Express Sale Picks

Happy Sunday!

Until Monday, Express is having a 40% off everything sale! Express is one of my favorite stores for classic styles so I put together a few of my picks from the sale. You can click the pictures to shop. Everything here is under $60!

xo
katie lynn

At Home Workout Routine

Hi all!

I was finally cleared to work out last week!! I've been working out at home or outside because honestly, I just haven't made it to the gym to start my membership back up. New mom problems! It's been nice because I've been able to start back up slowly with body/low weight. I wanted to share my workout routine for other new moms out there or for those of you who are just busy and need to workout at home. This should get you started. No excuses! I've even done a few leg workouts with Mia in my arms. All you'll need is a resistance band and a set of dumbbells with your choice of weight. My workouts typically last about 45 minutes and I do some of them till failure (as many as you can) because my dumbbells aren't as heavy as I would like them to be. Adjust this according to the weight you know you can lift or just do more reps with body weight!

Legs-2x per week

• Start with 10 minutes of cardio (I've been running my stairs) but you can do some jump rope intervals, burpees, etc. just make sure you're warmed up
• Alternate with squats with a resistance band around your thighs 3x10 and calf raises 3x as many as you can
• Alternate jumping lunges 3x10 and wall sits 3x30 seconds
• Walking lunges around your house as far as you can go (I get like 10 in per leg) 3x
• Alternate squat jumps with a resistance band around your thighs 3x10 and sumo squats without the band but with one dumbbell holding it between your legs 3x10
• Pulse squats with the resistance band around your thighs again 3x10
• Dog leg raises with the resistance band around your shins 3x10 example here (I could be naming this wrong but just go with it, it burns!)
• Leg lifts on all fours (again weird name, good workout) with the resistance band on both ankles 3x10 example here
• Finish with various ab exercises like leg lifts, crunches, sit ups, etc. As many as you can do!
• Stretch

Shoulders & Back-1x per week

• Start with 10 minutes of cardio
• Alternating shoulder press 3x till failure and bent over rows 3x till failure both with dumbbells
• Alternating upright rows with dumbbells 3x till failure and then I take my resistance band in both hands and pull it apart while pinching your should blades, you should feel this in your upper back and if you don't move your hands closer in on the resistance band 3x10
• Alternating front raises with dumbbells 3x till failure and lower back extensions 3x till failure example here
• Lateral raises 3x till failure
• Again alternating shoulder press and bent over rows but have your resistance band under one foot and use it instead of dumbbells
• Hold the downward dog position so you feel it in your shoulders then come through your arms into a plank and hold for 30 seconds, 3x
• More ab exercises!!
• Stretch

Biceps & Triceps-1x per week

• Start with 10 minutes of cardio
• Alternating bicep curls 3x till failure and bent over tricep extensions 3x till failure both with dumbbells
• Tricep push ups 3x10 (all I can handle now since post baby core strength is non existent, lol)
• Bicep curls to shoulder press with dumbbells 3x10
• Alternating hammer curls 3x till failure and overhead tricep extensions 3x15 both with dumbbells
• Push ups 3x till failure
• More abs (doing the most this day)
• Stretch

I am also walking/jogging 1-2x a week with Miss Mia. I'm not doing much cardio because I'm more concerned about gaining strength! Post baby makes your core a disaster so if I'm too sore one day for core work outs I skip them. I worry about injuring my c-section area! You can also do most of these with just a resistance band. I use these bands because I can tie them to wrap around my legs or untie them to use for arms. Target also has great dumbbell sets linked here. I'm not a trainer, just throwing something together until I can get back into the gym. If you need a good and AFFORDABLE online trainer, I suggest Jenny Chu! Check out her Instagram here. She can help with your nutrition too and she's #bootygoals.

Happy working out!

xo

katie lynn

SHOP THE POST

Sephora VIB Sale Picks

Hi all! Christmas is right around the corner so it's a good idea to start thinking about gifts! Luckily, Sephora has their annual sale for VIB members so you can save on some really great gifts or treats for yourself. I rounded up a few of my Sephora VIB sale picks and linked them below.

Make Up Forever Artist Rouge Lipstick: This is my all time favorite matte lipstick. It's not drying AT ALL and stays on really well. I highly recommend this lipstick and they have awesome color selections.

Benefit Cosmetics High Brow Pencil: With a new baby and less sleep than normal, I need all the help I can get to look well rested. This pencil can be used under your eyebrows, in the corners of your eyes, and along your bottom lash line to brighten up your eyes. This is my new makeup staple!

Urban Decay Naked2 Basic's Palette: This palette is under $30 before the extra 20% off! This was gifted to me and it was one of my favorite gifts. I use this palette daily because of the great neutral colors. The lighter colors are great for a simple day time eye shadow and then you can spice it up with the darker colors at night.

It Cosmetics Superhero Mascara: One of my favorite bloggers (with great eye lashes) has recommended this mascara and I have to try it. I feel like I've tried every mascara known to man and I'm a sucker for a good mascara!

Tarte Limited-Edition Artful Accessories Brush Set: Good brushes are a must but they can end up being pretty expensive. Tarte has this awesome gift set available right now that has five brushes that I use daily and it's under $50. I try to wait for these gift sets to come out to pick up some new brushes!

Anastasia Beverly Hills Sugar Glow Kit: This kit caught my eye because it has really pretty winter glow colors. This makes a great gift because it works for all skin tones and it's under $50!

Sephora Favorites Give Me Some Nude Lip: I've been searching for the perfect fall nude lip color so I will definitely be picking up this gift set! It has several different great brands and different shades of nudes to try.

Wearing the Naked2 palette below. Also, linked my outfit details! Happy Shopping!

The sweater is an older Old Navy v-neck (wearing small and most of their tops are TTS) and I linked a newer one here. The jeans are Fashion Nova's girlfriend jeans and I LOVE the fit also TTS and should fit a little loose, linked here. I suggested different jean options on my LIKEtoKNOW.it page. The watch I'm wearing can be found here but I do have it in a darker metal that isn't currently available. Last but not least, my fun shoes can be found here for under $40 dollars! Wearing a size 7, they are TTS and sooooo comfortable.

xo
katie lynn

10 Quick and Healthy Snacks

Hi all! Staying busy means I'm all about quick meal ideas and also quick snack ideas. I like to make sure that I have a few options for on the go snacks as well. I've listed below my top ten favorite quick and healthy snack ideas.

1. Rice Cakes. Rice cakes are good when I'm not super hungry and possibly just bored because they are so low in calories. Sometimes if I am a little hungrier I'll add peanut butter for some protein. Sam's Club also has these really yummy rice rollers! Linked here.

2. Protein/Health Bar. These are my go to snacks because they're easy to take everywhere and filing. I use to love Quest Bars but the whey bothers my stomach :( so I've had to find other bars I enjoy like Luna bars and Kind bars. Lately, I've been loving these Fig Bars!! You have to watch out for the sugar in some of the bars as it can be pretty high and then you might as well just have a candy bar, in my opinion.

3. Fruit. Another easy snack to pack for the day and it's full of nutrients. Typically, I only eat one piece of fruit per day because I don't want to have a ton of sugar even if it's healthy sugar.

4. Veggies and Dip. I really enjoy snacking on fresh carrots and celery with hummus! There are some other veggie dips out there but beware of the calories they may have.

5. Yogurt with Granola and/or Fruit. I love low fat or greek yogurt with granola or fruit for a quick, yummy snack. Again, watch the sugar here especially with some brands of granola. I actually topped my yogurt with Kashi Go Lean cereal in this picture below because it has a lot less sugar than a serving of granola.

6. 100 Calorie Nut Packs. It's easy for nuts to be a very caloric snack if you're hungry so I like the pre-packaged ones that keep my calories in check. This is the perfect small but filling snack.

7. Protein Shake. I really prefer to make these at home with fresh cashew or almond milk instead of having it on the go with water (if you can't refrigerate it). I can't have most protein powders due to the whey content but I love this vegan one below! Tastes the best out of any vegan protein powder I've tried and it's about $20 for this whole tub.

8. Veggie Straws. Every so often I just want some salt and these are pretty good. Also, they're a little better than eating traditional chips. You can buy these is smaller serving bags so you don't binge on a large bag or have to bag up some to go.

9. Cucumbers and Tomatoes in Vinegar. As weird as this sounds if you like tart or salty things, you'll love this snack. I just cut up cucumbers and tomatoes and put them in a tupperware with white vinegar then salt to taste. If you are watching your sodium intake then this probably isn't the snack for you! Plain cucumbers and tomatoes are just as delicious if you want to avoid sodium.

10. Skinny Pop Popcorn. I love the 100 calorie bags, it's the perfect small snack and the popcorn is actually really good (this is coming from a serious movie theatre popcorn lover).

I am not on any specific diet right now just trying to eat healthy and get ready for the wedding! Having these quick and healthy snacks ready to go helps me stay on track when I'm running around. There are a lot of on the go snacks out there but sometimes they are not as healthy as they advertise. Just read the labels and know what you're eating! Trail mix and dried fruit seem to be popular but those are some snacks I like to avoid because they both pack a lot of sugar. My best advice is know what your goals are, what you're eating, and be prepared so you don't find yourself hungry and slip up on your healthy eating.

xo
katie lynn

Why Mom Shaming Needs to Stop

Hi everyone and happy hump day! I've been wanting to write about mom shaming for awhile now because over the past few months I've realized how relevant and destructive it is. I think a lot of people don't even know they're doing it and honestly, I was probably guilty of it before I was ever pregnant. It's something that people need to be aware of and AVOID DOING IT. Mom shaming shows up in all different kinds of forms. Whether it's someone telling a mother she's doing motherhood wrong, judging a mom for something they can't control, or even being hard on yourself because of societal standards. I know I was very hard on myself for having to deliver Mia via C-section instead of having a normal delivery. Was it safer for her? Yes, so there was no question in having a C-section but it made me feel like less of a woman and less of a mother. I'm assuming this stems from natural births being so popular and the idea that those moms are braver than other moms who chose epidurals or end up with C-sections. Don't get me wrong, a C-section is not a walk in the park and the recovery isn't very fun either. Five weeks postpartum and my incision still bothers me a bit and it's not the prettiest mark on my body. However, what I should have focused on was the fact that I had a healthy baby and that in itself is amazing.

"No language can express the power, and beauty, and heroism, and majesty of a mother's love." -Edwin Hubbel Chapin

Now that I am a new mom, I've also taken to reading a lot of blogs and posts from other moms regarding mom shaming. The stories some of these women tell is absolutely astonishing. One lady said two strangers walked up to her in public and told her to be at home with her babies, not in the grocery store with them (um, sorry most people don't have personal assistants to get the groceries). Another woman said that she was told since she was a working mom she didn't care about her daughter. I wish I could tell the woman who made that remark, that she can come pay the bills so that mom can stay home with her daughter! Also, some of us honestly enjoy working. A lot of mom shaming comes from people who don't even have children so it leads you to ask yourself, where do they get off judging any mom out there? Even complete strangers feel the need to make comments to mothers they don't know! The worst is when other moms shame each other! There is not one single mom out there who is the world's only good mom. Hate to break it to you but motherhood isn't about competition. It really amazes me how inconsiderate people can be.

Every single mom I know has had a different journey. From pregnancy, to birth, to breastfeeding, to sleeping, etc. Motherhood isn't the same with each of your own children either! I've been very lucky that I've had a relatively easy time breastfeeding so far because that is not easy. I've slowly included various foods as well and she hasn't had any allergies! I know some women who have had a hard time with it and some who are weirded out by it. However, I would never tell another mother, "you're doing this feeding thing wrong" because I've been able to breastfeed. You just have to do whatever works for you. Every baby is very different so what may work for one may not work for another. There's all these books and blogs out there telling us "how to mom correctly" but in my opinion, there is no correct way! There's trial and error and finding out what works best for you and baby. There's nothing more frustrating and demeaning than finding what works for you but then being shamed about it. After hearing a comment about my motherhood tactics I realized that there is nothing more offensive than a mom shaming comment. You can tell me whatever you want about how I look, talk, whatever I don't really care but comment on what I'm doing as a mom (especially a new mom) and beware of my reaction. I'm sure plenty of moms can relate! Don't mess with momma!

"Life doesn't come with a manual, it comes with a mother." -Unknown

This post is a little bit of a rant and a little bit of a reminder to everyone to be mindful of what you say to a mom, or a dad for that matter. Society is already hard on women for just about anything and we don't need to make motherhood harder than it is. It's difficult for most women to find self love so let's not make that any worse. If you have an opinion on someones parenting style, keep it to yourself. I've decided if anyone wants to mom shame me I'm going to have some fun with my remark back to them and let it roll off my shoulders. I suggest you do the same and instead we can share all of our funny clap backs. Don't let someone else bring you down! Love yourself for being a mom and band together with all the other mommas out there!

Also, had to share another picture of our tiny human because I can't help myself :)

xo,
katie

Cilantro Lime Black Beans and Rice

I've been trying to come up with some creative and easy to make sides for dinner. This week I experimented with fresh black beans! I much prefer to use dry beans instead of canned beans. Below is what you'll need and how to make this yummy recipe!

Ingredients
-1 lb of dry black beans
-2 cups of white rice (can add more if you want more rice in the mix)
-1/2 bundle of cilantro, chopped
-2 limes
-4 cloves of garlic
-Garlic salt to taste

Directions
-Place the entire bag of beans in water to soak for a few hours ( they should absorb a lot of the water)
-Add the beans, four cloves of garlic, and six cups of water into a slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours
-Before the beans are done, cook your rice and rinse out any excess water
-Mix the beans, rice, cilantro, and add garlic salt to taste
-Finish off by squeezing the two limes into the mix and then serve!

I love slow cooker recipes because you can cook them all day while at work and add your easy finishing touches at night for dinner. This mix can serve about 6-8 people. Enjoy!

xo
katie lynn

New Mom Must Haves

Mia is already one month old today! In this last month, I already have a list of products that I would highly recommend to make life with a new baby a little easier. I'm listing my new mom must haves below in no specific order. I'll also link where you can find these items. Swaddle blankets, burp cloths, and all those typical baby items are most important but I wanted to list a few special and specific items that gave me some extra help!

A small portable bassinet. This has been helpful if we are going to someones house for a long amount of time because I know I can put her down in a safe place to sleep. It will also be good for traveling and I use it during the day so she can be in the living room with me when I'm home. The one I use can be found here.

The Boppy Pillow. This pillow is a lifesaver especially for nighttime feedings. Mia and I can comfortably prop on the pillow while she nurses. This pillow is also meant to grow with baby so she will have different uses for it at three months, six months, and nine months. You can find the pillow here.

Boppy Pillow and Mia mid hardcore power nap.. lol

A Wubbanub Pacifier. Mia's mouth is so tiny that she has a hard time holding onto a pacifier. She also didn't like any other pacifier except for the Soothie's that are attached to this one. The animal on the pacifier helps me from 1- losing the darn thing and 2- keeping it propped on her so it doesn't fall out of her mouth. The Pacifier hasn't caused her any nipple confusion either so that's a plus. The pacifier can be found here.

A nipple shield. This was something that a nurse gave me in the hospital and I wouldn't have made it through the first weeks of breastfeeding without it! It helped with the pain, it taught Mia how to latch, and it saved both of us a lot of tears. Even now if she gets a little frustrated latching I will use it to help her and then take it off and she latches just fine. I would wait and see if you need one, I know some women may not have any latching issues and a shield may over complicate the process. A lactation consultant can be your best advice here. If you do need to buy one you can find the one I use here.

Milk Snob Cover. This cover is the best because it has so many uses. I can use it as a nursing cover, a car seat cover, a scarf, and a grocery seat cover. It's a thin fabric that isn't hot when we are nursing or when she's in the car but it still keeps the light out and gives us privacy. It's also tight around myself and the car seat which make it a lot easier to use instead of a lose fabric cover. The cover can be found here.

Milk Snob Cover

Medela HydroGel Pads. These also helped me through the first few weeks of breastfeeding because it was so painful! They're instantly cooling and can be reused. These are seriously like heaven! I found mine here.

A diaper bag insert. Personally, I never found a diaper bag that I liked more than my purses. I did find that Totesavvy makes these awesome purse inserts that can turn any bag into an organized diaper bag. I can also easily pull it out and switch to another purse or a backpack. I picked mine up here.

My Totesavvy

This is not a sponsored post by any means, just my own personal recommendations to help new moms. Enjoy my recommendations on new mom must haves!

xo,
katie lynn

Postpartum Diet & Breastfeeding Diet

Hi guys!!

I'm officially over two weeks postpartum and feeling pretty good! I was finally cleared for light exercise this week (just walking but I'll take what I can get) and my core is feeling a lot better. I gained, at the most, 22 pounds while pregnant and I've now lost 23 pounds since having Mia. I was 144 pounds and 22% BF pre baby and living a balanced lifestyle with my diet (also, I'm 5'7"). During pregnancy I was 166 at my heaviest and I ate pretty good but some days I would have horrible food aversions and just eat whatever sounded good (hot dogs, lol). Currently, I'm 143 pounds and 23% BF. However, my body is totally different! I lost a lot of muscle from mainly doing cardio while pregnant and that's what I'll be working to get back. I'm feeling pretty loose/skinny right now and I prefer a much stronger body! I've been trying to follow a pretty healthy postpartum and breastfeeding diet for Mia's health and for my own health. That'll help me when I'm back in the gym as well.

Two weeks post baby

I've been watching my intake on a few foods because I was concerned about anything that would affect breastfeeding through my diet. I've avoided things like broccoli, cabbage, beans, and spicy foods completely because I was concerned about those items giving her painful gas and an upset stomach. I've also kept dairy low because I was concerned about cows milk lowering my milk production. I eased into drinking almond milk and eating peanut butter and Mia doesn't seem to have any nut allergies. I'm also still keeping my caffeine intake low.

Since breastfeeding is going fine and Mia seems pretty happy then I'll probably start introducing some of these foods back into my diet. I feel like if I have a balanced diet we will both be just fine! I'll still monitor my cows milk and caffeine intake just because those won't help my own diet/health goals if I consume them in excess. I am not counting calories so I don't stress myself out but I am making sure I'm getting plenty of good meals into my day because breastfeeding does burn extra calories. I'm also eating a lot of healthy fat for my breastfeeding diet. Below is the schedule I'm following:

BREAKFAST

Carb, protein, healthy fat

SNACK

Nutritional bar

LUNCH

Carb, protein, veggie, healthy fat

SNACK

Something with more healthy fat

DINNER

Carb, protein, veggie

SNACK (sometimes if I'm hungry)

Something small with more healthy fat

I also wanted to list examples of what I'm eating for these meals!

BREAKFAST

Turkey bacon, two ingredient pancakes (one banana mashed with two eggs, SUPER easy) topped with natural PB

SNACK

Fig bar, love these

LUNCH

Tuna sandwich on wheat bread (gluten doesn't bother me), and carrots

SNACK

Lactation smoothie (posted this recipe here)

DINNER

Chicken cooked in garlic olive oil, rice with fresh garlic and a little light butter, and veggies also cooked in the same olive oil

SNACK

Almonds & Rasins

Two Ingredient Pancakes

I keep my meals pretty simple and easy since I'm busy with Mia and I'll spend most of my cooking efforts on dinner. These meals change daily because I like to mix it up and I'm not stressing over stuff like using a little bit of butter, etc. Being a new mom is the only thing I need to worry about, not stressing terribly over my diet!! Keep it easy, simple, and healthy. I reached out to my girl friends for some help on getting more fiber in my diet so I'll be adjusting a few meals (more veggies!!).

Also, a reminder that everyone's post baby journey is different and I am lucky to not be holding onto weight. This diet is working for me by keeping me full and feeling good. The weight loss is just how my body reacted right away but since I'm breastfeeding I'm definitely not trying to be in any crazy calorie deficit. I'm also still adjusting to my new body and I'm antsy to rebuild and see what happens! It's crazy what the body can do. If you're adjusting to your new body too, don't be discouraged! I'm trying to see this as a new path with nothing but room to improve my, "mom bod". I'll be eating good and walking my way through the next four weeks until I'm hopefully cleared for the gym! Then, I can see where I'm at and readjust my goals.

If you have any questions, always reach out :) I'm not a nutritionist- just sharing what works for me.

One week post baby

xo,

katie lynn

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What I ACTUALLY Used in My Hospital Bag

Hi all! I wanted to follow up with a post on what I ACTUALLY used in my hospital bag and share pictures of Mia! I knew I over packed but I don't think I used half of what I brought, LOL. Still, being prepared made me feel a lot better going to the hospital.

For myself:

• Pajamas with a nursing top and loose fitting pants (want to make sure no matter what kind of birth I have, that I don't have any pressure on my lower half)-Used these, to go home lol. Post c-section I was pretty movement limited so my hospital gown was the best for the first few days.
• Phone charger-Obviously used this.
• Toiletries like toothbrush, toothpaste, face wash, razor, shampoo, conditioner (little ones), make up wipes, lotion, chap stick, deodorant, face moisturizer-Used all of these items BUT I lost my darn chapstick and I needed that the most of course.
• Hair brush and hair ties-Didn't use, messy hair didn't care.
• Camera and charger-Used this the last day.
• Socks with little stickies on the bottom (had these, don't buy them because I'm sure the hospital has them too)-Don't bother with socks, the hospital socks are the best.
• Flip flops for the hospital shower-Did use these but the shower was also private in my room and very clean.
• Robe and slippers-Just used the slippers to go home.
• Comfy underwear (same reason for loose fitting pants)-Use the hospital underwear they give you and take some home, they're seriously the best especially post c-section.
• Snacks (more for him lol)-Needed more for him lol, I actually wasn't super hungry and the hospital can just bring you food and snacks to your room.
• Nursing bra-Definately used this.
• Book (in case I'm waiting)-Would have never used any "waiting" items with that contraction pain but I've heard some women do.
• Going home outfit that's loose fitting (same reason again)-Scrapped that, PJ's were all I wanted to be in.
• Prenatal vitamins-Did need these.
• Nursing pads-Used these.
• Nipple balm-Really needed this.
• Peri Spray with essential oils-Didn't need this because of my c-section.
• Essential Oils (if you want to know which ones, let me know I read a whole book on essential oils and birth/babies)-Used a few of these but a lot of them were more so if I had a normal delivery.
• My glasses because I'm blind-I didn't care that I can't see that far and the room TV's are close to you.
• My purse with wallet and all important paperwork/ID's/medical cards/etc.-Really needed this stuff, a lot of people come to see you regarding paperwork, appointments, etc. 

For baby:

• A few diapers and wipes just in case-Hospital has these.
• Nursing cover-Honestly, all modesty goes out the window and I never used this.
• Nursing pillow-I was so tired and would have died without this pillow to support her on.
• Four baby onesies (all a little different and a nice one to take her home in) with the fold over built in mittens because rumor has it tiny babies ditch those other mittens-Used just one to take her home in, otherwise the hospital dressed her too.
• Baby cap-Used this also for her going home outfit but the hospital gives you hats too.
• Baby mittens (just in case she's a bigger baby lol)-Didn't need these, she really didn't scratch herself and they were too big anyway, the onesies with built in mittens are the best.
• Swaddle Blanket-The nurses would just swaddle her in the hospital blankets but I will say the velcro ones are awesome if you're learning to swaddle a baby and/or your baby breaks out of the traditional swaddle.
• Her blanket-Did use this.
• Socks-Didn't use these and they fall off anyway.
• Diaper cream-You can't use this actually they say to stay away from this stuff for awhile.
• Burp cloth-Used this.
• Car seat and car seat head support-This is an obvious must.
• Pacifier-I've had conflicting advice on this, we were so tired the first night we actually tried one but she didn't like it. I've also heard this can cause nipple confusion with breastfeeding so just do your research prior.

For him:

• Entertainment-Needed more of this.
• Snacks-Needed more of these.
• Blanket-Forgot this and he did need one lol the hospital has blankets but they're pretty flimsy.
• Whatever else he can't live without-You'll need plenty of comfy clothes for him too otherwise he didn't need much else.

Luckily, the hospital has all of the important things for you and baby and they let you take just about everything home. Every experience is different so even after my review, I still think it's good that you pack what you feel is necessary so you don't have any anxiety about being unprepared. After Mia was born all I really cared about was her and the three of us being together. I'm sure that's how a lot of people feel so don't stress over the small stuff.

Also, we had her newborn photos done yesterday and I wanted to share some of them with you guys! We are so blessed and I'm so lucky to be her mom!!

Lactation Smoothie

With baby Mia finally here (yay!!) I'm trying to make sure my diet is on point for nursing success. I've found a few lactation cookies and smoothie recipes online and used them to create my own easy lactation smoothie recipe!

What you'll need:

-1/2 cup frozen strawberries
-1 sliced banana
-1/4 cup oats
-1 tbsp of natural PB ( I like the taste of the Dark Chocolate PB from PB & Co.)
-Unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Put everything in your blender, fill it up with the almond milk as you like and blend! I am using a single drink blender like the NutriBullet and this all fits perfectly. I would like to add some vegan protein powder but I'm waiting to ask my doctor on that first.

If you're worried about sugar then this may not be the smoothie for you. Even though it's natural sugar, I know some breast feeding moms want to avoid sugar as much as possible. However, I like the strawberries and bananas for potassium, vitamin C, magnesium, and iron. Every baby is different and I've read strawberries can cause some babies to have gas but so far Mia seems unaffected by it. The oats are really good for lactation (good source of iron) and the peanut butter is a good source of protein and fats for me and baby. Again, some people say it's best to avoid allergenic foods like PB while nursing but I think it's just important to eat well and monitor your baby. I'm also using almond milk instead of dairy because I have read that cows milk can limit your own milk supply. So far everything seems to be going well and the smoothie tastes good in general!

I'll be posting more baby pictures and what I didn't use out of my hospital bag here some time soon. Right now I'm just really enjoying baby bonding time :)

xo
katie lynn

What's in My Hospital Bag?

Thirty-seven weeks is here and I finally got around to packing my hospital bag! Obviously, being a new mom I don't know what I need yet so I compiled this based on Pinterest and my friends advice :) I'll do a follow up post with what I actually ended up using because I probably over packed. Pinterest had some of the most ridiculous lists (in my personal opinion) and I was trying not to bring a fully loaded suitcase LOL. I was able to pack just a duffle bag and we can carry the nursing pillow, etc.

For myself:

• Pajamas with a nursing top and loose fitting pants (want to make sure no matter what kind of birth I have, that I don't have any pressure on my lower half)
• Phone charger
• Toiletries like toothbrush, toothpaste, face wash, razor, shampoo, conditioner (little ones), make up wipes, lotion, chap stick, deodorant, face moisturizer
• Hair brush and hair ties
• Camera and charger
• Socks with little stickies on the bottom (had these, don't buy them because I'm sure the hospital has them too)
• Flip flops for the hospital shower
• Robe and slippers
• Comfy underwear (same reason for loose fitting pants)
• Snacks (more for him lol)
• Nursing bra
• Book (in case I'm waiting)
• Going home outfit that's loose fitting (same reason again)
• Prenatal vitamins
• Nursing pads
• Nipple balm
• Peri Spray with essential oils
• Essential Oils (if you want to know which ones, let me know I read a whole book on essential oils and birth/babies)
• My glasses because I'm blind
• My purse with wallet and all important paperwork/ID's/medical cards/etc.

For baby:

• A few diapers and wipes just in case
• Nursing cover
• Nursing pillow
• Four baby onesies (all a little different and a nice one to take her home in) with the fold over built in mittens because rumor has it tiny babies ditch those other mittens
• Baby cap
• Baby mittens (just in case she's a bigger baby lol)
• Swaddle Blanket
• Her blanket
• Socks
• Diaper cream
• Burp cloth
• Car seat and car seat head support
• Pacifier

For him:

• Entertainment
• Snacks
• Blanket
• Whatever else he can't live without lol

Typical, the guys list is always minimal!! Even after writing this I have the sense I over packed but I'm an over packer by nature and this is my first go around. I want to make sure I'm plenty prepared! I saw a lot of lists with things like candles, music, etc. to set the room up but that's not really my style so I left those items out. We'll see how this list works out for us and if you have any other suggestions, feel free to share! :)

xo
katie lynn