If you follow me on Instagram (and watched my recent stories) you would have seen that the hubs, Jasper and I spent the last three weeks travelling to Melbourne and New Zealand. We had an awesome time, but I am very glad to be home. We also travelled to Bali early last month, just for a few days, so I thought I’d write a lil blog post on a few things that I have learnt travelling with a baby. It’s so much fun, but oh so different to travelling before we became parents.

[1] PLANNING IS EVERYTHING

Firstly, babies require A LOT of things, food, water, milk, toys, nappies, wipes, change of clothes, pain killers or medicine, teething toys, pram, portacots etc etc etc!!!!! It’s crazy how many things such a small human needs. Before you even leave for your holiday, I’d recommend that you start writing down things that you use regularly for you bubba, to make sure you don’t need it.

Then when you arrive at your holiday, everything you do revolves around your baby and their routine (or mood that day!). Jasper is in an awesome routine, so it was pretty easy for us to plan our days around him. After he sleeps, he’ll have some milk and then he’s awake for a good 3-3.5 hours, so we would try to go out during that time. Not super far, because when he gets tired, he is C.R.A.N.K.Y!!! But we did wonder out, and get to see heaps of cool things.

I say planning, because you have such a small window that you can actually go and do things, so if you’re organised, you can pack your diaper/nappy bag before baby goes to sleep, heck even load everything you need in the car (RENT A CAR GUYS, IT’S AMAZING AND SO MUCH EASIER!!) and that way, when baby wakes, you can feed them, and just hop in the car and go where you need to go.

Also, aside from planning everything you need to do for baby, it’s good to plan what you want to do while you’re away before you go. Seen a cool cafe on Instagram that you want to check out? Know the top touristy spots that you wanna get a pic at? Write it all down! Save the locations in Google Maps. How far is it from where you are staying? Is there parking there? What food are you going to eat? The more you can plan in advance, the easier your trip will be. Leave some room to be spontaneous, sure, but I found that with a baby, it’s a heck of a lot harder to be spontaneous.

[2] GO SLOW

This is something that we learnt on the road. Before Jasper came along, we road-tripped around the U.S and Europe, and we were driving 9-12 hour days, cramming in as many sights as possible! We wanted to see it all!!! And we love driving. But now that Jasper is here, we found that everything just takes longer. You have to stop to feed him, change him, you have to allow for his naps, he gets bored easily, so we needed to make sure we allocated time for him where we could play and give him attention. Everything just took longer, and we were okay with that – we got to see what we wanted to, it was just at a slower pace.

When we were in Bali, we literally did the bare minimum. We stayed at our hotel, we ordered room service, we went for mini walks, but everything was centred around going slow and just being present with Jasper. He enjoyed just swimming and playing and we enjoyed not trying to cram everything into the trip. Going slow is a way more enjoyable and less stressful way to travel. If you still want to see a bunch of things, I’d recommend that you make a list of your top 5/10 things you want to do, have a look at where they are and plan around them (see point one again!) you can still see and do everything you want to, as long as you plan accordingly and don’t try to cram it all int a short time.

[3] NAPS ARE THE KEY TO ROADTRIPS

We managed to drive around 2,000km in New Zealand, and the reason we were able to go so far is that we planned to do the majority of our driving during Japers naps. He sleeps for a good 90 minutes, sometimes longer in the car, so this allowed us to hit the road. We planned all of our driving around his sleeping schedule and we got pretty far! We were stoked with how much we got to see. there were times where he would wake up early out of a nap, and we would have to pull over to feed him and give him some time outside the car. If we still had some driving to do, one of us would get in the backseat with Jasper and play with him and talk to him. We’re not the biggest fan of iPads (he’s only 8 months old) so we try to entertain him ourselves, and he was pretty happy for the most part. If he did get grumpy, we’d follow his lead and pull over, eat something, have a play and a walk and then hop back in the car.

[4] YOU CAN’T BRING ENOUGH WET WIPES

Can we talk about how amazing wet wipes are. I don’t know how we would have travelled without them. We used them for everything, after he ate we cleaned him, we cleaned dirty surfaces with them, heck we even used them ourselves to wipe our hands and clean up messes we made. Seriously, they are the best thing that has ever been invented. I only packed 2 packs with me, and we ended up having to buy like 4 more! Lucky they’re readily available.

We also purchased some anti-bacterial wipes for the planes. We flew on 5 airplanes, and we once saw a documentary on the amount of germs that live on planes. So we were those parents that wiped down everything from the window, tray table to arm rest. Jasper still got sick after the first plane trip which was a bummer, but you can’t control everything. I’d seriously recommend that you bring some anti-bacterial wipes with you too – seriously, planes are gross. Also, at restaurants the high chairs never get wiped down, and there are a crap tonne of germs on there too – kids are grubby! So we used the wipes to clean these as well.

[5] BE FLEXIBLE WITH YOUR ROUTINE

okay, so I’ve basically said that Jasper is in an awesome routine and we planned everything around that – but let me tell you something, travelling can mix up a little bubs routine like nothing else. I had to learn very quickly to be flexible and change things up, because you know what, his routine became a lot less predictable while we were travelling than it is when we’re at home. He dropped a whole nap while we were away and it threw me out of sorts! But I didn’t stress too much, because hey, we’re on holiday and we were having a great time. His routine could wait and I knew that when we got home, I’d be able to get him back into good habits and back to what he’s used to pretty quickly. I’m used to Jasper sleeping through the night, maybe he wakes up once but that’s about it. While we were away, he was waking up every 3-4 hours. I was NOT used to this AT ALL! But he got a new tooth, and he went through a huge developmental leap. Instead of trying to get him to sleep through the night, I followed his lead and was flexible. If he seemed tired, I let him nap during the day (although, he was more on the wanting to stay awake side of the spectrum!)

We are home now, and the last few nights he’s been amazing. He has woken up maybe once or twice, but his sleeping habits are pretty much back to normal. I think if we went a bit earlier than 8 months, I probably would have freaked that he was getting out of routine and that I was screwing it all up. But I feel a  lot more confident as a mama these days and I trust that I am doing right by Jasper, even if it means mixing things up because we’re on a holiday. Trust your gut and your instincts, you were given your baby for a reason, because you’re the best person to look after them.

Jasper had a great holiday, he was super happy chappy and loved meeting some of his second cousins. It was awesome watching him interact with extended family. I loved watching him take in new sights, he was particularly fascinated with the seagulls – it was hilarious. He wanted to chase them and watched them so intently.

While we were away, Jasper mastered crawling, he can pull himself up now, and he is just much stronger in general. He’s getting super chunky, and eating solids like a pro. I love watching him grow and develop even if it brings some challenges along with it.

Have you guys been travelling with babies? What have you learnt along the way? I’d love too hear in the comments below xx

The post 5 Thing I learnt While Travelling with a Baby appeared first on Megzie.

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Motherhood (parenthood) is HARD. Add social media into the mix, where, from the outside, it seems like everyone else has their sh** together, and I haven’t even started with the mum guilt that goes on behind closed doors, because you feel like you don’t have it together when everyone else seems to be doing good.

Well guess what mama, we all have no clue what we’re doing. And even that perfect insta mum has days where she’s pullling out her hair and sobbing her heart out because there is no manual when it comes these little humans. There is a crap load of advice, conflicting advice, and opinions out there. But there is no manual made specifically for YOUR CHILD.

I have had many of these tough days; so I thought I’d put together a little list (mainly just a reminder for myself for when another bad day comes around) to help. These are a few things that us mamas can do to try and make things a little easier.

[1] Get out of the house (just you)

If you can leave your baby with someone, go to the shops and get a coffee and walk around even if it’s just for 20 minutes. The time alone will give you a moment to clear your mind, the coffee (or juice, or whatever your little treat is) is something that’s just for you. I dunno about you guys, but it can be so easy for everything to be about bubs, I mean we have to literally do everything for them (bath, feed, change, love, cuddle etc) it is always nice to feel treated and spoiled, even if you have to spoil yourself. I recently did just this, and I bought myself a new pair of sunglasses and some new makeup. Honestly, just having a little break was so needed. It’s easy to feel mum guilt for leaving your baby, but if you think about it, by taking care of yourself, your enabling yourself to be the best possible carer for them as well. And when you come back from your quick little break, you literally feel refreshed and ready to give it another go. There is no right or wrong in motherhood, there is just what is best for you, and your baby.

[2] Get out of the house (both of you, together!)

If you can’t leave your baby with someone, pop them in the car, and go for a drive. Stop at the shops and still treat yourself to a coffee. If you can’t fathom the thought of driving somewhere, you could always just take the baby for a walk in the pram, the fresh air will do you both good. I do this all the time. Going for walks has become my go-to for days when it’s tough. Jasp gets real quiet in the pram, and he starts to look around at the trees at the park, or I’ll give him a teething rusk or toy and he’s happy chappy. Something about the movement. It’s nice because I don’t have to do much, other than push the pram, to keep him happy. I also get some exercise and blood flowing which is good, and it’s a nice change of scenery.

[3] Reach out for help

If you’re in a mothers group, or have a close mum friend, either invite them over, or go out somewhere together. Talking to another adult who can relate to you is free therapy!

They can also offer you a perspective that you may not have thought of. And maybe just having a new face for bubs to look at will help calm them down and cheer them up.

[4] Take 5, and reset

If it’s really bad, and you can’t get out of your house; leave your baby somewhere safe, like the bassinet, or cot, for 5-15 minutes and just take a moment to yourself to reset. Have a quick shower, wash your face, eat something. Just give yourself a moment to compose yourself, because if you’re stressed, your baby can sense that and will feed off your vibe. Once you’ve taken a moment to yourself, go back in and have another go. Remember a baby crying is their way of communicating to you, you will eventually figure out what the issue is!

[5] Have a good old cry

It is okay to cry. Let it out, get it out of your system, and go back and try again. Sometimes a good old cry is what it takes for you to just let go of what you’re feeling, then you can wipe away those tears feeling better.

There have been days where I have done all of the above and I still feel like garbage, and you know what, that’s okay too. Tomorrow is a new day, and you can start fresh then. The good days far outweigh the hard days. The hard days make you realise how much these little babes depend on us, and that we are there for them, to support them, help them through their emotions too.

I feel like I am rambling, but I just want you mamas to know that it’s okay, we’re all doing the best we can, and that’s all our babes can ask for! I hope these help, they are coming from a good place (I definitely don’t have it all together, and I definitely don’t have all the answers) I just thought that if these could help one mama on one bad day, then that’d be awesome!

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I definitely overpacked. I brought things like his play mat, a whole box full of toys, a huge blanket for him to play on, his ingenuity chair the list goes on and on and on. Because it was a road trip, i felt like I could bring more things, I definitely wouldn’t bring as many toys or blankets if we were going on a plane.

Where We Stayed

Okay, first things first, lets talk about the accomodation – the fancy apartment called BridgePoint. Actually, rather, let’s not, these pictures will do al the talking. This apartment was THE SHIZ. Like it seriously has me wanting to either move or redo my whole house. I used to think my house had pretty good natural light…. NOT ANYMORE!

What we got up to

Mandurah has a really nice boardwalk with heaps of cool restaurants and shops.  We spent the majority of our time at Dolphin Quay (no we didn’t see any dolphins, but I’ve heard there are heaps!) We ate all the good food, and there were these super cute markets there too, with heaps of quirky handmade goodies. If hubby wasn’t around, I probably would’ve gone nuts and bought everything! Especially that giant black clock with the big numbers (even though I have a perfectly good giant black clock at home).

Fathers Day

The main reason we went away was to celebrate Fathers Day. It was so nice! I totally spoiled Driks, cus you know, it’s his first Fathers Day ever! He’s been really keen to take little J to the waterpark so I got J the cutest swimsuit from Cotton On Kids. After we opened some presents in the morning, and little J had his nap, we went out for Brunch. It was pretty crazy and almost everywhere was full. But we got lucky and scored a table (without a reservation) at D’lights cafe. I got pancakes, with strawberries and a side of bacon – mmmmMMM! Then we came back to the apartment and just chilled and played cards and I snapped more photos of my baby, cus I’m totally THAT mum now.

Gaah it was just so perfect! If I’m being totally honest (and I’m sure you can see from the last few pics above), I basically just did little mini photoshoots with Jasper! Sorry not sorry! He’s able to sit by himself now, and the lighting in that house was just perfection! I really need to up my game at home…!!

In general, I’d say Jasp did pretty good! He took a little bit of time to adjust to sleeping in a different room in  a different cot, but he did amazing! He was super chilled and happy to just play with his toys on the rug. I definitely used things like his porta chair, toy box, food, pram, nappy bag etc! I’ll have to figure out how to pack less for our next trip to Melbourne and New Zealand. (I definitely brought way too many clothes for J) but you never know when you’re gonna have a poo explosion on your hands, so I’d rather have been safe than sorry! and clothes definitely don’t take up too much room.

I’m getting super excited about our next trip! woohoo!

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I don’t think there are many people out there who would disagree with the statement that babies are just super cute, right?! And I know that us mums, just LOVE to photograph their babies as much as possible (at least I do). Anyone else catch themselves looking at photos of their babies when they’re sleeping. I’m so guilty of this. But lets be honest, photographing insta-worthy pics of our little babes can be super tricky. Often, they don’t cooperate, they’re not in the mood and it can take longer than you thought it would and you both just end up getting frustrated. At least, that’s what I’ve found. So I decided to write up a post about some tips and tricks that I’ve picked up over the last few months of being an insta-mum.

[1] Use Thoughtful Props

It’s all good and well snapping a picture in the moment, but this post, is all about those staged insta-worthy baby pics. I received 5 gorgeous quirky baby onesies from LavenderSun and decided to use these as my starting point for the following snaps. They all had super cute sayings on them. And I took the sayings into consideration for the picture. For example

“Started from the Belly Now I’m Here” Obvs this is a play on the lyrics from Drakes song right, so I got some headphones to use as a prop, because it’s relevant to the theme. I also used an ultrasound picture of J as a prop because that was literally him “in the belly” I think you get where I’m going with this.

Another example is “You are so Loved” I used a rose and a chalkboard love heart to amplify the onesie’s message. You would be surprised with how many props you have just laying around your house. Especially when it comes to babies. A lot of their toys, or cuddly toys, nursery decor can be doubled up as photography props. All you need is a bit of creativity, have fun with it!

[2] Plan and Prepare Beforehand

Don’t ever try to take a insta-photo if you haven’t already got it set up, the baby should literally be the last thing you add to the photo. If you’re trying to get it all set up and entertain baby, it can be stressful for both of you. I like to get my photo set up while little J is sleeping, so that when we’re both ready, all we have to do is pose for the photo, click the camera button (a few times!) and voila, we’re done. I always try to think about the look and feel of the photo before I take it. That way, I know what props to use, where I’m going to take the picture, I can set up the camera on the tripod if needed all in advance. It’s so much easier to do it this way (for me at least).

[3]  All About Timing

Speaking of planning, plan WHEN you are going to take the photo. This point is two-fold. The time of the day is important, because you want to make sure you have enough natural light. But, more importantly, is when in your baby’s routine. If you try to take it before a feed, they might be grumpy, if you do it straight after a feed, it’s very likely that they will spew up on your set-up. I like to time my photos 20-30 mins after a feed. That way little J has a full tummy, a clean bum, and he’s generally quite awake and happy.

I find I get the best smiles then as well. That being said, if you are going for a sleepy baby photo, then you might want to time your picture to right when the bubs has fallen asleep, position them on your set-up, snap your pic and then put them down for the nap. I have given up on sleepy baby photos with J, it was way easier when he was a sleepy newborn. Now he’ll wake if I try to move him, and I prefer to have him sleep in his Nursery in his cot than on a photography set up. SOMETIME I try to snap a million photos and I’m lucky to get a blinking one that just LOOKS like he’s asleep. But that is VERY rare hahah!

[4] Use Music or Toys for Smiles

I find if I’m home alone with bub, that I’ll put on some fun music in the background so that it’s not super quiet. That way I can sing-a-long to the songs and dance, and little J will feed off that energy. Typically you’ll hear me saying things like “Jasper, JAAASPER, JAAAAAAASPER, Where is your smile?! WHERE IS YOUR SMILE! THERE IT ISSSSSS!!! aaaaand click! smile captured! You know your baby best, so you’ll know what makes them smile. If you want them to look in a certain direction, try to dangle a musical toy or rattle in that direction (it really helps to have a second pair of hands for this!)

[5] Add Texture with Rugs, Blankets and Pillows

I find the key to creating depth for insta-worthy baby snaps is to add texture along with the props. Have baby laying on the carpet, but then add a blanket and a few cushions or teddy’s down to create depth.

Try not to overdo it with too many patterns clashing. I’ll often use a pattern and then add two or three neutrals (greys, blacks, whites – for my insta-feed). The different textures of the rugs and blankets really help the picture pop. If you have a baby basket, dockatot or even your change table mat, you can lay your baby in there and then add the texture around them, and tie it all together with a blanket going over the carpet, and then baby. Play around with what works while you are setting up. Take a few practice shots without the baby and look at them on the camera.

[6] Bonus Tip

After you’ve gone through all the effort of setting up your picture, choosing the right props, planning the right time to snap it, make sure you photograph from a few different angles. I find that often what I have in mind looks great, but it’s the pictures and angles that I didn’t plan to take that I love the most. Get closer, move further away, stand on a chair. Try include yourself (hands, feet) do ones without you. The opportunities are endless. Make the most of the photo-op while you have it.

And that is basically it. I gotta say, I’m loving the baby onesies that I got from LavenderSun, they have SO many cute ones to choose from. And they’re great for generating some cool ideas for photos if you’re ever stuck. The quality is great, and I promise, they’re not ALL black and white (I just love the B&W ones, because they match my feed on Instagram).

The Onesies

I had Boobs for Breakfast – click here
I am so Loved – click here
Gangsta Napper – click here
Best Day Ever- click here
Started from the Belly – click here
Other Baby Onesies – click here

Do you have any tips that you use when taking fun pics of Insta? I’d love to hear about them in the comments!

The post 5 Tips for Creating Whimsical Instagram Pictures with a Baby appeared first on Megzie.

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Brands mentioned in video:

[1] LavenderSun

Visit the store here.

I got five gorgeous black onesies, all of them with quirky sayings on them. I love shirts like this, because they are super cute and you can have a lot of fun with them in photos. A

[2] Tipone

Visit the store here.

I am a sucker for anything customised! Tipone makes seriously gorgeous onesies and t-shirts. I am in love with both of these!

[3] Best & Less

Visit the store here.

My go-to store for trendy baby clothes on a budget. I mean $5 pants, you can’t go wrong. It’s nice to stock up on basics from stores like these, because babies grow way too quickly!

[4] Bonds

Visit the store here.

Ahhh, I love me some Bonds! Especially the Zippy Wondersuits. They’re perfect for bedtime becuase they’re warm, and they have feet and hand cuffs that can turn into socks and mittens. I’m in love. The quality is so amazing as well.

[5] LTL PPL

Visit the store here.

I found these guys on Insta and I”m obsessed with them. They’re a monochrome basic-wear mama’s dream come true!

[6] Cotton On

Visit the store here.

Because mama deserves some loving too. I recently purchased this oversize sweat and it’s amaze. I feel like it’s the perfect winter lounge wear. It’s super cozy and comfy!

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I often get asked where I bought my Nursery prints from. Truth be told, I drew them myself (inspired by some that I saw on Pinterest). Anyway, I’m super excited to share that I’ve teamed up with Prints by Della who has very kindly digitised them so that anyone who wants them can now download and print them.

[1] Zebra

Download here. 

[2] Koala

Download here. 

[3] Panda

Download here.

I hope you have as much fun decorating your nursery as I did mine! It’s such a fun time!

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