Some useful tools for new moms

As a mother of very young kids I remember the struggles I went through when becoming a mom for the very first time.  It seems that no matter how many books I read, how many wonderful pieces of advice I received I still had no idea what to do.  But alhamdulillah, somehow with the help of Allah, you get a hang of it.  And once the second child comes along you feel like a pro.  :)
I wanted to share some really nice and useful tools that helped me out a lot when I finally got a title of a mother.
1. NURSING COVER
This became very useful when I was outside the house (doctor's office, store, mall, mosque, someone else's house) or when I had visitors over.

And here is a video that shows you how to make it yourself

2. NURSING CLOTHES
It is also important to remember that you have to have appropriate clothing when planning on nursing your child.  I love wearing abayas when I am out but they are not exactly nursing friendly.  Here are couple of websites that sell maternity abayas with built-in zipper for nursing!! Very affordable as well

East Essence Maternity

3. CAR SEAT CANOPY

I found it useful when I was at the store or in public and the lights and sounds seemed to bother my kids a lot.  This way they slept better.  They are made of very thin cotton and obviously you can just use a blanket instead.  But these fancy canopies are cute and stay in place better because of the strap that is attached to car seat handle.  

Car Seat Canopy website

And here is the video of how to make it yourself :)

4. POSTPARDUM SUPPORT BELT

I have heard a lot about this invention from my family members who swore by it.  I bought one and found it not that comfortable to wear.  I gave up about a month after but keep hearing all these wonderful stories online and on TV.  They also suggest wearing it after a major surgery (not baby related) so it seems like it is really useful

This is the image of a very old fashioned, cheapest version but they have since updated it drastically.  They now come in different colors, designs and softness.  Its pretty much up to you and how much you want to spend on it.

Belly bandit webiste

These are just some of the items that I can think of right now.  Please share if you have any ideas that could benefit others.

If you are a new mom or going to be one, just remember that it is a very beautiful journey and what makes it so special is that you and your child go through all of the hiccups together.  All the sleepless nights will pass, dirty diapers no more, screaming and fighting..... well that does not end. But subhanAllah, Allah chose you for this important role.  Let's give thanks.