My Necessary Hospital Bag Essential

This blog is sponsored by AfterShokz and PTPA Media. As always, all opinions and views that I have expressed are my own.

They say that as a second time mom, everything seems to go a bit more smoothly. You’ve learned from your mistakes the first time around, you know what to expect and you know exactly what you need. This is absolutely true when it comes to hospital bag essentials! The first time around, I packed everything but the kitchen sink. I could have literally lived at the hospital for months with what I packed, but there were deffinitly some items I overlooked and I won’t make the same mistake twice! Curious what my unexpected hospital bag essential is? AfterShokz Trekz Air wireless headphones! Let me tell you why: They use bone conduction technology so you can listen to your music while still being able to hear exactly what is happening around you.

This means, you can play whatever music you want during labour and you’ll still be able to hear instructions from your doctor or midwife while also being able to drift off into your zone and find the strength to get through labour! I wish I could have had some awesome music blasting while delivering Zane! It definitely would have helped me relax and focus on pushing instead of everything that was happening around me.

After labour, what better way to relax than to drown out the sounds of the typical hospital environment with your fave beats, but still be able to hear your new little baby cry when they’re hungry or have a dirty diaper? The wireless headphones mean you won’t be tangled in cords or risk getting one wrapped around your baby, so there’s no need to remove them, even while breastfeeding or changing diapers!

Finally, because they boast dual noise canceling microphones which exclude surrounding noise, you can answer all your congratulatory phone calls from family and friends without missing a beat or worrying about them not being able to hear you! With a baby in one arm and an IV in the other, it wasn’t easy holding a phone up to my ear after my son was born to talk to all my friends, but with AfterShokz Trekz Air wireless headphones, I don’t have to worry about that this time around!

They’re so practical for mom life and you’ll find use for them even when you’re home with your new baby! Breastfeeding can be tough and somewhat isolating - especially at night. You don’t want to start turning on the TV because it will stimulate your newborn, so often you’re in a quiet dim and dark room for the better part of every night. With AfterShokz Trekz Air wireless headphones, you can bring along your favourite podcast, meditate or listen to your favourite song without disturbing your feeding newborn. Because they’re wireless, cords won’t be an issue and you can have both hands free to cuddle and nurse.

I know that the AfterShokz Trekz Air wireless headphones will be a lifesaver during my hospital stay this time and I’m so thankful that I discovered them in time for my delivery! Be prepared to see them in a lot of my hospital pictures!

If you want more information on these must-have wireless bone conduction headphones, CLICK HERE. They make a great gift for anyone in your life and an even better gift for yourself :).

My #1 Recommended Toy for Babies

I get to try out a lot of baby and children's toys on my blog and although I only write about the ones that pass the Zane test, every once and a while I come across something that blows the rest away, and the Zany Zoo is that product (and no it's not because it's named after Zane lol). We first came across this toy at a friend's house during a play date. I sat back and watched Zane sit up for the first time unassisted and play with this wooden toy for over 45 mins. What amazed me the most was that it wasn't a toy that had flashy lights, it didn't sing any repetitive songs... it was just his imagination doing all the work. I immediately knew that I needed one and since having one of our own, Zane plays with it every day. This toy is my #1 recommendation for a baby toy, hands down. 

Every side has something different and exciting about it: one side has doors that open and close, another has animals and letters, another has cylinders that turn and align to make an animal, the top has moving shapes and wooden beads that slide along metal tracks. Zane spends his time crawling in circles around this toy playing as if he's seeing it for the first time. It's covered in bright and unique colors - with animals, letters, and different shapes and patterns everywhere you look. This toy is sturdy and made of wood, so I know I'll be able to pass it down to his siblings one day or other babies in my family. It has become his toy of choice and I loved it so much that I went and bought a second one so he would have one at my mom's house too!

Every now and then you come across something and really love it... this is that something for us. Because of the Zany Zoo, we not only discovered an amazing toy brand, My B Toys, but we found an incredible learning tool that Zane will enjoy for a long time.

Click here to learn more about Zany Zoo and to see the other toys in the My B Toys collection. They are available at Target and the Bay.