10 Baby Registry Tips

So you are getting ready for your little ones arrival and are so excited to create your baby registry for all the fun things (and some necessities) that go with having a baby. That is, until you get to the store and are completely overwhelmed by the registry process! Here are some tips to help you through the mess!

1. Check other people's online registries - Go ahead, type in a generic last name into the registry search and see what other people have registered for. You may find things that you are completely missing! Look for baby registries where the baby has not been born yet as many people change their registries after the baby is born and eliminate items they already have.

2. Ask other moms what they found to be "must haves"- Other moms already went through it and can tell you what worked for them and what didn’t. This doesn't mean you need to register for everything they loved, but it will get your mind thinking!

3. Do not register for blankets- Unless there is a blanket you absolutely MUST have, do not register for cute blankets. People love to give baby blankets (without receipts) and you will end up with so many you won't know what to do with them. Of course, this does not apply to things like basic receiving blankets.

4. Do not register for large packs of bottles- Every baby is different and yours may not like the bottles in that family pack you registered for…now that they have been opened and used, you cannot return them! Register for small packages of 1 or 3 bottles.

5. Limit the amount of small toys and rattles you register for - These are another item that people love to just throw in with the gift, and you will end up with a lot of them!

6. Keep the gift receipts for EVERYTHING- Tape the gift receipts to everything, and resist the temptation to take everything out of the package. Wait until after your baby is born to open packages of non-essentials since you may want to return them. We did this and were so happy that we did. We ended up returning a lot after the baby was born!

7. Use the registry guide you get at the store as "suggestions" - Stores want to make money off of you so often you do not need as many of the items they suggest you need. When in doubt ask another mom!

8. Register for items that fit into a variety of price ranges - Many people cannot afford or will not want to pay for only larger priced items. That set of 4 burp rags with the adorable designs may look really cute, but for $30 it may be the only gift you get from someone. Perhaps a better option is to get the cloth diapers and use them as burp rags. Half the price for twice the rags, and a single person could afford to buy you more essentials.

9. Register for items you will need down the road - If you only register for newborn items, you may find yourself without the items you need within a few months of the birth. Clothing for past 0-3 months is a good option. Everyone likes to buy the small baby clothes so chances are you will get quite a bit of newborn or 0-3 month clothing as gifts when the baby arrives.

10. Stay gender neutral with bigger items - That is, unless you only want one child. Most people only have 1 baby shower. If you register for everything in pink, and you have a boy next, you may need to repurchase all of those big items so your little boy does not have to sleep in a pink crib or travel in a pink car seat.

Registering for a baby can be overwhelming, so don’t feel obligated to do it all at once. Take advantage of the online registries so you can alter your registry as you change your mind or decide on bigger items. Feel free to post comments with your own registry tips! The more the merrier!

Pregnancy - The Dreaded Weight Gain

If you are like me, you are having or had a hard time watching the weight pile on during your pregnancy. Pregnancy weight gain is dreaded and welcomed all at the same time. Gaining weight during your pregnancy is necessary in most cases, even though it is hard to watch that scale move up! The average woman is supposed to gain 25-35 pounds, while underweight women are supposed to gain 28-40 and overweight women should gain less than 25 pounds. This is all information I was given during doctor visits. I found it comforting to keep a few things in mind:

1. Your body needs to gain the weight for a healthy baby. If you starve yourself, you are also starving the baby

2. You also need to gain the weight to keep you healthy during the pregnancy. Your body is giving your baby all the good stuff, leaving you the scraps. Eating a little extra is helping you get the nutrients you need as well

3. Don't feel like you need to rush to loose the weight after the baby is born. It took nine months to put it on, give yourself nine months to take it off!

Now I had a really hard time keeping the weight down, but I did find some things that helped

• Drink a lot of water. More often than not I was thirsty and not hungry


• Give in to your cravings. I know it sounds counter intuitive, but it makes sense. If you try and avoid them, you will eat other things in hopes that it will go away, and end up eating twice as much until you finally get what you really wanted.


• Portion control! Take the amount you think you want to eat and then eliminate half. If you are still hungry, wait 20 minutes and drink a glass of water.


• Snack all day. eating small meals and healthy snacks throughout the day helps keep your blood sugar regulated and may help control cravings. Plus, for me it helped with the morning sickness


• Exercise! Prenatal exercise is not only good for you and your weight, but it is good for the baby too. I loved prenatal yoga and walking. Swimming and water aerobics are also good pregnancy activities. Just make sure to consult your doctor first

Remember that though it is hard to watch the scale go up, it is probably the best thing for your baby. Your body will gain what it needs to for you to carry that baby. Just make sure you don't over do it!

Pumping at Work - Getting a Let Down When You Pump

While I was pumping at work, it dawned on me that I should write a post about it since I have been getting quite a few questions about it lately. Mainly about having a let down while pumping at work. Let me first say that I do not like to pump at work, nor do I like to pump when I am not at work. It is nowhere near as enjoyable as nursing my child directly. It just feels so impersonal and honestly I feel a little like a cow. However, I want to give my daughter as much breast milk as I can, therefore I pump. Here is an answer to one of the most frequently asked questions that I get..."How do you have a let down every time you pump?". Mind you I am NOT a doctor or a lactation consultant, these are just things that I have found that work.

How do you get a let down?

I often hear that women have problems letting down when they pump,and why wouldn't you? You are alone and the pump is not comforting or enjoyable. Here are some things I do:

• Pump both breasts at the same time - for some reason this works great for me, and I let down a lot easier than if I pump only one breast at a time.


• Use the "let down function" - a wise woman mentioned this to me and I had no clue what she was talking about. I was desperately looking for a button that said "let down" on it somewhere, but it doesn't exist. It simply means turn the pump off for a couple seconds and turn it back on while you are pumping. This does help sometimes but it doesn't always work for me.


• Twirl your nipple between your thumb and pointer finger - sometimes this takes a little bit, but it usually works for me. I keep the pump going on one side, remove the other side and twirl my nipple and this usually helps. when I feel a let down, I put the shield and bottle back on to keep pumping.


• Look at a picture or think about your baby - Sometimes it is mind over matter! I have also heard that something that smells like your baby works well too. Try a baby lotion or a blanket of theirs. It sounds weird, but it helps!