This review is not paid for, endorsed by, or sponsored by Audrey & Bear. All opinions are my own.
I never understood why moms are always depicted as bathrobe wearing and coffee toting until Eila. My hospital bag upon arrival to induction day, was a bit of a mystery. My mom, the thoughtful planner she is, had prepared not only a bag for me, but also a bag for Patrick with all the necessities. Packed away in my hospital bag, was an Audrey & Bear Mommy and Me bundle. This bundle came with a bathrobe, a scrunchie, a headband, and a swaddle set for Eila. At first, I thought the fabrics were beautiful, but was hesitant to ask why I would want a bathrobe at the hospital. I never really was one to wear a bathrobe, so for me the gesture, although appreciated, was almost lost.
Fast forward to the day after Eila was born. I wanted to be as comfortable as possible. My lady bits were healing, I felt like I was constantly nursing, and the hospital room was rather warm. As I surveyed my clothing options, I eventually settled on the following: hospital provided underwear, Cake Maternity nursing bra, and this robe. I was tired those first few days (and still am a month later) so one of my top priorities was comfort and ease of access to go to the bathroom and breastfeed. I even traded out my tight hair elastic for the soft scrunchie, which as I type this is securely holding my hair in place. In the last month, I will admit that I have worn this bathrobe more days than not. On the days I didn't wear it, it was because it was in the wash not because I actually got dressed (yoga pants and comfy clothes are kind of my uniform at this point). As we prepared to leave the hospital, I dressed Eila in a onesie and a pair of tiny pants. The nurse, who was helping us get our stuff together and get her into the car-seat, suggested that I put a blanket over her as we exit the hospital. Back into the mystery hospital bag I went and pulled out the Audrey & Bear swaddle blanket with Eila's name on it. Perfect for covering her little legs on stroller rides, and for covering the entire car-seat when out in public, this blanket has come in handy more times than I can count. Anytime we go out with it covering her seat, I get at least one compliment on the blanket.
The Robe:
Made with incredibly soft fabric, this robe is perfect for the hospital and days/months following. The robe itself is breathable and light weight making it comfortable, but also easy to put on and off. The ties for the robe are attached, which is by far one of my favorite parts of this robe. I never thought of how annoying it would be for the tie to be attached to the robe by only a loop until I had this robe and then tried to wear a different robe on wash day. By the end of the day, I had deserted the loose tie, which quickly had become my cats new favorite toy, and was rocking the robe as an open cover. The fact that this company not only has standard, but also plus size and tall robe sizes available is impressive. For a plus size mommy, who often questions if I will be able to fit into things ordered online, the fact that this robe fits and fits well was a welcomed experience.
The Swaddle Blanket:
Since Eila's birth, we have revisited the Audrey & Bear website and purchased a second swaddle blanket. These blankets are incredibly versatile. When getting ready to leave the house with my little one, one of these blankets is often included in the diaper bag. The blankets themselves are also incredibly soft and have beautifully vibrant patterns. The initial swaddle blanket in the mommy and me bundle is one sided and very breathable making it perfect as a light weight covering for her. The second blanket we purchased is double sided. This blanket is heavier in weight because of this, but is perfect for cooler days. The fact that these blankets come in a variety of sizes is also a plus. Both of our blankets are squares that measure 43"x 43" making them ideal for swaddling, covering the entire car-seat, and as a general use baby blanket.
There are a few things that really stand out to me about this company. The first is that for each swaddle purchased, they donate a swaddle to a baby in NICU. The second thing that stands out to me about this company is that not only is everything able to be customized (colors, fonts, etc), but when you want a custom item you get to work with a member of their team to make your vision come to life. We used this option for our second blanket and changed the colors on the front and back to match more of our preferences. The process of approving the design was incredibly fast and easy. The time between ordering, customization approval, and receipt of this blanket was about 20 days. In my opinion, this is amazingly fast turn around for a customized item that we had conversed with a team member about via email. However, because of this I would suggest that if you are planning to purchase a swaddle or set to have at the hospital that you do it with ample time just in case. You would rather have the items with weeks to spare to wash and pack them away, than feel rushed or wish you had the item when it's in transit. This is one of those cases, too, where you do get what you pay for. The mommy and me bundle and the swaddle blankets by themselves are bit $$$, but the fact that the fabric quality is there, the items are incredibly functional, and you can customize them, to me, makes it worth it. All in all, we love this company, their customer service, and quality of products and would highly recommend.
Comments