My Top 10 'Must Have' Baby Items

Hello again! So I can already tell you life as a new mother is gonna be my favorite thing to blog about!

Kennedy will be 2 months old on Sunday. Where does the time go?!? Slowly but surely we have fallen into a little routine and life is gaining a new sense of normalcy.

As I reflected on the past 8 weeks I took note of a few items that I have been so thankful to have, some of these I could not imagine surviving without. So without further ado, here are my top 10 'must have' baby items! (These are in no particular order)

1. Aden + Anais Silky Soft Swaddles

I bought these blankets on a whim right before my delivery. I read all the hype online about these Aden + Anais muslin blankets and figured what the heck, I'll give it a try. I'm so glad I did! First of all, these 'silky soft' swaddles, are just that. So soft! Much better than your regular muslin blanket. Secondly, these are huge! To me, it makes it easier to swaddle baby in because even if you don't have the 'swaddling' technique down yet, you can basically keep wrapping this around baby until they look like a little burrito and it'll do the trick! We only swaddled Kennedy for the first few days after we brought her home, however these blankets are perfect for throwing over the the car seat to keep the sun out of their eyes, or to cover baby up while you're out and about. I had a summer baby so I thought the light weight texture was perfect to protect baby yet breathable enough that I need not worry about her overheating. They were a little pricey, I think I paid about 25-30 bucks for these two blankets at Target, but it was money well spent.

2. Mam Pacifiers

Someone recommended this brand of paci to me ages ago, and I picked some up when they were on sale at Target one day. Now, I know not everyone 'believes' in binkies or some wait until the baby is older to avoid nipple confusion or whatever, but we gave Kennedy this paci from day one and she's loved it ever since. Devon calls it the 'silent button' - A few quick notes about these, the orthodontic nipple is great because there's not an upside or downside to it, so when we're popping it back in her mouth in the middle of night we don't have to worry about if its right side up. Secondly, these all come in a great plastic microwave sterilizer case. And lastly, I found some of these 'night collection' ones, which glow in the dark. Again, great for night time when its dark in the room! 

3. Gerber Cloth Diapers

Now if you're 'old school' at all, you'll know these are amazing. We have the flat and prefolded kind and we use them for everything, burping and spit up, lining the changing pad, cleaning up messes on the go etc. While they're not cutesy, but they're practical. Babies are messy. We use several of these daily and couldn't survive without them. 

4. Dreft Laundry Detergent and Shout Stain Remover

While we're on the subject of messy babies, I do a load of baby laundry about every day... We stocked up on Dreft and Shout while I was pregnant and I'm glad I did! (you can get a giant refill jug of Shout at Sams club, fyi) Shout works great on spit up, bottle spills and the dreaded poo blow out... (Kennedy has one of these about every day, so I can vouch for the stain removing power first hand, hahaha) 

5. Rock N' Play

During my pregnancy the number one item I found online when researching 'must have' baby items was the Fisher Price Rock N' Play. One of my coworkers so generously gave me hers since her daughter had long outgrown it. I have this exact design pictured, it is the 'manual' Rock N' Play meaning it does not rock on its own, but it will rock smoothly on hardwood floors. It has a battery vibration as well. They now make these in 'auto' versions and others with fancy bells and whistles, however I found this one to meet our needs just fine. We do not co-sleep and did not buy a bassinet because we planned on putting our baby in the crib right away. However for the first week or so, Kennedy did sleep in this Rock N Play in our room. She loves taking naps in it and she'll hang out in there when I need to set her down. It has a slight incline which is great for babies with reflux as well.

6. Boppy Pillow

The funny thing about this, is that originally I didn't want a Boppy. The day or so before my shower I added a Boppy to my gift registry, thinking that "eh, I don't really want it, but I don't think I'd mind having it if someone else wanted to buy it- but I could just use any old pillow if I needed." Well, low and behold I received the Boppy at my shower! I got the Bare Naked Organic Boppy along with the this cute elephant organic cover. Both Devon and I use this Boppy pillow daily. It really is convenient and comfy for nursing and bottle feeding. And yes, in case you're wondering it does work better than just shoving a couch pillow under your arm. This thing was a life saver in our early days when Kennedy 'marathon nursed' night and day. And as an added bonus, I've taken several naps on the couch with this pillow. Its great! haha!

7.  Changing Table and Pad 

This is our changing table. This is the number one item that everyone told us "You'll never use that. Don't waste your money" Hah! I've never NOT changed Kennedy's diaper on her changing table. Let me tell you, diaper changing is a messy business! Especially if you're like us and had little experience in the diaper changing area in the beginning. I'd definitely recommend a changing table like this, it doubles as a dresser, it has plenty of space for your changing necessities and once we're outta diapers, this dresser has a hutch that sits on top of it. It's beautiful! Best of all, we got this quality piece of furniture for just $150 on Craigslist! 

8. Diaper Genie

This item goes hand in hand with the changing table. So many people both in my life and online trash talk the Diaper Genie... I've yet to understand why everyone hates it so much! It works great for us! It really does help trap the smell inside. The bags come in one continuous ring and you have to tie a knot in the end but when you're ready to take it out, there's a bag cutter on the bottom of the lid and you can cut the bag where you need and tie up the other end to dispose of it. I like this feature because if you have an extra messy and stinky diaper in there and want to take it out before the bag is 'full' you don't have to waste the entire bag, just cut it off where you need. The only complaint I could understand would be purchasing the refills. However, you can find the bag refills cheaper on Amazon or at Sams club. They also make off-brand or store-brand refills that I've yet to try, but I don't see why they wouldn't work just as well!

9. Medela Nursing 'Slimming' Tank

This isn't exactly a baby item, its a Momma item! But its definitely one of my favorites. I bought this tank top in black and white at Target. It's 'slimming' feature is a tight spandex texture through the midsection. The built in bra provides more support than most nursing bras and is padded (they're removable if that's not your cup of tea) I recommend this for the nursing mama's that may be a little more self conscious like myself, it keeps your belly covered when you need to lift up your shirt.

10. Medela Harmony Breast Pump

My breastfeeding journey has been a complicated one, but that's a blog post for another day. I have an electric pump which I received free with my insurance however I could pump for an hour an still not have much milk to show for it. Someone online recommended I try a manual pump, so I bought this pump on Amazon. I've always gotten more milk in way less time as compared to my electric. This is an easy to use and clean pump which comes with two bottles and caps and one nipple for feeding. Plus since its so small and light weight you can toss this in your diaper bag or purse for pumping on the go. It's been a game changer for me!

My Little Crumble - Welcoming: Kennedy Marie Crum

I wanted to document my birth story before the memory fades too much. I find I'm already forgetting details as the days pass. So if gory birth details gross you out or if you find this facet of my life too personal for you, now is your time to click onward. This is a completely uncensored take on Kennedy's birth.
While I was pregnant, I obsessed over reading birth stories online. I wanted to know about every possible scenario and outcome. So, in case someone else is in my shoes and stumbles across this post - here's my story. Another forewarning, this is gonna be a LONG post.


I was induced at 39 weeks, 5 days due to gestational diabetes, although I was diet controlled and had no other complications it was a choice they gave me, and at that point I'd do anything to get that baby out. To say I was uncomfortable at that stage in my pregnancy was an understatement! So Monday night, June 19th, Devon and I loaded up and went to the hospital. We got a call that night that told us they had a bed ready for me and to come on in around 10:30.

I arrived and checked in. My nurse and her trainee got me all hooked up to the (what felt like) dozens of wires. One strap on my belly for the contractions and one for the fetal heart rate, the oxygen meter on my finger, the automated blood pressure cuff on my arm and finally the IV in my other hand. I can honestly say this was probably the worst part of my labor - not being able to move freely. I feel like I could have labored through the pain a little better and longer if I was able to pace, sit upright in a chair etc.

It was about 12:00 AM when we were ready to start the first phase of the induction, cytotec. A small pill placed by the cervix to soften and help begin dilation. During the 4 hour dose time, they wanted me to get some sleep. There was no way, connected to all those wires and starting to cramp from the cytotec. I watched Forensic Files on TV and listened to my husband snore on the couch...

I was 2 CM and 50% effaced when I arrived at the hospital. At 4:30 PM when they checked me, I was barely a 3 and 80%. My nurse gave me the choice to do another round of cytotec or start pitocin. I decided on the pitocin to get the show on the road.

Within minutes of starting the pitocin drip I felt my cramps intensify. I kept starring at the screen that showed the baby's heart rate and my contractions. My monitor was not picking up my contractions at all, this was really discouraging - I felt like although I was in pain I wasn't progressing because I couldn't SEE the contractions. I felt like the nurses wouldn't believe how much pain I really was in either.

I labored from 4:30 AM until 7 AM. They kept increasing my pitocin drip and I reached the point where I wanted to cry every time they came in to hit the increase button. The pain of the contractions was all encompassing, body and mind. My entire torso cramped and tightened with each wave of pain. Looking back, I don't think I can accurately describe how the contractions felt, other than... It hurt. Bad. I consider myself to have a pretty high pain tolerance but this pain rocked me to my core. Mostly because there was hardly a break in between. The pitocin made the contractions come on top of each other, only 2-3 minutes between each one.
I remember sincerely thinking, "I can not do this. I can not possibly imagine continuing and giving birth like this." I even said a couple times "I don't want to do this any more. We're never having another kid" haha! My husband won't let me forget those words (I'm already talking about baby Crumble #2, not any time soon, but sometime...)

7 AM came and it was time for the nurse's shift change. The trainee that came in just prior to help me unplug to go to the bathroom (again, these wires and monitors were the worst) told my nurse that I was in so much pain I couldn't sit back. This was true, I felt I could work through my contractions if I could move, so I sat perched on the edge of my bed swiping my foot on the floor over and over. By this point I had also thrown up twice from the pain. I've only ever been nauseated from pain once in my life. So I knew this was the real deal.
The nurse came in and told me who would be taking over and she recommended I go ahead and get the epidural.

I was afraid to get the epidural because I had no idea if I had made any progress, I went into this induction with the plan that I'd get an epidural between 4-6 centimeters. They hadn't checked me since 4:30 AM, and I had heard that if you got the epidural too soon it could stall labor. My nurse was great, she soothed my fears and explained that, that is not always true. Some times the pain relief is what your body needs to relax and allow itself to progress. My mom had told me this in a conversation prior to labor, so I agreed.

They wanted to get an entire bag of fluids in me before the epidural, so my new nurse hooked me up and ordered the epidural. She kept telling me that I would not be completely numb, and that I would still feel pain and pressure this would just take the edge off. (I later found out, she was required to tell me this - because everyone reacts differently to the epidural)

After what felt like an eternity, it was around 9:30 AM, my nurse along with possibly the nicest man on the face of the planet arrived. The anesthetist! He truly was such a nice man, I'm not just saying that because he provided the pain relief. Haha!
So the epidural was another part that I had kinda freaked myself out about reading stories online. I've heard the horror stories and some say it was the worst part of their labor. Honestly, I was more afraid of the epidural not taking than I was of actually getting it.

So I'm told to sit as still as possible (you try doing that in active labor, lol) and the only thing I felt was the tiniest pinch, barely noticeable from the numbing shot. Then all I felt was his hands pressing on my spine and finding the right area to work. My anesthetist walked me through absolutely everything he was doing, he kept telling me there would be no surprises. This was such a comfort, you could tell he knew what he was doing. My first try at the epi didn't work when he did the 'test dose' so he needed to re-position and try again. Again, no pain from this procedure at all, it was only difficult to sit still through the contractions but the anesthetist was fantastic at trying to work as quickly as possible between them. This next shot was a winner! By the time they laid me back I could feel it working already. I felt maybe two more contractions (at a much more bearable pain level) before I was completely numb from the belly button down. (Haha, so much for my nurse's warning)

Right after this, Devon left to go let our dog, Blue out - as he was home alone. My midwife arrived and and to my surprise it was my favorite midwife from the practice, Ms. Jeri! She broke my water. (Again, another aspect of induction that I was afraid of) and I didn't feel anything at all. I just felt some warmth run out after the fact, otherwise I wouldn't have known she did anything. Haha! She also checked me and I was a solid 5 CM dilated! I had never been so relieved. My worst fear was that after all this pain I hadn't progressed at all.

Devon arrived back shortly and I was on cloud 9 with this epidural. Devon noticed the difference right away, it was like night and day. I was gotten to such a negative point prior to the epidural, I had felt like there was no way I was going to be happy when the baby was born because I felt tortured. So this epidural was definitely God's gift to womankind.

The nurse came to check me again around 10:00 and I was already a 6. She told me to let her know if I felt any pressure in my bottom. I told her I actually was. It was light and coming and going. Within the next 30 minutes, that pressure intensified, it honestly felt like I had to go number 2. I kept telling her I was sorry but I thought I needed to go, but I wasn't sure, but that it was starting to hurt. She laughed and said she was fairly certain I didn't have to go potty. She told me that she would check me and if I hadn't progressed too much she would order a re-dose from the anesthetist. She checked me and gave me a cock-eyed look. I was a 9. I still remember the look of shock on her face, she hadn't expected me to progress so quickly. Her demeanor changed instantly. From this point on the pressure I was feeling just continued to intensify. I also noticed my legs were noticeably less numb. My epidural was wearing off.

Another 30 minutes later (11:00 AM), the nurse checked me and I was 'complete', 10 centimeters dilated and wriggling in discomfort from the contraction pressure. The nurse had me do a couple 'practice pushes' where she felt for the baby's head to feel if she was descending like she should when I pushed. I noticed immediately there was such sweet relief from that pressure when I pushed! It suddenly got real, that we were having a baby! And soon!

The nurse and midwife wanted me to labor a little while longer to get the baby further down so that I wouldn't have to push as long. But I couldn't stand the pressure much longer, I told the nurse I wanted to push, I didn't care how long it took.

 The nurse called the midwife who was with another mom who they thought was going to deliver before me. The nurse told her I was at 10 and asked if we could start pushing. We got the all clear and the nurse sat at on the end of my bed and helped me push. Devon stood by my side supporting my head. I pushed in sets of 3 for the 10 second count, I quickly realized how HARD pushing was. I pushed for about an hour. And finally the nurse called for a tech to set our room up. Suddenly a cart full of medical instruments was wheeled in, the end of my bed disappeared and a literal tarp was laid out on the floor.

I remember feeling such a sense of comfort when my midwife came in, it was nice to see a familiar face and I knew that if she was here it wouldn't be long until this was over!

By this point, there were several women in the room, I kept my eyes closed the majority of the time as I pushed. I remember reaching the point where I felt like I couldn't do this again. It was so incredibly hard to breath and I remember listening to the nurse and Devon telling me to breath in slowly between my pushes.

Things began to blur as far as memory goes, I remember my midwife saying that the baby had hair! and then a chorus of laughter burst out and I remember them saying something along the lines of "You could put that in a pony tail!" I was elated to hear that my baby had hair! such a trivial matter, but it was just the distraction I needed at the moment. Second later I was pushing again, they encouraged me to reach down and feel the baby but I insisted that I did NOT want to do that. I wanted the baby out!

Jeri told me to listen carefully to her because she wanted to coach me as she delivered the baby's shoulders so I did not tear. I pushed and I remember feeling "The ring of fire" and I pushed harder and harder against that pain. Next, it literally felt like Jeri's hands were stretching me open and I heard her say "Push when I tell you to. Alright, Push... slowly... and Push again!" And next thing I know the room erupted into cheer and I opened my eyes, an immediate relief was felt as the pressure was now gone.

In Jeri's hands was my wet, blue, beautiful baby girl. I watched Jeri wipe the baby off and I saw Kennedy open her mouth and take a breath. Each second that passed she gained color. The nurse was unbuttoning my gown so they could put the baby on my chest. I just remember staring at her and thinking "so that's what my baby looks like..." (a question that tormented me for 9 months of pregnancy haha) and then "She looks like me!" I couldn't believe how much she resembled me, but also, how beautiful she was! This is going to sound terrible, but I expected my baby to be ugly.. hahaha!

I remember hearing Devon, he seemed even more elated than I would have imagined. Everything else was a blur, I heard people moving about the room. A tech taking pictures on Devon's phone. I couldn't take my eyes off my baby girl. I was incredibly overwhelmed and I just wanted to take in every second of my daughter's first moments of life in the open world.
Looking back at the photos, I look miserable. But I promise I was so happy. I was just captivated by this tiny human on my chest.

Jeri told me to give a few tiny pushes and I did about three and my placenta was delivered. (No I didn't look. Ew. lol)  This was another aspect I remember being worried about, some people said delivering the placenta was worse than the baby. It was nothing, I felt like my body did most of the pushing and it was literally over in seconds. Jeri also checked me for tears, I had two tiny bilateral tears inside. She stitched me up and I remember feeling the pinching sting as my epidural was almost completely worn off. She told me that since the tears were internal I fortunately would not have a lot of pain. (She was right, I felt right as rain right after labor)

They cleaned me up and helped me start nursing. Kennedy took to my breast right away, and I remember being mesmerized that she knew what to do...  I was so in love. She opened her eyes and starred up at me as she nursed. Next thing I knew, the room emptied and I was left with my sweet girl. Devon left to make the calls to let our family know our little girl had arrived.

Our family of two, was suddenly a family of three.

"For this child I have prayed, and the Lord has granted the desires of my heart" - 1 Samuel 1:27

On June 20th at 12:31 PM, my prayers were answered with a healthy, beautiful baby girl - born 8 pounds and 5 ounces, 20 and 3/4 inches long. Welcome to the world Kennedy Marie.

If you made it this far, you deserve a medal. :)

Re-reading this story fills me with such joy. Child birth is without a doubt the hardest thing I've ever done. I'm honestly so proud of myself for delivering this wonderful little girl. I'd do it 10 times over if I had to, knowing the sweet treasure we receive at the end...