top  |  joggers  |  necklaces  |  baby blanket (similar)  |  knit blanket

My sister had her baby last week + we’ve been talking all things baby as she prepared for the big day, and what to pack in her hospital bag came up a lot. I feel like I say this a lot, but having been through 5 deliveries + hospital stays, I consider myself pretty experienced. haha. I definitely have my go to’s, and have shared a few of them here + here. So today I thought I’d share the ultimate hospital bag + a little trick on how I got my babies to take a binkie!

…FOR YOU…

granny panties :  This may come across as TMI, but it is one of my biggest tips, especially for those of you first time mamas that haven’t experienced the joys of post delivery. After you have your baby, you are given the biggest pad you’ll ever see, and some mesh undies to wear. Yes I said mesh. I cannot stand them because they are so loose! I am paranoid everything is not going to stay where it belongs, if you get what I mean. Cue the granny panties. They are big enough to hold that big ol pad, but tight so it stays right where it belongs and you don’t have to stress!

spanx + belly band :  These two are the dream team and the first thing I put in my hospital bag! In addition to bringing that added tightness for the pad, they are magic. They help so much with any back or hip pain. I also think they are the magic ingredient to getting your hips back down after delivery. I wear the duo for as long as I can during the day, and really only take them off to sleep for the first little while.

robe :  If you’ve ever had to stay in a hospital before, you know it is just about always freezing! Those little gowns they give you to wear are basically a sheet and so breezy. I always make sure to bring something warm like my robe. In addition to it being so warm, it makes nursing super easy.

socks :  This goes along with the last one. I am such a cold footed person so comfy warm socks are a must for me. Plus the thought of walking around barefoot in the hospital just kinda grosses me out. And if you’ve been around here for awhile you know I basically live in these slippers.

dry shampoo + makeup :  Having a baby means lots of visitors! While I don’t go to the extent of showering at the hospital, I do like to feel put together. Cue my go to favorites, dry shampoo + 5 minute makeup! So quick and easy, but you’ll feel more presentable for all those pictures that seem to happen.

water bottle :  After having a baby you need to drink lots of water! It helps your milk to come in faster and keeps you from getting dehydrated after such a major change in your body.

…FOR BABY…

binkies :  I know this one is kind of a given. I’ve had a few friends say they could never get their babies to take a binkie, and asked if I did anything special. I have to share my mom hack! Bring some of these gas drops with you to the hospital. They are basically just sugar water. I put a tiny drop on the babies binkie, and they instantly want to suck on it, because it puts a taste in their mouth. Really I’ve done this will all my babies and it has worked like magic!! Totally a game changer!

swaddle blankets :  I’ve shared how much I love a good swaddle here before, and I like to get my babies used to being swaddled from the very beginning. Starting them early knowing that swaddle means time to sleep can be a big help down the road when you are ready to sleep train or not if you decide not to do that sort of thing. (this became a huge debate with my 4th baby)

hats/headband :  I love tiny little hats for my babies to make sure they are staying warm too. I of course have to bring a few headbands too if its a girl for pictures sake. These headbands are about the only thing harper will wear + they are super soft and will not leave a mark on your babies head.

white onesies :  In the beginning I love to use these as outfits for my babies. So tiny, clean, and simple. I also always put one of these onesies under all their outfits. It keeps them warm, and doubles as an extra barrier for those blow outs!

outfits :  I can’t resist bringing a few outfits for baby! Dressing them up for the first time is so sweet and I love having something special to take them home in. These have always been my favorite! The fabric is the softest thing ever + the it’s so stretchy to keep baby comfortable.

I hope some of these things were helpful for any of your expecting moms. I’d love if you’d share your must have items in your hospital bag too! And then I can add them to this list!! Love you all!!

xx kails

(could you just eat them both up?!)

headband  |  top (similar)  |  bottoms  |  bench  |  bedding

This past week flew right by and it is already time for another round of our new feature, Favorite Finds. If you missed last week, this is a new series where I’ll highlight the things I’m getting asked about the most, and my must have finds I’d share with any great girlfriend! With Harper turning one, (cue the tears, you can read her birth story here) I wanted to devote this week’s post to all my favorite finds for Baby’s First Year. Having 5 little people of my own, its safe to say I’ve tested my fair share of products. From must haves for the nursery, baby gear, and sleep helps, I’m sharing it all!

…NURSERY + SLEEP…

When it comes to a new baby, SLEEP is the one thing I think every mom dreams of. Getting my babies on a good sleep schedule has always been a top priority for me. I’ve shared my 5 tips for getting your baby on a sleep schedule as well as all my tried and true swaddling tricks in the past, but wanted to share some of my go to products that help accomplish that!

• Dock a Tot: Ah this is such a life saver. I wish I would’ve had it for all 5 of my babies! I love this little pod because baby is safe and snuggly all the time. You can move it to any room in the house as you go about your day – which is what we do. We have also  loved it for traveling. Eventually when you go up to the bigger size it makes for easy transitioning to the crib.
• Swaddle Sack: It is no secret how big of a fan I am of this swaddle sack. I love it so much I did a whole post about it here, because its just that good. How I wish I knew about it/it existed before Harper. Its perfect for babies that don’t love to stay swaddled in a blanket.
• Sound Machine: I like to use a sound machine to help drowned out noise BUT to also get my babies used to constantly hearing noise when they sleep. That way, my older people can live + play and I don’t have to worry about the baby waking up. We love this particular one so much we have multiple for both babies.
• Rock N Play: I’ve had this since my 2nd baby. He was really colicky, had bad reflux, and would always spit up. Since my 1st loved to sleep in her car seat (or that’s where she slept best) we were thrilled when they came out with the rock n’ play sleeper!! All of my other four babies have slept in this wonderfully (for the first few months/along with in their cribs) but I love how portable it is so you are able to move into any room super easy!!
• Crib Sheets: I’m a firm believer that just like we like a cozy + comfortable place to sleep, so do our little ones. A good crib sheet plays such a big part in that. I wanted something soft and gentle on their skin, and my absolute favorites are these from Oilo. Not only are they such high quality, but all the patterns are so clean, simple, and modern. The owner, and my close friend Annalisa helped me design nurseries for both Harper + Houston, so she has a definite eye for design.
• Swaddle Blankets: In my experience, one of the things that helped my babies sleep was to be swaddled nice and tight. If you don’t feel like your the best at it, I’ve shared my tips for making it easy and effective here. To get the perfect swaddle you can’t just use any blanket. It needs to be lightweight and breathable so your baby isn’t too hot. It also needs to have some stretch to it and be a good size. These swaddles are my favorite because they fit all the technical aspects, while having the cutest patterns at the same time! They are one of my favorite things to gift for baby showers too!
• Binkies: This one is completely based on your preference, or really your baby’s preference. Some could care less about binkies, and some could be like a few of mine and be totally obsessed! These are our favorites around here and the best part, inexpensive!

…GO TO GEAR…

Whether you are a mom of your very first baby, or 5 little ones, traveling and getting where you need to go with a baby is not always an easy task! Sometimes you just need your hands free around the house too and these are my go to for gear in Baby’s First Year.

• High Chair: These high chairs are for sure in the top 5 asked about items in our new house. I’ve had 100’s of Direct Messages + Emails asking where they were from + my thoughts. I’ve had them for years and absolutely love them. They are so sturdy, I never have to worry about it keeping the grip on the counter top. I love that they are quick and easy to wipe down too! The best part for baby is it puts them right in the action with everyone else, which Harper LOVES.
• Stroller: A good stroller is a MUST, especially once you have more than one babe. I wanted something easy to set up + take down on my own, easy to maneuver in tighter spaces, and of course clean + modern. My favorite thing is how customized you can make it. It can be adjusted to be a single, two tiny babies, a toddler and baby, or two toddlers all in one. You can pick all the details down to every color and accessory. It seriously covers all your bases and we love it!
• Portable Crib: Since we were living out of state, away from family, a good travel crib was a must. Again something easy to set up + take down, and that is pretty compact for traveling was important to us. We loved this one because it is still really breathable. Living out of the rental for so long, this even became Harper’s bed for a good part of her first year of life!
• Walker: Harper is the first baby we’ve had with this walker and she loves it! It keeps her right in the action so she can “run around” with the other little people, while helping her practice those walking skills. I love that it is so easy to clean + takes up hardly any space when its folded up  + put away.
• Ergobaby Carrier: If you’ve ever had a clingy baby, you know a good carrier is a necessity. You can keep baby close and nuzzled in to you all while being hands free to help your other little people or just do your daily tasks. I love that the Ergo can be used around the house, at the park, hiking, anywhere! I also loved the Solly Baby Wrap when my babies were tiny for a more gentle hold.
• MamaRoo: This is one I’m sure you’ve all heard about, but it definitely makes my list for those first few months. It is perfect for when you need to put baby down for a little bit. They still get the rocking motion to stay calm or sleeping. Both Houston + Harper loved napping in ours.

…CLOTHES + ACCESSORIES…

These items may not be a necessity, but who doesn’t love to add cute outfits and accessories to an already adorable baby?!  I may like to shop for my little people even more than myself!

• Moccs: It is no secret these are a favorite! The variety of colors + patterns is endless. I love that they are soft on your baby’s skin but still keep them warm and cozy. And bonus, they are so easy to get on their tiny feet!
• Bows: My obsession for these bows should come as no surprise. They are my very favorite! Besides the obvious factor of how cute they are, I love the soft stretchy fabric so it doesn’t bother Harper.
• Pajamas: These are so good that as soon as I found out about their adult line, I bought myself multiple pairs. The fabric is out of this world soft. They are super stretchy so your baby can move easily. Plus they are so cute you don’t even have to feel bad about not getting baby dressed for the day.  LOVE them!