Month: May 2015

Some of my postpartum essentials

Prior to Carlota’s birth I was clueless to anything baby. The journey starting from pregnancy, to birth, and now caring for her has been such a learning experience. Thankfully by speaking to friends, searching Instagram and reading blogs I have found some amazing products that have been essential to me & her these past 8 weeks. I want to share with you what products have been our favorites.

1) Happy Baby Wrap

The wrap is one of the greatest baby inventions EVER!! I swear by it. By the first week I was itching to get out of the house and go for walks with the little miss. I love keeping baby girl close to me and she loves it as well. She does better on walks when she is in the wrap and close to me hearing my heartbeat, than when she’s in her stroller. I think it reminds her of her first home in the womb. When I was pregnant, I would walk and workout so I’m sure she is used to the bouncing. She is also a monster when it comes to feeding and I swear some days she nurses almost every hour. With the wrap I’m able to walk and continue with my errands while she eats and sleeps. What more can a mom ask for. It’s also a perfect way to get her to sleep….when she’s not nursing she falls fast asleep instantly as soon as I start to move.

Happy Wrap

2) 4 Moms rockaRoo

The rockaRoo has been my saving grace. As soon as my parents left after the first 2 weeks of baby girls arrival, I depended on the rockaRoo so much. Having somewhere to place Carlota that keeps her calm and moving while I take a shower, or do some chores has been my life saver. They come in cool colors and patterns and if you want a version with more movements 4 Moms have the mamaRoo as well.

RockaRoo

MamaRoo

3) Burp Necessity – Burpshawls

I didn’t fully realize the necessity of the burp shawl until Carlota’s arrival. Babies have the knack for spitting up whenever you are not ready or wearing your favorite shirt. The burp shawl covers your back and both shoulders so you’re always prepared. They are handmade and come in a variety of patterns. They are a staple in my diaper bag.

Burp Shawl

4) Covered Goods

Carlota was out an about within the first week. Since I felt like I was in the hospital for days without getting fresh air and sunshine, as soon as I got home I was itching to get out. With a newborn I was worried and didn’t want her to get sick. Covered Goods was the perfect solution. I could walk her and keep her covered and sheltered. There is also access so you can see your baby as you’re walking. Many times moms just use a swaddle or blanket to cover the seat. I tried that and noticed they fall off the car seat when you hit a little wind and don’t allow you to see and check up on your little one. Covered goods stays in place and with its cool patterns gives a stylish twist to your stroller. I can’t tell you how many times I would be asked where I got my cover from while walking Carlota. It can also be used as a nursing cover.

Covered Goods

5) Body Shapers – Bounce back – belly bandit

Getting back my pre-pregnancy figure has been something I have been concerned about since I first found out I was pregnant. I tried to keep as fit as I could throughout my pregnancy but with my ravenous appetite I packed on the pounds. After baby Carlota was born I was ready to get back in shape. One of the key items for me are post pregnancy body shapers. They work to compress the stomach, hips and waist which have expanded during pregnancy. I wore them 24/7 for the first 7 weeks postpartum. Now that I am past 8 weeks I wear them here and there but not as religiously. It is most important to wear the first 6-8 weeks as that is when the hormone relaxin is circulating in the body.

Motherhood Maternity not only has maternity wear, but they also have postpartum items as well. From shape forming tank tops, tummy transformer, and denim. I have used all 3 of these items. The bounce back denim are one of my favorites. For those of us that are not able to just “bounce back” into our pre-pregnancy jeans these are that perfect transition. They are just like maternity jeans with an elastic waist, but that part that normally stretches over your belly is made with elastic to compress and shape your mid-section.

Daily I wear the New mom tummy transformer under my clothing. It helps tuck it all in by smoothing, supporting and shaping the mid-section. In the first few weeks postpartum I would wear the Belly Bandit on top of the transformer. I felt like this gave me that extra tightness and support for my muscles as everything was healing.

Bounce Back Jeans – A pea in the Pod

Bounce back Tummy Transformer

Belly Bandit

I will have a few more blog posts about some new mama essentials coming up mixed in with my fashion posts. My life currently revolves around baby Charlie so I will be incorporating more of these kind of posts in the mix as well.

Freshly picked – Giveaway

As soon as I saw these sweet little moccasins I knew I needed to have them for baby Carlota. Before baby girl was even born, my husband and I were obsessed with baby shoes. Something about seeing shoes we loved in a tiny size…we were sold instantly! How cute are these little mocs with those chubby legs…..definitely irresistible.

Once my husband saw Susan and Freshly Picked featured on Shark Tank he wanted a pair for Carlota as well.

I was initially attracted to the brand by the cuteness of the moccs. They come in so many different colors and patterns they can suit any outfit. I knew I wanted to have a little mini me fashionista so these shoes were a must. It wasn’t until I had baby girl that I realized how great they are.

Anyone with a newborn knows that as soon as you put socks on them, they are off in about 5 minutes….if you’re lucky. She is moving like crazy when she’s awake, kicking her legs all over the place. That’s why these moccs are a gem. They are made with an elastic at the ankle to keep them in place for your active baby. They start from newborn size all the way up to toddler. She still needs to grow into these moccasins so I’m happy we have some time with them.

I can’t wait until she’s walking to really put them to use. But please don’t grow up too fast baby Carlota, mommy wants to soak in every second with you 🙂

I am excited to announce that I’ve teamed up with Freshly Picked to give one of my readers a pair of Freshly Picked moccasins of your choice. (Open to US residents only.)

To enter into this giveaway all you need to do is :

1) Comment below and let me know which color you would like to win.

2) For an additional entry you can follow my blog by email or on bloglovin etc.. let me know in your comment that you have done that

3) For a 3rd entry follow me @withloveandrea and @freshlypicked on instagram and follow the instructions posted there.

Your chance to enter starts today May 21st and will close Monday May 25th at midnight PST.

**** Unfortunately this is open to US residents only. You will not be eligible if you have won a pair of Freshly Picked moccasins within the past 60 days. ****

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE!!

The Winner is Kaitlyn from the Birdsnest Blog!! Please contact me to claim your prize!!

Studs and stripes

The weather here in LA has been all over the place. A couple weeks ago it was scorching hot, while this past week its been cooler. Since I still can’t fit into my pre-pregnancy shorts, I’m happy to have the milder weather and continue with my maternity jeans!! These are definitely a must in pregnancy investments for sure!! I started wearing them as soon as I hit my second trimester and I’m continuing into the 4th trimester. I may even have to pull them out during the holidays such as Thanksgiving….stretchy pants to the max.

I am refusing to purchase new clothes until I have reached a weight/size that I am comfortable with. I’m hoping to go back to my pre-pregnancy size so that I don’t have to get an entirely new wardrobe. I will be working with what I’ve got in my closet until then.

Today’s look is simple with black, stripes and ripped jeans. I’ve been obsessed with stripes lately. I wear them a couple times a week for sure. It’s a great pattern to layer, and adds a little volume to any look. Another way I spruce up my outfit is by adding accessories. Today I chose these boots as the finishing touch. The gold stud detail definitely makes them stand out. When one piece has a lot of detail, I like to keep the rest of the look neutral. Sometimes when you have too many stand out pieces in one outfit you can look a little clownish. Less is sometimes more!!

Sweater: Banana Republic old (Similar here and here)

Shirt: Banana Republic old (Similar here and here)

Jeans: Genetic Denim (Non-maternity here)

Purse: Chanel

Boots: Chloe (Similar here)

My First Mother’s Day

Today is mother’s day and right now I am on the sofa snuggling with the little angel and I can’t stop staring at her beautiful face! I could watch her for hours on end, and I would just be so happy. Being a mom is such a blessing, and I feel very fortunate to have her in my life. She is the first thing I think about when I wake up in the morning and the last thing I look at when I go to sleep. This girl has my whole heart!

Today Carlota slept from 1:30 am until 6:15. She must have secretly known it was Mothers Day because that is the longest she has slept so far. We went for lunch to Il Fornaio. This is our favorite weekend lunch spot and it was a beautiful day to walk around Beverly Hills. The afternoon was spent snuggling on the sofa and taking much needed naps. I couldn’t have asked for a better day to spend with my loves.

These are Carlotas’ newborn pictures. It was so nice to have her grandparents in town to be able to have them in the photos as well. I don’t know if I would have survived the first 2 weeks without the help of family!

Dress: Rachel Pally

Newborn hat: Infanteenie beenie

Happy Mother’s Day to all you mamas out there!!!

The challenges of postpartum dressing

The struggle is real….dressing post baby is almost as hard as dressing the bump. I think I lived in my fantasy world when I assumed I would be able to jump right back into my wardrobe a few weeks postpartum. You look at magazines and the internet and you see all the celebs and models doing it, so isn’t that the norm?? Boy was I wrong. I’m at 5 weeks postpartum and I’m still not even close to fitting into my jeans. Breastfeeding does not magically shed the pounds like everyone makes you believe. This will definitely take a few more months. In the meantime I’m thankful for those comfy maternity jeans that are still a wardrobe staple.

Another challenge to dressing is breastfeeding. Little miss sunshine loves to eat. Hence all my pregnancy weight gain!!! hehe Depending on the day or even time of day this little munchkin can eat every hour. When I get a 2-3 hour break I’m lucky. So when I get the chance to be out and about I need to wear something that will allow me to feed her. This means dresses (other than button downs), tight shirts, and multiple layers are out of the question. The easier the access, the better. This was something that never occurred to me prior to baby girls’ arrival. Nursing bras and tanks are my best friends and are definite necessities.

The final challenge is finding the time to shower, select that perfect outfit with accessories, and put on makeup. Days that I’m home alone with baby girl I’m lucky if I even get to shower before the hubby returns from work. This baby girl loves to be in my arms and I’m soaking up every second of it.

This denim dress was purchased at the early stages of my pregnancy. It’s that perfect piece that you can easily throw on and still look chic. I paired it with my beloved Anine Bing ankle boots.