Milk Friendly - the Tunic Tee.

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Outfit Details:
Free People We The Free Charleston Tee, Target Mossimo Supply Racerback Tank, Free People Bralette (similar here and here), Free People Roll Crop Jeans, Puma Classic Suede Sneakers, Mama and Little Nicole Necklace in Sweet Mint (use code KRISTEN for 10% off!)

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I am so excited about this series. Styling, nursing-friendly clothes are seriously under-represented in women's fashion. As a mom of a 7-month little boy, I am constantly rifling through my closet and trying to find things that I can wear out and about while still looking relatively cute and put-together. Most of my tops are off-limits - they're too silky (hi, let's show all the drool shall we?), too high-neck (how to access the boobies?), too low-cut (too much cleavage with these milk monsters), too tight (because I am not back to my pre-pregnancy weight) - so seriously, what's a girl to wear??

It's complicated.

I wish I could say that I can make all my current clothing work for nursing, but that's just not the case. I've had to shop. I nursed my first son Everett for 16 months, and that entire time I was always on the hunt for clothes that worked for that season of life. Now that I'm back on this milk train with Daxton, I have more of a grid for what to shop for and how to make nursing-friendly clothes relatively stylish. Because lets be honest, most of what is on the market for pregnant and lactating mamas is just frumpy. But not all! There are ways to piece together a cute and practical outfit. Over the course of this month, I'm going to share a series of looks that work for nursing mamas. And today I'm starting with one of my most-worn essentials - the tunic tee!

I love wearing tops like this one because it's basically like wearing a gigantic tee shirt - only prettier and softer. It's easy to layer this kind of look with a nursing tank underneath (I have this tank in about 10 colors) or even just a simple bralette like this. I love a lot of the Free People tees because they have some unique cuts up the side (making it a little easier to nurse), and you can either pull the top down or pull your shirt up - these tunics make it easier to do either. But I will say that most of my Free People tops are kind of delicate (even the cotton-blends), so I wash them on gentle and cold cycles. Just FYI :)

During the month of August, I will be sharing 6 different essentials for nursing mamas! I'm really excited to share because I've spent a lot of time hunting for the types of clothes that seem to work best - other than just straight up nursing tops.

Featured Piece:

We The Free Charleston Tee - Free People (on sale now!)

Tell me, what is your biggest struggle with nursing clothing? Do you feel like there are things that "hold you back" from being your most comfortable self when it comes to what you wear during this stage of motherhood? I'd love to hear from you mamas!

Help a Mother Out.

New motherhood is a foggy time. It's joyful, overwhelming, exhausting, sweet, memorable... there is nothing like that swift season of having your brand new baby fall asleep on your chest, grab your fingers, search your eyes for the answer to every need. When you're in that moment, it can feel like a very long time, but it really is a fleeting season.

I wanted to share a few ways to help out those new mothers in your life. My friends and family really banded around me as I was healing from my c-section with Daxton back in December. I don't know what I would have done without the help and support I received - it was everything during a time that I was hurting, processing and recovering. I am so so grateful that I was surrounded with an abundance of love and support, and I wanted to share the things that were so nourishing to me during that season. Because while baby gifts are a sweet gesture, when it comes down to whether you should buy a pack of onesies or buy a sleeve of blueberry muffins - a mom of two wants the muffins! Just trust me on this one.

1. Meals!
This was hands-down, my favorite gift from anyone and everyone. It made me feel so loved and cared for when people took the time to cook for me and my family. Having entire meals delivered to my door was actually healing to my heart, since it took care of my family, so it was one less thing to stress about. And postpartum, I was stressed. This is by far the most immediate way to meet the needs of that new mama and her family. And meals don't have to be fancy, gourmet, home-cooked creations (while that is amazing, obviously) - but it can be take out! It can be the wings and mac'n'cheese from the Kroger buffet! It can be Chick-fil-A chicken biscuits. Just one less need to have to worry about when I had a busy toddler and a needy newborn on my hands. I loved knowing that I didn't have to worry about feeding everyone, too! There are a few great websites like Take Them A Meal and Mealtrain that make organizing a meal delivery with friends and family super easy. If you have a friend who is about to pop, offer to organize the meal train for her - it really is such an enormous blessing.

2. Paper products.
This kind of goes along with the meals thing, but I thought it was such a simple and genius addition to the postpartum meal times. Duh! Paper products! Then there are no dishes to do! I don't know why this was such a foreign concept to me, but when someone brought over a meal with a stack of paper plates and napkins, it was like the Heavens parted. I'm sure my weeping wasn't just due to hormones, in this case those were actual tears of wonder and joy too.

3. House Cleaning.
One of my dear friends gifted me a professional house cleaning session as a baby gift. What a brilliant, generous gift! It had been a looooong while since my floors and bathrooms had really gotten any cleaning attention, so her gift came at the perfect time. But even if you can't gift someone a whole house cleaning session, you could show up on her doorstep with some Clorox wipes and Windex - I promise, if you offer to vacuum up her living room and kitchen, she won't be able to say no! And since you don't leave the house much when you're a new mom, it's really nice to have your environment clean and neat.

4. New Pajamas.
This one might not matter to everyone, but my sister-in-law gave me the prettiest purple pajamas for me to lounge around in postpartum, and it was the BEST. I felt so pampered, having my matching pajamas on, even if I hadn't showered and my hair looked like a rat's nest. And still, six months later, I feel so pretty and cared for when I put those jammies on. And it was really nice having someone bring something over for me, not just for the baby. In fact, last week I picked up another pair of matching pajamas at Target, and I've kept them in almost constant rotation since then. It's not the kind of thing I would normally buy for myself, but it makes me feel so cozy when I'm in the house so much.

5. Staying Connected.
I've recognized this second time around that I tend to isolate myself during the postpartum months. Obviously, because most of my time is accounted for in babyland, but also, it can feel overwhelming to get out of the house to do things. So I will say that having people who reached out to me and asked to hang out or come over, or even just texted to check in - all of these things really helped make me feel loved and connected, even during times where I wasn't making an effort to connect with anyone outside of my family. I really appreciated those friends who continued to badger me with love and support and encouragement - those connection points gave me so much strength when I was exhausted and overwhelmed!

My postpartum experience this time around was difficult. I am so grateful that people around me pushed extra hard to love on me while I attempted to put up a brave front - I needed the help, even though I didn't really want to ask for it. So if you know a new mama and you ask her what you can do, and she doesn't answer you - try out a few of these! I promise you, she needs your support - probably more than she would care to admit.

That Momiform.

This is the day that the lady at Sams Club didn't take my picture for the membership card. She was all, "You don't look like you're ready to have your picture taken, you can get it taken next time." Oops. Little did she know, 60 seconds before I walked in the door, we took these photos for the blog. I wanted to talk momiforms with you guys - you know, the real clothes us real mamas wear when we're momming. I thought walking into a big box store makeup free and double-timing the stroller and buggy depicted mom reality well...? Don't worry, we didn't switch our membership from the reigning king, Costco. Long live Costco, you guys. It doesn't discriminate against my scruffy vibe :)

While I value and appreciate the art of delicious fabric and custom tailoring, the truth is that I barely ever wear those cute clothes that hang in my closet. Most of the time, I am a bit unwashed and throwing on the cleanest clothes on the top of my stack of laundry. Lately, this consists of these nursing tanks, these oversized tees and these loose-fitting chino shorts (currently 25% off!) Sandals or sneakers, depending on the need for the day. I have a super big baby, so I like to wear sneakers to keep myself supported for the long haul of the day :)

Below are a few links that are perfect for everyday wear that give me an alternative to the other mom uniform I'm often sporting - yoga pants and a tank top. Thank God athleisure is a thing, can I get an amen?

Have any favorite basics that you are constantly rotating through in your closet? I would love to know if you have any comfy ideas I should be adding to my routine!

Lessons from My Mother.

My mom taught me most things by simply doing them herself.

For instance, my mom didn't tell me to exercise because it was good for me. But she took me along with her while she did it. I remember many evenings of watching the sun go down while we ran the stairs at the high school football stadium during my sister's cheer practices, or how she was adamant about going for a brisk walk after dinner, or how she always invited me to join her for her morning 6am swim she did 3 seasons a year.. She showed me that good health was important, that it was worth her time and energy and focus. Yes - she was truly that disciplined. Still is, actually. I chalk it up to her catholic school girl roots.

Now that I'm getting older, I find myself in awe of my mother more and more. She lives with such intention and grace, in some ways I feel like I fall so short of the example she's set. But I guess that's why it's called a journey, right?

She's the mom that prayed for me every morning in the car ride on the way to school, the woman who invited strangers over for Thanksgiving dinner because "everyone needs to be loved during the holidays", the woman who folded six stacks of laundry before dawn and gave me and my sisters her hard-earned Christmas bonuses so we could shop for presents for our friends. She's bossy, she's opinionated, incredibly witty, and she says words like "sex" that always make me and my sisters giggle because it sounds like "sax" with her little Michigan accent. She's a magnet, my mother. Everyone is drawn to her light, even I am still stunned by her, after all these years of knowing her, flaws and all. She's not perfect, she doesn't pretend to be perfect, but we do sort of tease that she's like Mary Poppins, "practically perfect in every way."

I wish everyone felt this way about their mother. I know that's not the case. I don't mean to make her sound like a cartoon-y, idealist kind of woman, but ask anyone - she's the real deal. And also, I just really get a kick out of her. Because aside from all the wisdom she dispenses at a moment's notice, she also wears teenager-y rompers from Target and for mother's day this year she invited me to go get an organic spray on tan with her. I was like, "Wait, what? You do that??" She's ironic in the funniest, coolest kind of way.

She lost her own mother at age 19, and my mind is blown over how (seriously - howww?) she did adulthood without her mom guiding her. Because I would be lost - lost, you guys - without her.

And even though she's led mostly be example and less so by words, I wanted to share a few lessons I've learned from her little sayings throughout the years. In light of Mother's Day :)

• Prayer is more powerful than you can imagine. Pray, pray and then pray some more. For anything and everything - pray.
   
• Lipstick brightens your face, so if you're only going to wear one item of makeup, make it lipstick.
   
• Always take a walk after dinner. It's the best thing for your digestion and metabolism.
   
• Clean up after yourself before you leave a room. That way you won't have a trashed house at the end of the day.
   
• Think before you speak.
   
• Use borax when you do a laundry load of whites.
   
• When people ask you for help, help them. Even when it's for help in Target and you don't work there but for some reason they think you do ;)
   
• When you see an ambulance pass by with sirens, pray for life for that situation.
   
• Just stop eating GMO food already.
   
• While we're on the topic of GMO food, when you do find non-GMO popcorn, purchase a bulk order of it. (It's her favorite all-time snack).
   
• When hosting a party, serve less appetizers than you think you need and more drinks than you think you need. And always, always have a catered Publix dessert on hand. People like petit fors.
   
• The ocean can solve a myriad of problems tangled up in your head. When in doubt, drive to the beach and let it calm your mind.
   
• Forgive everyone and don't hold grudges. Unforgiveness will damage your heart for the long run.
   
• Vacuum underneath your baby's crib once they're asleep. It will help them learn to adapt to noise, and also, your floors could always use a good vacuum (her sentiments, perhaps not mine...)
   
• Never mop before a party. People won't notice your floors. Mop immediately after the party so that your floors are cleaned up from all the people.
   
• Read ingredient labels.
   
• Deer don't eat geraniums. So plant lots and lots of geraniums.
   
• Never stop doing your research.
   
• Visit Michigan in the summer because there is nothing like a summertime bonfire along the Great Lakes.
   
• Being married and having children is the hardest and best thing you will ever do.
   
• Live close to where you and your husband work. Commuting sucks and ultimately it keeps you from having quality family time.
   
• Don't forget this one - It's all about Jesus.

Happy Mothers Day to all of you amazing moms who lead largely by example and a little by words. I hope your day is sweet and I hope you are celebrated in the way that makes you feel like the most loved, appreciated, treasured women you are. :)

P.S. - My first mothers day and revelries of my mother.
P.P.S. - The top photo is an old one of my mom and Everett at Serenbe Farms from when he was just over a year old. I love their relationship, it makes my heart melt a little bit :)

My Ultimate Guide to Baby Essentials.

I was so into registering for my wedding.

And then 7 years later, I was suuuuuper into registering for my baby gear. I was the girl that read like 17 books and researched every inane product. A lot of my friends just swiped my baby registry list when they got pregnant because I did that much research. Of course, now that I'm an actual mom with real life experience (meaning, I've been pooped on, peed on and thrown up on), there are some things that I would nix from the list, add to the list, and some things I would circle and highlight and possibly blood sign as "MUST HAVE".

Today, I share these things with you.

DISCLAIMER: I have to put this out there because otherwise someone might get all up in arms, but obviously these recommendations and insights are purely my own opinion. Everyone's life situation is different, and where you live really does influence a handful of these choices, such as stroller, car seat, crib, etc. I can only offer my experiences to you, but I do so gladly and without restraint. I want to emphasize that everyone puts a different priority on things, so please use this as a reference and go with your gut. You will learn in this journey (as I am continuing to learn!) that going with your gut as a mama is usually the right choice. So trust your instinct, and just gather information as you go!

FEEDING.

•  Glass bottles - Everett never took a bottle so we really struggled with me feeling like a human pacifier for, oh, 16 months of breastfeeding. So one of my #1 goals with Daxton was introducing bottles early, and it has proven to be such a success, #praisethelord. Also, I love the greener approach of glass bottles :)
•  Breastpump with carry tote (includes an extra set of accessories!) - I don't love pumping, but this is a great double pump and it allows me to leave milk for my baby so that I can get a break. Check with your insurance company to see if you quality to get one of these for free, thanks to this new policy. P.S. - Many of my friends have also sworn by this pump, something I'd love to try in the future!
•  Bottle warmer - Not essential, but it's been a really nice extra to have this time around.
•  A few burp cloths. Okay actually like 12-15 would be ideal.
•  High chair - You won't need this for the first few months, but it's worth investing in something you love and they love, because your kiddo will eventually spend hours eating in this little throne. I am so glad we went with something that looked semi-nice in the kitchen and that could grow with our babies into toddler life.
• A bottle cleaning brush or tool is helpful for that transition from baby to toddler feeding, I love these plates, these utensils, and these water bottles.

DIAPERING.

• I love using The Honest Company diapers. For the first year with Everett I used these exclusively and then switched back and forth between these and Seventh Generation diapers after that. Honestly, it was just out of convenience so that I could pick them up at Target vs. waiting on the monthly shipment in the mail. I recently tried a few other kinds of diapers to save on cost and ended up switching back to these two brands for both my boys, because I never have leaking problems with either of these diapers. But again, this is the kind of thing that depends on what works for you and your little baby's bum :) Though I look forward to the days of potty-trained children!
•  Healing balm & diaper rash cream - We use both of these so much. We slather the Healing Balm on anything and everything - cuts, dry skin, rashes, etc. And the diaper rash cream clears up redness after one application, it's just like magic. So these are on heavy rotation over here.
•  Baby wipes, and I love these giant packs :)
•  A diaper disposal is so, so helpful! Make sure to register for refills.

SLEEPING.

• Crib, waterproof mattress pad and crib sheets - I have less of an opinion about these items. Just get things you love and feel good about. I opted for organic options where I could find them, but they're not must-haves. And our crib was a hand-me-down and has worked out perfectly well.
•  Sound machine for sleep (I also love running a diffuser with essential oils at night, but it's not a must-have)
•  Sleep swaddle and/or swaddle blankets for newborn-stage - I used both of these for sleeping, and actually use the swaddle blankets for everything (I have at least ten of these!) - as a burp cloth, make shift nursing cover, to throw over the top of a stroller in case there's too much sun - they're very all-purpose.
•  Sleep blanket (for when you don't swaddle anymore, like 5 months - 18 months-ish?)
•  Baby video monitor - I love being able to check on my baby using the video feed, but this isn't a must-have for everyone. I have friends who are really happy with an audio monitor. Totally a personal preference!
•  Zipper onesies - These make middle-of-the-night changing so much easier. It's really hard to get buttons right when you're half-awake! I love the Baby Gap options (this and these) and Target has some convenient 3-packs options as well.

AT-HOME GEAR.
*I think it's helpful to borrow these items, if possible. My kids have varied on the different chair/swings they like, and it costs a lot to purchase these up front only to find out that your baby hates them. Also, you don't need one of each of these, just pick a few and see what works. I also like buying these items second-hand because they are mostly constructed of plastic, and its nice to have them air out and off-gas the chemicals in them, if possible. I know, I know, sometimes I'm even a little too crunchy for myself.

•  Swing
•  Bouncer or fancier seat
•  Entertainment center and/or Jumperoo
•  Bumbo with tray - This is really helpful with helping train your child to start sitting up and eating those first bites of solid food.
•  Playmat - This has proved to be both of my babies' favorite, so I would whole-heartedly recommend it!

ON-THE-GO GEAR.

•  Diaper Bag - This choice totally depends on where you live and what you need to carry around with you day-to-day. I love my Kate Spade diaper bag because it was a special gift from Stevie, but I don't always want/need to lug a big bag around. I recently switched to this non-diaper bag backpack, which has really helped with having two kids (I need my hands!) but I also really like packing a few diapers and wipes into a diaper clutch like this (I got a really cute Jonathan Adler one a few years ago, but it looks like they don't make it anymore, sad). Day to day I find myself switching out bags based on what works for the activity.
•  Stroller - This is probably the #1 item that depends solely on where you live. If you live in a city, your stroller is basically your car and you will need to really consider how much you will use it for everyday tasks (like carrying groceries and picking up laundry) versus just walking around around an outdoor mall or your neighborhood, if you live in the suburbs. And if you're super into fitness, you might want to opt for a jogging stroller, some of which allow you to attach a carseat onto it. You also want to consider whether you will be folding it down daily to store in a closet or the back seat of a car. We opted for this stroller because it was really all-purpose (for city or 'burb life), has the ability to add seats on for multiple children and is great for travel (we got the travel bag too, which works as insurance if the airline damages the stroller or bag - a major added bonus!) I also really love that it comes with a bassinet for baby's comfort and development. We also got a jogging stroller because the heavy-duty wheels allow us to take our kids on more active adventures, and recently we got the double jogger for both the boys! I'm hanging on to the single version, though, because there are some days where I'll only have one of them with me and it's nice not to lug out the minivan version. So we are currently those people who own a mess of strollers, and we actually use all of them. This is one area where I am not a minimalist, sorrrry :)
• Stroller hooks - You won't regret going for these. You can hang everything in the world on them!
•  Car seat - I hate car seats because they are so heavy and bulky and awkward to lug around. But unless you live in a city where you walk absolutely everywhere, they are necessary! So we went with this one because it was compatible with the strollers we chose (utilizing an adapter here and there). But all carseats have to have the same safety measures so there probably isn't a bad option on the market - I would say just pick one that's in your budget and is compatible with your other gear :) We actually have a few of these seats because of multiple cars and you know, golf cart life, too ;)
•  Carrier - After trying out tons, both me and Stevie's absolute favorite is the Ergobaby because it is so structured and supportive. Now there is the Ergobaby 360 which gives even more wearing options, and I would love to give that one a try. I have also really liked using the Solly Wrap this time around because it keeps baby so close and cozy, although with my big baby I find myself reaching for the Ergo the very most. I also recommend the K'tan, if you don't have super huge babies, it's a great one.
• Travel Crib or Pack N Play - We have used both of these a lot, but this is another one of those categories that depends on your lifestyle. If you travel a lot, I can assure you that you will use and love this travel crib. Ours has been all over the world with us and kept our baby sleeping so well (at the moment, my we are actually traveling and my child IS sleeping soundly in it, so there you have it.) The pack n play is so helpful in those first few months of having the baby sleep in-room with you, and it's also so easy to take to Grandma's house when you want to nap your kiddo on the go.

TOYS, BOOKS, ETC.
Baby toys aren't must-haves, and you will probably find yourself accumulating them faster than you realize. A few that we have loved are this teether, this brand of stuff animals (we have so many of these, Everett calls them his "babies") and these baby books.

I thought this list would feel more condensed - it's kind of crazy how much STUFF babies can attract. Anything that I'm missing that you absolutely loved and would deem a *must have*? I would love to hear about it in the comments! And please let me know if you have any questions or need clarifications on any of this -  I am happy to share my experiences!

P.S. - My postpartum recovery essentials for a vaginal delivery and for a c-section delivery (I honestly still cannot believe I've experienced both of those and live the tell the tales...) and a guide for what to pack in your hospital bag :)