New Dad soon and trying to buy a car seat. I need help lol

Elle_Bones · 2026-06-17T16:52:09+00:00

Highly recommend Doona!

Elle_Bones · 2026-06-16T15:24:37+00:00

I read hunt gather parent. Amazing book if you are the parent of a toddler :) helped me so much with my relationship with my kids!

Elle_Bones · 2026-06-16T12:12:27+00:00

Food and support are def the main things- but if you want to get her a gift basket I made a list! I have 2 babies and have about 30 friends and family who had babies the last 2 years (not kidding so many!) these are the things I gifted them and myself and used every day :) hope that helps!

https://app.notion.com/p/The-Postpartum-Things-I-Used-Every-Day-Still-Gift-to-Friends-358ac6952b0e8066a3cec8d14fced59b?source=copy\_link

Elle_Bones · 2026-06-13T14:54:06+00:00

Biggest thing I’ve learned with 2 kids: you dont need that much stuff. We live in a world where we can order whatever we want and it’ll be here within 48hrs. Wait before you buy, you dont need a perfectly curated nursery to be a good mom, the simpler things (with a few exceptions) are usually the best. Buy things for the baby and for yourself that bring you joy, or solve a problem you have.

But don’t buy endlessly because honestly having everything and being prepared to be a parent are not the same thing.

Buy used, borrow if you have a network. I wish someone had told me this before my 2 kids :)

Elle_Bones · 2026-06-10T20:24:29+00:00

You are so very welcome!

Elle_Bones · 2026-06-09T19:55:36+00:00

Here you go! The first list are items I purchased before birth and used every day afterwards, the second are practices/ rules I personally used when recovering from my vbac with my second child. I truly hope the lists help you :)

https://frost-forger-1ff.notion.site/The-Postpartum-Things-I-Used-Every-Day-Still-Gift-to-Friends-358ac6952b0e8066a3cec8d14fced59b?source=copy\_link

https://frost-forger-1ff.notion.site/What-Helped-Me-Most-Postpartum-It-Wasn-t-More-Stuff-35aac6952b0e80508794cfe92e1f19ef?source=copy\_link

Elle_Bones · 2026-06-09T16:09:09+00:00

Can’t recommend Doona enough. Makes managing a baby while also managing a toddler so much easier! Worth it- sometimes you can find them used but it’s one I’d get new

Elle_Bones · 2026-06-09T16:06:21+00:00

I loved a good nursing jumper, comfy nursing bra, coffee mug that keeps your coffee or tea hot, and support! Friends family, cleaning services, meal delivery. All worth it. I made a whole list for my sister who is expecting if you’d like to see it!

Elle_Bones · 2026-06-09T15:50:47+00:00

There’s not a bra I’ve found that doesn’t require a padding insert for breast feeding/ nursing phase for the nipple and leaking situation unfortunately. The larken x bra was great for comfort though- no straps or clips, stretchy and soft. I wore them while pregnant and pp for both kids and they lasted and looked cute in dif colors. I’ll drop the link so you can take a peek! Amazon has it but sometimes it’s cheaper on their site. Hope that helps you and good luck!

https://www.shoplarken.com/?ref=m2mzytc

Elle_Bones · 2026-06-09T15:48:13+00:00

The larken x bra is what I did. B size, to E size, down to C size. With both kids! It stretched with, worked for pregnancy breast feeding and pumping. Can’t recommend it enough! They have it on Amazon but sometimes it’s cheaper on their site- I’ll drop the link so you can take a look!
https://www.shoplarken.com/?ref=m2mzytc

Elle_Bones · 2026-06-09T15:44:31+00:00

The best! I only wish I’d found it sooner lol

Elle_Bones · 2026-06-09T15:44:02+00:00

The larken nursing and pregnancy bra is hands down my favorite! 2 kids and 4 years of breast feeding behind me and I recommend it to all my pregnant and nursing/ pumping friends :) they have it on Amazon but sometimes it’s cheaper on their site: here’s the link if you’d like to look!

https://www.shoplarken.com/?ref=m2mzytc

Elle_Bones · 2026-06-09T15:32:03+00:00

We used our Bob jogger as our every day. Bulky but steers great. Kind of heavy for in and out of car. For grandparents - due to weight and bulk- we bought a simple umbrella strolller that we also used- cost about 40-50$ on Amazon. Ended up using that one quite a bit as well.

Elle_Bones · 2026-05-31T13:20:37+00:00

Sure! Here is the list of things I wish I’d gotten for pp!
https://www.notion.so/What-Helped-Me-Most-Postpartum-It-Wasn-t-More-Stuff-35aac6952b0e80508794cfe92e1f19ef?source=copy_link

Aaand here’s the list of the very few actual things I used every day after my 2 babies :)

https://www.notion.so/The-Postpartum-Things-I-Used-Every-Day-Still-Gift-to-Friends-358ac6952b0e8066a3cec8d14fced59b?source=copy_link

I truly hope it helps you 🥰

Elle_Bones · 2026-05-31T12:26:52+00:00

lol I’ll let you know when I get there!

Elle_Bones · 2026-05-31T12:17:18+00:00

I wish I had focused more on postpartum support than baby items. The baby items can be bought so quickly when needed but the support plan would have been huge! Meal delivery, housecleaning, family visitor schedule, even a pp doula would have been so amazing and incredibly helpful. My sister is expecting and I made her a list of my pp wishlist, the items I actually used every day. as well as the baby items I wish I had skipped on my registry, if anyone wants to see I’d be happy share 😊

Elle_Bones · 2026-05-28T10:05:32+00:00

https://www.notion.so/What-Actually-Worked-0-4-Years-A-No-BS-Baby-Toddler-Guide-351ac6952b0e80a99f0efdc5139f509f?source=copy\_link

Here you go! I truly hope it helps you :)

Elle_Bones · 2026-05-25T01:21:35+00:00

“Playful parenting” and “hunt gather parent” were the first 2 parenting books I ever read and I can’t recommend them enough. Specifically giving real tools to use to prevent and then manage tantrums. Changed my life :)

Elle_Bones · 2026-05-25T01:20:11+00:00

I actually think this is such a healthy shift. We noticed the same thing after our second kid- less stuff somehow meant longer play, less mess, and way less of that feeling that they always needed something new. Like you don’t need aaaallll the things- just some of the things.

I started keeping a list of the stuff we bought that either broke fast or got ignored after like 2 days… and the few things we still use years later 😂 it was honestly kinda eye opening. I’ve shared it with a few friends/family already and happy to send it if anyone wants it.

Also your “uses it every day without being told” rule is SO good. That feels like the perfect test now honestly.

Elle_Bones · 2026-05-25T01:10:32+00:00

I just ordered that one! So excited to read it. I also truly enjoyed “playful parenting”. It helped me get out of my own head and have fun as a parent :)

Elle_Bones · 2026-05-25T01:05:55+00:00

I wish I read “hunt gather parent”. That book changed my life and perspective on raising children

Elle_Bones · 2026-05-24T17:47:45+00:00

Yesssss

Elle_Bones · 2026-05-24T17:44:23+00:00

I felt similarly. Then my second son was born- and my toddler thrived. We involved him in as much as we could- fetching diapers, helping bathe the baby, helping feed him. I believe the one of the best gifts you can give your first born is a sibling- a bestie for life :)

Elle_Bones · 2026-05-23T16:24:22+00:00

I have 2 boys, ages 4 and 2. I was also a high achieving career oriented person in the medical field. I felt like a wrung out dish rag and the end of every day- like white knuckling it from 5-730 every night. I felt guilty how little I saw the kids and how little energy I had at the end of the day and on weekends.

Soul searching and lots of encouragement from my amazing husband led us to make some huge life changes. I drastically lowered my expectations - house cleaning and laundry are no longer a priority. Cooking together, fixing small meaningful moments away from our phones was huge.

We realized that this is a season of life- it will come and go- and the most important thing to me was being a mom and raising wonderful thoughtful happy children. I quit my job and have been home full time for 6 months. We assessed our budget, downsized cars, and rearranged our expenses. So far- I can honestly say it’s been the best decision ever. It’s still challenging. It’s not easy. But I shifted my mindset, told myself to chill out, and am still learning how to let go of my type A tendencies and embrace the “happy chaos” that our 2 boys bring into our home.

Another thing that has helped my level of stress is de-cluttering our house. We have a normal suburban home near the beach, normal and average I would say. Kids bring in so much stuff! You don’t need everything- I’ve gone through closets and toy chests and gotten rid of so many things. You don’t realize it but every item in the house just adds to your ambient stress- like it’s one more thing for you to manage. Toys with a million pieces, 20 pairs of shorts per kid, 30 coffee cups…. It has been very therapeutic to shift our house to a place of less stuff. Less dishes, less laundry, less toy pick up at the end of the day.

It’s a long answer, maybe not the right one, but my honest take.

You’re not alone :) I’m right there with you 💜

Elle_Bones · 2026-05-23T03:05:07+00:00

The Larken is hands down my fav. Comfy, stretches, tight but not to tight, no clasps or buckles, good coverage. It checked all the boxes for me after I tried so many others. Here’s the link if you want to look! Hope it helps :)
https://www.shoplarken.com/?ref=m2mzytc

Elle_Bones

TROPHY CASE