GIVEAWAY WINNER & Friday Favorites {Nonessentials for Labor & Delivery}

First, I want to thank everyone who entered my giveaway and say Hello to new followers! It was so much fun to read all your comments and I hope you will come back often to visit this little blog. I will definitely be doing more giveaways in the future, maybe another in honor of the special month of June (my birthday and baby girl's birthday month) 
So, without further ado, the winner of the Stella & Dot Jolie Cocktail Ring is............................. Erica who said...following via gfc

Erica an email has been sent to you to arrange delivery of your prize, Congrats girlie!

And now to Friday Favorites! With baby girl's due date quickly approaching, I've got my bag packed for our hospital stay and while I definitely packed all the essentials (toothbrush, nursing bras, cell phone charger...) I wanted to share with you my favorite nonessential items that I added to my bag as well.

Essential Nonessentials by risainkdesigns

1. Topping my list would be Bath & Body Works Wallflowers or any plug-in scent. Since you can't burn a candle in a hospital room, this was my way of introducing a calming scent and hiding that sterile hospital smell. The nurses loved it! They kept commenting on how great our room smelled when they came to check on me. I plugged in the same scent when we got home so it would always remind me of those first few weeks with Lily.

2. Sticking with scents, I would also suggest choosing a new or bringing a favorite body wash for your first shower. Something refreshing to sooth your senses after what your body just went through and help you feel back to normal. And again, every time I smell "sweet pea" it reminded me of when I gave birth to Lil.

3. Mellow Playlist on your MP3 would be next. I asked Aaron to start downloading all our favorites so I would have something to listen to other than the IV drip and blood pressure monitor. I slept most of labor last time anyway (thank you epidural), so soft background noise is perfect, but maybe with a little GLEE thrown in for good measure.

4. I bought a cute maternity gown when I was pregnant with Lily, and thought I would wear it for the delivery. I'm glad I didn't... it would have have been really gross, and I wouldn't have taken it home with me. But, it was prefect to change into right after and feel cute. A little lip gloss doesn't hurt either.

5. New "comfys." My sweet mom took me shopping a few weeks ago and bought me some cute new sleep T's and tanks, soft pajama pants, and new slippers to take with me to the hospital and to lounge in when we get home. It just feels nice to know there is something new to wear, and makes me feel more "normal" than being in a hospital gown when friends and relatives come to visit.

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Happy Weekend friends!