This post is sponsored by NUBY USA. These products were given in exchange for my honest review.

All opinions are my own. In addition, this post contains affiliate links.

This past weekend was a world wind in the wonderful world of Lennox. It started on Friday, when her pediatrician confirmed what my husband and I suspected; our baby is teething! Her behavior over the past week makes so much sense now that we have confirmed that she is in fact teething. A few signs we noticed were her drooling more than normal, chewing on her fingers, and rubbing her eyes. Her mood has been a little shifty as well so I knew she wasn’t feeling like herself. Over the weekend I commenced teething duty. My good friends over at NUBY graciously sent us some teething products and they have been lifesavers!

I have always heard that a cold teething ring could be very soothing to the gums of a teething baby so I decided to whip out my NUBY Ice Gel Baby Teether Keys. I really like the easy grip design, which is ideal for little hands and helps with coordination. It took only a few minutes for Lennox to get the hang of holding her own teether and chewing on it at her leisure. The cool (pun intended) thing about this teether is the size and the shape. I like that it is small enough to fit in Lennox’s hand so there wasn’t much of a struggle for her to hold it. She actually prefers to wear it on her wrist like a bracelet lol.  It’s also nice that the entire teether is not the freeze pack material, so she has something to hold onto that wont be too cold on her hands.

We also tried out the NUBY Reversible Teething Bib with Dribble Catcher and Teething Corner. This bib is by far my favorite because it is a two-for-one deal for babies that are both drooling and teething. This soft absorbent cotton bib kept Lennox’s onsie dry. I especially loved how the triangle shape of the bib allowed her arms to move about freely. The secure and easy Velcro tabs were also super soft and didn’t snag her hair (she hates when that happens).  This bib features a teething corner, with multiple textured surfaces, to chew on as new teeth break through. This worked well for us, as Lennox liked to bring the teething corner to her mouth to lick and chew. These bibs are completely BPA Free and did I mention it reversible!!!.

Lennox has recently learned how to hold items in her hands for a short period of time. This allows her to play with some of her favorite little soft toys like the NUBY Blankie Pal. This extra soft plush teething toy mixes fun and function. The Blankie Pal comes in several different characters and features a variety of textures that kept Lennox entertained. She loved squeezing the blankie pal and hearing the crunch sound that the crinkle fabric made. This toy will definitely go in her diaper bag as her entertainment on the go!

I am so happy that we had our NUBY teething products to assist us. We will continue to use them during this teething journey. NUBY has a variety of great products for all of your baby’s needs.

For more information please visit their social media accounts.

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You can purchase NUBY items from the following retailers

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During my pregnancy I decided that my baby was going to be exclusively breastfed for one full year. I made up my mind that I wasn’t going to be washing bottles and buying formula. I read about all the health benefits of breast milk and I was pumped (no pun intended) and ready to start this journey, or so I thought.

Let’s just say that things haven’t gone as planned…

The journey began in the hospital with my daughter not latching on. I also struggled with my colostrum not really coming out. We tried several tactics to get her to latch on to get out the colostrum but it was a painful struggle. I called in a Lactation Consultant and she showed me how to hand express the colostrum and gave me a nipple shield which was a lifesaver for that moment. The nipple shield assisted with the latching issue and it also made me feel somewhat better because I could look in the shield to see if anything was coming out.

I continued using the nipple shield for roughly three weeks until I began to notice that my baby was beginning to use the shield as a pacifier and not its intended purpose. I tried again to have her latch on without the shield and that was a disaster. I decided that now was the time to put my spanking new breast pump and fancy bottles to use. My first couple of pumping sessions were uncomfortable but I got through it. Once I got used to it I was able to pump enough to satisfy her need. With her now receiving the milk through the bottle she seemed way more content because the milk was coming out faster.

I celebrated the small victory of finally being able to track how much milk she was receiving as well as how much I milk I was producing. As her milk requirement increased my milk supply stayed the same and that’s when the stress set in. I started taking fenugreek pills and increasing my water intake to help boost my milk supply. I began to pump on an every 3-4 hour schedule. I was pumping around the clock and beginning to feel like a cow. Some days I could pump enough milk to freeze and other days I could barely pump enough milk to get through her daily feedings. It was a vicious cycle of inconsistencies. At her two month appointment I was encouraged by her doctor to supplement with formula because her weight was in the lower percentile for her age. I was devastated because I really wanted her to only have breast milk but I couldn’t depend on my supply alone to give her what she needed. I beat myself up about it in my head and then I got over it. The day that I started supplementing with formula was the day that I felt like a burden was lifted off of my shoulders. I no longer had the stress of worrying about whether or not she was getting enough milk and it didn’t matter to me how much I pumped in each session because I knew that she would have enough regardless. I still continue to pump and to this day my supply is still inconsistent. I have my good pumping days and my bad pumping days but I don’t have my stressful pumping days. I stopped taking the Fenugreek as I believe it decreased my supply. I now eat a couple of lactation cookies per day and that has been helpful however I think that getting out of my own head was the key.

I have talked to so many moms about breastfeeding and all of them have had different experiences. Although I would rather not be so dependent on my pump I am thankful that I am able to pump at all and still give my baby mostly breast milk. I’m still fighting the good fight but I am determined.

I wanted to share this experience because every woman’s breastfeeding journey is not the same and I want to let anyone else out there that may be struggling with breastfeeding know that they are not alone. You would think that something so natural would come easy but I’m here to tell you think things aren’t always what they seem. There are plenty of women who have very successful breastfeeding experiences from the start. Unfortunately I was not one of them lol. I have gottten used to pumping now and it seems to be working for me. So ladies if you’re having a hard time with breastfeeding and/or pumping just know that it’s okay to do what works best for you and your baby. Don’t feel like less of a woman if your baby won’t latch on and feed directly from you. I was so devastated when my breast feeding plan didn’t work out like I envisioned and I had to supplement. However, my Husband, family, and friends are so amazing and supportive and reminded me constantly that it’s not the end of the world to give your baby formula and now it’s all good!

I remember what seem to be many moons ago when my brain was a fully functioning organ. Those days are far behind me now! Have you ever heard of the term “Mom Brain” well I’m hear to tell you that it’s a real thing!

I noticed during my pregnancy that I had become very forgetful. Family and friends told me that it is normal for that to happen. I though surely once I had the baby that everything would go back to normal. Boy oh boy was I in for a rude awakening I have found that my pregnancy brain has now transitioned into full-blown mom brain. I find myself confused a lot nowadays and I forget on a regular basis. I can’t never remember what day or time it is. I’m surprised that I even remember my name lol.

For those of you who may not know exactly what mom brain is, let me give an idea. It’s any one or combination of the items listed below…….

1. You have to stop talking in the middle of your conversations because you forgot what you were saying in the first place.

2. You can never remember what day, time, or planet you live on.

3. Your go to description for everything is “what you call it”

4. You lose your keys when they are actually in your pocket.

5. You type a response to a text message and forget to send it.

6. You pump without putting the bottles on the pump.

7. You forget the clothes in the washing machine.

8. You forget what you had for breakfast that morning (that is if you even had a chance to eat breakfast that morning).

9. You ask your husband/significant other the same question 50 times.

10. You put the baby’s clothes on backwards.

If you can relate to any of the symptoms above then you probably have a case of mom brain. I heard a rumor that it never really goes away completely. Thanks goodness I don’t believe in rumors lol

Being a new Mom is one of the most rewarding experiences in the world. There is no joy like looking into the face of my sweet little one each and everyday. I am 13 weeks in at this point and I have already picked up on a few things that have helped with my transition into motherhood. Like most others I have received more advice than you can ever imagine on what to expect as a new Mom. While some of the advice was spot on, some had to be taken with a grain of salt. I have learned that each pregnancy, birth, and baby are completely different. There are things that may have worked for others that didn’t seem to work for me and there are things that work perfectly for me that doesn’t work well for others (thats life). I’ve been thinking about what I would want to tell my friends that may ask for my advice and I put together a list of the top six things that I think is important for new mothers to know.

1.)Don’t assume the worst. On the first few nights that we were home with our daughter I found myself analyzing each and every sound and movement that she made. My first thoughts were what does that mean, is something wrong, is she choking, can I hear her breathing, is she uncomfortable just to name a few. I literally drove myself insane and did not take advantage of my small allotment of sleep. If I could go back I would tell myself to take a deep breath. Instead of assuming bad things manifest positive things and you will feel a relief like no other. As a Mom and especially a new Mom you are going to be a worry wart but try not to entertain negative thoughts and instead stay attentive and surround you and your baby with nothing but love and positive vibes.

2.)Trust your instincts. You know what is best for you and your baby. Listen to your heart and always go with your gut feeling because 99% of time it is guiding you in the right direction. I spent so much time on google searching each and everything that I noticed. This only made matters worst as you know google will show you the worst of the worst. I would recommend that instead of looking to Dr. Google look at your baby try to feel their need. I have a mental checklist that I like to use with my little one. The first thing I check is if she needs to be changed, then I think about the last time she ate, next I try to burp her or rub her tummy to relieve any gas. Sometimes my baby only wants my love and attention so I shower her with lots of kisses and cuddles because at the end of the day who doesn’t want that! 🙂

3.) Breast milk is the cure to EVERYTHING. Like seriously if your baby has a mild case of baby acne, red spots or if the little one scratches themselves on the face just sprinkle a little breast milk on it and watch the miracle happen lol.

4.) Have no expectations. One of the best things about being a new Mommy is getting to know your little one and yourself in your new role. Appreciate the adventure and don’t expect your experience to be like anyone else’s.

5.) Enjoy the journey. Being a Mom is awesome therefore you are awesome so enjoy every minute of it!!!

6.) Ask for help when needed and accept help when it’s offered. You don’t have to be a super hero all of the time. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it. We had so much help with our little one and it has made a world of difference for me especially.

I hope these tips are as helpful to you as they have been for me.