Blog

  • Our Basic Newborn Must-Haves

    Our Basic Newborn Must-Haves

    Here is my extensive list of Minimalist Newborn Must Haves. If you haven’t seen my video on it, scroll to the bottom and you will find it there! This list may have a bit more information and brands mentioned just in case you wanted to know a bit more of the specifics of our journey with our newborn. Don’t forget to check out my condensed version of this with more details on our diaper journey over here.

    I truly hope this list helps you make a more informed decision on which products will work best for you and your baby!

    #1 WHAT BABY REALLY NEEDS

    • Your Love & Care
    • Milk
    • Clean Diapers (started with a variety of smaller packs of NB diapers to see which fit our baby best)

    #2 SAFETY FOR BABY

    #3 CONVENIENCE FOR EVERYONE

    #4 CLOTHING (weather appropriate)

    #5 SLEEP

    1. Swaddle from hospital or other blanket swaddles- 3 weeks, it was great since we got to practice swaddling at the hospital then do it at home, kicking possible suffocation hazard- FREE 
    2. Swaddle Me– 7-14 pounds/ 26 inches, but i dunno if ours shrunk because he outgrew it so quickly, $33 for 3 pcs, 3 stages, others 0-6 for $25 material isnt high quality
    3. Halo Sleepsack– $25, 0-6 months, loved it, but arms out 
    4. *Halo Swaddle– $25, comparable to the dreamland without the weight, but we did not try it
    5. Ollie Swaddle– Great Material Oeko Tex certified, grows with baby, the velcro enclosure reminds me of the inside of the Dreamland Baby, perfect for controlling Moro reflex but I noticed our baby’s legs had started escaping and at some occasions esp at night this would bother him- $59
    6. Dreamland Baby Weighted Sleep Sack & Swaddle $89 + free shipping- our FAVORITE swaddle
    • Sound machine- Hatch
    • Pacifier- MAM (we started with the one from the hospital, then tried out the free ones from baby registry welcome gifts)
    • Black out curtains

    #6 TOYS

    Make sure to read my blog about Baby Bear’s favorite toys during this stage over here.

    • Lovevery “The Looker Playkit”– you really don’t need much toys especially during this stage, but having educational age-appropriate toys that helped our baby with his development which is mostly visual in this newborn stage has been very useful. So subscribing to the lovevery kit has been so convenient for us and up until now Bodie has been playing with these toys.  Not to mention Spirals, which has helped a lot during diaper changes.
    • Black and white cards / books
    • Mobiles- MontiKids (Get $75 off using this link) or DIY

    #7 CIRCUMCISION & BUTT CARE

    • Petroleum jelly*
    • Gauze*

    *get as much as you can from the hospital

    #8 MAMA AND HOME

    #9 MILK- breastfeeding & pumping

    DISCLAIMERS. This blog is solely an expression and documentation of MY journey as a new mom. 

    Cliché as it may be: our baby is different from your baby— all babies are different. My journey as a woman, wife & mother is different from yours— we are all different. My partnership with my baby looks different from your partnership— because surprise surprise, things are just different. I do not claim to be an expert in motherhood or being a wife. These are all my opinions, my own research and my own journey. 

    It is my hope that this blog helps you navigate yours a little bit easier. 

    This blog contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. There is no additional cost to you. This helps support the blog and allows me to help support my family too!

  • Top 10 Newborn “Must-Haves”

    Top 10 Newborn “Must-Haves”

    I still remember how it felt to have mentally absorbed that we were pregnant and was ready to learn about all we could possibly need for our baby. There are so many resources from blogs, lists to videos, and as informative as they all are, it can get overwhelming.

    So as I promised in My Newborn Must Haves video on YouTube, here are my Top 10 favorite newborn essentials.

    I cannot stress enough that my essentials may look completely different than what you may actually need. This just worked out for our family and our lifestyle. If you are an expectant mama or brand new mama looking for the bare minimum of what you could possibly need to prepare for your baby, this list is for you. This list is arranged in no specific order of importance.

    1. Diapers
    2. Wipes
    3. Source of Milk (Lactation Consultant)
    4. Safe Sleeping Space: Bassinet
    5. Burp Cloth
    6. Swaddle
    7. Carseat & Stroller
    8. Baby Carrier/ Wrap
    9. Clothes
    10. Electric Nail File

    1. Diapers

    We all know why we would need these, right? I think it is common for many to ask a bunch of these in their baby registries. We did not do that, and we have no regrets.

    Here is list of diapers we have tried:

    Initially we were very banked on using the brand Dyper, which are supposed to be the most sustainable and chemical-free diapers out there. However, we weren’t sure how they would actually work and fit on our baby. Not to mention they were subscription-based when we were having our baby, so it would be tough if we were stuck with hundreds of this brand and it didn’t work well for us.

    I am also glad that we bought a variety of small packs of diaper brands to test out on our baby to see which worked best on him. We started with using all the Huggies diapers we got from the hospital and baby registry welcome gifts, then all the extra Pampers our friend gave us, then Dyper, then Honest. We tested out Coterie as well by getting their sample pack. Lastly, we tried and stuck with Millie Moon diapers from target.

    2. Wipes

    We received a lot of different kinds of samples of wipes from the welcome boxes received from creating registries. If you are interested in seeing what else we got, make sure to check out my video on YouTube. My favorite wipes by far are the Water Wipes which are 99.9% water and contain nothing else but water and grape seed extract.

    3. Source of Milk

    Breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, your baby will need some kind of milk! All I can say about this for now, is that if you are a first time mama and will be breastfeeding, I HIGHLY recommend hiring a lactation consultant. I am glad insurance completely covered ours, because I was also hesitant to hire one. Hire one a month or two before your due date, so she can add you to her list and will be ready to be of service a few days after baby is born. Also, my hubby and I made use of the free lactation consultant visits at the hospital during our stay. Our delivery nurse was fantastic and helped me and Baby Bear start our journey of breastfeeding. Without these women, I probably wouldn’t be breastfeeding well or at all now!

    4. Safe Sleeping Space

    Baby Bear has been on an interesting sleep journey where he has slept in a bassinet, a crib and now his crib mattress on the floor. The bassinet was where he started after we came home from the hospital and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. We used the Moses bassinet on a rocker stand from Design Dua, and it served us well. There are many kinds out there where you could keep it right beside your bed, but I did not want that. I also didn’t mind getting out of bed, going to the bassinet and sitting on a chair when doing multiple feedings in the night.

    5. Burp Cloth

    This old school style of burp cloth is truly our favorite. If you are a minimal mama like me, I would rather have something with multiple purposes than have multiple things. We use this for wiping baby’s spit up, for our shoulders when burping, for sponge baths and to pat baby dry after. Oh, not to mention a bra protector when breastfeeding and a towel to pat dry my nipple after feeding!

    6. Swaddle

    You will be using aa lot of these at the hospital, and honestly we took some. We took two blanket swaddles which we used for the first two weeks. Although we had the Halo and Ollie Swaddles, this is how we started because this what we learned at the hospital and what Baby Bear was used to.

    However, our ultimate swaddle winner is Dreamland Baby’s weighted swaddle & sleep sack mainly because of its superb quality and beads quilted into them. We have found our baby to have his best sleeps when in this! (Use my coupon code MIKKA15 for 15% off your purchase!)

    7. Carseat & Stroller

    In this day and age, I think these are non-negotiable. By law, you need a carseat to take baby around in your car. And for me, a stroller is one of the most ingenious inventions that make our lives as parents so much easier! We chose to use the Agio Z4 by Peg Perego mainly because of its superb and incomparable quality and it’s 5-year warranty. We though these wold be very important since we knew we want more than one kiddo.

    8. Baby Carrier

    Another lifesaver for parents, well mainly for mom. I am all for carrying babies, especially during the fourth trimester when baby is still getting used to his new life outside mama’s womb. Wearing our Baby Bear helped me go about my new life hands-free while still satisfying the cuddles he needed. This also helped him with his daytime naps.

    If I remember correctly, I wore him during 3 day time naps and had him in his bassinet the rest of the naps (and bedtime of course). We love the Baby Bjorn Carrier Free so much that I got my husband his own for our anniversary! Although quite pricey, I found it to be worth it and love the airy material that doesn’t catch lint or dog hair! Watch out for second hand websites, like Mercari or Poshmark since they have good deals on carriers like this.

    I also tried using a Solly Wrap the first two months with baby, but truly found a carrier with form to be the most convenient for me.

    9. Clothes

    It goes without saying.. we all need clothes. Just the right amount. Zippers are our friends, multiple buttons are our enemies. Do not buy too many Newborn sized clothes. Onesies are the best.

    10. Electric Nail File

    This one may sound like such a random item but it is not. Cutting baby’s nails is one of the scariest and ickiest tasks that no parent wants to do. But with the help of this electric nail file, getting rid of long nails is a breeze and almost fun. We had no idea about this, and I started out filing baby’s nails with an adult nail file (because the baby ones suck!) Not until this company reached out and offered to have us try it out, I realized how this was definitely a necessity.

    Because we live in such a modern world, there’s really so much cool stuff out there that make parenthood so much better. So, here are five more BONUS must haves I just couldn’t leave out.

    1. Sound Machine
    2. Breast Pump
    3. Milk Storage Bags
    4. Nipple Butter
    5. Stain Remover

    11. Sound Machine

    This Hatch sound machine helped us tremendously in putting our baby to sleep. Essentially the white noise is supposed to mimic the sound babies hear when they were in mama’s womb. Hence, they are conditioned to feel comfort by the sound of this muffled noise.

    12. Breast Pump

    If you plan on breast feeding, the breast pump can be a friend in many ways. My Medela Pump in Style came very handy in helping create a demand for my breast milk. Simply put, the supply of breast milk will depend on the demand. The more demand, the more supply. For me, pumping helped mainly in two ways, to relieve my really full boob from some milk and to be able to store some in the freezer because trust me the frozen supply came in handy during unforeseen times that Mama Bear needed to be out without baby during feedings. It also gave my husband the chance to feed my milk using a bottle.

    13. Milk Storage Bags

    If you are storing breast milk.. for whatever reason you have, these milk storage bags will come in handy. There are a lot of videos about which bag is best, but honestly I took the leap of faith and used the Medela milk storage bags since we were using Medela bottles and the pump already. After almost five months of using these, I still have no complaints. I usually store 3.5oz in each bag max (even though it can hold up to 6oz, just because this is the average my baby drinks out of a bottle, if we need more and I am home, in addition I just feed him from the breast. If I am not home, then we get from another bag. I also have some bags with just and ounce or two in them because that’s what I was able to pump at that time.

    14. Nipple Butter

    Because I am all for organic, clean and high quality ingredients, I decided to make a nipple butter myself. If you didn’t know, I have a small business, Raw byRoque, where I sell certified vegan and cruelty-free soaps and other body products. Ac couple of my favorite things about this butter is that all the ingredients are safe for baby and for ingestion (not that I recommend eating this butter!) What this means to Mama is that this saves your nipples from cracking and you do not need to wipe it off before feeding baby (also, it is easily absorbed by your skin anyway!) Also, this can double as a Baby Booty Butter as well!

    15. Stain Remover

    We did not have this Puracy Stain Remover till we had our first blow out a week after Baby Bear was born. Our super duper awesome neighbor helped us clean out the stain and gifted us with this natural stain remover. We have ordered a bunch ourselves since then. It does exactly what it needs to do with the bonus of being made with plant enzymes.

    That is all folks. I tried my hardest to keep this as short as possible while giving you my honest and unprofessional insight as a first time mama who likes to live a bit simple, use things useful and keep things classy. Let me know your thoughts on my essentials and please do share what you have found super important in your newborn journey in the comment section below!

    If you haven’t yet, don’t forget to subscribe to my blog so you get notified when new posts come in and I promise you will not be spammed because Mama does not have time for marketing emails. Check out my YouTube channel where I share some tips, product reviews and vlogs to hopefully be of help to you and your new mamahood journey!

    DISCLAIMERS. This blog is solely an expression and documentation of MY journey as a new mom. 

    Cliché as it may be: our baby is different from your baby— all babies are different. My journey as a woman, wife & mother is different from yours— we are all different. My partnership with my baby looks different from your partnership— because surprise surprise, things are just different. I do not claim to be an expert in motherhood or being a wife. These are all my opinions, my own research and my own journey. 

    It is my hope that this blog helps you navigate yours a little bit easier. 

    This blog contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. There is no additional cost to you. This helps support the blog and allows me to help support my family too!

  • Our Diaper Changing Station Essentials

    Our Diaper Changing Station Essentials

    What a precious stage it was to have our Baby Bear living in our bedroom! I am calling that Phase 1 of his journey. Since we spent a lot of time in his nursery nook, I wanted to share what our Diaper Changing Station looked like. And yes that is in past tense on purpose because we have finally transitioned into Phase 2- Baby Bear in his own room!

    I think our diaper changing area was a pretty simple corner, but I guess ‘simple’ is a subjective word. We had everything that we needed in hands reach and tried to utilize the dresser as much as we could.

    Remember that this is OUR version of a changing station. What our family and baby needs may not be what yours needs. So, if you are a new mama, by no means think this is a list of ultimate must haves. Hopefully though, my list will guide you in setting up your space.

    Okay, I am going straight to the point and listing down literally everything that is in our diaper changing station. You can check out my YouTube video showing you everything, a tour of our un-staged nursery nook, as well as a mini product review on some of the items.

    Keekaroo Peanut Changing Pad

    Cloud Island Flannel Blankets

    Panda Soft Book

    Lovevery Spiral Mobile

    Water Wipes

    Raw Diaper Booty Balm

    Clear Caddy

    Young Living Seedling Diaper Rash Cream

    Pyungyang Yul Baby Oil

    Babyganics Hand Sanitizer

    Honest Dry Wipes

    Millie Moon Diapers

    Hatch Sound Machine

    Light – TJ Maxx

    Dumpling Night Light

    Dekor Plus Diaper Pail

    Inside the dresser/table:

    Burp Cloth

    Frida Baby Nose Suckers

    Safety 1st Grooming Kit: Toothbrush, Hair Brush Comb, Nail Files, Clipper etc.

    (although we currently love using this electric nail file and wish we had it earlier on)

    Vicks baby vapor rub (that we don’t use)

    Flat Nipple Pacifiers: MAM and Ryan & Rose

    Bibs

    Dymo Label Maker

    Drawer Divider

    Cabinet Organizer

    Blankets

    Halo Sleep Sack (although we prefer using the Dreamland Baby swaddle & sleep sack now, use code MIKKA15 for 15% OFF!)

    Babyganics Multi-surface Cleaner

    Babyganics Multi-surface Wipes

    Triple Paste Diaper Rash Cream (I regret buying this big tub, we don’t need this although it worked when we did use the samples!)

    Dekor Pail Biodegradable Bags

    DISCLAIMER: This description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. There is no additional cost to you. This helps support the channel and allows me to continue to make more amazing videos!

    THANK YOU FOR ALL THE SUPPORT!

    ,
    , , ,

  • Is the Dreamland Baby Swaddle Worth It?

    Is the Dreamland Baby Swaddle Worth It?

    Swaddles are a baby must have and have been a huge part of Baby Bear’s sleeping journey. We would be lost without them. A huge thank you to Dreamland Baby Co. for sending us a weighted swaddle for our baby to try out, test and for me to give an honest review on.

    By sharing our experience, I hope to help you choose the right swaddle for you and your sweet babe.

    Welcome to my honest review on the Dreamland Baby Weighted Swaddle!

    Let me tell you right off the bat that the Dreamland Baby Swaddle is a YAY for us. So, YES the weighted swaddle is so WORTH IT. Although, if we didn’t get to try this swaddle out for free, I probably would have hesitated to purchase it, and I’ll tell you why in a bit.

    DREAMLAND BABY CO.

    If you havent heard of them, here’s some background on Dreamland Baby Co. It was started by a momma of 4 who desperately needed her son to sleep more hours at night. Fast forward she was featured in Shark Tank May 2020 and made a deal with Lori Greiner. Currently, they are a team of five lovely humans trying to spread the goodness of their weighted sleep products.

    I am a big supporter of women and family owned businesses as I have one myself. Here’s a link of Tara’s Shark Tank video below because her pitch can do more justice than I can. 

    Dreamland Baby offers weighted Swaddles, weighted sleep Sacks  and weighted blankets for your lil ones from newborn to 3 years + or about 30 lbs.

    THEIR PRODUCT

    Our little Baby Bear was only about 9 weeks old when we started this collaboration, so I chose the Dream Weighted Sleep Swaddle, which is best for babies 0-6 months old and about 19-26inches long. 

    What exactly is the biggest difference with Dreamland baby’s swaddles and sleepsacks compared to the rest in its niche? It’s basically a sleep sack with beads or what they call their Cover Calm Technology which no other swaddle or sleep sack has! The gentle weight of the beads naturally increases both serotonin and melatonin which in turn increases relaxation through deep touch stimulation. I imagine this to feel like a good gentle but warm enough hug from a loved one. 

    Also, they are Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 Approved: which means that the materials are certified safe from harmful, allergenic chemicals and additives which is always a plus.

    PROS

    So clearly i appreciate that this swaddle has the beads.. But, I believe my baby does too!

    Now, I can’t tell you that our now 16 week old baby is sleeping 12 hours at night, nor can I tell you that he had a hard time sleeping more than 4 hours a night before this swaddle. However, I can say that we’ve seen the most progress using the weighted swaddle during his day time naps. 

    With the previous swaddles, he didn’t fall asleep quite as easily as he has compared to using Dreamland Baby’s weighted swaddle. The length of sleep at night hasn’t changed all too much, but again it seems that the time it takes for Baby Bear to fall asleep has shortened.

    Other Pros:

    1. Builtin swaddle band, velcro inside
    2. Double zipper
    3. Zipper cover
    4. Snaps on sleeves 3 in 1-three ways, both arms in, one arm in, or both arms out–This is very important and makes this very worth it.
    5. Machine washable & tumble dry low
    6. 0.6 TOG is perfect for both warm and cool climates, perfect for where we live

    CONS

    A couple non-deal breakers:

    1. after 2 weeks of its use, we noticed the top part where our baby’s mouth would touch discolored, nothing that couldn’t be washed away but worth sharing.

    2. It takes longer to dry if if you wanted to air dry. We air dried it inside after its first wash, and it took half a day to dry. So, thank God we can dry this in the dryer.

    AND lastly.. Remember how in the beginning I said that if we didn’t get to try this swaddle out for free, I probably would have hesitated purchasing it? That’s because $89 is quite a lot when you are new to all of this motherhood thing and have no idea what swaddle actually works best for your baby. *points at self *

    But because I’ve partnered with Dreamland Baby, Ive got a coupon code for you! So, if you plan on getting their swaddle for your baby, make sure to click on the link below and type in my code which’ll save you 15% !

    QUICK COMPARISON | PRICE

    1. Swaddle from hospital or other blanket swaddles- 3 weeks, it was great since we got to practice swaddling at the hospital then do it at home, kicking possible suffocation hazard- FREE/ 
    2. Swaddle Me- 7-14 pounds/ 26 inches, but i dunno if ours shrunk because he outgrew it so quickly, $33 for 3 pcs, 3 stages, others 0-6 for $25 material isnt high quality
    3. Halo Sleepsack- $25, 0-6 months, loved it, but arms out 
    4. *Halo Swaddle- $25, comparable to the dreamland without the weight, but never personally tried it
    5. Ollie Swaddle- Great Material Oeko Tex certified, grows with baby, the velcro enclosure reminds me of the inside of the Dreamland Baby, perfect for controlling Moro Reflex but i noticed our bay’s legs have started escaping and at some occasions especially at night this would bother him- $59
    6. Dreamland Baby- the best so far, $89 + free shipping

    Now having used Dreamland Baby’s weighted swaddle, would I go and buy it ourselves:

    YES.

    We are actually buying the next size up for when Baby Bear is 6-12 months old, not too sure about using a sleep sack after a year though. However, I would like to get the blanket as well for when he is older, at around 3 years.

    HEADS UP! They have their Semi-Annual sale to celebrate their son’s (Luke) birthday, where you can save 20% off! Find your discounted weighted swaddle or sleep sack here.

    Make sure to check out my YouTube video reviewing this weighted swaddle, so you can take a look for yourselves if it is something that would work for you and your baby.

    If you are like our family where we appreciate the quality of a product, would rather have less things but ones that last a long time, and plan on having multiples, investing in a Dreamland Baby Swaddle or Sleep Sack would be a good way to go! However, you know your family more than me, so I hope this review has helped you make an informed decision on which swaddle would be best for you and your baby!

     If you are a new mama like me, congratulations! Also, make sure to subscribe to my blog and Youtube channel to get more tips, products reviews and a look into my journey as a new mama.

  • My Top 5 Favorite Lactation and Breastfeeding Snacks

    My Top 5 Favorite Lactation and Breastfeeding Snacks

    If you are a modern mama like me, you probably are more aware of the plethora of breastfeeding snacks in the market. I’ve been snacking on these snacks I will mention since the day before I gave birth and have had a great milk supply since then. I’m not going to lie and say that there were any changes in my milk supply because as I mentioned, I’ve been eating these since the very beginning. Also, the amount of milk we produce is not solely reliant on what we eat. It is actually most based on the demand, how much milk your baby is telling your body he or she needs. Stress levels would be another factor. So, keep those stress levels down and oxytocin hormones up mama!

    I want to simply share my favorite lactation snacks which unintentionally are from only two brands! The snacks are not listed in any specific order. I have no “top one” favorite since I snack on whatever I feel like snacking on! Find and use my coupon code at the end of this blog and get 15% off your Boobie Superfoods order.

    1. Boobie Bar

    Boobie bars from Boobie Superfoods are a healthy and extremely convenient replacement to breast-feeding pills or teas. They come in three different delicious flavors: Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip Oatmeal and Blueberry Muffin, arranged in order of my favorite. These protein bars have been a lifesaver ever since our baby was born just three months ago. Breastfeeding mamas, you all know how often we get hungry and how much calories are burnt when we breastfeed. The Boobie bars are a great quick supplement especially during those wee hours when its seems like only mama and baby are awake. It makes a great breakfast replacement as well. Check out its list of wonderful milk encouraging ingredients: Organic Moringa Leaf, Organic Cinnamon, Organic Shatavari Root, Organic Turmeric, Flaxseed and Whole Grain Oats.

    2. Boobie Body Protein Shake

    Towards the end of my pregnancy and beginning of motherhood, I was craving a lot of healthy shakes but did not want to start whipping out our blender and having to clean all those parts every day. Anyone with me? This is actually how I found out about Boobie Superfoods. I was in search for a healthy and baby-safe protein shake that would also benefit baby. I enjoy having this Boobie meal replacement with almond milk, but as I type this oat milk sounds divine too! Here are what this shake generally consists of USDA organic: Pea Protein, Moringa, Turmeric, Shatavari, Chia, Flax, Cinnamon, Maca and Sacha Inchi.

    Not only is this a pregnancy protein shake and milk-boosting lactation shake, it also makes a very healthy pre and post Workout drink. It boasts to have 19g plant-based protein, 1 net carbs/0 sugar, 1000 IUs Vitamin D, prebiotics + custom 11-Strain probiotic blend, including all essential amino acids. How great is that? It is truly the cleanest protein shake I have ever had.

    3. Boobie Bark

    My go-to snack to munch on are these organic crunchy, chocolate barks from Boobie Superfood. Have you noticed yet how I am a fan of the brand? These are perfect for me on-the-go. Also, these are very convenient when I don’t want to eat a whole protein bar but want to take care of the commotion going in my belly and get on with feeding my baby or trying to fall back asleep. I love how these are lower in sugar content too because reality is, I shouldn’t be eating cookies everyday if I want to lose any pregnancy weight. Just like the Boobie products above, this too is gluten-free, vegan, fenugreek-free, soy-free and non-GMO. Oats, Flaxseed, Moringa, Cinnamon and Turmeric are five of the superfoods included in this convenient snack.

    4. Munchkin Milkmakers Lactation Cookie Bites

    Now these little lactation cookie bites are probably the most delicious lactation cookies out there. Not only is the flavor the closest to a homemade cookie that your grandma would bake for you, the texture is nice and crispy enough to feel like they were fresh out of the oven. Just like all cookies though, this has a whooping 17g of sugar for a small bag. So again, not something I would encourage to eat everyday if you are trying to get fit. Although I certainly did this the first two weeks preceding our baby bear’s birth. Munchkin boasts that this is made with ingredients traditionally used to support breast milk supply: Oats, Brewer’s Yeast, Flaxseed. However, unlike Boobie Superfoods, these are not gluten-free nor vegan.

    5. Munchkin Crackers

    The only savory snack we have on the list: Munchkin Milkmakers Lactation Cheddar Crisps. These remind me of Cheez-its but taste a tad bit.. healthier? I especially enjoy eating these when I have too much of the cookie bites and need something that tastes different. These also contain the very popular breast milk supply enhancers: Oats, Brewer’s Yeast and Flaxseed.

    That about wraps it up for the snacks I’ve been munching on to support my breast milk supply. Although I cannot say that these indeed have increased my supply since I’ve been eating at least one of these since the day before our son’s birth, I can say they are great and delicious snacks to support my breastfeeding journey. It gives me peace of mind knowing that aside from eating more balanced meals, I get to snack on these treats that contain key ingredients to boost my milk supply.

    As mentioned here’s the link and code to score you some snacks from Boobie at 15% off! https://glnk.io/zz33/mikkajacobson COUPON CODE: MIKKA15

    How about you, Mama? What have you been snacking on and have you tried any of my favorite treats above?

    , ,

  • Baby’s Top 3 Favorite & Best Toys at 2 Months

    Baby’s Top 3 Favorite & Best Toys at 2 Months

    We’ve made it to month two of being new parents without much damage! If you’ve gotten the chance to read about our baby’s favorite toys at one month, you would know that I am a huge fan of the Montessori method of education. Be forewarned, most of the toys we use are very Montessori-esque. I love that the approach is so focused on the child, his or her learning and guided independence. It’s something I’ve always believed in which encouraged me to become a teacher right as soon as I could get a job (nope, currently not a teacher right now).

    Since our baby is still two months old, my plans to build him a homeschool curriculum are on hold until we get there. However, because I like structure, and it seems Baby Bear does too, we have two or three “classes” a day: Story Time, Music Class & Foreign Language Class. Yes, we are raising a bilingual child.

    Before anyone freaks out, these classes I have with my baby are simply intentional awake times set with age appropriate activities for the specific subject. Read on till the end to see how our classes look like.

    Our Baby Bear at two months is way more communicative than before! By the second month of a baby’s life, they enter into a world of patterns. They start to hear, see and feel them within themselves and the world around them. On top of their vision still developing, this is also that special time when they discover their hands, start exploring their movement and try grasping things.

    This is why I love sharing music and words with our baby while using toys that are size appropriately for him. Also, not only is he able to smile and coo along, but he is able to move his hands to the pattern of the sounds he hears. Every now and then, he is able to grasp one of the toys and fling it around robotically to the beat.

    Free shipping for orders $75+ in contiguous US at Lovevery.com!

    Today, let me share with you our baby boy’s top 3 favorite and best toys at 2 months old. 

    1. Rattle and Removable Ball (Lovevery)
    2. Wooden Rattle
    3. Wooden Black & White Book (Lovevery)

    Rattle and Removable Ball (Lovevery)

    At first, I had no idea what to do with this toy from Lovevery’s The Looker Kit and just gave it to our baby to suck on. I am glad that all the Lovevery Kits come with a guide for the toys, to help the parents understand its purpose because this toy had more to it than getting drool all over it… although the bumpy textures on the silicon seemed to interest him.

    I would use this for him to practice grasping and tracking. This was a new and interesting black and white shape for him to look at. I would put this above him then he would follow with his eyes and head moving side to side. When he would get distracted, I could simply shake it and the rattling sound would get his attention again. It was good to have this uniquely shaped rattle because Baby Bear seemed to be getting bored with the first few ones we used.

    Wooden Rattle (Amazon)

    If you read my previous blog, you would know that baby loves his rattles. This wooden one from Amazon not only looks different but also produces a different sound, which seems to fascinate Baby Bear. I love that it is made of high quality and baby safe wood which helps introduce him to a new and natural kind of texture.

    I mean there’s nothing more to say about this.. it’s a timeless wooden rattle.

    Wooden Black & White Book (Lovevery)

    What I love about this book from Lovevery’s The Looker Kit besides that my baby loves it, is that its quality is superb and is made with sustainably harvested wood. But our baby could care less about that right now, right? I like to make up stories starring the different animals in the book. Because I don’t have to read any words, I get to make eye contact with our baby while I tell him my story, which also helps me be more creative and expressive while talking. I think he enjoys being able to see all that and has fun talking with or over me too. Don’t get me wrong, we LOVE books with words.. all books. But minimal picture books like this, I have found, are a fun way to simplify and really bond with my baby.

    Make sure to subscribe to my blog to get notified when I post about our favorite books (with and without words)!

    Get your new Lovevery Play Kit through this link and receive $20 OFF!

    You can also get $60 OFF your first Monti Kids Program subscription here!

    As promised, here are how my classes with Baby Bear look like:

    Story Time (first activity when he wakes up after feeding)

    • make up stories with this picture book
    • read the books we have
    • tell him stories about the life we experience

    Music Class (before lunch nap)

    • sing (or make sounds) together
    • listen to CDs or playlists on Spotify
    • follow the beat by shaking the rattles
    • gently tap his belly, hand or foot to the rhythmsing (or make sounds) together

    Foreign Language Class- Filipino/Cebuano (after lunch)

    • talk to him about my day in Cebuano
    • ask Daddy Bear for a topic, and I talk about it in Cebuano to Baby Bear
    • read Filipino/Cebuano books
    • sing Filipino songs

    DISCLAIMERS. This blog is solely an expression and documentation of MY journey as a new mom. 

    Cliché as it may be: our baby is different from your baby— all babies are different. My journey as a woman, wife & mother is different from yours— we are all different. My partnership with my baby looks different from your partnership— because surprise surprise, things are just different. I do not claim to be an expert in motherhood or being a wife. These are all my opinions, my own research and my own journey. 

    It is my hope that this blog helps you navigate yours a little bit easier. 

    This blog contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. There is no additional cost to you. This helps support the blog and allows me to help support my family too!

    ,
    , , ,

  • Baby’s Top 4 Favorite & Best Toys at 1 Month

    Baby’s Top 4 Favorite & Best Toys at 1 Month

    New mama, if you are like me, you’ve probably spent hours scouring the web looking for the best toys for your baby, and it can get VERY overwhelming. I didn’t know how much I would love and appreciate the Montessori approach. In later blogs, I will explain to you why it was love at first sight with the toy subscription service Lovevery and why I also ended up trying MontiKids.

    Within the first month of a baby’s life they go through a lot of sensations- experiencing the world outside the womb, and all that’s going on inside their body and visual development- seeing and experiencing different patterns in the world around them. Babies at this age are easily overly stimulated but are also fascinated by contrasts. So, I decided to get a few toys that would be perfectly appropriate for the development at this age.

    Today, let me share with you our baby boy’s top 4 favorite and best toys at 1 month old.

    1. Spiral Mobile (Lovevery)
    2. Black & White Cards (Lovevery)
    3. The Rattle from the Links (Lovevery)
    4. Teytoy Fabric Crinkle Black & White Books (Amazon)

    Spiral Mobile (Lovevery)

    I had heard a lot of good things about this mobile. Lovevery reviews also show how much other people’s babies loved this. But WOW, have we witnessed this ourselves. We chose to hang this mobile from Lovevery’s The Looker Play Kit above his Keekaroo changing pad. Baby bear has had way more smiles and laughter on the changing pad than tears! Our baby can stare at this for hours if we let him. He talks to it and laughs at and seems to have conversations with it. We’ve already named him: Spirals. Need I say more. Even at 9 weeks, our boy still loves his Spirals.


    Black & White Cards (Lovevery)

    The black and white cards from Lovevery’s The Looker Play Kit was the very first toy that we introduced to our Baby Bear at four days old (photo in the center). I find it super important for us to have toys that are developmentally appropriate for our baby. It was so cool to see how his vision got clearer just by how he interacted with these cards. In the first two weeks, the cards needed to be really close to his eyes and tracking the card wasn’t that easy or smooth for him. But as he grew, these cards became so attractive to him, and they are so convenient for mama to use.

    Another reason I LOVE Lovevery’s Toy Kits is that they have a guide book that suggests ways to use the toys and what specifically it develops. Although each kit has a recommended age range, the toys can be used even when baby grows older!


    The Rattle from the Links (Lovevery)

    These links from Lovevery’s The Looker Play Kit are intended to hang on baby’s carseat or play gym. Each link has a specific sound, and Baby Bear loves the rattle. Believe it or not, since Week 3, I started having “classes” with our baby. In the morning right before lunch, we have Music class and after lunch we have Filipino or Cebuano class. In Music class, I play songs from my Spotify playlist or this CD and use this rattle to follow the beat while gently tapping baby’s hand, foot or belly. Music class is one of his favorite times (based on all his giggles and smiles). He loves looking at the rattle while his body mimics the beat as well. Also, because of that silicon gripper on the side of the rattle link, we also get to practice his grip.


    Teytoy Fabric Crinkle Black & White Books (Amazon)

    This really affordable set of six (I’m missing one in my photo… woops) soft black & white crinkly books is a bargain! Not only is this very entertaining because of all the shapes and patterns, it is convenient to have at least one in every room we use. We like to talk and introduce the things in the book to Baby Bear. As it is filled with a lot of patterns, it is also a great toy to practice tracking. Since it is soft, small enough and has that crinkle sound in the covers, it is great too encourage reaching and gripping. I also like to hold the book one way then start slowly spinning it one direction to add even more to the patterns our baby sees!

    This truly sums up what our baby has been playing with during his first month of life! So new mama, if you were like me expecting that my baby would know how to play on day 1, thinking he needed all the toys in the world, slow down. Do your research on Lovevery (and MontiKids), they will save you all the stress and hassle of going through the millions of baby toys all the companies have to offer. Go straight to what your baby needs, the right amount of toys to have at home and the convenience of well-researched stage-based toys directly shipped to your home.

    Get your new Lovevery Play Kit through this link and receive $20 OFF!

    You can also get $60 OFF your first Monti Kids Program subscription here!

    DISCLAIMERS. This blog is solely an expression and documentation of MY journey as a new mom. 

    Cliché as it may be: our baby is different from your baby— all babies are different. My journey as a woman, wife & mother is different from yours— we are all different. My partnership with my baby looks different from your partnership— because surprise surprise, things are just different. I do not claim to be an expert in motherhood or being a wife. These are all my opinions, my own research and my own journey. 

    It is my hope that this blog helps you navigate yours a little bit easier. 

    This blog contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. There is no additional cost to you. This helps support the blog and allows me to help support my family too!

    ,
    , , ,

  • Get Excited to Make Your Best 2022 Goals

    Get Excited to Make Your Best 2022 Goals

    I would like to assume we are all familiar with the New Year resolution trend, that is is set by the start of the year and ends about 20 days into it.

    In the last couple of years I have learned to set GOALS for myself rather than resolutions. Resolutions require making a firm decision whether or not to do something. How is one able to do that at the beginning of the year before the resolution is even tried. How do you know it fits your lifestyle, schedule or even character?

    For the same reason I do not agree with “dieting”. I want something more sustainable, flexible and life-giving. After all, Jesus came to give us an abundant life, life to the fullest. (John 10:10)

    Here are the best ways I’ve found to set up New Year Goals rather than resolutions and live a life of “get to’s” rather than “have to’s”.

    STEP & PRIORITY #1 Seek to know God more intimately.

    This is the most important step for me since every step after this would be based on my flawed mind and unstable feelings without this step. God wants you to spend time with Him and do His works first. Then, He will give you the discernment to see His purpose for you. Sometimes we get so caught up in thinking of ourselves and spending sleepless nights wondering about our purpose, that we miss the mark, that God unfolds our purpose in His perfect time. We just need to invest in our relationship with Him.

    Imagine being so pumped to start working out because it’s a new year and you want a “new you”.. You imagine that beach body and immediately sign up for a one year gym membership. You get to the gym, work out, day 1, day 2, day 3.. there are so many variables that can play into one quitting the habit of working out. But really, it is because our feelings are fleeting and when we don’t feel like doing something, it is so much easier not to do it. Simple. I. Don’t. Want. To.

    However, when your truth is based on someone greater, someone perfect and unmovable, even when you are weak, you have the Perfect One to lean on. Going back to the gym visual, day 4 we start complaining and losing hope.. maybe for you it’s on day 100. What was the resolution in the first place? We lose sight of our why and end up hating what we do. Rather than setting up ourselves for failure.. ending in grumbling, why not start by deepening our understanding of God? The more we know about Him, the more we have a deeper understanding of ourselves as His children.

    I love referring back to the fruits of the Holy Spirit when I am in need of a quick reminder of God’s character and how that would look like in life today. (Galatians 5:22-23)

    Love

    Joy

    Peace

    Patience

    Kindness

    Goodness

    Faithfulness

    Gentleness

    Self-Control

    Are my goals lined up with these fruits? How can I modify or replace my goals to better align with God’s word?

    STEP #2 Ask yourself these questions and put it in writing.

    1. Where has God planted me in this season?
    2. What are the blessings He’s provided that He wants me to nurture, to use or to share with others?
    3. What has been lighting my soul on fire lately? Do they align with God’s character & pace?
    4. Has God given me the gifts (time, talent & money) to support these?

    Double check by asking yourself these questions:

    1. Will my goals honor God?
    2. Will my goals help me love like Jesus?
    3. Will my goals draw me closer to the Lord?
    4. Will my goals give me space for rest?

    Since I like seeing my Goals in a somewhat creative and big picture way, I took note of my answers on a 4×2 foot whiteboard and used the whiteboard markers, so I can reuse this whole board the following years. I added God’s answers, list of what I hope to learn, photos, stickers and magnets. I see this every day and it reminds me to take steps toward any of those goals each day. It is a reminder not to waste the precious life I’ve been given doing other things that take me further away from any of my goals and the path the Lord has for me.

    STEP #3 Have faith, be encouraged and do the work.

    After you have laid out all your goals, seeing it all in one spot can get overwhelming. Remember, your dreams can be big because our God is bigger! Have faith because our Father can move mountains! For as long as those goals align with God’s truth of who He says He is, who He says you are and of what He says He has planned for you, BE ENCOURAGED. He will not fail you. Although the Lord may not give us all that we want, He surely gives us everything we need.

    Just like a loving Father, the Lord gives us our hearts desires. So, seek Him with all all your heart and soul, with all your mind and all your strength, and you will find Him. (Deuteronomy 4:29, Mark 12:30)

    The Lord will strengthen you. So, throw off everything that hinders and distracts you. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus. (Hebrews 12:1-3) The Lord will give you the endurance you need.

    Now, do you see why I set goals and not resolutions? Living and planning life with and through God, we will never fully see the whole picture at once, neither will we know how long He wants us to be doing something. We can plan and set goals, but ultimately the Lord’s plan prevails. (Proverbs 19:21)

    We can delight ourselves in Him for He knows the desires of our hearts. (Psalm 37:4) We can ask for Him to lead us there and glorify Him along the way.

    MY JOURNEY

    I made this Goal Board on January 7th. You can make yours any time of the year, when seasons of life change. It so happened that around the time the new year came, our baby boy was about 6 weeks old, and I was feeling stronger after recovering from my caesarean surgery. I was ready to understand more where God wanted me to serve. Clearly it was at home with my family, but as you can see I’ve got other things going on, projects and business I want to fulfill. This board has been up for a month, and just yesterday through a 40 Day Challenge with Jesus our church is doing, I was able to hear what God wanted me to do next while being home with our baby:

    WRITE FOR JESUS.

    It took me 18 days to hear what God had been trying to tell me.

    So, here I am, writing for Jesus.

    I hope you do your thing for Jesus too!

    , , ,

  • Baby Bear Turns 2… Months

    Baby Bear Turns 2… Months

    This blog is for you new mamas because I wish someone told me what motherhood would be like and what would need without having to try to sell me every single baby thing on this planet. So expect LISTS, a SIMPLE but CHIC lifestyle but not to the extremes and a whole lot of AUTHENTICITY. If you can already relate, don’t forget to to subscribe to my blog (I promise, you will not get spam emails from me!)

    I want to help you know:

    1. What you REALLY need as new mama & where to get them
    2. Things your baby bear could need by age
    3. The reality of new mamahood from an unfiltered POV from this new mama

    Blog experts tell us not to talk about ourselves in the first post..or any post really, but I just had to “Diary”. So, here I go.

    A lot has gone down and it has only been 2 months since our Baby Bear has joined us out here in the world. 

    A YouTube Channel, Instagram curation, planning for my seasonal soap business and my phone’s photo album filled with baby photos. Videos and photos, but how else can I remember all these precious moments we are experiencing? I write them down. Well, more like type them out on my phone’s notepad to be specific, while I wait for tomorrow to create a WordPress account. It is now 3:58am of January 20th, it is dark, the white noise machine is shushing, just fed baby bear and he is now back asleep and husband has just woke up from rolling in bed. Why hello, my darling!

    The only time I seem to get fully to myself.. and here he is telling me about his dream. Maybe I should blog about it? 

    Motherhood. The most selfless job without pay. So really, an internship? Maybe, just maybe because we seem to not be fully prepared for the role, we work on it to get experience but never really get hired and get paid. But, at 2 months, so far it has been one of the most beautiful, bitter and sweet life experiences I have ever had, and I want to remember it all. 

    Nights like this when my stomach grumbles and I am always parched, hello breastfeeding.. and ideas flow within my colorful mind, I still would like to remember. All I could ever ask for surround me: a sweet loving husband, my adorable innocent Baby Bear and two loyal domesticated rescues. Not to mention a beautiful bed and cozy sheets. 

    Welcome to the mind of this new Mama Bear, thinking all things baby, wifery and trying not to lose myself between.. and praising God for every single thing!

    DISCLAIMERS. This blog is solely an expression and documentation of MY journey as a new mom. 

    Cliché as it may be: our baby is different from your baby— all babies are different. My journey as a woman, wife & mother is different from yours— we are all different. My partnership with my baby looks different from your partnership— because surprise surprise, things are just different. I do not claim to be an expert in motherhood or being a wife. These are all my opinions, my own research and my own journey. 

    It is my hope that this blog helps you navigate yours a little bit easier. 

    This blog contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. There is no additional cost to you. This helps support the blog and allows me to help support my family too!

    , , ,

  • A List of My Favorite Products

    (cleaner & kind)

    Join me in my journey to a more low-toxic and clean life, inside and out. After years of going back and forth in lifestyle and life changes, I finally understand more of who I am at the core.

    Slightly crunchy!

    The importance of quality has been put in the front of my mind and heart more than ever since having our Baby Bear.

    I will save the stories for another time.

    For now, here is a (growing) list of clean non-toxic and/or eco-friendly products I have grown to love. You will find mostly vegan, organic, sustainable, Montessori and Waldorf baby & mama products.. mostly made in the USA or Europe. Brands and products included are based on my personal experience, research and the EWG certification website.

    This article contains affiliate links.

    Pregnancy, Nursing & Motherhood

    Wellness

    Breastfeeding

    Fashion

    Baby

    The Play Gym by Lovevery

    Toys & Play Things

    Sleep

    Diapering

    Clothes & Accessories

    Gear

    Nursery & Play Room

    • Sprout Kids
    • Toponcino
    • House of Noa
    • Ruggable

    Dining

    • Serenity Kids (MIKKA15)
    • Busy Baby Mat (MIKKAJACOBSON15OFF)
    • House of Noa
    • Mimia Montessori Montessori Bib
    • Stokke High Chair
    • Sprout Kids Weaning Table Set

    Personal Care

    Faith

    • Tiny Truths
    • KJV Bible

    Home

    Cleaning

    Candles & Essential Oils

    DIY

    Self Care & Beauty

    Makeup

    • Crunchi ($10 off your first order over $50)
    • 100% Pure

    Skincare & Bath

    Jewelry

    Faith / Soul Care

    DISCLAIMER: This description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. There is no additional cost to you. This helps support the channel and allows me to continue to make more amazing videos!

    THANK YOU FOR ALL THE SUPPORT!

    , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,