I couldn't live without....My Water Bottle (weekly line-up)

I know it sounds silly, but ever since I was pregnant with my now-15-month-old daughter, I've needed to drink a ton of water. First it was because, while pregnant, I would get dizzy very easily if I was not well hydrated (low blood pressure). Then, while I was nursing her, I just needed a ton of water so I could keep feeding her!

I'm linking up with a friend at Pursuit of Pink for this post.

Be sure to also check out my post about the importance of water and what I tell my color guard each summer.

About a month before having my daughter, I found this great water bottle by Contigo, at Target!

Features I like:

• It's 32 ounces, so I don't have to refill often
• It has a straw, which I've found helps me drink more water
• It seals really well, no leaks

A fun bonus, the white button "pops" the top up, which my 15 month old gets a kick out of (and she's done it a million times without breaking it!) while she says "POP!" quite loudly.

Do you have a water bottle or mug you can't live without?

Mom Posts: Nursing Friendly Dresses

One thing that saddened me about going back to work was that I had to buy new outfits and couldn't wear dresses anymore (most are not nursing compatible!). Out of curiosity, I tried on a couple of dresses I had worn pre-pregnancy and then during some of my pregnancy and they worked!!

Lauren by Ralph Lauren has a few dresses that are matte jersey, and the tops are crossed like a wrap dress. The two I have happen to also have rouching on one side that allowed me to wear them while my tummy got bigger during pregnancy. I tried finding some pictures of the dress but can't seem to find it online.

Here are two dresses that are similar to the one's I use. The cross / faux wrap top is what makes it feasible, combined with the stretchy matte jersey fabric (one without the other wouldn't work!). The dress below is one of the exact dressed I have (the other one is yellow, navy and white):

Find this White and Blue Dress on EBay Here

The first two dresses below are the same exact cut, but different fabric pattern. The other two are very similar and would likely work just the same.

Find the Blue Ikat Dress at Nordstrom's Here

Find the Purple and Brown Dress on EBay Here

Find the blue dress on Amazon.com here

Have you found any other dresses or work outfits that work for nursing and pumping? I'd love to hear more!

Mom Posts: Nursing-Friendly Swimsuits

We went to the beach in July and one of my realizations was that I needed a bathing suit that would allow me to nurse while at the beach. It would be such a drag if I'd have to run home to feed my daughter!

My mom recommended looking at Land's End, so once the swimsuit line came out for the season, I made a beeline for Sears (one of the only stores that sells Land's End) so that I was sure they'd have the style and size I wanted. Though, for others who may not have a Sears near them, they do have a catalog you can order from (or online).

Here's the suit I picked out!

With a close-up of the bottoms.

I have to say it was a breeze to wear this swimsuit and nurse my daughter on the beach! I used a nursing cover (that's my preference for myself), and it wasn't too difficult to make it work. If I were to do it again, I would probably order online so I can order a different cup size. I didn't even know that was an option!

You can find suits at Land's End's website.

Have you found other companies whose swimsuits work well?

Mom Posts: Nursing Tank Tops

Since my little daughter was born, I've been dying to find dresses and tops that are nursing compatible. The nursing specific tops aren't always cute and are often expensive for the quality and the fact that they're specifically for nursing. That got me thinking about how I've been slowly finding dresses and tops that work with nursing my little one, but that I can wear long after I'm no longer nursing her!

I figure there are probably a ton of moms out there with similar issues so I will post them as I come across them so you can go out to buy them too!

The first product I want to highlight is actually for nursing. I've tried a few different brands of nursing tank tops and the one's that I've found to be the best are actually from Target. They are Gilligan & O'Malley® Women's Cotton Nursing Cami. I have two in white and one in this purple stripe. They're great for wearing to bed, or for underneath other shirts. I also wear tank tops frequently in the summer so I wore these while on vacation at the beach so I didn't overheat walking on the boardwalk.

The other brands I've tried either didn't fit properly or they stretched out (the piece underneath that holds the strap in place). The Target one's, however, are thick enough that they don't stretch, and they aren't see through like so many tops nowadays.

What is your favorite basic top?

Product Review: Nespresso U

Over the weekend, my husband and I realized we had credit at Crate and Barrel that had just been sitting there, combined with the fact that we've been talking about a Nespresso for over a year. We'd tried Nespresso at my brother's house (they have the DeLonghi Lattisima Plus) and at a friend's house (I believe they have the Essenza).

So, we bit the bullet and ordered the Nespresso U Bundle with Aeroccino. It arrived Saturday and we are completely in love with it! We immediately set it up and each had a cappuccino. It was easy to use, and the Aeroccino made perfect steamed frothed milk.

Since I don't drink much caffeine due to being pregnant, this morning I chose a decaf capsule, added 2 pumps of vanilla Torani syrup, and some frothed milk. Delicious decaf vanilla cappuccino!!!

We also happen to have a Keurig, which isn't going anywhere. Being Italian, there is definite use for both a coffee machine and an espresso machine. Plus, with a baby on the way come January, I am sure there will be a need for caffeine in multiple forms shortly!

Has anyone else out there tried the Nespresso?