Review: NUK Expressive Manual Breast Pump

Roughly 3 weeks ago, I gave birth to my 4th child, a sweet boy who I planned to nurse fresh out of the womb with very little problems. he is my 4th child so I figure I know a thing or 2 about breastfeeding this go around. Well, he has thrown me for a loop. All breastfeeding babies are NOT created equal. Go figure.

First, he was born with a tongue tie. I am assuming from being born 2 weeks early but, I could be wrong. He got his tongue tie snipped but, still didn't want to open his mouth very wide to latch. when I would finally get him on to nurse, he would do great for all of 5 minutes and then fall asleep. I'd wake him up, relatch him (on already sore nipples!) and we'd continue this song and dance for 30-45 mins, every 2 hours.

Listen. Tired mommy + lazy breastfeeder = manual breast pump.

So, I strolled into WalMart and picked up a NUK Expressive Manual Breast Pump. (Linked to Target because that is where I read the reviews). WalMart had quite a bit to choose from but, based on the price and reviews on the NUK Expressive, I decided to go with it.

Price: about $20

I've been using it for about a week now and I love it!

What I like about the NUK Expressive Manual Breast Pump:

• Comes assembled and is easy to re-assemble after washing.
• Includes a 5 oz. bottle with bottle nipple! I don't have to transfer the milk to another bottle to feed my bub. 
• Includes a silicone shield. This shield makes pumping comfortable. I haven't experienced any irritation or soreness.
• Very efficient,  doesn't take much effort to pump. I don't get hand cramps and I can empty a breast in about 5 mins.

Having a great pump that empties the breast is essential for preventing clogged ducts and keeping milk supply up. Having a pump that doesn't properly empty the breast can cause a decrease in your milk supply. 

More information: 

There isn't anything I don't like about this manual pump. I've used electric pumps before, to induce my labors at the birthing center, and I don't like them at all. The way they pull your nipple is so uncomfortable. I don't experience that discomfort with this manual pump. I use this pump about 4 times a day, if you need to exclusively pump I'd recommend getting an electric breast pump. I have used a manual pump in the past, it was by Evenflo and I wouldn't recommend that pump at all. It got the job done but, I remember having hand cramps and soreness. 

So, if your in the market for a breast pump and not sure which one to get, grab this one. At just $20, it won't break the bank!

Disclaimer: This pump as purchased with my own money. This is not a sponsored post. 

Being A Stay At Home Mom On A Budget

One the biggest assumptions made about stay at home moms is that they must have a lot of money or their husband must have a nice job that allows them to stay home, not in my case. My husband works a regular job with a regular working wage. I understand this way of living isn't for everyone but, it works for us. It does take some mental preparation but it is possible to be a  Stay At Home Mom on one income.

Online I've seen 2 types of stay at home moms; you have the thrift store, extreme coupon types who will repurpose, DIY and/or recycle anything. To save money they even use cloth toilet paper. I'm not about that life, at all. I'm all for saving money but, I'm also for keeping my sanity and nose hairs intact. I save money by finding a way to do what and get what I want within my budget.

Balance
Online I've seen 2 types of stay at home moms; you have the thrift store, extreme coupon types who will re-purpose, DIY and/or recycle anything. To save money some will even use cloth toilet paper. I'm not about that life, at all. I'm all for saving money but, I'm also for keeping my sanity and nose hairs intact. I save money by finding a way to do and get what I want within my budget. If I can't get something, it isn't the end of the world.

I do what works for me and my family. I have 3, soon to be 4, children and even if something is less expensive, it may not be worth it time wise or sanity wise. An example of this is cloth diapers. I tried them with my oldest daughter when she was a baby, had no problems with them. When I added baby number 2 to the mix and things got busy, laundry started taking a little bit longer to get to. So though cloth diapering saves money every month on diapers, it just isn't a great option for me right now. I gladly give Target my $20 every 2 weeks for a box of diapers.

Spend Smart
Don't get it twisted, I haven't always been frugal with my money, I used to fly through money. If I wanted a new pair of shoes I bought them. If I wanted my hair fixed, I just went to the hair salon, which was every 2 weeks like clockwork. I've since, learned how to care for my own hair and go to the salon about once a year as a treat. Thanks to YouTube, I can blow my hair out as nice as a salon can! The initial investment in a quality flat iron, blow dryer and hair products wasn't cheap but, I have saved hundreds of dollars and my hair is healthy.

I also shop at discount stores. I'm not a thrift store shopper, I hate thrift stores. I don't knock those of you who love them and it may just be a local thing but, the thrift stores in my city are stinky and unorganized. I'd rather spend an extra $1 or so and go to Ross. I love Ross! Ross is my go to store for clothes and houseware. I just bought a storage ottoman from there for $30, the same ottoman was at Target for $75.

I don't skimp on quality, I just try to find quality at discounted prices and these days, it really is easy to do that. Stores like Marshalls, TJ Maxx, AtHome, Burlington Coat Factory, etc. are all stores that sell department store quality products for 50-75% off, and have clearance sections.

Have A Budget
I have a mental limit on how much I'm willing to spend on everything I buy. For my children's clothing, I won't spend more than $10-20 on a single piece of clothing. I am a Target, WalMart, Children's Place shopper for them. My oldest is 5 and her clothes don't need to cost the same as mine. I don't care a thing about name brand for them except for shoes. These stores all have clearance sections and send out coupons,  so I stay below $5-7 on shirts and pants for them.

For myself, if I want a new skirt, I go into the store with X amount on my mind and don't budge. If I can't find it for X amount, I just wait for a sale or don't buy it. Simple as that. I won't die without a new skirt. I honestly have enough clothes already and realize these are wants and not needs.

I have X amount to spend on groceries every month and so on. I stay within my budget.

List of 10 things we do to save money:
- No eating out, I make all meals at home, everyday.
- Buy in bulk. I love Sams Club.
- Use coupon apps. I love WalMart's Saving Catcher app.
- Shop clearance sections.
- Shop end of season sales.
- No window shopping. I don't shop unless I intend to buy and even then I go where I need to go and then go home! The more you're in stores, the more you will spend.
- No subscription services. I only use 2 monthly subscription services, Netflix and ABCMouse.
- No cable, we have Netflix.
- Buy used cars, trucks, etc. that you can pay off quickly or with cash all at once.
- Save and purchase big ticket items like furniture, with cash. No monthly payments.

Now just because I'm frugal doesn't mean I don't ever treat myself. I like buying nail polish, hair accessories, jewelry, etc. I just don't do it in excess. I try to stick to nail polish under $5 and buy 1 or 2 at a time. You don't have to get underwear from Victoria Secret, try WalMart or Target. They sell cute comfy essentials for inexpensive prices. Grab a pair every week.

You don't have to give up everything you love, just find a smarter more cost efficient way to do things.

Keeping Your Sanity As A Stay At Home Mom

There are a lot of blogs as of late that claim to depict the "real" side of being a mother. How sometimes it's hard, it's rough and you just plain don't like it. I can honestly say NOTHING prepared me for being a stay at home mom. Everyday I feel like I'm failing and each morning I feel like I start over again. The struggle is real. Here are some of my tips for keeping your sanity while being at home with children. I will warn you though, some might seem gross to some of you but listen, I've heard too many stories and walked past too many stanky moms.... I know lots of us are struggling to hold it together. It's okay to admit that some days it really sucks but, it's also okay to do something about that.

My tips for getting yourself together and keeping yourself together:

1. Your House Is Always "Lived In" Looking:
You literally clean all day. You have dishes upon dishes, constantly have to pick up toys, couch is constantly being jumped on, things are always out of place. If you're someone who is used to having a nice clean magazine perfect house, get used to having a house that always looks like it is hanging on to cleanliness by a thread. I have 3 small children in my home everyday and a untidy house really just comes with the territory. Cleaning really isn't my strong point but, with 3 soon to be 4 small children I have to make it a priority or things get really nasty really quickly.

Solutions:

Clean up all day. Really. Clean the kitchen while you cook, tidy the living room every time you enter it, wipe the table down after every meal and so on. Don't leave messes to pile up or you will get overwhelmed. Every time you enter the bathroom, tidy it up; wipe down the sink, clean off the mirror etc. This really is the easiest way I've found that keeps rooms from looking like explosions. Took me YEARS to figure this one out, don't let that be you.

Put "Checklists" in each room:
For the bathroom you can put:

• Wipe down sink.
• Clean mirror.
• Pick up tissue around toilet. (I don't know why tissue is always on the loose in my bathroom)
• Wipe toilet seat down.

This will also help cut down on the spread of germs and keep sickness at bay.

Checkout my "Stay At Home Mom" Board on Pinterest! 

2. You're Going To Be Tired
I have never been so tired in my life! Being a stay at home mom is exhausting because someone always needs you RIGHT NOW. You're always getting up to go put something away, look at a scratch, fix a little person a snack or juice, there is ALWAYS someone who needs you. Having a 2 year old boy means I can't sit down for too long or else he is in something he shouldn't be. Keeping on top of children is a lot of work.

Solutions:

• Drink your water. Not just the water in your coffee! I took water for granted for many years and under my eye bags are here to show for it. I don't love drinking water but, I force myself because I know if I don't drink it I will be sluggish and aggravated during the day.
• Eat. I know it's hard to remember to eat when every time you go to put food in your mouth a little hand comes asking for a piece or you have to get up and clean up a spill. I've had many days where it's 12 o clock and I realize I still haven't eaten breakfast. Bad habit. Make time to eat. 
• Supplements. Take some multi-vitamins and give some to your children. Add Vitamin C to your water and other drinks. Do little things to boost your vitamin intake throughout the day. There are so many nutrients that we don't get in our food anymore and no matter how much you try, sometimes you need to take supplements to make sure your keep your body and mind healthy. 
• Get Out Of The House. I'm really working hard on this one. It is easy for me to stay in the house all day because, I'm an introvert. I love being inside but, it isn't healthy to always be inside. Sunshine is healthy and a great energy booster. Getting out is not just going for a car ride to a store, go for walks or just sit on the porch. Open the windows during the day let the sun in. Seriously, staying in the house all the time can make you depressed. I know from experience.

3. Looking A Hot Mess

Some Most days I look a hot mess. Despite my best efforts, I constantly have chipped polish, messy hair, and old clothes on. I know we are suppose to embrace yoga pants and t shirts but, let's face it, most of us are wearing pajamas all day. Changing from dirty pajamas to clean pajamas. Nothing will make you try harder with your appearance than having your mother in law just stop by to drop something off. You won't look magazine ready but, these tips will help you look presentable....well Target type of presentable.. 

Solutions:

• Just remove the polish. When my polish used to chip, I used to take it off immediately, now I think I've gotten immune to it. I'm trying to practice just taking it off once it starts chipping, even if I can't re-polish my nails right away. 
• Do your hair. Have you ever walked past the mirror and your hair was literally standing on top of your head? No? Just me? Okay, well whatever... I have curly hair and try to make it a habit to keep at the VERY least a tidy bun. Water, gel, a brush and ponytail holder, will get you right in 30 seconds or less. 
• Brush your teeth and wash your face.  Seriously. I never thought I'd get to a time in my life where I'd wonder if I brushed my teeth that morning. I have honestly had days where I could not remember if I washed my face. Sad truth. I suppose I've had intentions to do it but, some small child needed me RIGHT NOW. Make it a point to brush your teeth and wash your face, EVERYDAY....no, EVERY MORNING. 
• Shower daily. Become the master of the 5 minute shower. You can fit it in. 

These are simple things that most of us never thought we would have to be told to do or reminded to do but, it is really easy to let yourself go and your house go. I'm not perfect but, after feeling like crap for years I've decided to change my daily routines and it helps A LOT. Not loving life? Change it. Do what you can, where you can and make it work. I won't ever have a Pinterest perfect house or life but, that's actually okay. 

Accept this stage of your life, live it and realize soon your children will be adults and you can go back to being cute and wearing real actual clothes on a regular basis. 

How To Gain Self Confidence

This week there was a documentary that came out called Light Girls. I didn't watch it because, I had previously seen the documentary called Dark Girls but, I did read a lot of the online commentary.

Documentaries like these annoy me immensely because, they never offer a solution to the problem. Most site the problem as Colorism which is: Discrimination based on skin color. Which is what this is but, it isn't the root problem. The root of it all and what causes it is lack of self respect and lack of respect for others. Disrespect is what causes someone to make fun of someone because they are different. Children who bully other children usually suffer from a lack of respect for themselves as well.

While I can agree that telling our stories is therapeutic, it isn't all we need to do. We have to move past just talking about these issues and move to really finding a solution for them. Reading a lot of the responses to both of these films was sad because, I could tell people were really hurting and some said the films brought them to tears and brought back old feelings that they had buried away.

You can watch all the documentaries you want and listen to 100 stories like yours but, you have to choose to love you and not look for outside approval. Many of us still seek validation without realizing it and still try to fit certain beauty standards that tell us we aren't naturally beautiful in our own bodies. Not to be corny but, we have to be the change and let that trickle down to our children. It starts within ourselves and you have to guard what you allow to influence how you think about yourself.

Here is how I try to change things within my own home: 

Forget Beauty Standards

I don't read beauty magazines and articles that try to tell me what beauty is. Very seldom will they have a woman who looks like me featured and usually the women are airbrushed, no stretch marks, long hair, etc. I can't be these women and I accept that. Those women aren't even themselves and after reading about the extreme diets many of them go on, I don't want to even look like them. I try not to follow trends unless I genuinely like that style and then it isn't a trend for me. I try to dress and carry myself the way I want to with very little outside influence. I don't care about what is "in" because I will never be "in" to any of these popular magazines and that is really OKAY.

Hurt People Hurt People

Whenever I think about bullies, I try to remember that hurt people, hurt people. A lot of times people just need to be shown how to love themselves. I saw this quote and I loved it because it is very true: 

Folks look in the mirror and pick themselves apart so of course they are going to pick you apart too. I realize this and let insults roll off my back. I let that stuff go. I can't control how others act but, I can control how I react to it and I choose not to allow that negativity in my life. Folks have their own issues within themselves and I am not going to let that change how I view myself. To someone I am beautiful and to someone else I might be ugly, I choose not care either way. I believe I am beautiful and that's all that matters. 

Self Acceptance
It is hard to accept certain features you have if you've been told that those features were ugly for a large portion of your life. This really takes accepting what you can't change. I can't change my skin color, eye color, size of my nose or lips. I really have to just accept these features. We are all unique and that's okay. My outside appearance is such a small part of me, I am so much more than what I look like.  I'm thankful that I have eyes, nose, lips, etc. because there is someone who doesn't have these things but, these features don't determine my value. I'm beautiful not because of how I look but, because of who I am. Features change and hair falls out, gravity takes a hold of things, stretch marks appear and we go through so many other changes, you really can't let your physical appearance consume you. Accept what you look like, make changes where you can and then move on.


Build Your Children Up
As mothers, our self confidence trickles down to our children. I don't want my daughters to hate themselves or any part of them because of something I said. As a mom, I try to watch how I describe my daughters. I don't criticize them. I try to never make any feature of theirs seem ugly. My 5 year old has long kinky hair. She would call it tangly and I had to keep telling her that it gets tangled but, it isn't tangly. I let her know that her hair is just a small part of her and I show her the importance of taking care of it and how unique her hair is. Her friends have different hair than she does and I let her know that is alright. Her hair isn't better than theirs and vice versa. Everyone is special in their own way.

And that really is the core of it all, we are all special in our own way.

Mind Right Monday...on a Tuesday

I've been meaning to participate in Mind Right Monday for months weeks. This post is a day late but, I will be on time next week.

My goals for the week are:

• Get organized. 
• Stay organized. I need to use my planner every. single. day. 
• Plan out my schedule a bit better. 
• Write 1 more blog post for this week.
• Get my 5 yr old all caught up with her homeschooling. 
• Get 10 designs done for my husbands business.
• Get all the soap needed for this week made or cut or photographed and on to the website. 

I am grateful for:

• Food. Seriously. 
• My 5 yr old getting over her sinus infection.
• My children learning to play together without fighting and arguing every 5 mins.
• My husband being able to be home in the evenings while I work. 
• My 1 yr old teething and wanting to cuddle. (Teething is a pain but, I do love her hugs.)
• My friends. 
• My friends and their jokes. 

Review: Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Leave-In Conditioner

This Friday I purchased a leave in from Shea Moisture, their JAMAICAN BLACK CASTOR OIL STRENGTHEN, GROW & RESTORE LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER. I was very skeptical about this leave-in conditioner because, unlike make other naturals, I haven't had much success with Shea Moisture products.

Price: $10-11 from Sallys Beauty Supply
The price is great to me since it comes in a 16 oz. jar. Most of their products come in 8-12 oz. jars/bottles.

Prepping my hair:
I shampooed my hair with my shampoo bar and conditioned as usual. I shampoo my hair in 4 sections, apply conditioner to each section and detangle with the conditioner still in. I rinse my hair all at once, after the sections have been detangled. After detangling, I put each section in a 2 strand twist.

To dry my hair, I wear a t-shirt and air dry until my air is damp or about 75-85% dry. I do not apply product to dripping wet hair.

How did I use the product:
After my hair was 75-85% dry, going section by section, I applied a quarter sized amount of the Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Leave-In Conditioner to each section, massaged it in and then applied a dime sized amount of Lia Naturals Coconut Mango Butter. I split each section up and did 2 strand twists. Out of 4 sections, I ended up with about (10) 2 strand twists.

First Impression:
This product is very runny, it is very easy to apply along the length of my hair but, getting it from the jar to my hair was a little messy. The texture is a bit slimy, not at all like a thick creamy butter or cream. Once applied it was light, I could tell I had applied it but, it wasn't heavy or greasy at all. My twists were shiny and bouncy.

Twist Out Results:
I actually like this product. When I took my twists out I had nice definition, no greasy feeling at all. My hair felt moisturized and soft. I have zero complaints. I am very surprised! My hair looked the same the whole day, no frizz or shrinkage.

I went to sleep with just a satin bonnet cap on, I didn't retwist my hair and the twist out looks exactly the same and feels the same as well.

*excuse these pics. I'm not a selfie taker, I don't have time to be posing and all that. Took me 10 mins. too long to get these pics decent.

If I were to rate this 1 out of 10, I would give it an 8. I will be purchasing this again.

How To Use Your Planner To Achieve Your Goals

I'm a very fly by the seat of my pants type of person, I think they call me a Type B personality. I'm one of those people who buy planners because they're cute or fit in my purse. Actually using a planner...jokes.  But, lately, I've been feeling like my thoughts are everywhere all at once and that I am spinning my wheels in business and in my personal life. I've had to actually adult and  use the cute planners I've bought and get serious about achieving my goals and it  hasn't been that easy.

Planning and mapping out goals requires patience, thought and accountability. If I'm 100% honest with myself it also requires confidence. This requires telling the negative committee in my head to STHU by taking steps to reach those goals. You can find 100 reasons NOT to do something and why it won't work when you actually get serious about doing it. Fear is real and it is crippling.  Even if you're "doing" something, if you aren't doing it wisely or taking it seriously, it is because you don't have confidence in yourself. So, I've went out and bought some new cute planners and I've set my mind to actually using them to help me stay on track with my goals.

Here is how I use my planner to achieve my goals.

1. Go get a planner AND a journal.

Planner: Think of each day as steps on a stairwell, you eventually want to get to the top (your goal) so you need to plan each and every step. "Today I am on step number 3 and in order to get to step number 4 I need to do these specific things." The These specific things are what you write down in your planner. You get the specific things from doing research. If your goal is to lose weight, you need to research the best way for you to lose weight that fits into your lifestyle.

Journal: I think of a journal as a place to write down the reason I'm on each step. "Okay, why did I step up to this step?", "Why am I on these stairs?", "What do I need to do to get to the next step?".

2. Write down the specific purpose for every single goal/job you have. Basically...write down your every thought. 

• Why are you in business? What exactly is the point of your small business? When a customer buys from you, what are you REALLY giving them? Write ALL THAT down. 
• Why is your business/job important to you? "Homeschooling is important to me because, I need to lose weight because, BECAUSE, BECAUSE, BECAUSE..."

In life, if it doesn't line up with your goals, don't do it. Simple as that. This also helps with feelings of guilt and keeps your focused. Your life now has purpose.

3. Lose the cute catch phrases. 

This is real life here and in life we need real solutions. If you're just throwing out cute phrases with very little thought, you're not being serious. "I'm going to be successful in 2015." Well, what is success? Why is success important? What are you trying to be successful at? Life? Business? What are you saying? Your vision is about as clear as mud right now. Let's make it clear and something you can actually attain. 

• Figure out exactly where you want this success. 
• What do you consider success? 
• In order to do this, what changes need to be made and what do you need to implement?

Now, after you've written all of this down in your journal, it is easier to actually plan out your days, weeks, months, etc. You can now see exactly where you are going and why you're going there. 

Remember that negative committee? You're going to be too busy working to actually listen to those negative thoughts.

Was this helpful? What do you do to reach your goals? Comment below!