So in our eagerness as first time parents, the husband and I definitely took childbirth preparation classes at our hospital. The class was great and I felt like it really helped me out - I knew what to expect when it came to the birth and I had a general idea of what my entire hospital visit would be like. During these classes, we were given a list of things that we were recommended to bring to the hospital. A few things I was SO grateful to have. Others didn't even see the light of day. Below is an image of the list of things that I packed for myself and for the baby. In reality, I didn't need so many things. 

So here is my updated list of what I would take if I was doing this again (or what I will take when I do this again). 

For Mom: 

• Insurance card/ID
• Lip balm
• Snacks (for after birth)
• Non-skid socks
  
• Camera/Batteries
• Robe
• Nursing bras (2)
• Nursing Pads
• Eyeglasses/Contact lenses
• Pillow/bright pillowcase
• Outfit to go home (Plan on something that fit you at about 6 months pregnant, because you will still have a little bit of belly)
• Bath towel (hospital towels are sad)
• Nightgown (2-3)
• Slippers
• Toothbrush/toothpaste
• Deodorant
• Face wash
• Shampoo/Conditioner (this is optional - my hospital provided it, but I liked having mine from home)
• Body lotion (also provided by hospital, so you can leave it unless you are picky)
• Hairbrush/hair ties (I took a blow dryer but found I didn't use it)
• Perfume/body splash
• Face cleansing wipes
• Makeup (if you are anything like me, this is a must. See my list of everyday items here)

*My original list had underwear and sanitary napkins. I didn't even touch the ones in my bag. The hospital provided everything I could possibly need in this department and it was better than what I had brought with me. The hospital underwear are hideous but they are so comfortable and exactly what you need. 

For Baby:

• Car Seat (SOOOOO important)
• Outfit for going home
• Blanket
• Hat/sweater/socks (depending on the time of year/climate)

So that's it! I took a lot more and ended up not using a whole lot of it. Maximize your space and don't stress yourself out!

xoxo, 

Jenise

Breastfeeding has come fairly easily to me, but milk has not flowed in abundance, unfortunately. One of the things I have found to work are these lactation cookies, so I decided I would share the recipe. You can tweak them in any number of ways to your liking. The important ingredients are the oatmeal, flaxseed meal, and brewer's yeast (I ordered mine from Amazon but I'm pretty sure Whole Foods has this). I personally like them loaded with chocolate chips, so that's what I usually add, but you could add raisins, almonds, peanut butter, etc. They are actually much tastier than I thought they would be, and my husband has even enjoyed these as well. 

Hope you enjoy as much as I have! 

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Lactation Cookies

Ingredients: 
2 tbsp Flaxseed meal (no substitutions)
4 tbsp water
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour (I used whole wheat)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 cups thick cut oats
1 cup chocolate chips
2 tbsp Brewer's Yeast

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375. 
   
2. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. 
3. Mix flaxseed meal and water, set aside 3-5 minutes. 
4. In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until well combined. 
5. Add in eggs. 
6. Stir flaxseed mix into butter mix. 
7. Add vanilla. 
8. In separate bowl, sift flour, baking soda, salt, and Brewer's Yeast. 
9. Add butter mix to dry ingredients. 
10. Stir in oats. 
11. Fold in chocolate chips. 
12. Drop on parchment paper, bake 8-12 minutes. 
13. Let cool, enjoy!

xoxo, 

Jenise

So my daily routine has changed just a little bit since Baby C came along. My biggest pleasure on any given day is taking a nice hot shower without interruption. Most days I don't get to blow dry my hair, but on days when I do, I feel like a million bucks. One thing I always try to do is put on a little makeup. I guess it makes me feel more "normal" and human, plus I don't look like I just rolled out of bed when the husband comes home. So what's in my makeup bag? Just a few essentials. 

1. Concealer: for covering up the dark circles from the interrupted sleep I'm getting at night. 
   
2. MAC Paint Pot in Painterly: this evens up the skin tone on my eyelids and makes me look more awake. 
3. Pressed powder: I use MAC Studio Fix. This sets the concealer and helps to make sure my skin looks even without being heavy. 
4. Blush: to make me look like I have actually spent more than 10 minutes at a time outdoors. 
5. Mascara: to open up my eyes a little. 
6. Eyeliner: Not always, but if I know I'll be going on, I'll throw on a little eyeliner. It really helps me look pulled together and like I actually made an effort. 
7. Chapstick: so my lips don't dry out. I like this candy cane one that they had at Christmastime. 
8. It's not makeup, but I ALWAYS have a hair tie on me. 

So there you go, my five-minute makeup routine (sometimes it's even faster!). 

xoxo, 
Jenise 

Hi! So glad you stopped by. If you're here, I guess that means you're a mommy, or soon-to-be, or you're just interested in reading my ramblings. haha. I became a mother just a few short weeks ago. Baby Caleb was born on January 13, 2015 at 3:08 pm, via natural delivery. The last few weeks have been a whirlwind, but it has been a really incredible time. With a husband like mine who steps up the plate all day, every day, plus an amazing support system around me of all four of baby's grandparents, plus uncles and aunts, sprinkled with a lot of amazing friends, we have managed to keep baby thriving and ourselves sane. Ha! 

I'm really excited for what's to come on the blog. I'll be including recipes, beauty finds, anecdotes, and of course, tips/advice/what's worked for me for baby and mommy! 

So glad you're here!

xoxo, 

Jenise