We were ill-prepared for baby's arrival as he was almost two weeks early. We were on our way back from a staycation at Terranea when I started feeling unusual cramping in my abdomen. They persisted even after we got home so I knew I had to see my doctor asap. At her office, she made the surprise reveal-I was already four centimeters dilated and 100% effaced! While in my state of shock, I asked if I had enough time to attend the Jaguar party or the Movado dinner scheduled for that night. She laughed and gave us two options: go straight to Cedars Sinai or go home first, take a shower, eat dinner, and then go to Cedars. We went with the latter as we still needed to pack our hospital bag. At home, I was in a panic and basically paced the house in a frenzy throwing whatever I happened to stumble upon into my duffel. The shower was anything but relaxing as every trickle of water tricked me into thinking my water was breaking bringing up fears that I was going to give birth in my bathroom. After we finally left the house, we stopped at Lemonade for one last life-before-baby meal. I don't remember what I ate but I do remember staring at M eating his fried chicken sandwich and feeling like he was eating in slow mo.
After checking into the hospital, I experienced more cramping which took me to six centimeters. They were bearable and felt more like period cramps than contractions which put me in a great mood as I assumed I'd be one of the lucky few who'd have a painful-free, epidural-free labor. But then the labor stopped. No more dilation, no more cramping, nothing. So the doctors broke my water and began inducing labor and that's when the real contractions kicked in. The pain was so great I could feel every fiber of my body rise with it. I pushed the call button and without hesitation yelled, "EPIDURAL!" and fifteen minutes later I was again in a good mood. But then I had to push and I swear the pushing was more painful than the contractions. An hour and a half later, I was exhausted, dehydrated, and was quite certain the baby was going to just have to stay inside forever. So the doctors took action. They amped up the lights, brought in more doctors, a team of pediatricians, and opened up the stirrups even wider. They yelled for me to push harder and brought out the vacuum to suction out the baby. It felt like I was in a episode of Grey's Anatomy as from my vantage point all I could see was a sea of floating heads in medical caps. Finally, with one last push, the baby came out, I heard his first cry, breathed a sigh of relief, and fell into exhaustion.
At the time of his arrival, his room was packed with unopened boxes and looked more like a storage room than a nursery. Needless to say, M and I were in a frenzy scrambling to figure out exactly what we needed and even though I'd purchased a long list of newborn products, we simply didn't have the time or the energy to unpack most of it. After talking to friends, family, and doctors, we realized that aside from everyday items like diapers and clothes, we needed just a few fab necessities to keep baby alive and happy because a happy baby means a happy mommy!
{Halo Bassinest}
The bassinet is the baby's first bed so I knew I had to find the best one. After doing a ton of research, the clear winner was the Halo Bassinest. With an adjustable height and 360 degrees swivel I can place it right next to my bed and comfort the baby in the middle of the night without ever getting up. Its functionality is also perfect for a smaller bedroom as parents can move the bassinet around instead of trying to maneuver around it. The minimalist style and design blends into our home perfectly and the soft mesh borders keeps him safe and allows me to see him from every angle.
{Dr. Brown's bottles, sterilizer, and bottle warmer}
My breastfeeding journey is a bit atypical. During baby's first few weeks, we had latching problems which led to bloody, cracked, and sore nipples. I was in so much pain that I would cry during every nursing session. The situation was unsustainable so I switched over to using a nipple shield which greatly minimized the pain. However, the baby wasn't getting enough milk and I wasn't producing enough which created a lot of anxiety. Not wanting to stop breastfeeding, I decided to exclusively pump and bottle feed, a process that is ridiculously time-consuming as I'm either feeding, pumping, or washing bottles around the clock. But it's worth it to know that baby is well-fed and happy.
Once we switched over to bottles, I immediately picked up an arsenal of Dr. Brown bottles as they're the only ones on the market designed to prevent gas and spit-up through a uniquely designed venting system. Granted, I don't have a point of comparison but baby is happy and colic-free. I also use their easy-to-use bottle warmer and sterilizer, two of the greatest time-saving helpers in bottle feeding!
{Uppababy Mesa car seat & Vista stroller}
I never imagined I'd get so many complements on a baby stroller! People stop me on the street all the time asking me about my Uppababy stroller and commenting on its pretty design. Yes, it looks great but you know what, it's highly functional. With just one click, I can take the baby from the Mesa carseat to the Vista stroller. The wheels are super smooth and glides with movement which means it's easy for baby to fall asleep and stay asleep. There's also ample room on the bottom for my ginormous Skip Hop diaper bag. The best part? The stroller allows for multiple configurations and attachment so it will grow with the baby.
{BabyBjorn Carrier One and Balance Soft Bouncer}
Not a day goes by where I'm not using either the BabyBjorn carrier or bouncer. The functionality is great as the bouncer is light enough for me to take it every in the house as it's a great place for the baby to lounge while I wash dishes or get ready in the mornings. The fabric is soft but durable and it's designed for the baby to bounce without needing any batteries. M loves carrying baby in the extra padded newborn friendly carrier and baby loves falling asleep in it. Every weekend we take a walk around downtown Beverly Hills and it's one of the most peaceful times of the week. M straps baby into the carrier, baby takes a nap, and mommy gets to indulge in a Bouchon almond croissant and unwind for a bit.
Aside from the functionality, the Swiss made products are so so easy on the eyes!
{Ubbi diaper pail} This is the chicest diaper pail I've seen and comes in great neutral colors that complements baby's nursery. I love the sleek look and truly prevents any odor from escaping. There's absolutely nothing I don't love about it and plan on making it my default baby shower gift.