Current Obsessions: April — Healthy Wifestyle

Yes, I was still pregnant when this photo was taken! 😂

I’m back with one of my favorite posts to write—current obsessions! Here’s a few things I’m jamming on this month. I’ve included a list of baby and non-baby related items to incorporate everyone!

NON-BABY

1. Beef Liver Pills

I started taking beef liver pills last year to help increase my fertility and up my energy at the recommendation of my acupuncturist at the time, Aimee Raupp. It’s not the best tasting, but beef liver (and liver in general) is pretty powerful stuff. Most of us don’t love liver if eaten solo (I’m one of those weirdos who loves paté and orders it every time I see it on a menu), which is why it’s much easier to take it in pill form.

Beef liver is a highly concentrated source of protein and is loaded with B vitamins, of which I am always deficient in. Those two factors combined are what initially sold me, since energy was an issue in the early stages of my pregnancy and continues to be postpartum (obvi, because who sleeps with an infant at home!). I highly recommend supplementing with it whether you’re looking to get pregnant, pregnant currently, or simply need a little boost! Here’s the brand I buy.

2. The Five Minute Journal

I wrote about my journaling practices here, but to be honest, I haven’t kept up with it since the end of my pregnancy. I realized the other night that I used to sleep so much better when I was journaling, and this journal makes it so easy to quickly get down your thoughts without rambling. I’ve started back up again and it’s really helped to ease my mind before bed, which is always necessary these days!

3. Fawen Soups

Fawen was generous enough to send me their soups, and I was so excited to give them a try. I was a little skeptical of soup in a water container, but after trying two of the three flavors, I’m totally in. I eat my lunches on a whim most days, simply because I never know when Lacey is going to wake up and I need something quick. The other day, I used leftover ground chicken with the sweet potato soup and it was delish! Heated up or straight out of the container, you’re getting great nutrition.

4. Naturopathica Calendula Essential Hydrating Cream

I loooooove this moisturizer. I don’t think I’ve ever had an affinity for a beauty product like I do with this cream! My skin gets pretty dry in the winter, but I have combination skin, so I’m always weary about using heavy creams or oils on my face. Not anymore. This cream is so hydrating and leaves my skin feeling as soft as Lacey’s bottom! I’m going to try out more products by this brand and Tata Harper as well—I’ll report back in May :)

5. Aaptiv App

In the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing more about my postpartum exercise routine. In the meantime, you need to know about this app. I used Aaptiv’s pregnancy routines throughout each trimester, and was in amazing shape even at 40 weeks because of them. Now, I choose between a treadmill run, outdoor run, yoga, or strength training.

They also have half marathon and marathon training programs, so when I find a local half to train for, I’ll definitely be using their program! It’s like having a motivational coach in your ears whenever you choose to workout, without having to schedule sessions with a personal trainer at the gym. I also can’t get to the gym most days (our nanny only comes two days per week right now), so it’s really helpful to have someone to motivate me when I’m home alone exercising.

BABY

1. Dr. Brown’s Glass Bottles

We’ve mostly used plastic bottles by Dr. Brown’s, but now that Lacey is up to the next nipple size, I’m so excited that we get to use glass. I don’t think the plastic is horrible, but like many other moms I prefer glass to plastic as its less toxic. Also, these particular glass ones have cute purple and pink covers, and are less likely to break when they get dropped!

2. Holle Goat Milk Formula

When I hear the word formula these days I want to either cry or scream out “whyyyyyy?” This is because we have yet to find a formula that 100% works for Lacey, and we’ve been trying on and off since she was less than a month old. She’s mostly breastfed aside from the few ounces of formula we’ve given her by different brands, none of which have worked because I believe she has a cow milk allergy. We’re going to a specialist this week so I’ll keep you guys posted.

That said, I feel pretty well versed in formulas at this point since we’ve tried so many. So far we’ve tried Holle 1, Hipp Sensitive, Baby’s Only, Baby’s Only LactoRelief, Earth’s Best, and Holle Goat. This one seems to be a winner thus far but you never know until a few days later with her, because her reaction is often delayed (hence me thinking it’s an allergy). I love the ingredients in Holle and HIPP formulas, especially because they’re all organic. German formulas are harder to find, but there are plenty of sites that sell them domestically. If your little one is having trouble with cow’s milk formulas, give goat a try. They could still have a reaction, in which case there are formulas that are super broken down like Alimentum or Nutramigen. Although the ingredients aren’t nearly as high quality, but the formulations really work for babies with digestive troubles).

3. BabyCook Baeba

To be fair, we haven’t given Lacey food yet (it’s happening Sunday!), but I’ve played around with this machine a few times and am obsessed! It’s so easy to use and will be great for Lacey’s first foods. We want to practice baby led weaning, but Lacey isn’t able to sit up on her own for long enough yet, so we’re starting with a few purees until that happens. My friend Julia wrote a blog with her fave purees and we’re going to piggyback off of her recipes and give Lacey one made with sweet potato, apple, coconut oil, and cinnamon.

4. Fisher Price Rainforest Jumperoo

Jumpers are the best. I swear, if I let Lacey entertain herself she’d be in that thing for hours! She doesn’t quite get that she can “jump” just yet, but it’s fun watching her try. There are so many ways to entertain her with the jumparoo that it’s a great way for me to finish things up around the house while she plays. It’s a must-have for babies around four months and up.

5. Tubby Todd’s All Over Ointment

You guys actually recommended this cream to me, and it’s been so great for Lacey. She has really bad eczema, and I tried every organic/natural lotion out there, including Aveeno, California Baby (which was great also), Mustela, and Tubby Todd’s. The latter works the best, and even though it still failed in the end to keep her eczema at bay, I use it for the dry spots on her head. I believe her eczema is also a result of a food allergy, which is why we’re seeing a specialist. Until then, I went to a pediatric dermatologist, and in order to cure what she has currently we have to slather her in this thick cortisone/petroleum ointment twice a day for two weeks. I hate that I have to do but it’s the only thing that’s worked!

That’s all for now. Enjoy dolls, and I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments if you’ve tried any of these products!