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Best Books for Expectant Moms: Must-Reads for a Happy Pregnancy

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 Pregnancy is a beautiful and transformative journey filled with joy, anticipation, and questions. To help expectant moms navigate this incredible experience, we have curated a list of informative and empowering books that cover a wide range of topics. From pregnancy health and childbirth to parenting and emotional well-being, these must-read books will provide valuable insights and guidance, ensuring a happy and fulfilling pregnancy.

“What to Expect When You’re Expecting” by Heidi Murkoff: This classic pregnancy guide is a comprehensive resource that covers every aspect of pregnancy, from conception to birth. It provides week-by-week updates on the baby’s development, common pregnancy symptoms, and practical advice for a healthy pregnancy.

“The Mama Natural Week-by-Week Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth” by Genevieve Howland: Written by a natural childbirth advocate, this book offers a holistic approach to pregnancy and childbirth. It provides evidence-based information, natural remedies for common discomforts, and tips for creating a positive birthing experience.

“Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth” by Ina May Gaskin: Ina May Gaskin, a renowned midwife, shares empowering birth stories and practical advice for a safe and natural childbirth. This book helps expecting mothers overcome fear and build confidence in their bodies’ ability to give birth.

“Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom Is Wrong–and What You Really Need to Know” by Emily Oster: Emily Oster uses her expertise in economics to analyze common pregnancy myths and provide evidence-based information. This book helps expectant moms make informed decisions about prenatal testing, exercise, and other pregnancy-related topics.

“The Fourth Trimester: A Postpartum Guide to Healing Your Body, Balancing Your Emotions, and Restoring Your Vitality” by Kimberly Ann Johnson: This book focuses on the often-overlooked fourth trimester—the period after childbirth. It offers guidance on physical recovery, emotional well-being, and nurturing the mother-baby bond during this important phase.

“The Happiest Baby on the Block” by Harvey Karp: Dr. Harvey Karp shares his techniques for soothing newborns and promoting better sleep. This book provides practical tips for calming a fussy baby, creating a nurturing environment, and fostering healthy sleep habits.

“Brain Rules for Baby: How to Raise a Smart and Happy Child from Zero to Five” by John Medina: John Medina explores the latest scientific research on child development and offers practical strategies for raising intelligent and emotionally resilient children. This book provides valuable insights into early brain development and effective parenting techniques.

“The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind” by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson: This book explores the connection between brain development and parenting. It offers practical strategies for helping children thrive emotionally and intellectually, promoting a strong parent-child bond.

“Belly Laughs: The Naked Truth About Pregnancy and Childbirth” by Jenny McCarthy: For a lighter read, Jenny McCarthy shares her humorous and candid experiences during pregnancy and childbirth. This book offers a refreshing perspective on the ups and downs of pregnancy, providing a good laugh and a sense of camaraderie.

“The Mother of All Pregnancy Books: An All-Canadian Guide to Conception, Birth, and Everything in Between” by Ann Douglas: This Canadian-authored guide covers a wide range of pregnancy topics, including nutrition, prenatal testing, and preparing for childbirth. It provides practical advice and support tailored to the Canadian healthcare system.

These must-read books for expectant moms cover various aspects of pregnancy, childbirth, parenting, and emotional well-being. Whether you’re seeking practical advice, evidence-based information, empowering birth stories, or a good laugh, these books will guide you through your pregnancy journey and help you embrace this transformative experience with confidence and joy. Remember, knowledge is power, and by equipping yourself with valuable insights, you can create a happy and fulfilling pregnancy for both you and your baby.

With so much information out there, don’t forget that your maternal instinct and your own life experiences are the best guides.

Love,

The Stork Bag Team

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Baby shower gift boxes and more

Hello and welcome to November everyone.

As we approach the winter holidays, we thought, that together with offering you the option of shopping for a Baby Shower Gift Box, we should also offer you some tips on how to take the stress out of planning a Baby Shower.

We were very lucky to be contacted by the wonderful people @porch.com and have a very helpful article for us to publish it on our blog.

As the busy season is really coming fast, don’t forget that we also offer Baby fashion on top of our Pregnancy Gift Boxes and Baby Shower Gift boxes.

So, without further delay, please enjoy this wonderful and useful article.

Take the Stress out of Planning a Home Baby Shower 

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Pregnancy is a beautiful stage in the life of the parents-to-be that can bring joy and happiness. Still, it can also create nervousness and be overwhelming, especially when planning a baby shower at home, since it requires a lot of time and preparation in advance, not to mention the expense that this represents in an already tight budget.  

This guide offers you a variety of helpful tips that can be a solution to taking the stress out of your baby shower planning experience. Read on to learn more party organization tips, the most common stressors parents face when throwing a baby shower at home, and practical advice on tackling them. 

Table of Contents 

Baby shower planning guide 

Setting up a budget 

Picking a date & time 

Decide indoors or outdoors 

Make a guest list and send invitations 

Pick games and activities 

Choose hassle-free food options 

Top baby shower planning stressors and tips for beating them 

  1. Stressor: Budget 
  1. Stressor: Not having enough help 
  1. Stressor: Guest list 
  1. Stressor: Time 
  1. Stressor: Cleaning after the event 

Extra stress relieving tips to pamper mom 

Baby shower planning guide 

There are many things to consider when you’re planning to host a home baby shower. Here are some key party organization tips and ideas you’ll want to remember to ensure that your shower is a success. 

Setting a budget 

Before you set a date or send invitations, come up with a budget for your baby shower and stick to it, so you don’t overspend. 

  • Make a list of the things you’ll need, like food, drinks, decorations, etc. Then, come up with an approximate cost for each item and with the total amount to be spent. Adjust to your possibilities and try not to exceed the estimated cost you already have. 
  • Keep your guest list limited to help you save money on food and drinks. 
  • If you feel like you are going to need to exceed your budget limit, ask your closest friends and relatives to bring a side dish, snack, or drink to reduce your food costs and help keep your event budgeting in line. 

Picking a date & time 

  • Most expectant parents typically host their baby shower between the 28th and 30th week of pregnancy, but you can also choose to have it earlier in the pregnancy. Decide how far along you want to be before you select a date. 
  • If you want to have a gender reveal, plan to include it during your shower to save the extra cost and hassle of planning and hosting an additional event for this purpose.   
  • You can also host an after-birth baby shower if you prefer. This allows your guests to focus more on the baby when it’s already here rather than before it arrives. 

Decide indoors or outdoors 

  • If the weather is nice, hosting the baby shower party in your backyard will give you more room for guests and require fewer decorations. Hiring a landscaper to get your backyard in shape right before the event date is a great idea that will help reduce the stress of taking care of mowing the lawn and removing any unwanted weeds by yourself. 
  •  Hosting the party inside will allow a smaller number of guests, which translates into smaller costs and makes it a much cozier experience. 

Make a guest list and send invitations 

  • Plan your guest list early and save the money and hassle of printed invitations. Instead, design invitations yourself; look for online baby shower invitation templates from websites like Evite and Zazzle. These sites offer a variety of adorable templates to choose from, and they can be sent entirely virtually. 
  • Send your invitations online, and include a link asking your guests to RSVP online by a specific date. Getting your RSVPs online is much easier than calling each guest individually. 
  • Keep your invitations gender-neutral if you’re doing a gender reveal along with the baby shower to avoid spoiling the surprise. 
  • Don’t forget to let your guests know if they’re allowed to bring a “plus one” or if they can bring children with them to the shower. 
  • If you have a baby registry, remember to include that information in the invitations. 

Choose a theme 

  • Come up with a theme that is easy to decorate for. Choose easy and popular themes like baby animals, bees, clouds and rainbows, flowers, teddy bears, unicorns, “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,” or bohemian designs. Pinterest is an excellent resource to help you find easy and creative themes for your baby shower.  
  • Look for pre-made decorations you can buy at the Dollar Store or Amazon that you can just unpack and hang easily. 

Pick games and activities  

  • Choose to do low-stress activities during the party that doesn’t require a lot of extra work on your part or the part of your host, like fun printable items you can find online, games that everyone can play without requiring too many extra props or too much preparation. Think games like printable Mad Libs or a baby-themed word scramble are both great choices. 
  • Fill several bowls with some clean water along with three to five pacifiers and give one to each guest. Have everyone “bob for pacifiers” and see who can get the most within the shortest amount of time. Afterward, you can sterilize the pacifiers and keep them for your baby. 

Choose hassle-free food options 

  • Catering: If your budget allows, catering eliminates the need for you to plan a menu and cook the food yourself. There are many different options and price points available, and in some cases, hiring a caterer for your baby shower doesn’t mean you have to break the bank. 
  • Potluck: Ask every guest you invite to bring a dish to the shower. This makes it fun and interesting because you’ll get to try several different dishes. It’s also great for showers on a budget since your guests will help share food costs. Use cute, printed paper plates for your potluck to add a charming touch to the meal and to help with easy cleanup afterward.  
  • Self-service buffet: Set up a buffet-style party with different dishes lined up on a long table that includes finger foods and self-serve drinks. Serve the food in large bowls or on a few serving platters to make it look nice and professional without a lot of legwork. Decorate your table with some items that go along with the theme of your shower to take the experience to the next level.  
  • Dessert station: Create a custom dessert station with homemade cookies, cakes, and candy, so your guests can grab desserts and candy whenever they want to.  

Top baby shower planning stressors and tips for beating them 

Stressor: budget 

  • Make sure you set your budget ahead of time and stick to it in order to avoid overspending on things you won’t need or use.  
  • Design invites yourself, and send them digitally through email, text messages, or social media instead of printed ones. This option is better for the environment too. 
  • Plan your shower during a time that doesn’t coincide with mealtimes. You won’t need to make as much food when you don’t plan the shower during breakfast, lunch, or dinner hours. Offer finger foods and snacks instead of a full meal.  
  • If you have a dessert station, buy candy in bulk from wholesale stores, where you can find more affordable prices. 
  • Instead of expensive party favors, send your guests home with something inexpensive and yummy, like homemade cookies. 
  • Use printable baby shower activities and games that you can find and download online. This will save you lots of time preparing games that are usually finished within minutes. Remember, you can also ask some friends who recently had a baby shower to borrow their games.  

Stressor: not having enough help 

  • Ask a family member or a close friend you trust to be your second-in-command/right hand. So you can leave some of the decisions to that person and not be overwhelmed with too much. 
  • Ask one or two of your close friends or relatives to make some DIY decorations, like picking flowers from your garden and using them as centerpieces or creating DIY custom banners and signs.  
  • Borrow items like plates and bowls from friends. Even if you use store-bought cookies and punch, proper bowls and plates will make everything look fancier and more attractive. You can also borrow a nice glass drink dispenser and fill it with lemonade or mocktails. Not only does this look nice, but your guests can easily help themselves to refills.  
  • Delegate tasks like inflating balloons and taking pictures to family and friends.  
  • Ask a friend who has already had babies for advice on the items most needed when having a baby. They can help create the registry list for you, or you can also use this downloadable 2022 ultimate baby registry list to ensure you have everything you need to equip your baby nursery, and don’t miss a thing! 

Stressor: guest list 

  • Make sure you’re clear in the invitations that the shower is for adults only to avoid the added stress of making food for kids and coming up with separate activities to keep little ones entertained. 
  • If you have friends and family who live far away, have them attend the shower virtually, to reduce your food and drinks costs. 

Stressor: time 

  • Finalize your guest list about six weeks before the event date. 
  • Ask your guests to RSVP four weeks in advance, so you have plenty of time to plan. 
  • Create a timeline or schedule for your shower that includes games and icebreakers, serving food, and opening gifts. 
  • Decide what type of food you want at least five weeks in advance so you can book a caterer, let your friends and relatives know if you need them to bring a dish, or come up with a menu in time. 

Stressor: Cleaning after the event 

  • Designate 3 or 4 of your closest friends or family members to help with the cleaning after the event is over. 
  • If your budget allows, hire a cleaning company that comes to your home and leaves the place neat and clean without you having to stress about this. 

Extra stress relieving tips to pamper mom: 

  • Gift mama with a relaxing spa day that includes a prenatal massage, foot soak, and mani-pedi to help her get rid of any accumulated stress she may hold from all the event planning. 
  • Since most presents in the baby shower are for the baby, send mama a gift especially for her, like a set that includes bath salts, organic body oil, moisturizing lotion, baby-safe nip cream, and a skincare body oil that prevents and improves the appearance of scars and stretch marks cream. Mom-to-be will be super grateful to receive these presents! 

Welcoming a new baby into the world is probably one of the most exciting experiences you’ll have. Use these helpful, practical tips to host an awesome baby shower at home that’s easy, stress-free, and a whole lot of fun. Remember to incorporate some of the practical money-saving tips to help you stay within your budget, and don’t be afraid to ask your friends and family members for help. Get creative and come up with fun decorations, activities, and food so that your guests have an amazing time. With the right planning and by sticking to your budget, you’ll have a wonderful shower that you’ll remember and cherish forever.  

Originally posted on Porch.com 

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Six Tips To Stay Organized And Avoid The Toy “Home Take-Over”

The Stork Bag - Six Tips To Stay Organized And Avoid The Toy Home Take-Over

 It starts from the beginning. You need bouncers and highchairs and a few rattles and before you know it, your home has been taken over by kid stuff. Every square inch has books, toys that make noise and everything else. It’s so easy to feel overwhelmed and just chalk it up to “We have kids, this is how it’s going to be for a while” but I’m here to reassure you it doesn’t have to be that way. You can have your house back and feel less take-over by using the six tips below.

  1. Think in zones: If you ask most professional organizers what tips they have for home organization, one of those tips will most likely to think in terms of zones. This basically means putting things that serve the same purpose all in one space of your house/room. This concept can be applied to kids toys too!
  2. Create a “parent zone”: We don’t have any toys on our first floor. I couldn’t handle always feeling like I had to be picking it up so I slowly purged or relocated all the stuff. This seems like an impossible task, but try and create a space that is toy/kid stuff free. Start small with a single room and enjoy having a space that doesn’t feel cluttered.
  3. Accessorize: Limited space? That’s ok!! Stores like Target and The Container Store are helpful with organization solutions like bins, baskets and drawers. Even using small bags (like our reusable Stork Bag!) to keep specific toys together is so helpful!
  4. Purge: This is easier said than done but I like to look at purging as not a once a year thing, but an ongoing process. Every few weeks, tackle a room that feels overwhelming and I bet you will find things that can go away or organized into a more optimal space.
  5. Plan Ahead: A great way to help with clutter is to avoid it when you can. When kids have birthdays or holidays coming up, try and brainstorm non-toy gift ideas like membership passes or a fun excursion. This helps cut back on extra stuff while creating meaningful memories!
  6. Teachable Moments: As your kids get older, have them help in the process. Start small with teaching them where toys go and build to full-blown team efforts of room organization. This can help kids be more vested in keeping their room and home clean, and know where things belong so you aren’t always cleaning up toys alone.

Have any tips to add? Let us know!

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6 Helpful Tips for Expecting Toddler Moms

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*This article from our archives was written by The Stork Bag Founder, Ericka Perry.*

And then there were two…

Oh my, I have decided there are different stages of motherhood and each has its own challenges and solutions.

As a mother of a toddler and infant, I am constantly looking for ways to cheat time. I always want to squeeze out another hour from the 24hours in a day. It’s impossible!

I have learned that nothing is easy, you only get better at it with time. Don’t get me wrong, I love my kids plus the laughter in my home has doubled, the joy has increased and with two kids there is never a dull moment. But it isn’t easy, so we’ve put together a few tips for you.

Are you a mom of a toddler and expecting another baby? Well, here are 6 tips to help you:

Don’t forget that you already have a child. Anytime your toddler calls for your attention, make sure you give him/her your attention.

Kids act out sometimes. Refrain from blaming the toddler for anything that happens to the baby.

Have special activities for your toddler. Know what your toddler loves that can keep him/her busy for 20-30 minutes and use it whenever baby needs your undivided attention.

Routine and stability are important to toddlers. Ensure your baby’s arrival does not upset your toddler’s routine.

Give each child one on one time when possible. You and your spouse should exchange one on one bonding time with each kid. Daddy and toddler time, mommy and baby time; daddy and baby, mommy and toddler.

Help your toddler to feel important. When family and friends come to visit, let your toddler introduce the baby, and let them know that they have been a good big brother or sister.

This whole situation must sound difficult and stressful, but don’t worry – parenting two young children at the same time can be done. And if you’re ever feeling overwhelmed, don’t be hard on yourself – being a mom isn’t always easy! Be sure to reach out to family and friends for help, and to access parenting and community resources.

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Being Honest About What It’s Really Like To Bring Home Baby

The Stork Bag - Being Honest About What It’s Really Like To Bring Home Baby

Parenting doesn’t come with a handbook — and even if it did, there would inevitably be things left out. This wouldn’t be an oversight or a lack of transparency, because every child — and parent — is different…

Click here to continue reading this article on Chicago Tribune. 

Original Story by Emily Perschbacher –Chicago Tribune

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Adventures of Motherhood: Planning (Shared By A Mommy of 3 Under 3!)

The Stork Bag - Adventures Of Motherhood: Planning?!–Shared By A Mommy Of 3 Under 3!

*We hope you enjoy this guest blog from The Stork Bag Archives.*

Planning. Yep, you read it right! This mom of three under three had plans and NOTHING was going to keep me from them. The snow had us house bound for the last three days but I was determined to have the last say. We were breaking free from the house and I had my mind set on a day of outside fun and adventure for me and my kiddos. I was determined to plan a fun day for myself and my young children.

The night before I had done some browsing on the Internet to find a few things we could do the next day. I found an indoor hands museum for kids and right next to it, a new ice cream parlor with all the fixings that had just been built. Plus, on the way home, we would stop off at the Dollar Tree so the kids could pick out a new toy. BINGO! There you have it! My plans were totally awesome and sure to get me “oohs” and “aahhs” from my kiddos. As a matter of fact, these plans would deem me the best mom on the planet. Darn it, I should get a star on boardwalk after all the time I put into scheduling the day. (I know I’m a bit dramatic but bear with me!). I bathed the kids and picked out their clothes the night before and laid them down to bed by 8:30.

“This mama was on a roll and quite honestly, I was proud of myself. Adventure, here we come!”

 

My alarm went off by 8:00AM and I was determined to be out of the house by ten in order for us to arrive at the museum by 11. As I’m scrambling to get the kids dressed so they can eat breakfast, I heard my husband yell, “Hey honey, can you make me a breakfast sandwich really quick? I’m running behind to get out the door for work.” Breakfast Sandwich? Breakfast Sandwich? It wasn’t what I had factored into my morning 2 hour timeline but it would only take about 5 minutes or so to fry an egg and bacon right? So why not! I hurried up and dressed the kids and sat them down for breakfast while I got started on hubby’s sandwich. “Mommy my hair!” my two year old Chloe reminded me. She’s a princess in every sense of the word and has to look her best at all times. “Ok Chloe. Eat your breakfast first and mommy will do your hair,” I reminded her. I managed to get all the kids seated for breakfast as well as make my husbands breakfast.

“I checked the clock – 8:45AM. I’m still doing OK.”

Once I helped get hubby out of the door, I went to the back and grabbed the brush and comb to get started on Chloe’s hair. When I called for her to come here, she answered, “I coming Mommy! I ate all my food!” Well folks, that was an understatement. She ate all her food and apparently her shirt did too! There were bananas and milk all over her face, hair and clothes. This could not have happened at a worse time! I rushed to get her cleaned up, changed her clothes and got her hair squeezed into two ponytails. Her hair wasn’t particularly a work of art, but hey, it would have to do. The clock read 9:15AM. We were cutting it close but we could still make it!

As I got the kids ready with their hats and coats on, I realized I didn’t have my wallet on me. Where the heck could it be? I searched the house up and down and couldn’t find it anywhere! After 18 minutes of searching, I finally located it under the couch. As I got ready to place my 11 month old in her car seat, this putrid smell filled the room. What is that awful smell?! I went from kid to kid investigating the source of the smell and quickly realized the baby had a blow out that went all the way up her back. It had seeped out of her clothes and into her carseat. Welp, there goes our plans. I undressed the kids from their coats and got the baby cleaned up.

“I felt deflated and defeated.”

The kids were sad when I told them we weren’t going to be able to go because I had to run Haven’s car seat cover through the wash and we wouldn’t make it in time. I managed to find some ice cream we had had in the freezer and 4 measly maraschino cherries in the refrigerator. To spice things up a little more, I rummaged through the cabinet to find some sprinkles from the kids Christmas party 3 months back and let them use those as well (don’t judge me!). After we got our sundaes situated, I popped some popcorn, and we all nuzzled in front of the TV to watch Tangled. I felt awful – as if I had let them down. Here I was with these big lavish plans to get them out of the house, and they all fell flat, leaving us bound to the house again.

Right before I was about to sneak to the bathroom to privately sulk, my son Josiah turned to me with his ice cream mustache smile and said, “Mommy I happy! This is so much fun!” Those words penetrated every frustration I had had in that moment and completely melted them away. At the end of the day that was my main purpose, wasn’t it? Here I was upset about my plans falling through. I was so upset that I almost let the possibility of creating amazing moments with my kids at home slip by. Whether at a fancy new ice cream parlor, or at home eating ice cream sundaes with Christmas sprinkles from months before, the things that mattered most to my kids were that we were together and creating another memory.

“I quickly learned to be easier on myself and give space for the unexpected things to happen.”

Plans don’t always go as planned and that’s ok. Sometimes we have to make the best of the current situation we are presented with. Don’t let the disappointments of what could have been steal the joys of what is. The kids and I had a cozy afternoon together and I was so grateful to be able to still spend that quality time with them at home. The day turned out amazing… better than if I had planned it myself.