To preface, I have not been paid or asked to promote any of the following products or events. These are my true opinions.
Pregnancy App:
This being our first child, I wanted to learn about our baby as they grew. I wanted an app that would teach me about how the baby was developing at each stage. I tried a few, but I wasn't impressed. Then, I found Sprout. The Sprout Pregnancy+ App had everything I was looking for and more.
Here's some of my favourite features:
- My Baby Weekly Updates
- Approximate weight and length. Compares your baby's size to fruits and vegetables.
- Highlights different developments in your baby (fingernails, hair, eyes perceiving light, etc.)
- Weekly "The Doc Says"
- This highlights different keys at the stage you are at. Example: explaining why you feel tired and how to help combat it.
- It also provides a timeline though it is not accurate for Canada.
- My Journal
- Ability to journal during your whole pregnancy. It also gives ideas of things to journal about if you're lost for ideas.
- Keeps journal entries organized by date, also marks which week in your pregnancy.
- Journal allows you to add a picture to each entry.
- Journal can be exported as a pdf. 1 entry/page.
- Cons: You are limited by characters. It does not allow for long entries. Though it is longer than a tweet.
- Organizer
- M.D. Visit Planner
- Mark your next appointment.
- Keep track of useful details (due date, weight update.)
- Write down questions and their answers.
- To Do
- Create and manage tasks (I didn't use this one.)
- Newborn Essentials
- Their list of what they felt was needed for baby and how many.
- I used this as a reference.
- Hospital Bag
- Same as above. I used it as a reference only. Hospital Bag post will be coming soon!
- Tools
- Weight Tracker
- Easily record your weight gain.
- Helpful if use you want to compare weight gain against your next pregnancy.
- Can be changed to lbs instead of kgs.
- Kick Counter
- Track frequency of your baby's movement. I didn't use this feature.
- Contraction Counter
- This was very helpful. We used it right from the beginning of the first contraction to when we met up with our midwife at the hospital.
- It helped my husband easily keep track of contractions as he needed to be able to call the midwife and let her know where we were at. In that moment you don't want a stopwatch (even on your phone) and a pen and paper. This app does it all for you! All you do is press start and stop.
This app can be purchased on it's own, or you can buy the bundle (Tracker, Pregnancy, Baby.) Personally, for all these apps do, I thought the bundle was well worth it. I highly recommend these apps!
Baby Show
I forgot about the timing of the Toronto Baby Show last year. My husband was unavailable, so my Dad came with me. It was a nice time to spend with my Father and as a grandparent, his ticket was cheaper than mine!
The Baby Show was great for 3 reasons:
- Draws
- Make labels with your name, address, e-mail, and phone #. Because I forgot about these, I didn't have time to make labels, but they would have been very helpful!
- Draws for everything baby. And why not? If you have a chance of saving yourself some money and getting something free, do it!
- Information
- Thankfully, we were given a car seat and stroller by an amazing friend who no longer needed it. But if you need a car seat or a stroller then likely you want to look at them, ask questions, and compare. At the Baby Show, you can do all of this. There were so many car seat and stroller options! If you need or want more information on baby items, this is a good place to be.
- Plus, they had a car seat installation clinic. Because of insurance reasons, these are getting harder to find. But if you have your car seat, you can get it checked out at the Baby Show!
- Shopping
- While I was there, I picked up a few toys.
- I also got a subscription to Today's Parent Magazine. I love this magazine! It hits being a parent at all ages and stages. Plus, it's Canadian! As a show bonus, I got a baby onesie and a scarf for myself.
Here's a list of Baby Shows in Ontario this Year:
April 1-2, 2017 ~ The Baby Show (Toronto)
April 28-30, 2017 ~ BabyTime Show (Toronto)
May 27-28, 2017 ~ Bump Baby Toddler Expo (Hamilton)
September 30 & October 1, 2017 ~ The Baby Show (Toronto)
October 1-2, 2017 ~ Baby Expo (London)
November 4-5, 2017 ~ The Baby Show (Ottawa)
Prenatal Yoga
Before pregnancy, my activities included Zumba, biking, hiking, and kayaking. Being pregnant, I wasn't able to ride my bike or go kayaking. So, I needed a different activity. Plus, I wanted something where I could connect with other women that were in the same boat. So, I found a local prenatal yoga class. Best decision!
Yoga helped me relax, it helped me stay active and limber, and it gave me an hour of quiet away from work and home. It also equipped me with some positions to use when I felt uncomfortable or had certain pains flare up; easy positions that I could do at home or work.
Search Google or ask your Midwife or Doctor if they know of a local class. And they may even have a Mom & Baby Yoga that you can do after your baby is born.
Nursery Set-Up Recommendations:
These are some tips that I have found invaluable in our Nursery set-up.
- Keep Laundry Bin by Change Table
- With the exception of a couple big spit-ups, we change our daughter at the change table. Keeping the bin close by has been very helpful.
- Nursing Basket
- I will expand on this in a later post, but this basket is crucial. I had two main spots that I nursed: the nursery and the living room. So, I made sure there was a basket at each. You get hungry and thirsty when you breastfeed. The basket helped keep everything I needed close at hand!
- Clothes
- I pre-washed and sorted all of the clothes that we received in advance. I kept the first two sizes close at hand, not knowing what our starting size would be. The rest were stored in bins. Each bin contained a new size and stacked neatly in the closet.
Facebook Buy&Sell
There are community Buy&Sell pages all over Facebook. Think of it as kijiji in your own area. People sell all sorts of stuff and it can be a great place to look for baby stuff at a much cheaper price. I found a Baby Bouncer Seat for $30 less than what it would be new and it was like new. Threw it all in the wash and no one would have known. I also have a friend who found an excellent deal on a great high chair. Others have found bundles of clothes at good prices.
Search Facebook to find one (or more) in your area and see what kind of deals you can find!
Diaper Bag
Like my quilt and wall hanging I mentioned in Chapter 1, my Mom (https://upstairshobbyroom.blogspot.ca) made me an amazing diaper bag. It is the perfect size. However, there are some times we need a bigger bag (going to the hospital, Christmas....)
The New Day Tote from Thirty-One is a perfect diaper bag! It has plenty of pockets (two outside and two inside for bottles, a zipper pocket inside and outside, and two more pockets inside the bag), sturdy straps, and the whole bag is wipeable and washable. Need a Thirty-One consultant? Send me a message and I'll connect you with one.
Food
I love to cook but I knew that I would be very busy the first few weeks after the baby was born. I wasn't sure how much I'd be able to cook. And, my husband doesn't cook. He will turn on the stove or microwave, but no cooking. So, in my 7th month, I started to prepare.
Whenever I made a meal that could freeze, I made two. We ate one, and I froze the other. The week before I was due, I went to Costco and I stocked up! I got individual meals, high protein snacks, and granola bars. I wanted meals for myself and my husband, I also wanted quick things that I could grab when I was hungry but didn't have time (or energy) to make anything.
I found individual chicken pot pies, Babybel cheese, fig bars, and Summer Fresh Salads all great things to grab in a pinch.
Hope you find these notes useful!
Until next time,
Canadian Country Mama
