October 10, 2011

Maternity Must Haves & Treats

I have just about 4 weeks to go with my little guy in my belly and the past 36 weeks have gone pretty smoothly. I think I might be one of those lucky ladies other pregnant ladies love to hate. Aside from a wee bit of queasiness in the beginning weeks, my babe has let me get away without the actual icky part of morning sickness, stretch marks, or totally strange food cravings. I attribute about 99.7% of this to pure luck. Physically, my body's done good. *fingers crossed*

Mentally, I've had (and am still having) my rough patches. It's really a whole new world, this pregnancy thing. An unfamiliar body and a new range of emotions are a lot to deal with. I'm learning that it's all about making yourself feel healthy and happy. So mamas, here are some of my favorite pregnancy treats... 


1. I can't tell you how long I held out on buying any sort of maternity wear. Some of it was stubbornness. A lot of it was that most maternity wear is, well, ugly. Still, I can count the number of actual maternity pieces in my wardrobe on my fingers. And a majority of them come from Isabella Oliver. The basic tops fit me like a glove, the dresses are the perfect solution for a night out, and they show off the bump beautifully. Wear them before, during, and after baby. So worth the price tag.

2. Remember the countless flights I took my belly on in the first and second trimesters? I also took along a jar of Skin Savior from One Love Organics. An all natural multi-balm that I use for cleansing, moisturizing, conditioning, smoothing, and massaging. 

3. Slather your body and belly with Burt's Bees Mama Bee Belly Balm. I'm in the camp that believes you can't really prevent stretch marks (except maybe by keeping weight gain steady). Which means, I did not invest in a super pricey, fancy schmancy moisturizer. I just continued to use my regular body lotion and slathered on some belly balm once in a while. No stretch marks so far, skin as smooth as a baby's bottom, and the pampering feels gooood.

4. Sometimes you just need a good cookie. For that, I turn to Kim Boyce, author of Good to the Grain. I have perfected her heavenly recipe for Whole Grain Chocolate Chip Cookies with a few tweaks of my own. Chocolatey treat without all the guilt.

5. Klean Kanteen for all the water mamas need to be chugging to stay hydrated.

6. My husband bought this maternity pillow for me despite all the arguing I initially put up. It looks like a doggy bed and it's huge. But dear lord, it is comfortable. Srsly. Get one with support on both sides. It will let you flip around in bed as you feel like it. This pillow might be the reason I've yet to have a sleepless night.

7. Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream for when those hippie dippie choc chip cookies aren't going to cut it. Order directly from their website or stop by Surfas if you're in West LA.

8. Prenatal yoga. It stretches all the right muscles, helps me relax, and makes me feel healthy. Whatever your favorite workout routine is, don't give it up. Just tone it down. Even on my most tired days, I feel rejuvenated after a bit of exercise.

9. When No. 8 doesn't exactly pan out for the day, I throw on my Ray Bans for a bit of glam. A pair of oversized sunglasses can save even the most tired of pregnant ladies.

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