office around 12:30 am to let them know that I was laboring at home and to get her opinion on when I should go to the hospital. I spoke with one of the nurses and she said she’d contact my doctor and have her call me. My doctor called me back around 1:15 am and she said I should start heading towards the hospital if I felt like I was ready.

I was a little afraid to head to the hospital because I had no idea if I was dilated enough and heard stories about people being sent home because they weren’t dilated enough and I didn’t want that to happen to me.

We arrived at the hospital around 2:00 am after almost 12 hours of laboring at home. We waited in the ER waiting room for about 10 minutes for a nurse to take us to the labor and delivery unit.

Once we got to L&D, the nurse had me put on the hospital gown and then she checked to see how dilated I was.

I was expecting her to say 2 maybe 3 cm dilated but was completely shocked when she said I was already 6 cm dilated. Both the nurse and Michael were also shocked that I was already dilated that much since according to her, I was taking the pain like a dang champ.

At that point, she hooked me up to the machines and asked me a ton of questions. During the questions, I remember having contractions throughout them and having trouble answering the questions during the contractions due to the pain.

I then told her that I definitely wanted an epidural so she let the anesthesiologist know. Little did I know that he wouldn’t make it to me for another hour and a half and by that point I had jumped to being 8 cm dilated.

During this time, it was super painful to the point where I actually started throwing up during each contraction so that was really fun. Eventually, it turned to me just dry heaving into a bag that Michael held for me. Super glamorous, I know.

At some point during my crazy contractions, I had the COVID-19 nose swab test. I heard it hurt like hell so I was pretty surprised when it didn’t really hurt much at all. Maybe if I wasn’t having contractions every 3-5 minutes the test would’ve hurt much worse but who knows.

Eventually, the anesthesiologist came to administer the epidural so that I could get some relief. After the epidural was in, I almost felt instant relief. Instead of pain during my contractions, I just felt pressure instead. It still didn’t feel great but it was much better than the pain that came with every contraction pre-epidural.

At this point, they had let my doctor know I was getting close so that she could be there to deliver baby Everett.

A little after I got the epidural, my nurse checked me again and let me know that it was almost go time. My doctor showed up shortly after to check on me. At this point, my water still hadn’t broken so my doctor had to break it on her own.

Then it was time to push and this is where things get a little crazy. I had started to push but every time I pushed, the monitor would indicate that baby E was in distress.

They had me try several different positions (all of them equally uncomfortable) to see if that would help regulate his heart rate.

After a while of trying different positions and seeing if his heart rate would regulate, I had made very little progress and baby E was still in distress every time I pushed so my doctor proposed an emergency c-section.

It turns out the umbilical cord had wrapped around his neck and that’s why he was experiencing such distress each time I went to push.

Since the whole process was such a struggle and I was just ready to get him out of me, I felt so relieved to hear that in less than an hour we’d be meeting our sweet baby boy.

They geared us up for surgery. This part was nuts. They quickly wheeled me to the operating room and transferred me to the operating table and pumped more drugs into me via my epidural.

While they were prepping me for the surgery, Michael was waiting outside to be able to come in. It felt like a lifetime before they were ready for him to come in but it was probably only 10 minutes or less.

I was a little scared and the epidural had made me all shaky so my arms were laid out flat on both sides of me and shaking super bad. Once I saw Michael, I started crying because I was experiencing so many emotions at once.

Shortly after, they started the procedure and within 15 minutes, Everett made his appearance into the world. They held him up so we could see him for a second before taking him over to the station to clean him off, weigh and measure him, and all of that jazz. Once that was complete, then they wrapped him in a blanket and handed him to Michael.

I was way too shaky to hold him during this part but we were able to just hang out there together as a family of three for the first time while they sewed me back up.

To be honest, the experience was a little bit traumatic but at the end of the day, we’re so happy to have a healthy and happy little boy.

Now I want to know, do you enjoy reading other people’s birth stories or no? Oddly enough, I liked reading them even before I was pregnant for some reason. Let me know down in the comments

New Mom Must Haves

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com. All opinions are my own. 

Last week I shared all about new baby must-haves but today it’s time to share all about the new mama must-haves. So many moms struggle to a new routine with a new baby so it’s important to have as many comforting items as possible.

I’m so excited to share the contents of my new mom must-haves BabbleBoxx with you today.

As a first time mom, I haven’t experienced the discomforts of nursing quite yet, but I know how important it is to be prepared. Mustela’s nursing balm helps keeps skin comfortable while nursing and is fragrance-free, dye-free, and safe for breastfeeding.

If you want to try out Mustela’s nursing balm for yourself you can use the code LILLYS20 to get 20% off your purchase.
This offer cannot be combined with any other offers. Offer valid at www.mustelausa.com only. Limit 1 per person. Offer expires February 28, 2020, 11:59 PM EST.

Nursing bras are an absolute must for any new mama and these from Playtex completely fit the bill. The sleeping bra makes nursing easy with its criss-cross opening and flexes to fit as your size changes so you won’t have to worry about buying a new bra all the time.

The underwire bra has QuickStrap® clips that makes nursing easy anytime, anywhere. Finding a good nursing bra that you can wear daily is key.

As someone who has never had a baby before thus never had to breastfeed, I am not sure what to expect when it comes to supply. Having these Milkflow Lactation Coffee Pods from Upspring on hand will be nice because who knows what my supply will be like.

These are the first and only lactation coffee pods that include Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle to help naturally promote breast milk supply. The Upspring pods can be found at Target in the baby aisle.

The LiftActiv Peptide-C Ampoule Serum from Vichy has been a game-changer for me lately. The formula targets visible signs of collagen loss, wrinkles, and makes your skin more radiant and firm.

If you want to try it out for yourself, you can get 15% off your purchase with the code VICHYBABBLE2020 from now until 2/14.

Love Without Boundaries  is an incredible nonprofit agency that provides hope to orphaned and vulnerable children through ongoing programs in Cambodia, India, Uganda and China, and more.

Download the Heart of an Orphan  by Amy Elderidge for free and learn more about LWB’s story.

 

So I want to know…What are your new mom must-haves? Let me know in the comments.

New Year, New Baby

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx. All opinions are my own. 

I can’t believe that baby Suneson will be making their appearance in a few short months. We have already been hard at work preparing our house for all the changes and studying up on all the important things that new parents need to know.

Although baby isn’t here quite yet, I am so excited to be able to use these in just a couple of months.

I am thrilled to be able to partner with BabbleBoxx on this fun campaign and showcase these amazing baby products to you.

Here’s a quick look at all of the baby-related goodies that were included in the box.

First up, we have the GUND Tinkle Crinkle Activity Ball and Caterpillar. These two make the perfect gift for any mom looking for toys for her new baby. They are both soft and machine washable which is always a plus. I love that these toys are sensory-stimulating and encourage tactile play.

Baby lotion and baby balm are always great to have on hand. This set from Pipette is going to come in handy – that is for sure. The baby balm is deeply moisturizing and helps replenish the natural balance of your baby’s skin. Even Good Housekeeping thinks so as they’ve included the balm in their recent article on page 49. The baby lotion is extremely hydrating and helps increase moisture levels.

I am super stoked about the snuggle kit newborn gift set from aden + anais™. The material of all the items in this kit is super soft and helps keep baby cozy no matter what. You can find the snuggle knit collection at adenandanais.com, on Amazon, at retailers including Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s and Saks Fifth Avenue, and at select specialty boutiques across the country.

I’m sure you’ve all heard of Boudreaux’s Butt Paste before and for good reason because it works wonders. This butt paste improves diaper rash in as little as 3 hours and is free from dyes, preservatives, parabens, and toxins.

Last up we have the Lil’ Squish Jellyfish Sensory Rattle + Teething Toy from Baby Banana. This product is made from soft, durable silicone and promotes hand-eye coordination. As a first time mom, it’s hard to know what kinds of toys baby is going to need at what stage so I am excited to give this a try when the time comes.

All you mommas out there, I want to know your new baby essentials. Let me know in the comments below! 

First Trimester Recap

First Trimester Recap

In case you missed it, a couple of weeks ago I announced that I’m pregnant and now it’s time to share the lowdown of what happened during the first trimester of my pregnancy.

I actually found out that I was pregnant about a week after my missed period so around 4 weeks and before then was experiencing those normal pre-period symptoms like bloating and cramping.

Symptoms by Weeks: 

Weeks 4-6: 

  • Sore Boobs – I’m pretty sure this was the first symptom I felt. My boobs were just sensitive to the touch. It was awful.
  • Acid reflux – Through this period, I experienced so much acid reflux. It didn’t matter what I ate, I felt like I needed a TUMS prescription.
  • Peeing a lot – I always associated frequent peeing with happening later in pregnancy but to my surprise, weeks 4-6 were spent relieving my bladder all the time.
  • Constipation – I experienced so much constipation when we were on our vacation during week 6. It was bad. Thankfully this symptom seemed to have disappeared for the rest of trimester one because I was getting nervous.
  • Bloating – The bloat was real weeks 5 and 6 – actually scratch that – it was bad all of my first trimester but it really started showing itself during week 5.
  • Nausea & first time I threw up – Thankfully my vacation to Maine/Boston ended up falling during week 6 because I would’ve been miserable if it was any later in the first trimester. I made it through the whole vacation feeling fine but the day after we got back I experienced my first wave of nausea and got sick for the first time in my pregnancy.

Week 7-9: 

  • Exhaustion – Y’all I kid you not I slept like a newborn during weeks 7-9. I went from sleeping 6-7 hours a night to a solid 9-10 hours every night because I was just so dang tired.
  • Nausea all day every day – Week 7 is when nausea really showed up and lasted nearly all day during weeks 7-9. It was the longest few weeks of my life haha.
  • Throwing up often – At this point, I started throwing up more frequently and even had one day where I threw up like 4 times in one day.

Week 10-12: 

  • Continued off/on nausea – During this timeframe, I had pretty steady nausea but thankfully it wasn’t all day long anymore.
  • Throwing up almost every single morning – My nausea lessened, but I still found myself hugging the toilet every single morning like it was my job.

Cravings 

Honestly, I can’t recall having any specific cravings during my first trimester. I always crave sweets so that’s nothing new but there was no weird combo of food that I craved or any out of the ordinary cravings that happened.

Aversions

Y’all – chicken was not my best friend during the first trimester. I didn’t like outwardly reject it but it just never sounded good to me and I usually am all about chicken.  I can’t think of anything else that absolutely repulsed me on a day-to-day basis but random things made me gag here and there for no reason at all.

Body Changes

Honestly, not too many physical changes during my first trimester. I didn’t gain any weight during this time frame and didn’t really see a bump start appearing quite yet.

Favorite Apps 

I have loved using the What to Expect app and the Bump app. It’s been so fun to track my baby’s growth each week and learn more about each step of pregnancy because your girl is pretty clueless about all these things right now.

Final Thoughts…

I’m already a few weeks into my second trimester and am looking forward to seeing what all happens during this trimester. I will see you guys soon as we will be announcing the gender this month.

 

 

We’re Having a Baby…

Okay first off, I wanted to say that I never intended to take this long of a break from posting on the blog. I have missed posting here and being active on Instagram more than you know.

In the summer my business Savvy Podcast Agency tends to get even busier so since that’s my main priority, my blog tends to take a backseat.

I am so happy to be back and with some really exciting news.

WE’RE HAVING A BABY!

Baby Suneson is due June 2020 and we couldn’t be happier.

It’s been hard to keep this a secret for the past few months but I’m glad I am finally able to spill the beans.

We’ve had 2 ultrasounds so far and seeing our little baby on the screen has been such a surreal experience.

I wanted to include a quick little Q&A here addressing some questions y’all might have.

How far along are you? 

Tomorrow I’ll be 15 weeks so that means I’m just barely out of my first trimester. Thank the lord because the first trimester was ROUGH. I’ll be sharing more about that in a future post. The baby is due on June 15, 2020.

Were you trying? 

We weren’t trying but we weren’t not trying if you know what I mean. I kind of knew I’d never really feel ready to have a baby (I plan to share more about this later) so it was just like an okay great if it happens, it happens situation for us but we’re so thrilled and cannot wait for the baby’s arrival in June.

When did you find out that you were pregnant? 

I found out I was pregnant a few days after my missed period. At that point, there weren’t any real symptoms other than missing my period but I kind of figured something was up considering I’m normally like clockwork when it comes to my period.

Are you showing yet? 

Not quite. I just look a tad bloated but no bump here quite yet. It’ll probably be arriving over the next few weeks though.

Will you find out the gender?

Of course! I actually took a blood test at week 10 which is supposed to be 99.1% accurate so I’m just waiting a few more weeks for the gender scan to confirm before officially announcing.

Also, don’t worry – totally not just going to become a mommy blogger now. I definitely have plans to share some pregnancy updates and even motherhood related content down the line but that will never be the sole focus of my content on the blog.

With all that said, Michael and I are over the moon to welcome our baby in June 2020. It’s definitely going to be a big change but we are beyond excited to be parents and can’t wait for next year.

I plan on sharing my first trimester recap soon so stay tuned for all the details on that in the coming weeks.