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Friday, October 12, 2012

More 'Must-Haves' for the pregnant mama!!


So I touched on a few of my favorite 'Must-Haves', but here are just a few more.

A good pair of leggings can go a long way, you can pair this with a nice blouse to dress it up- or a comfy knit top for a more casual look. I had the same kind in a few different colors and wore them all the time!!

Here is what I had, I went with the crop leggings but you can go for full length as well!

Secret Fit Belly® Jersey Knit Maternity Crop Leggings



Pregnancy body pillow, if you are pregnant and do not have one of these you are missing out! During the last trimester it becomes incredibly difficult to get comfortable. It is recommended that you sleep on your left side, and having a body pillow can really help with getting a good night sleep (again if only you didn't have to get up to use the bathroom 20 times). When I was pregnant with Ella, I had extreme back pain. I am not referring to the normal pregnancy back pain due to weight gain, I actually had a bulging disc that herniated and was pushing against nerves. It wasn't until after I had her that I realized how bad my situation was and when she was 9 months old I had to have surgery. So for me, if I could sleep for 30- 45 minutes at a time without having to shift, it was a miracle! This pillow was my saving grace and worth every penny!!

The Snoozer Full Body Pillow- $60 at Motherhood Maternity 



Since it is not recommended you take any sort aspirin or pain relievers during pregnancy, I sought out some other products to help with the immense back and leg pain I had. I tried several different kinds, some that really smelled, others that left my skin burning. In the end I did find one that worked really well, I highly recommend it. Biofreeze- Get a tube, it is inexpensive and sold at most all pharmacies, Target and Wal-Mart if you are feeling brave! 



I had talked about "Belly Bars" in my last blog, but I wanted to go into a bit more detail on that. This all-natural bar is full of folic acid, omega 3's and iron. It is sold at Whole Foods and I have seen them at Motherhood Maternity (boy do I plug them a lot ha). Anyhow, the nausea in the first trimester really does a number on me! I can barely keep the prenatal vitamins down, so I would take them at night. With Ella, the only thing I could stomach was fresh fruit, nuts and bread... until the end when I had an obsession with chilidogs and guacamole. The Belly Bars were a great way to get some goodness in me, and they tasted really good! 





I encourage any feedback, and let me know what some of your favorites are!!

Stephanie Antoinette 



Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Pregnancy Must-Haves!


For some, being pregnant doesn't always mean you get that 'glow' everyone talks about. Unfortunately not all of us are blessed with just a cute round belly! Some of us (me included) have unsightly skin changes and we gain weight EVERYWHERE! We surely do not look, or feel like the goddess everyone talks about.

Here are some of my personal tips on how to keep yourself looking, and feeling your best during these long 9 months!

Water: I cannot emphasize enough the importance of consuming enough water when pregnant. You should be drinking plenty before and after, especially if you are breastfeeding, but while pregnant it is crucial! Besides the obvious of keeping you and baby hydrated, it also helps with the dry & itchy skin. Drinking plenty of water can also prevent water retention, sounds odd right?! It's true, drinking the recommended 8, 8 ounce glasses a day can prevent the puffiness! Water also naturally detoxes your body, toss in a lemon or fresh fruit to spruce up the taste!!

Moisturize: If you live in Arizona then moisturizing and drinking water should already be part of your routine, but during these 9 months pump it up. Make sure you are applying lotion to your whole body after each shower; maybe even have hubby rub some on your tired & swollen feet! Some of my favorites were:


Eucerin Calming Itch-relief- I would be extremely itchy all the time! In order to prevent myself from tearing my skin apart with scratching I would apply this... in ample amounts!



Bio Oil- I still use this! Nothing can prevent stretch marks entirely since that has to do with the elasticity of your skin from the inside, but this can help them from getting out of control.

Then any yummy smelling peppermint foot cream for my feet!

Humidifier: I would get so stuffed up do the build up of hormones that I could barely breathe. It is called Rhinitis of Pregnancy.  It didn't help in the last trimester when I had a baby pushing on my lungs and diaphragm either. So at night I would prop myself in almost a seated position and turn on the humidifier. This made it slightly easier to breathe... now if only I didn't have to get up 20 times a night to go to the bathroom.

Make sure you have a least a couple pairs of cute and tailored maternity pants & tops. Make sure the tops are long and go below the belly... PLEASE! A thin cardigan is always nice to have to cover your arms and sides if you are not happy with how they are growing ha! Get yourself a good bra to 'grow' with- your belly isn't the only thing that will be getting bigger! You do not need to go out and drop hundreds of dollars to achieve this- unless you can afford to... then have at it! Maternity clothes are sold in way more stores then when I was first pregnant with my oldest! Old Navy, Target, Motherhood Maternity all has great options! Dress up your outfit with cute ballet flats, a scarf and bag.

Check out these cute options for under $50-


Indigo Blue Secret Fit Belly® Skinny Leg Maternity Jeans (Lose the heels)

3/4 Sleeve Empire Seam Maternity Tunic 



Make sure you pack your bag with mints or hard candies to fight of nausea. Snacks like nuts, belly bars or trail mix to keep yourself from starving if you are on the go. A bottle of water, and lip-gloss to take full advantage of those full lips you have! 

I will continue on this subject, but this will get you started!