Dressing Your Post Baby Body

photo via Kelsey Erin | [jacket] ancient Zara [sweater] H&M only 20 bucks! [jeans] Paige Premium [booties] Cole Haan on MAJOR sale! [on Rocco] Gap

Congratulations. You've made, housed, and birthed a child. You are amazing. Take a second to mentally pat yourself on the pack, or hell, actually pat yourself on the back… Better yet, have someone give you a pat on the back followed by a serious back massage because your back aches all. the. time. amIright!?!?! Let's be honest. Having a kid totally wrecks your body. Like come on… Apart from all the crazy stuff that happens whilst exiting a person from your lady palace, you are left with this completely foreign body. I mean for me, my hips were/ still are extra wide, my tummy was/still is just pudgy and loose, and the nursing boobs… oh the massive boobs…  It's hard to not compare yourself to your pre-baby bod or friends and celebrities who seem to shrink back down to a tiny miniature version of themselves, walking out of the hospital in their skinniest skinny jeans. Betches!! Remember, you are a magical goddess who CREATED a life inside your body, try to cut yourself some slack. Plus, I guarantee those skinny-minnies have post baby insecurities just like the rest of us. So while I figure out this new body of mine I'm going to report back my findings to you! Today we start with absolute must have for dressing your pbb!!!

[Basics Felicity Slimming Nursing Cami]  Slimming nursing tanks have become my best friend, my favorite is from good ol' Target. It's 25 bucks and makes my mid-section happy. We all know that I am anti-nursing bra [still not a fan] and thus far, I have yet to purchase one but I looooove these slimming tanks.  They are perfect for layering under baggy shirts, sweaters, and dresses. I wear them under errything and they make the tatas super accessible and make me feel much less muffin-toppy. The easy access is clutch because let's be awesome your boobs are really the star of the show if you choose to nurse. [Side note: Breastfeeding Musts] I had some trouble nursing in the first 3 weeks and even had a scare with mastitis. I ended up pumping a lot so I had to run out to get milk storage bags. Yeah, didn't know that was a thing.  And because the ladies hurt so badly I used these awesome boob pads to help with clogged ducts and engorgement. UGH, what a gross word… And for the nips, The Honest Company nipple balm was a lifesaver early on! I would lather that stuff up and because it's food safe there's no need to wipe it off before feeding the munchkin.

We have much fun to discuss, so stay tuned for more of my tricks to dressing that post baby body!!! Here are a few of the tips you can look forward to in the upcoming months. [loose dresses that don't look like a sack] [rocking high waisted yoga pants] [a new pair of skinny jeans] [the art of the baggy tee] [mom shoes] [leather leggings for the cool mom] [the "i only got 4 hours of sleep, but want to look alive" 5 minute face]

Baby Shenanigans I Can't Live Without: 0-3 Months

Photos via Kelsey Erin Photography

Dude, kids need a ton of shit. Like you can't get out of the door without the infant carrier, a swaddle blanket, a blanket-blanket, diapers, wipes, a nursing cover, a paci, a change of clothes, and blah blah blah blah… Holy BANANAS!!! Now, I bought a crap-ton of baby clothes, but I really wanted to err on the side of caution and have less rather than more when it came to baby toys and accessories. I think that was one thing I did right, but you still need quite a bit of stuff at the ready to keep you sane whilst you care for your lil' nugget. Here are 10 9 things that have made my life better over the past 3 months.

[1] 4Moms Mamaroo aka Sleep Central. I am in love with this swing. He slept in it almost exclusively his first 3 weeks and where he took the majority of his naps until he hit 3 months. He will also just chill and watch me cook and suck on his hands during his awake time, he hangs out and plays with Daisy the Cow and stares for ages at the built in mobile. It's adorable. We like the Kangaroo setting on the highest level when he's awake and the car ride setting when he's asleep!

[2] The Ollie Swaddle Okay, now this thing is EPIC!!!! Like I'm in love! My bestie has 5 lil' nuggets [yes, 5!!!] and is the most wonderful swaddler I've ever met. She can wrap up an Aden & Anais muslin swaddle like a champ. I can't seem to master it, he was always busting out. So I tried various velcro swaddles and, again, he could Houdini his hands out of them. He was completely sabotaging his sleep. I decided to try The Ollie Swaddle and let me tell you, ah-mazing! He sleeps great with it on and he doesn't ever overheat!! Bomb dot com. Worth the money, for sure, because it's the only swaddle I need. I love, love, love, love this thing… Have I made my point!? I thought so.

[3] Baby Gap Zippered Footie PJs My mom, Sandy, told me over and over, "zippered footie pjs are what you want." Like most things, Sandy was right!!! They are amazing and easy and keep the nuggets feet nice and warm. I am obsessed with the adorable patterns at Baby Gap. I stock up when they do their 50% off. Do it.

[4] Sound Machine  The rain setting pretty much completes my life. Honestly, I know every site says they help the baby sleep because they are used to the loud sloshing sounds from the womb, but dude, I think this is more for the parents. It helps so much to drown out every tiny little baby sound that threaten the few precious hours of sleep that you actually get. I'm never gonna be able to sleep without one.

[5] Bassinet I wasn't going to use an actual bassinet. I planned on having Roc sleep in his pack n play bassinet… yeah, that didn't work. He ended up spending the first 3 weeks sleeping in his Mamaroo and in the bed with me. The pack n play, like his crib, just seemed to big. The second we would wake up and realize that he was in it he would howl, so when a friend offered up her bassinet I thought it was worth a try. Worked like a charm. He loves the thing!! He would even wake up  just look around staying completely calm and put himself back to sleep. #Winning. It's great for late night feedings too, I essentially used it as a co-sleeper. We just transitioned Rocco to his crib, so it's true you don't need for more than 3 or so months, but I will definitely buy one if we have another kid.

[6] 100% Pure baby products A friend gifted us the awesome baby wash and shampoo as a shower gift. The nugget is just now starting to enjoy bath time and these products are legit. They get him nice and clean and I don't have to worry about them being toxic or nasty.

[7] Soothie I wasn't sure what I thought about pacifiers with the whole nipple confusion thing, but alas, I learned to LOVE this thing. We tried a few and a friend even brought me some extras for us to try because he seemed to really dislike them, but the green soothie ended up being the best. I realized it's a persistence and timing thing, like all things baby sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Such is life.

[8] Fitness Ball So I bought this thing for labor, but we forgot it… Oops. And it wouldn't have mattered I was definitely a labor on my back mama. I was working hard enough, I didn't need to worry about balancing or holding myself up. But who knew that the little guy would love bouncing on the ball so much!! I mean, it hurts my back like whoa, but when you are willing to do anything to get your bambino calm, you bounce.

[9] Boba Wrap This wrap looked super daunting to me, but our very own Kelsey Erin of Kelsey Erin Photography spent an afternoon teaching me how to dougie wrap this insanely long fabric into a safe hold. And let me tell you, with a deployed hubs and no help, for many many nights this was the only way I got anything done, sometimes it was the only way I could eat a meal. He would almost instantly quiet if he was fussy and within 5 minutes he would be asleep. It was life magic. Baby soothing magic.

I am sure that there are 10 things I loved, but right now my sleep deprived brain has only 9. So that's all you're getting! Also, if you have a new-newborn then let me just say I know it's wonderful and beautiful and you love them so much, but it's okay to feel tired and just want to cry in the fetal position in the bathroom. Apparently that's normal. That's when I say, why don't more Mama's talk about it then!?!? I'm probably going to write more on the subject later, but let me just say you are in survival mode and doing what is best for you and your baby don't let ANYONE tell you that you are doing something the "wrong way." Every baby is different. You do you boo boo.

Happy Wednesday!!!

The Long and Short of it

Images via Kelsey Erin | [sweater] Free People [skirt] Hand me down from my sister [sandals] Sam Edelman, I love these [jewels] Sea & Cake, Betsy & Iya, Lenny and Eva, Alex and Ani, Dogearred, and a bunch of random others

First off, I had pink hair!!!! It's been 15 years in the making, but I finally put some pink in my locks! Such a rebel. Yes, you can barely tell in these photos and that was sorta the point and it's pretty much completely gone now. Next time I will go brighter, but I wanted a kiss of pastel pink to make me feel like the cool mom I am… cause I am soooo not a regular mom…

via

So here's my final maternity fashion post! I can't believe I'm no longer pregnant… It's amazing how that happens… I have never been much for maxi skirts on me before pregnancy. Honestly, even as a self proclaimed stylist I find them very difficult to dress. I love layers and the whole rocker thing, so I find it hard to layer on a maxi without looking like a full on hobo. Well with as hot as it's been, pants and shorts are just a hell no and if you don't want to purchase maternity clothes you are left with maxi skirts and maxi dresses. This skirt was lovingly passed down from my sister, I stretch it out pretty badly every time I wear it, but luckily it always shrinks back. If you've never visited my sister's store's site you totally should, you can find it here. Super cute, super affordable. I have also had a ton of luck with Nordstrom Racks maxi skirt selection and for the price you can't beat it. I don't plan on wearing these much post baby, so I really didn't want to spend a fortune. I've tried to keep my maxi's fun and patterned and pair them with a ton of boho accessories. I threw on whatever rings still fit my sausage fingers and as many dainty gold necklaces as my sweaty body can handle [little did I know that wasn't going to go away after Rocco's birth]. My makeup these days, as you can see, is barely there. If I can cover redness and the bags under my eyes than I am totes winning at life! Who's ready for Fall/Winter!? #ThisGirl

My favorite mini. This chick knows how to pose!