FTM – Page 2 – Baby Talk

Was I terrified to bring my little one home from the hospital? Yes! Was I even more terrified to start feeding him solids? YES! The fear of the gags and the coughs is very real.

I’ve been doing a healthy mix of baby led weaning and purees since my little one was five and a half months old (pediatrician approved, of course!). As scary as it can be for me, there is still so much joy in seeing my little guy’s reactions to new tastes and textures. Surprisingly, eggs and peas have been the biggest hits!

After getting the go-ahead from your little one’s doctor, here are a few items you might want to add to your kitchen to make your food journey a little easier and even more fun. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission on qualifying purchases.

Baby Plates and Utensils

Here are the Mushie Brand plates and utensils I’ve been using and absolutely love. They go through the dishwasher and are great quality. Most of the bowls and plates suction right to my little one’s high chair.

Mushie is made with non-toxic materials such as food grade-silicone and designed to be extremely durable to minimize their environmental impact. If there’s one brand I consistently keep coming back to, its Mushie for their functional, high quality, and thoughtful products that “bring calm to parenthood.”

Mess-Proof Bibs

These Tiny Twinkle Mess Proof Baby Bib are big mess savers because they cover your little one’s arms, have a pocket to catch dropped food, and fit nice and snug around the neck. These bibs come in a two pack, so I bought several packages to be able to easily rotate through washing machine cycles and not run out.

They are PVC, BPA, and phthalate free and completely waterproof. Be sure to really bring the bib right up to the neck and clean your baby’s chin thoroughly before removing the bib to avoid dirtying their chest.

Other bibs just don’t seem to cover enough of my messy baby when he’s eating. If I didn’t use these full-cover bibs, I would need to give a bath after every meal.

Baby Washcloths

I invested in some washable Baby Muslin Washcloths to wipe up all the mess post chow down. I find you need to use a lot of paper towels if you’re trying to do the disposable root and this saves money in the long run. My meal clean-up process is as follows:

Pull food away from baby’s reach to avoid new mess and leaving baby unattended with food
Moisten washcloth with water
Wipe one hand and pull through mess-free bib
Wipe second hand and pull through bib
Wipe up high chair mess while baby’s hands are generally busy under the bib
Clean under chin and remove bib completely
Throw washcloth in the laundry

And voila! Clean baby revealed and back to play time.

Splat Mat

This Baby Splat Mat has saved me so. much. time. Enough said. Get two of these if you want to rotate through the wash.

Travel High Chair

I just went on a road trip and because I didn’t have a high chair, I was very uncomfortable giving my little guy solids. I was away from home for a full week and really felt like I lost valuable time in our BLW journey. Unpacking and repacking a high chair for a trip would be a major pain! I went out right away to find a solution I could bring with me.

The Chicco Take-A-Seat Travel Seat was the perfect option. It’s a chair booster, floor seat, and toddler chair all in one and it folds up for easy travel and storage. The best part is that my little one can use it until he reaches 50 pounds. This is going to come in handy for picnics, visiting relatives, other outings, you name it!

Baby Food Steamer

Yes, I know there are lot of little baby food makers on the market -BUT- I decided to invest in a regular stainless steel steaming pot. My rationale for choosing this over something specifically marketed for baby food making was the following:

This is a kitchen staple I’ll use even when my little one grows up
There will be one less “baby only” gadget in my kitchen
This has additional uses beyond just making baby food
Stainless steel cooking seems to be a more “chemical free” than non-stick or plastic options, I’ll cut it out where I can!

Baby Food Blender

As much as l love seeing my little one chomp on a big stalk of broccoli, some foods, likes peas, should be pureed before serving depending on your little one’s age. I actually have been using the Solid Starts app as a general guide for my BLW.

When it comes to making my purees, again, I decided to invest in non-baby items. I am not a fan of having extra items cluttering my kitchen when I can simply buy good quality items that will last me longer than 6-12 months. These are my blenders and I stand by them for baby food, smoothies, soups, the whole nine yards!

The Nutribullet

The Nutribullet Personal Blender is perfect for a quick blend and easy to clean. I use this regularly for small batches. Make sure you leave it running long enough to really blend through. I often pause after about 30 seconds, shake the contents, and then blend again to eliminate hidden chunks.

Vitamix

As a splurge, the Vitamix 5200 is a Mack-daddy of the blender world. It goes way beyond baby food and is an investment for years to come. It’s self-cleaning and comes with a 7-year full warranty.

Keep Going- You’re doing Awesome!

If you’ve made it to starting solids, be proud! You and your little one are working so hard to keep growing and thriving. Keep up the amazing work.

Expecting

FTM SNOO Review

March 23, 2023June 10, 2023 dgill885

I think every parent would agree, sleeping through the night is a major #parentgoal, am I right? It’s the first things I get asked about when I share with anyone that I’m a new mom. Although, to me, there are so many other important things I am enjoying with my son, I would be lying if I said sleep wasn’t important. It’s a basic human need and hard to literally function sans sleep. Coffee can only do so much!

While I was pregnant, my uncle actually asked us if we were considering a SNOO. Of course, we had no clue what they heck that was, but he shared with us that it was a game changer with my cousin’s little one. When we got an email that a 5-month rental was a benefit at my husband’s company, we absolutely had to check it out.

Here’s my honest review for you to see if the SNOO is right for you. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn commission off of qualifying purchases.

The SNOO Smart Sleeper

The SNOO is the Cadillac of smart bassinets. It essentially mimics the motions and sounds for your newborn that they were used to in your womb. As a brand-new human, they’re seeking out the constant motion and whooshing sounds that they are used to experiencing inside the placenta. It reacts directly to your baby and changes how it soothes them based on how much they are crying and moving. As your baby fusses, the SNOO can rock them and change the white noise it’s playing to help comfort them back to calm or sleep.

By doing this, the SNOO manufacturer says it helps babies and parents get about 1-2 more restful hours at night than other smart baby furniture options (Hallelujah!). It works to sooth your little one, but don’t worry – it will stop after a certain amount of time has passed or it thinks your baby has other needs. When this happens, you get a notification from the phone app and the SNOO cannot be restarted without you physically visiting your baby and resetting.

The FDA even just gave the SNOO “De Novo” approval, recognizing its ability to keep babies sleeping safely on their backs. Back sleeping is directly related to a significant reduction in SIDS deaths.

SNOO App

The SNOO app was awesome. It’s fully integrated and gives you a real-time daily snapshot of your baby’s sleep. No manual logging! The app also sends you messages with additional SNOO information and guidance about when to start taking an arm out, two arms out, transitioning to weaning mode, etc. to guide you through the whole process.

You can control your SNOO’s settings easily through the app from sensitivity level, noise volume, and motion limiter. There’s even a weaning mode for when your baby is ready to move on from the SNOO.

There is a section for beta functionality too. When I had the SNOO, the beta functionality for me was a “Car Ride” mode that would add a random jiggle into the SNOO motion. I’m not sure how much it helped, but it was fun to try.

My Baby’s Sleep in the SNOO

With the help of the SNOO, my little guy slept through the night by about 10 weeks old and then began sleeping 10-12 hours a night consistently. Here are some screen shots of each month with my son so you can check out his progress for yourself. Of course there are a ton of other factors, non-SNOO related, to consider for my baby’s sleep. I was also regularly checking in with my pediatrician throughout this time to make sure he was in good health.

The blue are calm periods and red are when the SNOO was working to sooth him.

A 12 hour night at three and a half months. his day time naps were in his crib at this point to help transition from the SNOO.

SNOO Accessories

If you’re going to get a SNOO, these are what I consider must-haves. When you have a new baby, spit up is part of the territory and it’s a nightmare if you don’t have another set of these at 2 am (I’ve been there!). I had about 4 sheets, 3 small sleep sacks, 3 medium sleep sacks, and 2 large sleep sacks over my five-month rental. The swaddles seemed to take a very long time to dry, so having another set was key.

Extra SNOO Sheets
Extra SNOO Sacks – They call these the “5 Second Swaddle” because they are so quick and easy to put on. Just a few Velcro pieces and a quick zip up and voila! By the way- the SNOO knows when your swaddle is or is not clipped in. It will not turn on or sooth if it thinks your swaddle is not clipped into the brackets.

And these are some items I consider nice-to-haves:

The SNOO Sleapea – This is the SNOO swaddle without the clips to attach in the SNOO. It is meant to be used for sleeping outside of the smart bassinet and does not prevent rolling. I did most of my naps in the SNOO itself, so we really only used our Sleapeas a handful of times. It’s nice to have if your baby is really hooked on the sleep sack feeling but you need to be away from home for a nap.
SNOO Short Legs – These alternative legs make your SNOO shorter, which is perfect if you want your baby at arm’s length next to your bed.

Can You Travel with the SNOO?

Absolutely! The SNOO is easy to take apart and reassemble. They honestly make the whole process very intuitive where the legs have color stickers and assembly directions right on the bottom of the SNOO. It is somewhat heavy, so I recommend that moving the SNOO body should be a two-person job.

My husband and I brought our SNOO with us easily on several weeklong road trips. We just popped the legs off, wrapped up the body carefully and packed in our car. Although you can reconfigure the Wi-Fi, we did not while on our trips and just let it do its thing without connecting to the App.

We loved bringing the SNOO on our trip. There was already a lot going on for our little baby (meeting family, long car rides, new environment, sleep schedule was OFF!) and letting him sleep in his own bassinet he was used to was important to us.

The Best SNOO Feature

In my humble opinion, the best part of the SNOO was how it supported my baby sleeping on his back for SIDS prevention. It was a monumental weight off my shoulders that I could feel comfortable he had not rolled in his bassinet. This feature alone made it worth its weight in gold. As a new parent, we have so many things going on in our heads at any given moment. Worrying less that my son had rolled during the night made me feel that he was safer and that’s priceless.

Other SNOO Resources

There are so many things to know about the SNOO and questions you’re going to have if you choose to use one for your little one. I joined the SNOO Mamas Facebook group, and they are some of the most helpful group of parents out there for both SNOO and non-SNOO questions (look out for posts labeled “NSR” which is short for Not SNOO Related).

Will I be Using the SNOO for Baby Number 2?

Yes, I plan to use the SNOO for baby number two. It gave me a peace of mind and calmed my anxiety about my new baby’s sleep. For the safe sleep alone, I absolutely recommend the SNOO to others and will use it again. There isn’t much to help calm new parent anxiety, but from my experience the SNOO was a big help.

In my second time around, I will be more comfortable transitioning my little one to a crib. BUT- that’s another post for another time mamas!

Expecting

5 Pregnancy Must Haves

March 20, 2023September 6, 2023 dgill885

Mama, I know you may not be feeling 100% right now. This is hard work to grow a new person – but you’re special, you’re worth it, and the end result is awe inspiring. Your pregnancy is the ultimate time to take care of yourself inside and out. Whether it’s some of my suggestions or just something else you’ve been thinking about treating yourself to lately, I vote that you should treat yourself!

These are five pregnancy must haves that made all the difference for me over the course of my 40 weeks. They are not in any particular order, but I recommend getting each of them as early in your pregnancy as you can to avoid not having them on hand when you need them most! As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn on qualifying purchases.

Slip On Shoes

Who wants to have to bend over to out on their shoes? Nobody- and especially not anyone with a baby in their belly! That’s where Kiziks come in. It gets to a point that your balance is non-existent and without these, I am not sure I could have worn anything other than flip flops without some major maneuvering.

These shoes were a dream to put on. You just slip your foot right in and the shoe back pops up over your heel. I found these shoes to be very supportive and comfortable to wear during errands, exercising, and wearing all day long.

I still wear mine six months postpartum and receive compliments on them regularly. While the website does say not to soak the shoes in water, I decided last week to throw them in the washing machine on a cold cycle and they honestly came out very well after a good air dry. I won’t do this too frequently, but it’s nice to know it’s an emergency option.

Smart Water Bottle

Hydration is always important, but usually boring. Not with the Hidrate Spark Pro Smart Water Bottle. This amazing bottle lights up and sends you reminders to drink throughout the day all while keeping track of how much you drink. Well, thank you, Mr. Water Bottle!

In the app settings, you can check off if you’re pregnant or nursing and it gives you a personalized recommended volume to drink daily. It also connects with other apps, like Fitbit and Apple Health, to see other factors, like your exercise, and calculate your daily goal. I found the app extremely motivating to hit my water goal every day. It’s also super neat that you can personalize the LED glow reminder color, it’s BPA free, and the lid is top rack dishwasher safe.

It’s pretty quick to charge and the battery lasted several days for me. I was sometimes really bored with flat water and started putting a few splashes of Mio Water Enhancers to spice it up a bit.

The Prenatal

I started taking a good quality prenatal even when trying to conceive. As a pescatarian, it was very important to me to make sure I was getting the vitamins I need where maybe my diet was potentially lacking.

This Nature Made Prenatal supports baby’s brain health, bone health, eye health, and nervous system and has 250 vitamins in each bottle. I only needed two bottles through my pregnancy and continue to take it postnatal to help with breast milk support. It has folic acid and 17 key nutrients to make care of baby and mom.

Mid way through my pregnancy I decided to try a gummy multivitamin because it seemed easier to remember to take it. When I compared the nutrients between the vitamin pill and the gummy, there was a huge difference and I decided to go back to the pill version. Do what you feel is right for you to help you remember!

Your body is going to prioritize and take nutrients for the baby that is needs where it finds them. While this was actually a relief to me to learn, it’s critical to refuel your body with what it needs for both of you. You’re going through a huge physical and mental change, make sure you’re taking care of yourself even if it’s as simple as taking a vitamin.

Bump Box

Right away I subscribed to Bump Boxes! I knew I was only going to be pregnant for such a short time of my life and I wanted to really celebrate that. What better way than surprise gifts that come in the mail! It felt like opening a present and I looked forward to it each month.

You can order one-off boxes or subscribe for a certain number of months, which is generally a little less expensive per box. The boxes are filled with cute little goodies like pregnancy friendly face lotion, body lotion, soap, baby onesies, teethers, and just exciting surprises based on your specific pregnancy.

If you want to share the joy with your special partner (he was there too, right???) they even have adorable Bump Boxes for Dad to Be. It really doesn’t get any better than sharing the incredible joy I hope you’re feeling!

The Pillow

A pregnancy pillow is going to make a world of difference for you towards the end of your first trimester. I bought this one in cotton to stay cool for the summer months, but they also offer a cozy velvet version for anyone in colder climates. The cover easily comes off to be washed regularly.

You are typically encouraged to avoid sleeping on your back once you get to a certain point in your pregnancy, which was a struggle for me. In fact, my body decided back sleep was amazing for some odd reason. Having a pillow to encourage me to sleep on my side was a life saver. I also found that having part of the pillow between my thighs took pressure off of my lower back (Heavenly!!).

This version also comes with a wedge that you can put under your growing belly to help support it while you’re on your side. I did not use this wedge much until the very end when my belly decided to really pop!

Remember

Pregnancy is not easy- you’re creating life, Mama! This is definitely not something to take lightly and it’s the ultimate time to treat yourself.

Pumping

Elvie Breast Pump Review

March 18, 2023June 10, 2023 dgill885

Take it from this mama- pumping is literally a full-time job! When you’re picking the right pump for your lifestyle, it’s so important to understand what each pump can offer because you’re going to be spending a LOT of quality time with your pump.

Between pumping, cleaning pump parts, and prepping to pump I spend a good 4-5 hours a day exclusively pumping for my little guy. I use a combination of pumps to help me be successful and I’m sharing with you what I wish I had known before I made some significant investments, both time and money, in breast pumps. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Elvie Wearable Breast Pump Overview

The Elvie Pump aims to be the smartest, quietest, and smallest wearable electric pump and it definitely delivers compared to its clunky, loud, and cumbersome wall pump competitors. This pump basically slips directly into your bra and can be controlled either on the pumping hub itself or via an app. Its design lets you pump easily and discreetly on the go.

You can purchase the single or double pump, depending on if you want one or two pumping hubs. The Elvie double pump comes with the following items in the box:

2 Hubs
4 BPA free 5 oz/150 ml bottles with storage lids (these are fridge and freezer friendly)
2 Breast Shield – 24mm
2 Breast Shield – 28mm
4 Valves
4 Spouts
4 Seals
4 Bra Adjusters
2 USB Charging Cables
2 Carry Bags

Hubs come with a 2-year warranty and washable components have a 90-day warranty. Although I have had no problems myself, from what I have seen on Elvie Facebook groups, the company has excellent customer service- just be sure to keep your receipts for proof of purchase.

Must Have Accessories

Hands Free Pumping Bra– To pump comfortably, I recommend getting a supportive bra like this one to hold the pumps upright and close to your body. This makes a big difference when moving around and decreasing the chances of a leak.
Dual Micro USB Charing Cord – Your Elvie will come with one cord for each pump you purchase, so you need two outlets when you want to charge both at the same time. I bought this split head charging cord so I can charge both pumps on the same cord at once! This is super convenient, especially when charging in the car or on a laptop.
Maymom Flange Inserts – Be sure to accurately measure your nipples and splurge on a few sets of these! They can seriously increase your milk output and feel so much better than just the plastic flange alone. Elvie offers an amazing nipple measuring tool you can check out here.
Wearable Breast Pump Bag with Cooler – This organized bag helps you bring your pumps with you and keep track of parts easily on the go. It is professional enough to bring every day to work and has a really convenient drying mat for cleaning your pump parts on the go.
In order for your pump to continue working effectively, you need to regularly replace the green pump pieces that come with your Elvie. I usually keep one or two spare sets on hand.
- Valve and Spout Kit
- Breast Pump Seals

Pump Production Rating

Generally, wearable pumps are not meant to be your main pumps. Typical guidance is that you should use in combination with a hospital grade pump and/or direct nursing as wearables will not fully “empty” your breasts. Over time, this may cause your production to decrease as there is less demand for milk and, therefore, less supply is made. With this said, I often feel that I get just as much or sometimes more with my Elvies than with my Spectras and many women do successfully use their Elvies as their primary pumps.

If you’re noticing your pump output seems low or even that nothing is coming out, try taking the pump apart and putting it all back together again. It can really be as simple as a bent duck bill valve, or the plastic piece not lined up well. For the optimal output, it’s very important that the pump remain clean from breast milk residue and that all of the pieces are lined up properly to ensure the best suction strength.

It is also possible for the pumps to leak from time to time. To avoid this, make sure they are properly positioned on your nipples and stay generally upright while pumping (sorry, no hand stands!).

Noise Rating

The Elvie pump is built to be as discrete as possible and is one of the quietest pumps I have used. It is a wonderful option for working mamas out there or anyone who would like to be able to pump while grocery shopping, eating out, etc.

While it is certainly quiet, it is not “silent.” If anyone asks about a faint sound, you can simply say it’s a medical device you’re wearing. These are convenient for nurse or doctor moms who are in and out with patients, teachers in classrooms, work from home moms, and others with professions where it’s challenging to find a quiet place to pump during work hours.

I have pumped with others in the room and even with in laws in a car without the radio on. My mother-in-law has said I am like a pumping Ninja with these bad boys, and she can never tell! I recommend getting a bulky sweater to help muffle the sound if you plan on being in a silent room with others (like a meeting). Also, they are quite large in your shirt, so something baggy and un-form fitting is most discrete for me. A nursing cover like this one would be great as well.

You can hear the Elvie pump sound here:

Travel Rating

It goes without saying this pump is super travel friendly. I use very frequently when I am driving my car. I have a portable hospital grade pump as well (a Spectra S1), but I would never pump with it while driving because the tubes and big bottles hanging off of your chest would definitely get in the way and be unsafe. This is not the case with Elvies. In fact, I find pumping while driving to be amazing as a busy mom because it is kind of “wasted” time to me and when I get to my destination, pumping is one thing right off my plate already. Win win win!

The battery charges in about 2 hours and should last for 2.5 hours or 5-6 pumping sessions. You will get a low battery warning if you are using the app while pumping or a red light glows at the top to let you know to recharge soon.

These are very easy to pack up, light weight, and quiet pumps that you can really take anywhere.

Technology Rating

Technology is really where the Elvies shine! They have an awesome app that helps you keep track of your pumping. You can see my Insights and a few of my pumping session details in the pictures below. When you finish pumping the pumps actually measure how much milk they think you’ve produced, and you can change the measurement if inaccurate. At first, I did find the measurements to be off but the more I used and corrected the measurements they have become more and more accurate.

I’m in awe that I’ve spent six days of my life using my Elvies as my secondary pump. First of all, wow- moms are amazing, and second, come on right boob you can do it!

The pumps also have new “SmartRhythms” available on iOS that allow you use into one of the following rhythms:

Multi Switch to maximize output – this is essentially similar to power pumping and switches the pump automatically between stimulation and pumping to get more milk
Express and collect – for those with heavier let downs
Slow and Gentle – great for more sensitive nipples. I was sick a few months ago and Elvies were the absolutely only thing I wanted anywhere near my boobs with because they are already more gentle!

If you have the dual pumps, each one can be on it’s own SmartRhythm. I appreciate that this pump manufacturer is learning from moms and improving their products and technology to better suit our needs. Power pumping is a very popular way to increase your supply, so automating this process and taking something off our plates was awesome. Thanks for hearing us, Elvie!

Overall Rating

I love how these pumps help me balance feeding my little one and still being able to have a life. These allow me to pump without being tied to a wall or finding somewhere private and to me, that’s absolutely priceless. I feel empowered using my Elvies to continue pumping when changes in my schedule, work issues, or really anything else could get in the way. It’s absolutely one of the best options for working moms.

They offer fantastic technology and help me stay aware of my body and motivated. I am grateful that the company keeps improving and sticking behind their product. I used my Elvies before my son was born to collect colostrum and will absolutely be using them to continue our breast-feeding journey.

Let me know if you’re curious about anything Elvie related. I am always happy to help!

Pumping

Spectra – S1 Review

March 7, 2023August 18, 2023 dgill885

Spectra S1 Overview

The Spectra – S1 Plus Premier Rechargeable double breast pump is a portable hospital strength electric pump with adjustable suction levels and a convenient rechargeable battery. It can be used as either a single or double pump and easily switches between the two. Despite weighing only 3 pounds, it still offers a suction strength of up to 270 mmHg, a built-in night light, LCD screen, and battery. The milk and pump are separated by a physical back flow protector- ensuring a more hygienic pumping environment.

The Spectra S1 and Spectra S2 are essentially the same pump except for two main differences. The S1 is blue while the S2 is pink, and secondly, the S1 comes with a rechargeable battery whereas the S2 requires being plugged into a wall outlet for power. This makes the S1 superior to the S2 if you prefer a more portable but still powerful pump.

The Spectra S1 comes with two of each of the following items in the box:

Bottles, with caps and nipples
Back-flow protectors
Pump tubing
24 mm flanges
28 mm flanges

The Spectra S1 comes fully equipped as a perfect starter pump for both first time moms and beyond.

Must Have Accessories

Lansinoh Breastmilk Storage Bags
Maymom Flange Inserts – Be sure to accurately measure your nipples and splurge on a few sets of these! They can seriously increase your milk output and feel so much better than just the plastic flange alone.
Pump and Diaper Travel Bag – You’re going to want to take this pump when you travel, and this bag makes it super cute and convenient.
Replacement Duckbill Valves and Backflow Protectors – In order for your pump to continue working effectively, you need to regularly replace the white pump pieces that come with your Spectra. I usually keep one or two spare sets on hand. You can find the full Spectra accessories store here.

Pump Production Rating

The Spectra S1 is powerful and can be used as your only pump. It has multiple massage and pump settings you can use to more closely replicate actual breast feeding. The bottles hold over 5 ounces of milk and are generally sufficient for even my largest pumping sessions. Check out Pinterest for some Spectra pumping techniques to maintain or increase your own supply. You should feel “empty” after using your Spectra.

Noise Rating

The Spectra S1 is relatively quiet compared to other pumps. You can certainly pump at night without fear of waking up your partner or (Heaven forbid!) sleeping baby. Unless I have the pump base close by, people usually cannot hear the pump while I am on the phone (definitely a win for anyone working from home!). Once, someone asked about a strange sound like a frog on the line, but I just moved the pump base as far away as I could stretch it.

You can hear the Spectra pump sound here at level 7.

Travel Rating

This pump was made with portability in mind. I can do dishes, do my makeup, walk around, and fold laundry while pumping. It’s so convenient to have the option to stand up and pick up your phone across the room while pumping! I have also used this pump while on week-long traveling trips with absolutely no issues. The battery lasted for almost an entire week without charging for one of my trips while I was pumping several times a day.

Compared to a wearable pump, I would not recommend using this pump while you are driving. The bottles and tubing would definitely get in the way or steering and seems unsafe. However- this pump is awesome to use while you are being driven. In this situation, I wear a large shirt that hangs over the flanges and hides anything from view.

Technology Rating

I give this pump three stars mainly because of it’s battery capabilities and adjustable pump settings. The rechargeable battery makes it so easy to move around even in the comfort of my own home. I honestly put on my pumps in the morning and then have the freedom to go make a cup of coffee or do the dishes (huge win!). Obviously, it is not as convenient as a wearable and you have to carry the base around as you move, but it’s a huge step up from literally plugging into a wall outlet and sitting there for half an hour. After getting a taste of this freedom, it’s hard to go back to being stuck near an outlet.

The adjustable pump settings “allows comfortable suction levels that mimic the experience of natural breastfeeding as closely as possible” according to the manufacturer. The pump allows you to switch between massage and pump cycles and has 12 levels of vacuum power. I love that it displays a 30-minute countdown clock right on the face and even has a nightlight built into the handle. The Spectra S1 automatically stops after 30 minutes has passed.

While I give it some credit, there are no “fun” frills here. If you’re looking for a pump to connect to an app to keep track of your pumping schedule or your output, this may not be the pump for you.

Overall Rating

At the end of the day, if I could only have one pump, I would be choosing this one hands down. The Spectra S1 is one of the best pumps on the market and has a huge fan following because of it! It’s a versatile, powerful pump that you can use as your only pump or in combination with a wearable. It has all the benefits of the Spectra S2 without the need to be attached to a wall all the time. If this is the one pump you can purchase or you’re looking to add to your breast pump bench, the Spectra S1 is a phenomenal option.

Expecting

Trying to Conceive

December 1, 2022June 9, 2023 dgill885

When we decided to finally grow our family, something kind of clicked in my head. As a 32 year old at the time we started trying to conceive, I considered myself an “older” mom-to-be. Even though I am not old, from an egg perspective I felt a new kind of nervous that I had honestly never felt before.

I’d spent literally years avoiding being pregnant, so this change of pace was more challenging for me than I expected. All of a sudden it felt like there was no time to waste to get pregnant.

Of course, so much of this is truly beyond our control, but I wanted to be better equipped with knowledge about what was happening inside my body. I wanted to know absolutely everything I could about my body and how I could help move things along myself. Enter all the smart trackers- and I mean all!

I count myself extremely lucky that I got pregnant after just one cycle of trying. I attribute it 100% of my use of these health trackers I am sharing with you. Even if it had taken me longer, these trackers would have given me more information to share with my health care provider to have better conversations tailored to me specifically and not just “averages” or what is considered “normal.”

This post contains affiliate links, but please know I have tried and believe in these products or I wouldn’t consider recommending them.

Fertility Tracking

If there is one health tracker you are willing to use for your fertility needs, make it the Mira Fertility Plus Tracking Monitor Kit. This hormone monitoring kit uses regular testing to show you your most fertile period and actually predicts your ovulation date. It even gives you a daily fertility score- can you say game changer?!

The tracker and app take a lot of the guess work out of the whole process. It even reminds you to take the test in the morning and which wands to use. If it hadn’t been for the Mira, I wouldn’t have realized that I ovulated very late in my cycle and was nowhere near what is considered “average.” I felt like it took a lot of the guess work out of the equation, especially after coming off of years of birth control. I had no idea what my own cycle would even look like.

Here are some screen shots from my own tests from the Mira while we were TTC. The information is pretty intuitive on the app. Your fertile window shows as blue and your ovulation date is marked with a green circle on the calendar and chart views. I can tell you from my son’s birthday these dates were spot on.

You need the testing wands that go with them (I used the Fertility Plus Wand and am now using the Mira Fertility MAX Wands). I will say you go through them pretty quickly, so make sure to have an order ready to go as you’re about half way through a package. Without a doubt, I will be using the Mira Fertility Plus Tracking Monitor Kit when we even think about trying again.

Smart Water Bottles

Do you ever wish you could keep track of how much water you drink every day? The Hidrate Smart Pro Smart Water Bottle is the perfect bottle to help you stay better hydrated. Before conception is the perfect time to start getting into the habit of drinking enough ounces of water every day because, believe me, you have to drink even more when pregnant and then again more if you choose to breast feed!

This smart water bottle keeps track of how much you drink and then even gently reminds you to take a sip if you’re running behind. The app helps you set a goal of how much water to drink and can then be changed when you find out your pregnant. The bottom of the bottle is a smart sensor that measures when you fill the bottle and each time you take a drink. The puck is also what glows to remind you to take a drink. There are six colors you can choose to have glow and i have mine on the rainbow setting because– well, why not!

For me, generally drinking water was a huge chore, but the smart water bottle made it more of a game as I worked to reach my goal. Since using this bottle my hydration habits have absolutely improved.

I purchased the 21 ounce bottle, but I recommend getting the 24 ounce version instead so that if you choose to empty cans or bottles of seltzer water into the bottle they can fit more easily. I was on a big seltzer kick and could only fit 1 and a half cans.

Fitness Tracker

Personally, I have always been a huge fan of fitness trackers. I have used one for years and years and they just keep getting better with time. Newer versions can even track sleeping and stress levels while providing you with in depth metrics.

It’s so important to stay active and thoughtful about your health throughout your conception and pregnancy journey. Having a smartwatch to help you track your diet, daily steps, and exercise minutes can be a huge motivator to stay on track for both you and the baby.

I recommend getting a fitness tracker as early as possible in your fertility journey to keep an eye of your personal activity and health trends. The trackers I have the most experience with are Fitbit smart watches. The latest version is the Fitbit Sense Fitness Smartwatch. They helped my train for a half marathon- why not help me through conception and then pregnancy! An Apple Watch is of course a great competitor to the Fitbit Brand and has very different capabilities.

The Fitbit app does have a period tracking section which can be helpful to better understand your cycles. It does predict your period, but I find it inaccurate when compared to the Mira.

Final Thoughts

Although fertility and health tracking can be an awesome tool while you’re trying to conceive, don’t forget to just have fun! It’s so easy to let it become like a job (especially when you know it’s your most fertile day!), but remember to let go of the stress. Good luck future mama, I wish you the best and hope these help you reach your own goals!