A Mother's Boutique and Annee Matthew Review and Giveaway

Getting pregnant and having a baby does all kinds of things to your body.  Most of which your wardrobe is not prepared for.  I had such a fun time dressing my bump, that I kind of forgot about what I was going to wear after the baby was born.  I was so unprepared that I almost didn't want to leave the house those first two weeks because I had no nursing bras and no nursing friendly shirts or dresses.  I had found that I could wear 2 stretchy v-neck t-shirts that would get the job done but that would be hot and uncomfortable come summer.  Not to mention it was a lot of fabric to manipulate when you had a hungry baby waiting for his meal.  I needed to get myself clothes.  If not for the functionality aspect but for the fact that I needed to feel good about myself again.  I had known there was a store near me that sold nursing wear, but it was a little bit of a drive.  I decided one weekend to make the hour drive to A Mother's Boutique to do some shopping.  This store had everything that I needed!  When I got home I was so excited to use all my new clothes.  They made nursing in public so much easier.  I had also realized that everything that I picked out was from one line...Annee Matthew.  You are able to shop this line and many more at A Mother's Boutique online or in an actual brick and mortar store.  I love to support a Pittsburgh based business so I thought it was great to shop locally for such a specific item.

Annee Matthew carries a line of nursing wear that will make you feel more young professional and less frumpy mom.  I am able to wear these pieces out with my friends, out with my family or to work and they fit the occasion all the same.  Dresses are extremely hard to make work if they were not made to be specifically nursing friendly.  The first dress that I bought from Annee Matthew at Mother's Boutique was the Marne Maxi Dress. 

This dress features a pull to the side nursing access point.  There is an invisible slit in the middle of the dress that allows for you to keep fabric over the top of your breast while allowing amble room for your baby to feed.  As you will see, when you buy clothes that are made for nursing, nursing in public is no longer an issue because you able to discreetly feed your baby.

For everyday wear, I bought the Shrug Criss Cross Tunic.  This has empire nursing access that allows you to lift the fabric right under the breast to allow your baby to feed.  The layered style on the top is very slimming as well, which is much needed after baby.  Just about all of Annee Matthews line as well as most of what is carried at A Mother's Boutique is made to take you through pregnancy and well into your nursing days.

Since I was so in love with this line, Annee Matthew, with A Mother's Boutique sent me the Charlene Tube Dress to try as well.  When you think of nursing wear, you may not think that anything strapless is ideal.  I am here to tell you this dress is very comfortable and functional   When I tried this dress, I took a chance and went braless with just nursing pads.  My nursing pads stayed in place and the dress was extremely supportive.  Not only can this be worn as a dress, you can also wear it as a skirt!  Two piece of clothing in one!

Although most strapless dresses would just have you pull them down to feed, this features empire waist access that makes nursing virtually undetectable   Here I am nursing from both sides...Can you tell?

This is made possible by how the dress lifts up.  There are slits to allow access to either side that are hidden under the rouched layer of the dress.

If you are nursing or pregnant and plan to nurse, I urge you to not wait to buy clothes to make your life easier.  It will make a huge difference in your comfort level and your nursing relationship with your little one.  You can head over to A Mother's Boutique online to purchase some new gear or you can enter to win your own Charlene Tube Dress below!  Perfect addition to your summer wardrobe.  Don't forget to check out Annee Matthew and A Mother's Boutique on Facebook.

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Toot You Horn Tuesday 6/25/13

Hi All! Today I am starting Toot Your Horn Tuesday.  Cheesy? Yes!  But since I have become a new mom I have realized that sometimes the mom gets forgotten in the whole mess of laundry, diapers, and babyness (new word right there).  I want all of us to be able to tell the world what we accomplished this week.  It can be something as small as cooking dinner for your family or something as big as reaching your breastfeeding goal.  It could be baby, family or the best you related, doesn't matter. Write a post with pictures and link it up.  Then go visit everyone else's post and spread some love because you know we all need it.  

When I was thinking about going back to work I was naturally very nervous.  With an exclusively breastfed baby I had to make sure that there was enough milk to feed him while I was gone.  The week before I went back I had about 20oz in the freezer which is the equivalent of nothing.  I was in a wedding and I wasn't even sure that I could feed him for the two days that I would be gone about 6 hours each day.

I will have been back to work for a month on Thursday and I now have close to 200 oz save up!  This takes a huge burden off of me.  If I need to go shopping for sec, Dufda can feed Nugget.  If something happens and I can't get home, there is extra milk in the freezer.  It is a really great feeling.

Join in on Toot Your Horn Tuesday on your blog!  Link up below.

Toot Your Horn Tuesday Annoucement

Hi All! Tomorrow I am starting Toot Your Horn Tuesday.  Cheesy? Yes!  But since I have become a new mom I have realized that sometimes the mom gets forgotten in the whole mess of laundry, diapers, and babyness (new word right there).  I want all of us to be able to tell the world what we accomplished this week.  It can be something as small as cooking dinner for your family or something as big as reaching your breastfeeding goal.  It could be baby, family or the best you related, doesn't matter. Write a post with pictures and link it up tomorrow.  Then go visit everyone else's post and spread some love because you know we all need it.  

One Year Ago Today...

One year ago today I found out I was pregnant.  Looking back I realized that I have never told the story here.  Dufda and I had taken our honeymoon, 8 months after we were married, to Jordan.  I had never met his family or knew where he came from.  We knew that this would be the month we would start trying to get pregnant.  The plan was that Dufda would stay in Jordan to be with his family, while I returned home to go back to work.  After an awful day of traveling by myself I made it home June 23, 2012.  That next day I went to the grocery store to pick up some essentials because I had not been home in so long.  I decided I would grab a pregnancy test while I was there.  They were buy one get one free, but I didn't realize until I was up at the register.  I figured I would test my luck and hope that I didn't need the free one.  When I got home it was 8pm.  You are suppose to wait till the morning to test, but I figured I would give it a go.  I was pregnant (obviously, or we wouldn't be here)!  Since it was 8 o'clock here, it was in the middle of the night in Jordan and I couldn't get a hold of Dufda.  I kept calling and leaving him messages but knew he wouldn't get them till morning.  When he finally woke up, he seemed so unsurprised.  I was very excited that although he could not be with me at that moment, that he was able to tell him family that morning.  Apparently his mother knew too.  It would be 4 more weeks before I would get to see Dufda.  I can't even describe the feeling waiting in the airport.  I wanted to hug and squeeze him so bad.  Mostly because I missed him terribly, but also because we never got to be excited together and partly because I wanted to inflict some pain on him missing the beginning of my morning sickness. It is amazing to think back just one year ago and how different things were.  

So what would I tell that girl in the picture...Most would think it would be to sleep because you are never going to again (I say that in the most sarcastic voice ever).  That wouldn't be it all.  I actually wouldn't tell her anything, well maybe that Nugget is a boy so she could have shopped earlier.  I think that being naive about the whole experience is the best way to be.  I believe that it was the reason I was able to survive day to day through the pains of pregnancy.  I believe it is the reason I was able to birth with fear.  I also believe it was the reason that this no longer exists:

If you missed the post on me giving up my closet for the sake of baby, you can read it here.  

One year ago today; I knew nothing about car seat safety, SIDS risks, cloth diapers, breastfeeding, or what this little being would do to my life.  I knew that it would all be wonderful, though.  This morning, as I am pumping before going work.  This  little man was just laughing with me the entire time.

Its hard to believe in just a year how much your life has changed.  How you don't' really miss your walk in closet and all your clothes, because your baby has the most awesome nursery there is.  How little sleep you are able to survive on, not because you can't sleep, but because when your baby sleeps you would just rather stare at how amazing they are.  How natural being a parent is.  How much this little man has changed your relationship with your husband.  And how we made it through the craziest year of our lives.  We have been to Jordan and back twice!  I have survived throwing up more than I ever hope to in my life.  There were 3 different trips to the emergency room, none of which to birth a baby.  There were plenty of wedding and luckily no funerals.  I have made wonderful new mom friends to share the whole experience with.

Today will be a normal day, no one outwardly celebrates the day they found out they were pregnant.  I will go to work and later meet Dufda for Nugget's 4 month appointment.  We will then go through our new routine as Nugget's parents. But for me, it is just as special as a birthday, because for Dufda and I that day was the moment our entire lives changed.

What? They didn't tell you you would go bald?

This new gig that we all entered into, some willingly, some mistakenly it will change us.  It also is our ticket into the mom club where all these moms new this bad stuff happens to you, but no one wants to tell anyone. Why? You ask.  Because some of the stuff that happens to you as a new mom is just ridiculous and down right cruel.  I told you about my lovely experience as a pregnant lady here. Now it's time to dive into  postpartum.

So you just gave birth.  Everyone wants to see this wonderful bundle of joy.  No doubt, people will come over unannounced, unless you are like us and put the lock down on visitors.  Why did I say no visitors?  You have just handed me a stranger that is suppose to live with us....for the next 18 years+ and we have no idea what he likes yet.  Give us a sec to get things in order before you come knocking on my door with vegetarian lasagna so you can "help" us.  Second, I have now added maxi pads the size of Montana to my wardrobe, that paired with the fact that I need to be near naked to feed my baby just doesn't really make for an inviting scene for guests.

Ahhhh, feeding your baby.  How many times have you heard that if it hurts you are doing it wrong.  I swear this is what they tell first time mothers to try to increase the people who try breast feeding.  I romanticized my breastfeeding relationship with my baby.  It was all I wanted to do the moment he came out.  I was so happy that he latched right on.  Flash forward 27 hours later and I am screaming for a pacifier, the same pacifier I swore I wouldn't give my child because the same people who told me that breastfeeding didn't hurt scared the living day lights out of me that if I gave a paci or a bottle my baby would never latch on again.  I think, no I know that the people who created nipple confusion were men, the same men who do not want to give a bottle or have to figure out why their baby is fussing...just give them to person with the nipples.  Well, you may be o.k with being a human pacifier but I say Soothies all around.

Another great thing that comes along with the wonders of breastfeeding...breast milk...everywhere.  I smelled like breast milk mostly because I only had 2 nursing tanks and couldn't motivate myself to leave the house to purchase more.  My bed smelled like breast milk because breastfeeding is a messy dance at first and your nipples have turned into Old Faithful.

 I remember snuggling with Dufda and realizing that he, too, smelled like breast milk.  EVERYTHING SMELLED LIKE BREASTMILK.  It went great with the lingering smell of amniotic fluid from having my water break all over the kitchen.  

Motherhood is messy.  I never really feel clean anymore.  The second I get out of the shower, Nugget will want to nurse and rub his slimy little hands all over me and there went my cleanliness.   There is also the joy of having your baby spit up right down your shirt just so that is pulls in your cleavage.  I know this has happened to you.  Or when you have your baby flying like an airplane over your head and they spit up right in your mouth.  You know you are a mom if going bra less/nursing pad less is a daring feat.  I do this and I know I will wake up being one sticky breastmilk covered mess.  Naked...that's really the only way to stay clean.  And naked is what you need to be when you fall asleep after having a baby because those night sweats are no joke.  When I stood up, it looked like a crime scene with my body print left in the bed.

Let's talk about that bed.  Do you have some fancy schmancy bed set that you got for your wedding.  Put it away now.  Babies and down feathers don't mix.  You need about ten sets of sheets and a waterproof mattress cover to contain the mess these little ones make.  You may have all these sheets to change them out, but you know that there have been times when you baby has peed/spit on your bed and you have covered it up/moved over and continued sleeping.  It's gross but we all do it.

Another wonderful thing to be scared about as a mom - Sneezing in Walmart.  When I feel that sneeze coming on, my stomach sinks and I say to myself, "Please don't pee yourself, Please don't pee yourself."  You stop concentrate real hard and let that sneeze out, yep life is wonderful being 27 and not knowing when you will pee yourself next.

Now onto that new matronly motherly bod you have.  I made it my whole pregnancy without any stretch marks.  I didn't slather myself in oil or rub lotion on my belly everyday.  I thought I was super human, not only was I making a baby but my skin was super elastic as well.  Two days post partum...what do you know, stretch marks everywhere!  Don't brag that you don't have them because they will come and get you and make sure that you never wear a bikini again.

Nugget is now 3 months old and I am going bald. That is right...bald.  What no one told you that along with that extra 20lbs you can't lose, the giant maxi pads that you are wearing, the fact that you may pee your pants at any moment that you will also go bald.  Post partum hair loss is no joke.  If I don't brush my hair 10 times a day I start to mat like my Great Pyrenees when she is shedding her winter coat.  I like to call this time frame - I Think There Is a Bug on Me.  I am constantly swatting at my arm to kill said bug only to find out it is another strand of hair.

I am sure there are many more great things that new motherhood will bring, but for now I totally accept that I may never be clean again and my little Nugget has completely changed my life...for the better obviously. 

Cloth is cool!

Dioxins...Sodium Polyacrylate...Tributyl-tin...Volatile Organic Compounds...What do all of these things have in common?  Well, they are all things that could be present in the disposable diaper that 95% of parents dress their baby's bum in.  You do not need a chemistry degree to know that these things aren't good.  No, I am not here to bust your chops for putting your baby in disposables.  I just want to tell you why my family decided that cloth is best for our little nugget.

When I found out I was pregnant, Dufda and I both realized that we had never changed a diaper before.  I also was not even familiar with modern day cloth.  Entering into the world of babies you will be surprised what you learn.  I did know that everyone tells you that diapers are expensive.  So, while most of America could careless about what we put in or on our bodies, I know a lot of you do care about where your money is going.  Let's look at what someone spends on disposables, usually.  Now I know there are coupons and sales, but really, if you are out of diapers you just have to go buy them.  It is thought that over 2 years you will average 7 diaper changes per day.  Now we all know that there are way more at the beginning, but for the sake of calculation we will stick with this number. It comes out to about $35/ month for diapers.  You most likely have some sort of disposal system, let's say the great ole' Diaper Genie.  There is an upfront cost of $30.  Now that bugger needs refills which are about $7/piece.  That is about $1100 over 2 years for diapers.  In the little time we used disposables, I had some that tore, that got peed on accidentally before they even were on the bum, and not to mention the increase in laundry because disposable do not even touch cloth diapers when it comes to blow outs.  Also, so you plan to have more than one child...you have to do this all over again.

Now on to cloth.  This is what I hear from everyone.  Don't you have so much laundry to do?  What do you do with the poop?  They are so expensive?  I will start with the last statement first.  I chose to use mostly second hand diapers.  Now if this sound gross to you, I assure you that there is a huge market for used diapers and plenty of ways to clean them.  I scoured ebay and bought an enormous lot of Bumgenius 3.0 pocket diapers for $3.85/diaper.  This is obviously a great deal, but you have 10 months to search for great prices.  I actually bought 110 diapers at this price.  I then sold off the diapers that I did not need for a profit.  This actually paid for the diapers that I did keep to use.  You'll need two wet bags to put the dirty diapers in, this is about $36.  Your water bills might be a little higher, but that is it.  We are 100% cloth, so we use cloth wipes as well.  I got a whole bunch of baby wash cloths for my shower, spray a little water or wipe spray on that and you need one wipe per change. 

As for the poop.  This is everyone's concern.  The reality is that you aren't suppose to throw human feces in the trash anyway.  It should all go down the toilet.  While my baby is exclusively breastfed this is not a worry either way.  Breast milk poo is water soluble.  Just throw it right in the washer.  I never have to touch the diapers after I take them off Nugget.  When he starts solids, we will do a quick plop in the toilet and be done with it.

How much laundry does cloth really add?  Well, how much laundry does having a baby really add?  Let's be serious, babies are messy.  My washer and I are bffs now.  I wash diapers every other day and typically not on the weekends.  This will be very dependent on how many diapers you have.  We have enough that I could go about 3 days and be fine, I just don't like my diapers to sit that long.  After being in cloth for 3 months, I decided to go ahead and "wash" the washing machine.  I found several pins on Pinterest that showed this nasty water that came out of their machines.  My water was completely clear.  All the extra cycles and better detergent are actually cleaning my machine, not making it more dirty.  Take that!

One of the great reasons to chose cloth is all the options.  I feel that disposables are sort of all the same.  I can pick a different diaper for when  I go out versus during the day and something else for at night.  This gives you the best chance of getting a really great absorbency and fit for what your needs are.  We had a great cloth diaper store here in Pittsburgh that you could go and touch and feel the options, but they have since moved to cloth orientations only.  I never got to attend one of these but I have heard that they are very beneficial.  If you aren't in the Pittsburgh area to attend one of these, I would still head over to Happy Baby Company's website and see their selection.  They are a one stop shop for everything cloth and natural parenting.  Their customer service is superb, too!  Use the coupon code NEW2HBC for 10% off any order over $30.

What we use if we are going out:

AIO's (All-in-one)

This is basically how is sounds.  Everything you need in one diaper.  It makes for a simple change while you are on the go.  Although these are easy, I typically wouldn't grab for them while at home because they have some disadvantages.  AIO's take along time to dry, specially cause I line dry anything that has PUL in it, or a waterproof aspect.  They also aren't as absorbent as some other options because the absorbency can't be adjusted.  My favorite AIO is the newborn simplex from Swaddlebee.  This diaper fits up to 16lbs, so it is much more versatile than most newborn diapers.

What Dufda uses during the day:

Pocket Diapers

Husbands may have a hard time getting use to cloth.  I know the simpler the better with Dufda.  He prefers Bumgenius 3.0 pocket diapers.  I stuff these for him before hand, so it is more like an AIO.  You can see below, the diaper opens up in the back and you put in the insert.

The downfall to these is that they can get pretty bulky depending on what you use to stuff them with.  They hold all the moisture away from the skin though making for a drier feel for your baby.  I also like the Fuzzibunz One size elite for a pocket diaper.

What we use at night:

Fitteds and covers

When we first put Nugget in cloth, we were able to diaper him the same at night because he woke up every two hours.  Now that he is sleeping longer stretches we needed a good solution for maximum absorbency.  A fitted diaper is many layers of absorbent material that needs a cover to make it waterproof.  

They are typically bulky, but they sure do their job.  You can cover a fitted with a typical diaper cover or you can also use wool, which we just got into.  What makes me sad about fitteds is that they are so cute and then you have to cover them up, but definitely a highly absorbent diaper.

What I use during the day:

Prefolds and Covers

When I am diapering Nugget I always reach for a good ole' prefold and cover.  I prefer the Jellyroll fold closed with a Snappi.  Snappi provided me with their awesome diaper closer to show you how this small device will make cloth diapering so much easier. The Snappi does away with the pins that our parents and grandparents might have used if they did cloth.  If your baby is exclusively breastfed, then you know how hard it can be to contain that breastmilk poo.  This is by far the greatest fold to do that.  You start out by placing your baby on the prefold.

Next you will roll in the side of the prefold until you get to the center.

The tighter you roll, the trimmer your fit will be.  You will then take the piece you are holding and spread it out across you baby's tummy.

 

Then, grab your Snappi and hook it on the left tab of the diaper that is under your baby, next hook the right tab and then pull down and hook the center.

 

You then add a cover to this to make it completely waterproof.  Do you need a Snappi in your life?  Enter below to win one!

We have prefolds that Nugget has grown out of, which I can still use by laying in the cover and not using a Snappi.  I feel like either option is totally leak proof.  The only downfall, which I don't really consider that awful, you do need to change frequently with prefolds because the wetness is right up against their skin.  I have read, though that this prepares them to potty learn sooner and easier because they do not get use to being in a wet diaper.

Storing your cloth

As you can imagine, you need a great system to go with this style of diapering.  Being that Dufda is a stay at home dad, I need to make sure that everything is organized so he doesn't end up taking a  diaper that he doesn't know how to use.  I separate them into two categories: needs a cover and doesn't needs a cover.  Before I did this, Nugget ended up in a Lil' Joey and cover, but hey at least it wouldn't leak.  Dufda only really likes the bumgenius 3.0, so we have lots of them.  I stuff them and put them all on the bottom (He actually stuffed diapers the other day, now just to teach him how to wash them).  Everything I use is on top and he just stays away from that.

Before Nugget came, we almost didn't get a changing table.  I think this is a must if you are using cloth.  It gives you a space to sort everything out and also a place to be comfortable changing your dipes.   When we went on vacation, I was without a changing table for two weeks and my back was killing me!  

Don't forget to enter to win a Snappi Below!

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Man Cave Giveaway

Man Cave Giveaway Event

Organized by: Mom to Bed by 8

Looking for the ultimate gift for dad on Father's Day.  Look no Further!  Give the dad in your life everything that he needs to create the ultimate man cave.   This may even get you an awesome Mother's Day gift next year and it won't cost you a dime.

Prize Package Includes:

46" RCA LCD-HDTV

Experience a full-HD picture with crisp detailing and stereo sound on the terrific RCA 46LA45RQ LCD HDTV. It is an elegantly designed; wall-mountable LCD TV that meets energy star standards. This RCA LCD HDTV features true-to-life screen delivering brightness of 500cd/m2 that enables you to watch clear picture regardless the lighting condition of the room. The 46-inch LCD screen with 16:9 widescreen formats offers you clear and natural motion scenes, thereby making it ideal for watching sports and video games. This 1080P 60HZ HDTV has a brilliant contrast ratio that ensures detailed images with wide range of brightest to darkest colors. The HDMI inputs easily connect to HD sources thereby delivering high definition videos. Watch digital channels, including HDTV programs with the built-in ATSC digital/NTSC analog tuner. This RCA 46LA45RQ LCD HDTV can be tilted vertically and horizontally to 176 degree allowing you to watch the TV from different areas in your home.

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54" Foosball Table

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This 54" foosball table offers plenty of entertainment and competitive play. The table comes with a standard size foosball, weighted to give you a solid feel as you go face-to-face with the competition.

Kegorator

The Nostalgia Electrics KRS2100 Kegorator Beer Keg Fridge in Black dispenses beer easily and quickly to even the thirstiest crew. Swivel casters make it mobile enough to roll around the clubhouse, pool area or anywhere you want to get the party started. The included 2.5-pound CO2 bottle is good for about four 15-gallon kegs and the fridge features a semi-gloss black tap tower with spring loaded, top-mounted tapper. A chrome guard rail and drip tray finishes the look of the durable black counter top. Keep track of the amount of CO2 in the tank or adjust pressure with the included double meter regulator.

• Holds one full size 1/2 barrel keg, one 1/4 barrel pony size keg or two 5-gallon D system kegs
• Keg coupler fits D system valves and does not fit non-standard keg sizes
• Adjustable thermostat with interior temperature range of unit is 30-40 degrees F
• Includes empty 2.5-pound CO2 bottle, double meter regulator and drip tray
• Spring loaded beer tapper
• Approved for commercial and household use
• Four casters provide easy portability
• Black finish
• The Double Regulator works the CO2 Tank and measures PSI (pounds per square inch), as well as the volume of the CO2 gas in the Cylinder. Set Output Pressure Gauge between 8-12 PSI for a nice, frothy head.

Thank you to each reader who is taking the time to visit, read and entering to win this amazing summer fun prize package. Please take a moment to also visit our lovely co-hosts whom without them great things such as these would not be possible: Another Cent Saved, Java John Z's, Ultimate Coupon Club, The Penny Hoarder, Barbara's Beat, Coupon Queen of Texas, Maria's Space, A Medic's World, The Stuff of Success and Baby Costcutters.

One lucky winners will a 46" RCA LCD-HDTV, 54" Foosball Table & Kegorator!

Giveaway ends July 5th at 11:59pm, open US, ages 18+. To enter please use the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck

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Disclosure: I received no compensation for this publication. My opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own. My Jordanian Nugget is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment. Please contact teri@mompoweredmedia.com with questions or to see your business or blog featured on the next big event!