This post is sponsored by Target.
Notice I didn’t say they would make motherhood easy, just easier! If you are already a mom, you know how challenging motherhood can be sometimes. Whether it’s the long nights with newborns or the challenging days running after your toddler. Motherhood is definitely full of surprises!
I think the thing that surprised me the most about motherhood was how much my VIEW of motherhood changed as I got older. I had my first child when I was 21 and I had a wonderful, easy labor and beautiful birth at an independent birthing center. It was the birth and delivery I had dreamed of! The one that you see in pictures and think, “Oh I hope my birth experience is like!” Well, that’s pretty much where the beauty ended for me. I had an extremely difficult time breastfeeding due to my daughter’s inability to latch properly. I was unaware that I could seek help from a lactation consultant so instead I suffered from recurring bouts of mastitis and clogged ducts. I also suffered from undiagnosed post-partum depression which made daily life quite difficult. My daughter didn’t sleep more than 30 minutes at a time till the age of two and we are still unsure of why! During that time, when I would go on Facebook and see my other “mom friends” posting things like, “Oh I didn’t know my heart could hold so much love!” “I love being a mom!” “Being a mom is the greatest thing in the world, I don’t know what I would do without my kids!” I have to admit I felt a bit bitter towards those moms and I told myself they were lying just to keep up appearances and make all us other mothers feel bad. No, seriously; I really thought they were lying!!!
Fast forward 8 years and 2 more kids later and I finally know what those moms were talking about. Being a mom IS the greatest thing in the world.
Is it easy? Ha. Ha. Ha. NO! It’s not easy for anybody. Maybe some moms have an easier time than others but we ALL struggle as mothers and as parents in general. For sure, there are many products on the market that make the job of “being mom” easier and thankfully once I had my third child, I knew a LOT more than I did the first time around and knew which products to have on-hand to make motherhood just a little bit easier.
Lactation Boost
While I had a really hard time breastfeeding my first, I still breastfed her exclusively until she was 8 months old before I introduced solids. I didn’t wean her until she was 18 months and I only did it because I could not handle having one more bout of mastitis. Thankfully, I had an easier time nursing my second child whom I breastfed exclusively till he was 9 months old before introducing solids and he didn’t wean until after his second birthday. My third child is now 14 months old and we just recently introduced solids around his first birthday. No plans of weaning in sight yet. Thankfully, my milk supply has been great this third time around except for when I got bronchitis late last winter. It took so much out of me and my body was so tired that my milk supply decreased drastically for almost 2 weeks. That’s where The Honest Company Lactation Boost comes in. It naturally boosts breast milk production with organic fenugreek, organic milk thistle, and organic fennel. For less than $20 for a one-month supply, this dietary supplement is a definite must-have for all women who wish to breastfeed. It helps to support a plentiful, healthy milk supply and you will be more likely to stick with nursing for a longer period of time, which we all know is best for baby!
Nipple Balm
If you’ve nursed a baby before, you know the first week can be unpleasant. If you haven’t nursed before, let me just say this: the first week of breastfeeding is not fun. I’m not gonna lie to you, it’s uncomfortable and you will likely feel like quitting after the first 24 hours, but DON’T! Please stick it out! Just grit your teeth, persevere and slather The Honest Company Organic Nipple Balm on your nipples as often as you want for a little bit of relief. Once you get through that first week, I promise it will get easier (*as long as your baby is latched properly!) and your nipples will feel a lot better. Honest Nipple Balm is an organic salve that helps soothe the pain and irritation from breastfeeding for the first time. The soothing ingredients like Calendula helps to regenerate skin tissue so you can naturally heal from the inside out, while Olive oil deeply hydrates and soothes the delicate skin on your nipples. Shea butter and aloe keep your nipples soft, supple, and resilient so breastfeeding can be a pleasant bonding experience for you and your new baby. Best of all, unlike other nipple balms, this one is made from high quality, food-grade ingredients so there is no need to wipe it off before nursing.
Breathe Easy Rub
Nothing in the world is worse than a breastfeeding baby with a stuffy nose. I speak truth, ladies. It’s just not a good time for anybody. I mean, a stuffy or runny nose is bad enough but trying to get a baby to stay latched and empty a breast when they can’t breath through their nose is nothing short of sheer torture. I now keep The Honest Company Organic Breathe Easy Rub on hand at all times. This chest rub will naturally soothe your baby, helping you both get a good night’s sleep and an easier time nursing too. (No menthol or petroleum!) This product is not only great for infants, but works well for anyone in the family with sensitive skin that is suffering from congestion. Organic lavender and rosemary oils support clearer breathing and are both safe, effective and pH balanced. Just gently rub a small amount onto the chest and breathe easier.
The Honest Company makes a lot of products that I have fallen in love with including diapers and wipes as well as cleaning essentials like their All-Purpose Multi-Surface Cleaner that smells like grapefruit. Yum.
What products do you think make motherhood easier? Tell us in the comments below!
