New Mama: Recent Favorites

I am already 7 months deep into my second time around being a mama to a little one! Here are some things I'm loving that I didn't get to enjoy with my first baby.

Make the Milk! tea by Healthy Mama. Have you seen this brand at Target? I am always sucked in by the packaging but it's much more than that. As a nursing mom, this brand takes the guess work out of what is safe and not safe for lactating moms. I get so frustrating wanting to try some new medicine or vitamin and seeing "if pregnant or nursing, consult a doctor first" on the back of every container. This whole line is safe! My favorite is the organic tea that helps my milk supply. I think we have all tried that other brand of lactation tea and can agree it does not taste good. Make the Milk is delicious and not overbearing with the licorice taste, it's perfect. I also have used the Shake the Ache for when I get headaches and it works great.

Safe Catch tuna. The only fish I will eat is canned tuna and during my pregnancy I ate about one can a month, since that's all that my doctor would allow. I wanted to pass as much healthy omegas to my baby as I could without risking mercury poison. Now that I'm nursing it's still just as important but I'm too nervous to eat it. Enter: Safe Catch!! This is the only brand that tests every single can for mercury and only the lowest limits make the cut, because they have the strictest limits on mercury. The taste is great but the piece of mind is most important to me.

Smart Sheep Wool Dryer Balls. I have long ditched dryer sheets and fabric softener as they are loaded with chemicals and it end up gunking up my washer and dryer. While washing and drying Ivy's cloth diapers, I have to treat them with care to make sure they stay absorbant and hold up well. I love using dryer balls because I don't have to run the dryer as long (they are super efficient) and the more heat could slowly cause my cloth diapers to break down. (And I need these to last until we potty train her!) Wool dryer balls are the best (no plastic here!) for so many reasons: besides the fact that they are 100% natural, they are quieter while bouncing around in the dryer, they soften and fluff whatever is being dried, and I love adding a few drops of essential oils to my dryer balls for a nice light scent to my laundry. The kids also love playing with them and I love having one less plastic product in my house. Win win!