Unsponsored Lovevery Play Gym Review {July 2020 Update)

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Pretty soon after I received my first subscription box of toys from Lovevery (reviewed here), and saw how quality their toys were, I decided to go ahead and splurge on the Lovevery Play Gym. We were borrowing a small standard play mat (like this one) from a friend but Emi was soon outgrowing it. And even though the price of this Lovevery playmat is more than double a standard one you can find on Amazon, I don’t regret the purchase one bit.

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First of all, I really like the material of the mat. It’s smooth and cool to the touch, and it’s easy to keep clean since drool doesn’t just soak right in (of course it does a bit but I’m able to blot most of it out). And it’s also super easy to wash—just throw into the washing machine and dryer (they have cleaning instructions both on their website and their Insta). I also love the different zones at the edges of the mat. It’s especially useful for tummy time, with our current favorites being the “how things feel” and the “making sounds” zones. The “making sounds” zone was also great when Emi started learning that her actions can cause reactions (ie kicking to make noise or making a balloon bob). The “learning to focus” zone (the one with the pictures) is also awesome because it grows with your child. We started with the black and white images, and now we’re using the mirror and the face pictures (all included with the set). She’s still a little two young for the other two zones but I can’t wait until we can start using those too. We basically keep all the zones open to maximize space on the mat so that she has room to roll over (which is basically impossible for her on a standard sized mat).

I also really love the sturdy wooden arms. They’re super lightweight and designed well so you never have to worry about the bars falling on top of her. In fact with the standard mats, with the flexible tubing arms, she can pull the toys all the ways down now and I could see her getting entangled in some of the longer toys. And in another review I read about this mat, the mother liked it because the arms wouldn’t collapse onto the baby if any of her older kids happened to put their weight on it. Oh and the arms were super easy to put together.

The only negative thing I would say about this mat is that the toys it comes with was not super engaging to her. They’re almost a little too abstract and doesn’t hold her attention. Or maybe it’s because we started her off with toys that have all the bells and whistles (like it only takes a slight pull to get a good rattle sound or it has a ring that makes it super easy to grab onto) so she’s used to that. We ended up switching out the toys that it came with some of the toys we already had (like this one which she loooves). But we will continue to introduce the Lovevery toys to her and see if she takes to them at a later age.

Oh and I can’t wait to turn this into a tent/fort for her when she gets older. Kids always love a little enclosed space and this comes with the play mat.

Finally, even though this play mat is quite expensive at $140, once you’re done with it you can sell it on ebay. I’ve seen them go for $80-$100 used. So for over a year of use (maybe even two), you can be looking at $40-$60 which is pretty good.

So if you’re looking for a really quality play gym and activity mat, and are willing to do the legwork to sell it after, I think this Lovevery version is 100% worth it.

April 2020: Emi is now 13 months old and we still use this play gym. We’ve converted it into a tent which she still loves playing under. I sometimes rest my head inside the tent and it’s become my relaxation area lol. So I would say this Lovevery play gym is still worth it! Also it took some time but she finally grew to loving the hanging toys that come with the mat. I think she just needed to get a bit older for them to hold her attention.

July 2020: I finally sold the play gym on ebay for $70 (listing only lasted 2 days so I probably could have asked for more but the shipping is quite a bit ($30) so I kept it on the low end. So it comes out to a bit under $70 for 1 year’s worth of play— not bad!

Unsponsored Comparison Review of the Medela Pump vs. Spectra vs. the Willow

Image provided by Medela. (c) 2021 Medela

* This is an unsponsored post although the Medela was covered by my insurance. I purchased both the Spectra and Willow Pumps myself.

I’ve only been pumping for about 4 months now so I’m in no way an expert but because I have chronically low milk supply, I’ve spent a lot of quality time with my pumps. And I’ve tried three different pumps, so I thought I’d share my experience here.

The Medela Symphony Pump

I wasn’t planning to try a Medela pump but I was lucky enough to get a rental from Kaiser for free due to my very low supply. This costs about $2000 new so this is probably not an option for most people. Renting costs about $44 a month through Apria. I only had free rentals for 3 months, but I’m so glad I got to try this one out because now I know what a $2000 pump feels like lol. It gives me a good gold standard (or rather “high-end expensive” standard) to compare the other two pumps to. You can purchase one used, which is totally reasonable since this is a closed pump system so the milk doesn’t actually run through the machine. You’ll never have cross contamination, but if you do purchase used you’ll want to buy your own flanges and tubing (that’ll make it feel like a brand new pump since those are the parts that touch the milk). If you want to buy it used I saw some go for $250-$450 on eBay and you can also buy tubing and flanges new on eBay or on Amazon. Now why might you want to go through the hassle of buying used and all the parts separately? Because tbh, this is the best pump of the three I’ve tried. Here’s why:

Pros

• The best suction out of all three, as in the most powerful. If you’ve got milk in your boobs, this thing will for sure get it out. Which is why it’s great for someone with low supply like myself. Also I find that because of the powerful suction, I don’t have to pump as long to get to empty.

• Easy to use and no frills. There’s just the let-down phase (faster pumping, lower suction) and the expression phase (slower pumping, higher suction) that you can adjust the suction for, but you can’t change the pumping rates so you don’t have to even think about it. It also automatically goes from one phase to the other so you don’t have to think about it (and if you want you can switch back to the let-down phase).

• The flanges and bottles come in 3 pieces so that 1) I used an old sports bra, cut a hole for the nippes and use that as a pumping bra (no specialized bra needed) and 2) for those with low supply, you can turn the bottle upside down and collect the milk in the elbow piece so you don’t actually have to wash a bottle every time you pump (the bottle stays clean, you just have to wash the flange and the elbow). There’s nothing more tedious than having to wash the whole thing every time for 10mL of milk.

Overall if you have low supply, this really is the best. But it’s not all rainbows and sunshine because:

Cons

• This thing is a tank. It’s super heavy and has to be plugged in at all times so there’s zero mobility with this thing.

• There’s no timer so you’re going to have to keep track yourself on how long you’ve been pumping (which doesn’t seem like a big deal but is easily overlooked when in a sleep-deprived state).

• The let-down and expression pumping rates are pre-determined. I said that was a pro up top, but it can also be a con for those who want to fiddle with the settings.

• And of course the cost.

The Spectra S1

Now this is pretty much the gold standard for the normal folks (and by normal I mean those who produce an adequate amount of milk). This is the one all my friends use and recommended to me. And for those who are lucky enough to have good health insurance, this one can sometimes be covered through insurance. If not, you can buy it new for $200. As for me, Kaiser would not cover this so I purchased this used on eBay for $80 (this is also a closed pump system so milk doesn’t run through the machine). I still had to buy the tubing and flanges new so I think overall it cost me about $130. If you don’t want to go through the hassle just buy it new.

Pros

• The Let-down and Expression phase pumping rates and suction strength are customizable up to a point. The Let-down phase has a pumping rate (what they call Cycle) max of 70 (sorry, I don’t know what the numbers refer to) and suction strength (what they call Vacuum) of 5 (with a 12 being the strongest suction). The Expression phase has a max cycle of 54 and max vacuum of 12. Also the switching between these two phases is manual so you can choose how long you want to be in each phase.

• The S1 is super portable because it comes with a rechargeable battery so if you want, you can walk around the house hooked up to the pump and carry the pump. This feature is probably my favorite since this way you’re not tethered to an outlet. The S2 (the pink one) doesn’t have a rechargeable battery so like the Medela Symphony, you will have to stay in one place while you pump. This pump is also relatively light so you can easily travel with it in your carry-on.

• There’s a timer on the machine so you don’t have to keep track of how long you’ve been pumping.

Cons

• For me, the biggest con about the Spectra is that the suction is relatively weak when compared to the Medela Symphony. The max 12 feels like half the suction of the setting I used for the Medela (and I wasn’t even maxing out on the Medela, I was at about 75% strength). So for a low producer like me, I end up having to pump longer to get all the milk out. For the Medela I would pump from 12-15 minutes while for the Spectra I average about 20-25 minutes. When I originally switched over to the Spectra (when they took my Medela away—that was a sad day lol), I would pump for 15 minutes and not get nearly as much milk. And then my supply started to decrease. Only when I sat pumping for 20+ minutes did my supply start to get back up again. Like I said, for most people the Spectra is adequate, but if you know you have low supply you might want to try renting the Symphony (especially during the early days when you’re really trying to increase supply).

• You have to buy a special pumping bra if you want hands-free pumping (and believe me, you do). I purchased this Simple Wishes one but for $20 less on eBay (I’m really trying to buy used more often these days because it’s not only better for my wallet but also for the earth).

• And though it’s listed as a pro up top, having everything be customizable can also be a con. It can be intimidating and a hassle to figure out all the settings when you first start pumping. How much suction should you feel? What’s the best cycle for each phase? How long should you be in the let-down phase before switching to the expression phase? These are all things you have to think about with this pump.

• And even though you can pump anywhere the rechargeable battery only lasts me 2 days worth (pumping about 6 times a day) so now I just usually keep it plugged into the wall and pump much like I did with the Medela.

The Willow Pump

I already had 2 pumps so there was no need to get a third. But when the Willow pump 1.0 was selling for $100 off the original price and with extra bags, I thought why not give it a try. The idea of being able to discreetly pump anywhere and to be truly untethered was very appealing. Pump while cleaning the house! Pump while driving! Pump while out with a group of friends! I’ve actually done all three and I have to say it’s pretty liberating. But this pump is also not for everyone.

Pros

• The portability. You can pump anywhere with the Willow. Even with the Spectra S1, you have to carry the pump in one hand so it’s not like you can swifter the floor while pumping (which I did with the Willow).

• It’s the smallest pump and quietest pump so you can pump without people knowing. Granted if you’re in a meeting or a quiet room, people will hear the motor and wonder what it is. But in a crowded room/restaurant, you won’t be able to hear it. I was at a friends place, went to the bathroom to put the pumps on, and then was able to converse with friends for about 25 minutes while pumping. Also the lightest pump so it’s great for travel.

• Really strong suction. I would say the suction on this thing is even stronger than the Medela. They have 7 settings and I only could go up to 2 comfortably.

• There’s an app that is supposed to measure how much milk you’ve collected. This is needed for those with normal to abundant milk supplies since you can’t actually see how much milk you’ve filled in the bag. Since I don’t have that problem, I never bothered with the app because it usually misreads the amount (see the Con point below about this).

• You don’t need to get a specialized bra for this. Any nursing bra will do. I use my Storq nursing tank (reviewed here).

Cons

• The Willow Pump is by far the hardest to use and that’s because you are blindly putting on the pumps (ie you can’t see where your nipple goes). For those who haven’t pumped before, you’ll think your nipples are normal and point forward (like I did). But you’ll soon find out that there’s variations between each nipple that makes placing a flange on difficult. And to get good suction and pain free pumping, you need to place the nipple directly in the center of the flange (this is true for every breast pump). I don’t even get it right all the time with the Medela and Spectra where I can actually see the nipple through the flange. So it’s basically impossible for me to get it right with the Willow. I have yet to experience completely pain free pumping with the Willow and that’s why it’s my least favorite. Even with the 2.0 version with the clear flange, you still can’t see how the nipple is placed through the actual pump so I’m not sure it’s that much better (but since I’ve never tried the 2.0 version I can’t say for sure). From what I’ve read it takes about a month of consistent use to get it right. And tbh I’m too lazy to try that hard for pumping (especially since I already have 2 great pumps)

• You can’t switch between the two phases. There’s a pre-determined time for each phase and you can’t go back to the first phase. You also can’t power pump (for those with low supply, this is pumping every 15 minutes to increase supply) with the Willow because if you’re within the 25 minute pumping session, it will not repeat the let-down phase.

• You can’t really do hand-expression (basically milking your own boob) with the Willow. So if you’re prone to milk duct clogs or you have low-supply, this might not be the best pump for you.

• Unless you have perfect nipple placement, you are going to get air in your bags. This means you might end up filling your milk bags with more air than milk, and it’ll also make the reading on your app wrong.

• Disassembling the bag from the pump is messy work because there’s always a little bit of milk left in the tube (which is also a bummer when you don’t produce enough milk to begin with). So you can’t just easily disassemble everything on the go. You’re going to want to be near a sink.

• The pump is expensive and the milk bags (which are not reusable-though there’s a hack for that) are $0.50 each. So if you’re using this exclusively to pump then you’re looking at about $5-$8 a day in bags. For pumping 8 times a day, everyday for 3 months you’re looking at $720! Whenever I pump I use the hack to empty the bags into another bottle and reuse the bags for the day (storing them in the fridge between pumping sessions). It’s a tedious and messy solution but it’s also the cheapest.

• Charging takes 2 hours per pump (so 4 hours total) and you can get maybe a days worth of pumping if you use it 6 times a day.

I would say for those who are out and about a lot or work and need to pump the Willow might be worth it. Since I’m currently a SAHM, I’ll make the time to pump at home so I don’t really need the Willow. I would also say that if you can get a free pump with insurance, that should be your primary pump with the Willow being a secondary pump for when you’re out or traveling. I think you’ll have difficulties with using the Willow and with getting your supply up if the Willow pump is your first and only breast pump. As a secondary pump for those who already know how it works, it’s a great addition for convenience (once you put in the time to get the hang of it). You can find plenty of used Willow pumps on eBay here but purchase your flange and flextube new. Or if you want to purchase it new, this referral link here will get you an extra 48 milk bags. {Update: thank you to those who purchased through my referral link I have some extra Willow pump bag promo codes that I’m sharing here. Feel free to use them if there’s any available!}

Anyway I hope this review helped you guys decide on which pump is for you. I know there’s a ton of options out there (with more and more being released every year), so it’s hard to know which is the “right one”. But tbh, you’ll get used to whichever pump you get so there’s no need to overthink it!

Unsponsored Lovevery Play Kit Subscription Review {Updated April 2022}

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We have been lucky enough that a friend has let us borrow all their baby toys until their baby number 2 comes along. So up until now, we hadn’t bought anything for Emi. So that was my excuse when I decided to try out the Lovevery Play Kits. For $80 every 2 months (or basically $40 a month—the price of a gym membership), Emi gets a curation of thoughtful, well-designed, Montessori-based toys that stimulates her developing brain. It is as good as it seems or did I just fall for Instagram hype?

My first impression of the toys were that they are simple but quality made. The wooden toys (made with sustainably sourced wood) are super chic and feel smooth and sleek. The cotton they use is organic and I know they’ve done their research so that all materials are safe for babies mouths. There are some plastic toys in the mix, like a crinkle bag and some plastic (feels like rubber) rings but they serve a purpose (for sound or for touch). There’s there’s not an excessive use of plastic in their selection of toys.

I also love that each box comes with a set of notecards that not only tell you how to use each toy and how they’re helping with your baby’s brain development, but they also tell you what to expect for those months and tips on how to interact with your baby outside of using their toys. And these notecards come with little pep talks and words of encouragement that are nice to read when you’re feeling especially tired (which is pretty much all the time lol).

Since I don’t plan on going to a toy store or buying Emi any toys during my free time, I love that these boxes are delivered to my door and all the guesswork is taken out. Also if you subscribe to their email or instagram, they have other play ideas using objects you can find around the house (like a muffin tin and balls or a balloon tied to her leg—which is her current favorite activity). So even if you don’t buy their products, they’re still a useful brand to follow.

So far Emi is still getting the hang of these toys since they’re still a bit advanced for her (okay so I lied on the page where they asked for Emi’s age-lol, I didn’t want the first box so I said her birth date was a month before her actual birthday). And it even says on the notecards to keep introducing the toys to her multiple times because at this age they won’t get it right away. But I try out different toys daily and it’s been fun to see her developing. The first time I showed her the ring, she couldn’t even grasp it with my help. Now she can reach out and grasp it, though she doesn’t hold onto it very long. Someday she’ll be able to grasp it, hold it and bring it to her mouth. Then she can feel the difference between the two rings included in the box (one is a hard rubber, the other is soft, stuffed, and made of cotton). But literally baby steps right?

So all in all, I do think these play kits are 100% worth it. Especially for the busy parent who wants high quality, educational type toys. It is slightly a pain that you have to subscribe for the whole set to get even one box to try. But just select the pay as you go option (so it’s a full $80 every two months instead of $72) and it’s really easy to stop your subscription at any time. I actually stopped it so that 1) I could see how easy (or hard) it was for the purposes of this review but also because 2) I wasn’t all that excited about the toys in the 5-6 month box. I plan to restart my subscription for the 7-8 month box (which also seems super easy—just a click of a button).

And for those who want to be frugal about the toys they buy their kids, I’ve seen a new Play Kit sell on ebay for $71 and a used one missing a piece for $41 (so you’re looking at a $20 per month price, but I’ll update this review with what I’m actually able to sell it for when I do eventually list it on eBay).

Anyway I’ll also update how Emi plays with these toys as she gets older and my overall impression in a couple of months (and also whether or not I decide to continue my subscription).

P.S. I loved their subscription box so much that I decided to go for their play gym mat as well. You can read my review of that here.

August 2019 update: She’s had this play kit for about 2 months now, and even though she could be ready for the next box, she still loves playing with all the toys in the 3-4 month box. When she first got the box, she only could really play with a couple of the toys and they didn’t hold her interest for very long. But now there are a couple toys that she just loves (like the bell in the wooden circular cage and the crinkly little bag) that she can play for 5-10 minutes at a time (which is long for a baby’s attention span). Anyway we’re not quite ready to sell this box just yet since she loves it so much. And it’s been such a joy to see her grow into these toys like she does her clothes. I have to say I’m 100% satisfied with this lovevery purchase and will definitely be getting another box when she’s ready!

November 2019 Update: She’s 8 and half months and still playing with toys in the 3-4 month box, though I did go ahead and purchase the 7-8 month box. I’ll probably be selling the 3-4 month box soon, so this box had the lifespan of about 6 months (since I got it when she was 2 months old). I definitely don’t think you need to get the whole subscription but these boxed sets work even if you only pick and choose certain stages. I am definitely going to be purchasing another play kit, probably the more expensive toddler phase ones that is supposed to last 3 months.

December 2019 Update: I finally sold the 3-4 month play kit on ebay for $50+$10 shipping, which sounds like a good deal but be forewarned shipping cost $20 through USPS—though it depends how far you have to ship it. I sold it to someone in Illinois so that’s basically over halfway across the country. Anyway I sold it within 2 days with really crappy photos, which tells me I probably could have asked more for it if I had taken better pictures. So I think if you’re willing to do the selling, this play kit will set you back about $30-$40 for 6-7 months of use. That’s not too bad in my opinion!

June 2020: I purchased the first toddler play kit ($120 for toys spanning 3 months) and again I love the quality and Emi loves playing with them. I should note that since writing this original post, Lovevery lets you skip boxes so you don’t have to subscribe/unsubscribe. They will send you an email letting you know when the next box ships and you can opt out of it through the “Manage my subscriptions” tab. I should also note that if you get the 7-8 months play kit like I did, make sure you don’t leave the Ball Drop Box on the ground by the time your kid is of walking age. Emi fell and hit her head on the corner of the box (placed on a wooden floor) and we had to do an injury clinic visit in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic (it was awful but luckily she was alright). In general, now that Emi is walking, I leave the wooden box toys (there’s two in the 13-15 month set) on the carpeted section of the house just in case. But in general after having purchased several play kits over Emi’s first year of life, I would say that Lovevery is definitely worth it.

May 2021: Yep, we’re still getting these Play Kits ($120 for 3 months when they’re over 1) and I have to say they’re even better now than they were before. Lovevery is continuing to improve their boxes with better toys, and now that Emi is 2 two, she’s been enjoying the toys more than when she was an infant. We are still skipping boxes (currently we’re still playing with the 22-24 month one and she’s 26 months). But even the earlier boxes are still challenging her so I don’t feel the need to get new toys every 3 months. Every 6 months, for us, is a great schedule. Anyway just wanted to add this update because if you were to ask me if Lovevery is worth it even now, I would say 100%!

April 2022: Emi’s 3 now and we’re still getting these play kits. I still love these quality educational toys that are mostly wood. I think as they get older, the toys are even more worth it since they really have put some thought in them. I’ve also noticed that they keep editing the boxes so that the next iterations of the play kits are evne better than the first (ngl I was a bit jealous of my friend’s kids’ (who are younger) playkits because they’re better than the ones Emi had lol).

Essentials for the Fourth Trimester and also What We Wasted Our Money On {August 2019 Update}

The Essentials

• Car seat (duh) and a stroller: Since we were lucky enough to be given a used stroller by some good friends we bought the same car seat they used (since they already had the converter bracket for that car seat). Also this car seat was the one all our friends used as well as the one I saw the most often at the lactation consultants so it must be good, right?

• A Bassinet or a Pack n Play with bassinet: We purchased this Pack n’ Play with the sleeper addition, which we used for her first month. There are warnings not to let your baby sleep overnight in the sleeper, but we liked that the sleeper had an option to very slightly incline her to reduce reflux. But we took that risk since we had her swaddled and she couldn’t flip or turn her head yet and she was sleeping right next to me (and actually not sleeping for very long at a time at that). For a completely safe option use the bassinet set-up of the Pack n Play or the Snoo. And a note about the Snoo: according to my friend who used it with her second kid (but not the first), it’s absolutely worth it because you don’t have to stay up to rock your kid back to sleep. The Snoo does it for you! You can rent one like she did here.

• Diaper changing pad with clip in straps: No need to buy a whole diaper changing table, but a diaper changing pad like this one is helpful. We secured it to an old Ikea expedit shelf we’ve had for almost 10 years and voila, a diaper changing station. Our pack n play also came with a diaper changing station that my mom now uses when babysitting. That is also a handy option but can only last until the baby is 15 pounds or starts rolling over. Oh and no need to get a fancy diaper cover, we just cover it with puppy pee pads since she takes a big dump (aka poop-splosions) once in awhile and they’ll get on the changing pad. This way it’s one less thing to wash.

• Water Wipes: Our baby has pretty sensitive skin (like most babies) and suffered from baby acne and still stuffers from various rashes every once in awhile. But she’s had zero diaper rash and I think it’s due to these wipes. We were turned on to these wipes at the hospital and they’re the best for newborn butts.

• A baby carrier/wrap: I use the k'tan wrap but my friends love the solly.  My husband uses an ergobaby360 (with the cool air mesh which is key for those hot months) since it also distributes the weight to the waist instead of just the shoulders/back.

• Dr. Brown baby bottles: I had planned to breastfeed but turns out I have very low supply so I needed to supplement with formula.  Having a couple of the newborn size bottles on hand with some formula (ready-to-feed instead of powder is better for newborns) took the pressure off when my milk didn't come in.  Also by registering at BuyBuyBaby and/or Amazon (I think it might be BuyBuyBaby but I'm not 100% sure), one of them sends your address to the formula companies and they send you samples as well as coupons of $5-$15 off (which saved me a lot of money).

• A breast pump to increase supply: I didn't know I was going to get a free rental pump from Kaiser (the Medela Symphony, which I looove) so I went and bought the one my friends all recommended (the spectra s1—the s1 (the blue one) has a portable battery while the s2 (the pink one) needs to be plugged into the wall).  Your health insurance should also provide you with a free breast pump but usually the quality of that one is not great. I also bought the Willow Pump because I was wanted something even more portable and discreet. There are definitely pros and cons with all of them which I’ll detail in a breast pump review I’m working on.

• A swaddle: It's hard to tell which one your baby will like.  We tried several (swaddleme, sleepea, and the halo sleepsack swaddle) and she only liked the halo sleepsack swaddle.  But a swaddle really helps her sleep, since without it she'll wake herself up by hitting herself with her arms. Also we purchased the muslin sleepsacks since these swaddles keep the baby pretty toasty. If you live in a warm climate, make sure the swaddle is lightweight.

• Pacifier: We bought several different kinds along with this accessory to keep the pacifier weighted down (and thus less likely to pop out of her mouth). The one that worked best was this one, though when at home I let her suck on a clean pinky (that worked best of all). Also don’t get this pacifier because water and other liquids can get trapped inside the nipple and it looks really unsanitary. Oh and nipple confusion is just a myth according to Cribsheets by Emily Oster (seriously such a good book with advice based on evaluating the quality of the research out there. This book itself should be on this essentials list). We gave her the bottle and pacifier early on and our baby doesn’t have nipple confusion (she can both latch well and take the bottle well).

• Some kind of sound machine: We bought this one for on the go (I was influenced by the instagram takingcarababies—she’s all about teaching kids how to sleep better) but have found the best solution to be “rain sounds” on the Amazon echo. Some kind of noise machine will usually help the baby sleep better.

• Baby nail file: because their fingernails come out long and grow fast, and they’ll scratch themselves and you. Bring this one to the hospital with you if you want to prevent scratches (though even if they scratch themselves, their skin heals so fast!). This nail file is super gentle and doesn’t hurt the baby at all.

• A receiving blanket/swaddle: I would just get one set and make sure it’s big enough for when your baby is larger than a newborn (we bought the newborn size and she grew out of that quick). These kinds of blankets are good for swaddling (if you rather not splurge on a easy to use swaddle like the ones above) and as a burp cloth in a pinch. Also for every doctor’s visit since they want the baby undressed (and sometime you don’t know how long you have to wait with a naked baby) so these make for a good cover-up. And you can use these to cover the car seat (instead of buying a dedicated carseat cover). You could probably also use these for a breastfeeding cover since they’re so large (just fold them in half and drape).

• The NoseFrida: Our baby got a stuffy nose pretty early on so we’re happy we had this on hand. A safe and sterile way to clear your baby’s nasal passages.

• A digital rectal/oral thermometer: Also good to have on hand so you can check if your baby’s sick.

• The Boppy: This breastfeeding pillow really worked for me though it doesn’t work for everyone. It’s great for those long feeds when your arm gets tired from holding your baby up. I also used it early on like a dock-a-tot (a note on this below) where I would put her down right after a feed (it’s great because this also keeps her upright to help with any reflux issues). But I would make sure to always watch her when I would sit her up in the boppy this way (because I wanted to make sure her head didn’t tilt forward and close off her airway). I got mine at Burlington for $18 so that also made it very worth it!

The Non-Essentials

• An expensive glider/rocking chair: We got this one since several friends recommended getting a high quality one that could later be used as a “story time chair.” But the baby’s room is small to begin with and this chair takes up a lot of space. I use it to rock her to sleep but she just cries everytime my husband tries to use it. I rather have invested in renting the Snoo to get her to sleep and just purchased or repurposed another chair to feed her in. Also an exercise ball like this one is great to bounce on while carrying your child to “rock” them to sleep.

• Lactation cookies, teas, supplements: I tried fenugreek, lactation cookies, and this lactation tea along with the supplements from Legendairy. Nothing was the silver bullet that miraculously led to higher milk production. It just took time and consistent pumping (and power pumping). I’m still not where I need to be with milk production but I’m not sweating it anymore. Though I will say I think the sunflower lecithin from Legendairy works well. It’s meant to prevent milk duct clogs and I haven’t had one yet! I originally purchased it to help increase the fattier hindmilk release since I was making more of the foremilk, which I think was making the baby fussier. And the nice side effect is that I haven’t had to deal with any clogs.

• Baby bottle sterilizer: We bought this one and used it only once since it was so complicated. Just boil some water and sterilize it that way. And then put it in the dishwasher every time after that.

• Infant Car Cover Seat: I never needed one. And if I really wanted to cover her carseat, I would just use a receiving blanket. Then again we don’t take her out in the carseat all that often (we use the bassinet version of the stroller more).

• Dock-a-tot: I originally purchase one thinking I would need it but when I didn’t use it for the first month I returned it (and saved myself $175). Babies shouldn’t sleep in the dock-a-tot unattended and if you really do want a place to put your baby down on the bed while you’re watching, one of these cheaper Amazon ones should do the trick. If anything it’s a nice to have but not a need to have.

• A fancy video baby monitor: We bought the Nest camera for this purpose but I have yet to use it in any essential manner. I have looked at it time to time but only for fun. Maybe this will become more essential as she gets older but for me it’s been pretty useless. We also have a cheap sound baby monitor that we use to hear her cries from the other room. This is way more useful but in the beginning you don’t need it if she’s sleeping right next to you or if you have a small house. {August 2019 Update: Ok now that she can roll over and we are doing sleep training this is essential. I would not recommend then Nest camera though because now you can no longer disable the green recording light so when you’re spying on her, the green light will flash. And it has woken up our baby. We currently are making do and covering up the light with some tape, but if I were doing my registry over again I might have chosen something like the Nanit.}

And also just a note on getting discounts on things you’ll buy for your baby: if you register at Amazon, everything on that registry that remains unpurchased up to 6 months after your baby's due date is 15% off and the same goes for BuyBuyBaby, except they have 20% off all remaining items (but their prices are generally higher than Amazon's to begin with).  So I registered for high ticket items like a crib, crib mattress, and high chair even though I wouldn’t need those right away.  Actually I just threw stuff on there even after the baby was born since the 15% off can add up.  But you can only purchase things off of your amazon list in 2 (big) orders to get 15% off ( BuyBuyBaby is a one time 20% off).

So other mama’s out there, what were some of your fourth trimester essentials?

P.S. Here’s one of my favorite mommy blogger’s list if you want another opinion on what’s “essential” :)

Storq Review: The Caftan

Just going to do a super short review today since I wanted to mention how the Storq Caftan fit on me and how I liked it. Sorry it’s not my usual more comprehensive review, but I don’t really have the time for many of those these days!

image from Grechen’s blog here

So as much as I love my Storq nursing tank (reviewed here), Easy Pants (reviewed here, which I’m still wearing at least 3x a week at 9 weeks postpartum) and Storq pencil skirt, I have to be honest and say not all of their clothing works for me. I didn’t care for their T-shirt dress and their maternity tank top (reviewed here as part of the basics bundle). And well, I’ll have to add this caftan to the list of Storq no-go’s. I really wanted to like it because I loved how it looked on Grechen here. Also it’s such a great option to nurse in (there’s not a lot of maxi dresses made responsibly that you can easily breastfeed a baby in). But for some reason when I try it on, I look like I stepped out of a Mormon compound. Grechen and I are about the same height so how does it look so good on her? Maybe because she’s pregnant and I’m not? Maybe it’s the way she unbuttoned the top and tied the sash?

Anyway just for reference, I got my usual Storq size 3 (go off of their pre-pregnancy measurements not their pre-pregnancy sizes) and I think it fit well. The cotton is a super soft and comfy fabric, kind of like a lightweight flannel. I like the nursing option, the sleeves and the side-slits on the dress. But for some reason it just doesn’t feel right on me. After posting it on insta-story I got some tips to try rolling up the sleeves or going for a different shoe, so I might try those options when I get a chance and update this review. Or I might just sell it on eBay since I can’t return it (it was a sale item).

What do you think? What can I do to make it less dowdy?

P.S. Just to let you all know I’m current with all my reviews, which also means I don’t have any scheduled. So my posting might become more sporadic since I have to write whenever baby’s sleeping. But don’t worry if you don’t hear from me. I’m still going to blog when I can!

Storq Review: The Nursing Tank

via because you’re not going to see a pic with me wearing this tank and breastfeeding >.<

*This was kindly gifted to me by Storq with no strings attached and in fact, no follow-up or pestering despite this review being several months after said gift. Seriously they’re so chill (which is a godsend for a newborn mom who’s also trying to blog).

Even before the baby was born I purchased nursing bras like these on Amazon, anticipating the need to breastfeed on the go or in somewhat public areas. It was a bit foolish in hindsight because now that I am breastfeeding, I rather just stay home to do it and schedule my errands around feeding time (luckily I have my mom here so I can do this, otherwise I definitely would not have this luxury). So I don’t really have a need for those nursing bras, nor did they fit. It took me years to finally get the right bra size and right bra (mostly thanks to ThirdLove and no thanks to Victoria’s Secret), and then pregnancy and breastfeeding up and changes my boob size. So of course ordering some bras blindly from Amazon didn’t work out. So I’m so thankful that the people at Storq reached out to me to see if I wanted to try something from their nursing line.

I know I said I would stop taking freebies from brands in exchange for reviews, but when Storq asks if you want anything it’s so hard to resist. Not only are their items ethically made in the US and China (much like Everlane), but their stuff is so practical and well-made! And since I returned the nursing bras on Amazon, I needed something on the rare occasion I was going to breastfeed in a public place. So I opted for their nursing tank.

Side note: I chose their tank over the bra because the C-section belt that the hospital sent me home with gave me a nasty rash and I really wanted a tank to cover that and my stretch marks. Also I figured a tank would be great to layer under button up shirts.

So what do I think about the tank?

Honestly, I love it. It’s made from the same modal and spandex combo material as my favorite Storq skirt (reviewed here) so it’s soft and stretchy. It provides enough support on top but it’s stretchy enough to accomodate my remaining belly. I love the clips at the top of the bra that make it easy for nursing. It’s an all around great basic tank.

And lately I’ve been using this nursing tank with my Willow breast pump (I decided to splurge on myself and give myself a little freedom when breast pumping. I’ll do a full review of it and compare it with the spectra and a medela later). And it’s been great: stretchy enough to accomodate the pumps but doesn’t stretch out and lose its shape.

Anyway if you’re looking for a great basic nursing tank or nursing bra substitute, I highly recommend checking out this one from Storq!

P.S. You can find all my other Storq reviews here.

P.P.S. Thanks to Allison for reminding me to mention Storq sizing. If you size according to their pre-pregnancy size, things will run a tad small. For example my pre-pregnancy size is between 4-6 and I’m usually a small, but I size everything from Storq in size 3 which is actually a pre-pregnancy size of 8-10. But I go based off of their pre-pregnancy measurements, which is accurate.

Pregnancy Essentials for the Third Trimester

Since I wrote a little post about my “essentials” for my first two trimesters, I thought I would add a post about my essentials for the third trimester, which to be honest wasn’t much. But here are a couple things that I found invaluable during the last three months.

Lacrosse/Massage Balls

I’ve had these balls for years and I’ve already written a review about them here. But since I was not indulging in paid massages and since my husband is not one to give massages, I found these massage balls to be a back and shoulder saver! I’ve had them for over three years now and they moved with me from house to trailer to apartment, and I even took them with me to my hospital stays back in December and January. During my third trimester I used them everyday against the wall to massage and also for pressure points, and seriously I’ve had very little back pain during my whole pregnancy.

Ovia App

This free app has been a fun little way to keep track of baby’s growth and to learn more about her development (she’s the size of a potato, a cabbage, a melon!). I also used this for my kick counter and when I started having some contractions, I also used it to time those as well. You do have to use an email to sign up and they send you updates, but just give them a junk mail email address like I did.

Books

So if you’ve been around here for awhile, you know I’m a fan of books of the “personal growth” or self-help variety. So of course when going into something as hard as parenting that I have no clue about, I wanted to do some reading (especially since as an only child with only a couple friends with kids, I have zero experience with kids. Also confession: I have yet to change a diaper in my life but I figure I’ll learn on the job lol). Anyway a couple books that were recommended to me that I felt helped me get a better idea of what to expect:

On Becoming Baby Wise: Recommended by several friends, this book gives you examples of ideal feeding/nap/activity schedules, and helps you understand what to expect for the first several months of life. I felt 100 times better prepared about becoming a parent after reading this book.

Happiest Baby on the Block: Recommended by the nurse practitioner who ran a newborn care class. This book arms you with tactics to calm a crying baby and also lets you know some babies just cry a lot and it’s not a reflection of your parenting. I feel better equipped to handle a fussy baby after reading this book.

What I Didn’t Need

Something I didn’t use or need were pregnancy belly support bands. This was something a lot of people told me were a “must” so I purchased this one, the highest rated one on Amazon. I found that since I didn’t have back pain, I just felt constricted and uncomfortable when wearing it (especially when you put it on while standing and then go to sit in the car). But I think I might be a different case than most women because I’m carrying a lot higher due to my fibroids which are taking up space in the lower part of the uterus. So of course take my advice with a grain of salt. I also purchased these from Amazon on a reader’s recommendation but found that they didn’t really provide any support. (I also tried the Blanqui tank for support and bought a dupe to do a comparison review but ended up not wearing either of them, but I plan to keep these a bit longer for postpartum). In general, I just don’t think I like any sort of belly covering (including maternity jeans with an over the belly panel as well as over the belly leggings). Anyway since I didn’t use these but I don’t want them to go to waste, I’m putting them up in the shop for free here except I’m asking for $5 in shipping costs.

Ingrid and Isabel Maternity Review

One of the brands I got to try during my Rent the Runway (RTR) trial, was Ingrid and Isabel. I first heard of them through their Target line of leggings (reviewed here and sorry to say I wasn’t impressed). So I wasn’t expecting much when I rented their items on RTR. But I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality and design of their items! Their items are well and thoughtfully made for the pregnant woman, and the fabric quality was much like that of Storq (reviewed here) and I would say even better than Hatch (reviewed here). The only drawback to this brand is that like most conventional brands we don’t know anything behind their ethics of production (this is “their story” here). But if you to plan only buy a handful of maternity items and use them frequently, then at least you are still purchasing consciously and using your item conscientiously (which is the foundation of an ethical closet IMO). Or you could do what I did and rent the item so that you’re sharing rather than consuming. I think this is perfect if you have qualms about adding faux leather (and other plastic derived clothing) to your wardrobe, like the item below.

{Wearing: Vetta Oversized Sweater, Ingrid and Isabel faux leather maternity leggings (rented from Rent the Runway), Everlane Boss Mules (reviewed here), Acne Studios Musubi Mini Bag (review coming soon)}

So I really really loved the faux leather leggings from Ingrid and Isabel. They fit great under the belly (I’m a size M and it was TTS), and they were super thick so no VPL in the back. The back of the leggings are a soft thick stretch cotton, while the front was the faux leather. So the leggings were the ultimate in comfort but looked so sleek from the front. If think these are a great alternative to regular ‘ole maternity leggings and it helps to make it seem like you’re wearing actual pants (when you’re not). I’m 5’4” and found the length to be the perfect ankle length without having to bunch up the leggings (but if you’re quite a bit taller, these are definitely going to be short on you). They’re also perfect for the California winters since they’re warm enough and the front repels rainwater, keeping you nice and dry. I was very much tempted to buy these so they have a permanent place in my closet, but I felt like once I’m post-pregnancy I probably would rather go back to my regular pants so I’m going to wait on acquiring these.

The other item I tried and loved from Ingrid and Isabel, was their shirred maternity dress. It’s mostly made of micromodal so it’s super soft but there’s 10% spandex for stretch. What I loved about this dress is that the shirred parts were perfectly designed to not only accommodate the belly in the front but to also prevent any VPL in the back. So even though the material is thin and stretchy (perfect for the summer really), it doesn’t feel as revealing. It is quite form fitting though, and so for me personally (who’s not a real fan of the big belly bump look—I’m more in the camp of the discrete loose flowing maternity dresses) it wouldn’t be something I’d wear regularly. I think if you’re the kind of mama-to-be that wants to accentuate the bump though, this is definitely the dress for you.

Anyway this will be the last of my maternity reviews! I hope you’ve enjoyed them while they lasted (you can find them all here). Since I review what I buy I’m sure you’ll be seeing reviews of some baby items in the near future. But otherwise you’ll be seeing a review of my one acquisition per month (new year’s resolution) and hopefully some outfit repeating of my pre-pregnancy clothes (can’t wait to wear all my slow fashion items again!!).

Hatch Maternity Review: Is it really worth it?

Hatch was one of those brands I heard about even before I got pregnant, so when I did get pregnant I decided I wanted to try them out to see what all the hype was about. But have you seen their prices?! Their tops range in the $100s while their bottoms and dresses are in the $200s. And I could not just see myself spending that much on maternity clothes, even if their slogan is For Before, During, and After. Who are we kidding, I won’t be wearing maternity clothes after the baby is born, I’m going to jump back into my Elizabeth Suzann Clydes and Everlane-everything-else. So The RealReal to the rescue (you can read about my TRR purchasing experience here). So by purchasing Hatch items secondhand on TRR, I was able to try out pants and 2 dresses for about $40-$60 apiece.

{Also I should note that I purchased and tried a pair of Hatch leggings that I reviewed (and compared to with Storq, PACT, and Target’s). You can read that review here. I got the Hatch leggings in a size 2 and found that it was a smidge too small for my third trimester body even if they were under the belly leggings and I’m usually a size medium.}

{Wearing: Hatch Nantucket Dress, Everlane Boss Mules (reviewed here), Celine soft cube bag (similar here, reviewed here)}

So I’m not even going to show you the pants because it was dang awful. The fit was bad, the material was bad, everything was bad. But I will show you the two dresses I tried on. First up the striped Nantucket Dress, which I kind of loved until I took outfit shots with it. I’m a bit too short for this dress and it makes my legs look stubby especially from the side and back because of the dipped back hem. Wearing heels would make this dress fit better proportionately but I’m not about to wear heels when pregnant. And since I didn’t love it, back this dress went. But the construction was really good and it was made from a very thick and sturdy 100% cotton material. This particular dress was made in New York and thus presumably made ethically (if following US law) though not all of Hatch’s current items are (more on this below).

The next dress I tried on was an older silk piece from when Hatch was an offshoot of the Hatch founder’s first line, TwoBirds. I’ve noticed that most of the offerings on Hatch currently are blended with plastic (polyester) which makes the garments cheaper to produce. But the prices are still quite high for garments blended with such “fillers”. Since shopping mostly ethical and slow fashion, I’ve really paid attention to fabric content and only buy clothes made of 100% natural fibers (cotton, silk, wool, etc.) since not only does that mean the garment is of a higher quality, but they are also fully biodegradable at the end of its life (100% natural fibers are also more expensive so you’re getting better bang for your buck). There are very few pieces in Hatch’s current collection that’s 100% silk so I jumped at the chance to try this very old Hatch piece from The RealReal.

I would say the silk quality here is pretty good, at about the same level as Cuyana’s silk items (but not as good as say Elizabeth Suzann’s silk). This item was also made in New York. But I’ve noticed that many pieces from Hatch’s current collection are no longer made in New York, and instead are made in China (so I don’t get why such the high prices like this dress, the one Meghan Markle wore). A polyester viscose dress made in China at most cost them around $30 to make (loosely based on Everlane’s transparent pricing of their triacetate dress here), so charging over $200 seems excessive.

Anyway I liked this silk dress for the interesting details of the sleeves and the quality of the silk even though the overall shape isn’t the most flattering. But layered with some of my other ethical pieces, I was able to transition it in a winter outfit below:

{Wearing: Grana cropped cashmere (sold out, similar), Hatch silk dress, PACT leggings (reviewed here), Vince Blair Sneakers (similar), Celine Soft Cube Bag (similar, reviewed here)}

So would I recommend Hatch clothing for expecting mothers? No, to me it’s not worth the price. Like I said before getting it secondhand makes it slightly more worth it, but I think there are other maternity clothes designers out there that produce better items at better prices (especially since Hatch is not necessarily producing their items in a social or environmentally responsible way—which you know is important to me). I think when you buy something from Hatch, you’re paying a lot for the brand name and not for the quality and design of the product. Stay tuned for another review of a maternity brand that I liked much better and found to be of a better value!

Have you guys tried Hatch and what did you think?