New Mom Essentials

Breastfeeding Basics

There are a few things a breastfeeding mother really needs just for herself. A nursing bra, nursing pads and nipple balm are the essentials here.

Nursing Bra

If you’ve ever tried looking for nursing bras you will know exactly what I mean when I say they are ugly. Finding nursing bras that are functional, comfortable, and cute, pretty or sexy are just about near impossible to find. Wacoal does a decent job at covering these bases with their Underwire T-Shirt Nursing Bra. This nursing bra comes in both beige and black, has an underwire, and is very comfortable for daytime wear. While it’s not the sexiest bra you’ll ever wear, it is decent looking when compared with some of the other options out there. To avoid leakage new moms are going to need nursing pads. 

Nursing Pads

Help protect your bras and shirts from let down with this new mom essential – nursing pads. There are two options here, disposable or reusable. 

Some differences to note:

• Disposable nursing pads come with adhesive stickers which can be placed and secured inside your bra. They do an excellent job of absorbing breastmilk, they’re comfortable and you do not need to worry about washing them.
• Reusable nursing pads will save you from repurchasing. They do a fine job at absorbing breastmilk, but depending on the material may cause sticking. Due to their material, these pads are a bit thicker to allow the towel like material to absorb, due to this hey show through a bra more noticeably than disposable nursing pads.

The Melda Safe & Dry Ultra Thin Disposable Nursing Pads are an excellent option. Alternatively, these reusable nursing pads are a beautiful option for the eco-conscious mother. 

Nipple Balm

The last breastfeeding essential a new mom needs is a nipple balm to help sooth and protect. Lansinoh Organic Nipple Balm is safe for both mom and baby, does not need to be removed before breastfeeding and is USDA approved organic. Additional highlights include that this product is not tested on animals, and there are no parabens, petroleum, additives or preservatives. Its thick texture is so comforting, as is the fact that it’s made from nourishing ingredients such as sunflower seed oil, olive oil, beeswax, coconut oil, shea butter, calendula flower extract and argan kernal oil, which all help to restore moisture and softness. This balm also doubles as a lip balm for dry cracked lips and can even be helpful on dry patches of skin for both mom and baby.

Pregnancy & Postpartum Skincare

Finding pregnancy and postpartum safe skincare can be difficult. I am not a doctor and so I do recommend that for any questions, you should always consult your healthcare professional. Listed below are products that may be used during pregnancy and breastfeeding. I have personally tried each and every one of these products and have a deep love for these 3 brands that I am about to share with you. 

Summer Fridays – Skincare

The entire Summer Fridays line is safe to use during pregnancy and while nursing. One of the co-founders, Lauren Ireland, established the company while she was pregnant with her first child. The goal was to create a line of clean skincare products that are truly pregnancy safe. One could only wish that all skincare lines could be so easy to navigate when trying to research pregnancy safe skincare! 

The gel cleanser removes makeup well and leaves skin feeling fresh, while the soft reset is excellent if you happen to have any breakouts. The star of this skincare lineup, and the product that really gets the most attention, is the Jet Lag Mask. This product can be used as a mask for 10 minutes, left on over night, or even used as a cream. I like to lather on the Jet Lag mask before bed and find that my skin looks hydrated and plump when I wake up!

Sara Happ – Lip Care

When we think about skincare we often focus on our face, but forget about our lips, which is arguably the most sensitive skin on our face. Sara Happ is the lip expert and the inventor of the lip scrub. If you’ve ever thought about plumping your lips these products will make your pout look fuller with consistent use. If you suffer from dry, cracked lips these products will help slough away dry skin and moisturize. 

Sara Happ’s lip line will have you showcasing the perfect pout in three simple steps: (1) exfoliate, (2) mask, and (3) moisturize. Her products actually heal dry and cracked lips! I’ve been using her products for years and I will never be able to say enough good things. However, if you don’t like a tacky lip gloss, then I’d suggest skipping her daytime glosses. 

Australian Gold – Sunscreen

Postpartum Hair Essentials

I feel that before we have children, we really take for granted a long, extremely hot and steamy shower. You know the kind of shower I’m talking about, don’t you? ‘The everything shower’ where you can shampoo, condition, use a hair mask, exfoliate, shave, and more. 

Once baby arrives, gone are the days of ‘the everything shower’. In it’s place is a new appreciation for, well, any length of shower that’s possible! With this in mind, every mother should be able to treat their precious time with spa like necessities. 

Le Labo Shampoo & Conditioner

I first came across Le Labo on my wedding night when my husband and I stayed at the Four Seasons in Toronto. I immediately became obsessed with the fragrance of the shampoo and conditioner and even started to source it while we were on our first honeymoon in Las Vegas!

Le Labo is a relatively young fragrance company that was created in 2006 by two friends in New York City. A perfumery with fine fragrances, home creations, body, hair, face and grooming products. Treat your hair and your nose to their Hinoki Shampoo and Conditioner. While the price point certainly lends their products to be an indulgence, you can rest easy knowing that you hair will feel silky smooth for days and smell absolutely amazing. 

Hair Scrunchies & Clips

The ultimate new mom must have – something to tie back hair so that new mom can get to work! What better than to use a luxury scrunchie or a metal claw clip? Both of these are guaranteed to have hair looking great while also keeping everything in place. Not only are both of these comfortable and functional, they have also saved many a greasy hair day with its style factor. 

Dyson Airwrap

The Dyson Airwrap is an investment, but this hair styler is a game changer and worth every penny. It saves so much time, and as we know time is a precious commodity to come by once you become a mother. Essentially, this hair styler cuts down on the time you spend styling your hair since it drys and styles all at once. It also enables your curls to hold longer and even extends the time between washes! This would be a perfect gift for a new mom, or even as a mother’s day gift. 

New Mama Loungewear 

When I was pregnant with Georgia I was gifted a robe and matching receiving blanket and hat and from my sweet sister-in-law in New York. Little did she know at the time my complete obsession with robes!

The Mason Grey robes are the softest and most luxurious robes I have yet to come by. Their material is actually called cloud soft, and it is what I imagine a cloud would feel like. During the 4th trimester I lived in this robe while I cared for Georgia. The cherry on top is that Mason Grey also has a line for Mini’s and you can have matching outfits which is just perfect for laid back newborn photoshoots. See below for some inspiration pictures of my newborn photoshoot with Georgia at home!