If you've ever seen the movie Chicago you'll remember the scene where Roxy's husband sings a song called Mr. Cellophane; he felt invisible. If you are a new mom you can sympathize with him.In an instant you go from caring for yourself to devoting every waking moment to another person who is completely dependent upon on you. I found my maternity leave to be rewarding yet challenging and I want to share some tips and thoughts with you.
While I spent time bonding with my little one, I noticed that I didnt have much time to care for me. So I quickly learned to find fast ways to care for my skin. One thing that really helped me was facial wipes. I would suggest purchasing the wipes that don't require you to add water or lather them up. Simply wipe off the baby drool and slather on a great moisturizer. You'd be surprised at how much these two little steps can improve your skin and lift you spirits.
Never underestimate the power of a spray of perfume and a swipe of lip gloss. With a newborn, it can be challenging to schedule a decent time to take a shower. In the times when it looks like it may be a 3am shower, spray some body spray on for a quick pick me up. Keep your lips smooth and hydrated with your favorite chapstick and layer it with your sexiest lip gloss.
Some impolite people think its ok to tell you, "You look tired". Of course you look tired, because you are! But who needs a reminder? To combat the sleepy look, stay hydrated. Keep a water bottle by your bed and sip every chance you get. Hydration does wonders for the skin. When you feel up to wearing makeup, try Benefit's Ooh La Lift. It adds light underneath the eye and helps give off a youthful appearance.
Change your clothes every day. Even if you stay in comfy lounge wear, a new outfit can fight off the feeling of being in a predictable rut.
Keep your hair oiled. It maybe hard to find the time and or the energy to do your hair but keeping it oiled is a must. Your body is going through an adjustment period and this can cause your hair to be brittle and dry. Your hair can even break off, I lost two locs! Yikes! Let sleep be the only thing you loose.
Well Maternal Mavens, we'll chat soon!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Project Bringing Sexy Back
Attn: Maternal Agents
Thank you for meeting with me today. This meeting is of great importance. Your mission should you chose to accept it is to prepare for your body to be occupied by only one person.
Goal: Sexy in 6 months
A great tool is binding your stomach. You can do research and find dozens of stomach cinchers that help your stomach decrease and provide back support. I personally used the Belly Bandit. I wish I purchased it before the baby came as I probably would have had even better results. Their most inexpensive belly binding system is $45.00. I wore it every day and washed it in cold water when it was dirty and laid it flat to dry. The only time I took it off was to shower.
Beware of the villain stretch marks and the dreaded post pregnancy pooch. This is a worthy opponent who you need to plan your attack carefully and react quickly. I found two products that I 'm using to tone my skin on diapers.com. The company is called Mustela and they produce products that are safe for breastfeeding mothers. I bought the body firming activator pill and a lotion that helps my skin regain its elasticity. I'll keep you updated on how its working.
I am currently researching safe diet and exercise plans so any suggestions would help! Until next time agents.
WARNING: THIS MESSAGE WILL SELF DESTRUCT IN 20 MINUTES.
Thank you for meeting with me today. This meeting is of great importance. Your mission should you chose to accept it is to prepare for your body to be occupied by only one person.
Goal: Sexy in 6 months
A great tool is binding your stomach. You can do research and find dozens of stomach cinchers that help your stomach decrease and provide back support. I personally used the Belly Bandit. I wish I purchased it before the baby came as I probably would have had even better results. Their most inexpensive belly binding system is $45.00. I wore it every day and washed it in cold water when it was dirty and laid it flat to dry. The only time I took it off was to shower.
Beware of the villain stretch marks and the dreaded post pregnancy pooch. This is a worthy opponent who you need to plan your attack carefully and react quickly. I found two products that I 'm using to tone my skin on diapers.com. The company is called Mustela and they produce products that are safe for breastfeeding mothers. I bought the body firming activator pill and a lotion that helps my skin regain its elasticity. I'll keep you updated on how its working.
I am currently researching safe diet and exercise plans so any suggestions would help! Until next time agents.
WARNING: THIS MESSAGE WILL SELF DESTRUCT IN 20 MINUTES.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Cover Up the Goods
Hello Fabulous Ladies!
As my little one grows inside me, I've noticed that my shirts don't quite cover her living space as much as they used to. I 'm not sure if you ladies have experienced the same dilemma but I want to give a few tips to combat giving an unwanted peep show to the world.
First invest in a belly band. They extend the life of your pre pregnancy pants (great if you are having a fall pregnancy) and look like a shirt. Placing a belly band on gives you the confidence that your belly is fully covered.
Second, invest in spaghetti strap tanks. You can get them for fairly cheap at Old Navy, Target, and Forever21 plus. Get all the basic colors. I've been able to manage with a white one and a black one. I wear them under my shirts and they cover up my belly and compliment my shirts.
Finally I do a bit of camouflage by wearing cardigans,jackets, blazers, shawls, and boleros. Depending on the length I can button a few buttons near the base of my belly. Also if it is a shorter jacket, it can bring the attention upward to your beautiful face. To avoid an embarrassing show of flesh, be sure to adjust your clothing with every bathroom trip and when you stand up after sitting for a while.
Keep those goodies in the jar ladies. TTYL!!
As my little one grows inside me, I've noticed that my shirts don't quite cover her living space as much as they used to. I 'm not sure if you ladies have experienced the same dilemma but I want to give a few tips to combat giving an unwanted peep show to the world.
First invest in a belly band. They extend the life of your pre pregnancy pants (great if you are having a fall pregnancy) and look like a shirt. Placing a belly band on gives you the confidence that your belly is fully covered.
Second, invest in spaghetti strap tanks. You can get them for fairly cheap at Old Navy, Target, and Forever21 plus. Get all the basic colors. I've been able to manage with a white one and a black one. I wear them under my shirts and they cover up my belly and compliment my shirts.
Finally I do a bit of camouflage by wearing cardigans,jackets, blazers, shawls, and boleros. Depending on the length I can button a few buttons near the base of my belly. Also if it is a shorter jacket, it can bring the attention upward to your beautiful face. To avoid an embarrassing show of flesh, be sure to adjust your clothing with every bathroom trip and when you stand up after sitting for a while.
Keep those goodies in the jar ladies. TTYL!!
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Spotts are not Just on Dalamations!
What's up Ladies!
Ok, so the other night I was doing my normal after shower routine and noticed some invaders on my breasts! Moles! They shocked me so much that I said aloud "What in the world?!" After a call to my resident advice nurse (my wonderful mom) I calmed down. She explained that the new spot are normal and much to my delight they should fade away.
I have more spots on my face then the puppies from 101 Dalmatians! I've been using concealer and a green stick (green neutralizes the color red) to cut down on their appearances while in public. If you are experiencing the same dilemma, try using a gentle scrub at least twice a week and cleaning your makeup before you got to bed. I have also been experiencing some discoloration on my forehead. Just a general redness that resembles acne but without the bumps. The green stick helps with that too.
When I thought a nasty pimple was leasing space on my face I went to the bathroom mirror to investigate the situation. There was a dark line in it that resembled a hair. Turns out that's what it was and it was a stubborn one. I enlisted my sweety to help me remove the ingrown hair on my cheek.
I’m trying to be proactive about the possibility of bags and lines from sleepless nights so I "borrowed" (swiped from my mom's house) some samples of Estee Lauder and Mary Kay samples for eye cream. I have been putting it under my eyes on the nights I can remember. So far there are no lines so I 'm happy. I also swindled some dark spot treatment from my mom's house and have been using it on acne marks. I have had some dryness around my nose so I cut down on how much water I use on my face and ensure that I slather on a great moisturizer every morning and night.
Until next time, stay fabulous!
Ok, so the other night I was doing my normal after shower routine and noticed some invaders on my breasts! Moles! They shocked me so much that I said aloud "What in the world?!" After a call to my resident advice nurse (my wonderful mom) I calmed down. She explained that the new spot are normal and much to my delight they should fade away.
I have more spots on my face then the puppies from 101 Dalmatians! I've been using concealer and a green stick (green neutralizes the color red) to cut down on their appearances while in public. If you are experiencing the same dilemma, try using a gentle scrub at least twice a week and cleaning your makeup before you got to bed. I have also been experiencing some discoloration on my forehead. Just a general redness that resembles acne but without the bumps. The green stick helps with that too.
When I thought a nasty pimple was leasing space on my face I went to the bathroom mirror to investigate the situation. There was a dark line in it that resembled a hair. Turns out that's what it was and it was a stubborn one. I enlisted my sweety to help me remove the ingrown hair on my cheek.
I’m trying to be proactive about the possibility of bags and lines from sleepless nights so I "borrowed" (swiped from my mom's house) some samples of Estee Lauder and Mary Kay samples for eye cream. I have been putting it under my eyes on the nights I can remember. So far there are no lines so I 'm happy. I also swindled some dark spot treatment from my mom's house and have been using it on acne marks. I have had some dryness around my nose so I cut down on how much water I use on my face and ensure that I slather on a great moisturizer every morning and night.
Until next time, stay fabulous!
Monday, October 4, 2010
Fallin' for Cozy
Hey Ladies!
What says fall like crisp mornings, mild temperature days, and cozy sweaters? If you're like me the thought of a new wardrobe warms your blood and excites your senses. The trouble with fall maternity is the season's weather requires layering and in our physical state we don't want to add too much bulk. So I have been on the hunt for clothes that keep my tummy warm and fulfill my need for style.
I took a trip to the Thrift and was pleasantly surprised by what I found. Whole maternity suits, cute sweaters, nice slacks, fabulous winter coats and adorable dresses! The great thing about the Thrift is that a lot of them have discount days and membership benefits. I bought a great velvet blazer, spicy blouse, and a cute laid back sweater for less than $10! The thrift is a great place for basics and will help you transition from maternity clothing to your regular wardrobe. Oh and the baby clothes! My mom bought the little one six outfits and spent $5!
Motherhood Maternity is one of the least expensive maternity clothing designers and if you sign up for their email they have great benefits. They'll send you coupons for you and baby, hold items in your shopping basket, and tell you when they get new merchandise in. I checked out their fall line of dresses and they are soo cute. Can't wait to see them paired with colored tights and booties. By the way check out Gap.com and oldnavy.com for convenient outfit ideas.
Spanx has great panty hose and smooth out any lumps and bumps. Peruse around their website and you will find great ways to accentuate your figure and make every outfit fit well.
Tarjay (Target) has some nice outerwear designed by Liz Lange. She is a great designer who was gracious enough to create a more affordable line of maternity clothing for us fashionistas.
So grab a cup of hot coco and get to shopping ladies!
What says fall like crisp mornings, mild temperature days, and cozy sweaters? If you're like me the thought of a new wardrobe warms your blood and excites your senses. The trouble with fall maternity is the season's weather requires layering and in our physical state we don't want to add too much bulk. So I have been on the hunt for clothes that keep my tummy warm and fulfill my need for style.
I took a trip to the Thrift and was pleasantly surprised by what I found. Whole maternity suits, cute sweaters, nice slacks, fabulous winter coats and adorable dresses! The great thing about the Thrift is that a lot of them have discount days and membership benefits. I bought a great velvet blazer, spicy blouse, and a cute laid back sweater for less than $10! The thrift is a great place for basics and will help you transition from maternity clothing to your regular wardrobe. Oh and the baby clothes! My mom bought the little one six outfits and spent $5!
Motherhood Maternity is one of the least expensive maternity clothing designers and if you sign up for their email they have great benefits. They'll send you coupons for you and baby, hold items in your shopping basket, and tell you when they get new merchandise in. I checked out their fall line of dresses and they are soo cute. Can't wait to see them paired with colored tights and booties. By the way check out Gap.com and oldnavy.com for convenient outfit ideas.
Spanx has great panty hose and smooth out any lumps and bumps. Peruse around their website and you will find great ways to accentuate your figure and make every outfit fit well.
Tarjay (Target) has some nice outerwear designed by Liz Lange. She is a great designer who was gracious enough to create a more affordable line of maternity clothing for us fashionistas.
So grab a cup of hot coco and get to shopping ladies!
Shower Me
Hello Ladies!
Just wanted to chat a little about your baby shower ensemble. This will take some planning so start early. I purchased my outfit, a dress, from Forever 21's maternity line. I spent less than $30 and was pleased with the fit. I purchased one size up from their line as they run small. Because my chest isn’t as big as most pregnant women's I had to use a safety pin to keep the top closed. So if you have a couple of dollars to spare, I suggest ordering your outfit early and taking it to a seamstress to customize the fit. Most dry cleaners will have a seamstress on staff.
Onto foot jewelry, heels! I love the way they can quickly boost your confidence and make you figure gorgeous. In order for me to pull off this oh so sexy look I had to enact a plan of action. I practiced in my heels around the house. Now a fair warning, if your tootsies are swollen the shoes will be uncomfortable for a little while, but hang in there they do loosen up. As a precautionary measure I wore sandals out of the house and put my heels on once I got to the shower.
Jewelry, hair, and makeup...oh how I love to be a girl! Going minimal on your jewelry allows your face to take center stage. Indulge yourself and take a trip to the hair salon. Allow your tresses to be pampered and just relax. As far as makeup goes, I searched YouTube and found great tutorials. I suggest picking a celebrity or a makeup look you like and seeing if there is a tutorial on it. There are plenty of different interpretations so you'll be sure to find one that compliments your personality, outfit, and the occasion. You can usually use the make-up you already have, but most people post where they purchased their make-up. I found one on Jennifer Lopez's make-up and practiced the look a week before the shower. The trial run really helped as I could see how to better apply it on the day of the shower.
I also saved money by purchasing eye shadow from CVS. Drugstore eye shadow has a tendency to crease so invest in a good shadow base. I used MallyBeauty's eye shadow base on my lids then applied foundation on top. To add an extra layer of defense I used Too Faced's Shadow Insurance. I feel asleep with my make-up on (a big no no!) and the next morning my shadows looked as fresh as before! If you can splurge on a trip to the make-up counter for a professional make-over, go for it! Cameras will be flashing and you want to be sure that you feel confident to take each picture.
Posing. I know that there aren’t many ways a preggo woman can pose without looking large and in charge but I suggest sometime in the mirror before your shower. Try out some poses that you feel most comfortable in. Try some sitting and others standing. You'll notice if your outfit does funny things with different poses. You don’t want to look bunched up if at all possible.
Well trendy mommas, I'll catch up with you later! Stay haute!
Just wanted to chat a little about your baby shower ensemble. This will take some planning so start early. I purchased my outfit, a dress, from Forever 21's maternity line. I spent less than $30 and was pleased with the fit. I purchased one size up from their line as they run small. Because my chest isn’t as big as most pregnant women's I had to use a safety pin to keep the top closed. So if you have a couple of dollars to spare, I suggest ordering your outfit early and taking it to a seamstress to customize the fit. Most dry cleaners will have a seamstress on staff.
Onto foot jewelry, heels! I love the way they can quickly boost your confidence and make you figure gorgeous. In order for me to pull off this oh so sexy look I had to enact a plan of action. I practiced in my heels around the house. Now a fair warning, if your tootsies are swollen the shoes will be uncomfortable for a little while, but hang in there they do loosen up. As a precautionary measure I wore sandals out of the house and put my heels on once I got to the shower.
Jewelry, hair, and makeup...oh how I love to be a girl! Going minimal on your jewelry allows your face to take center stage. Indulge yourself and take a trip to the hair salon. Allow your tresses to be pampered and just relax. As far as makeup goes, I searched YouTube and found great tutorials. I suggest picking a celebrity or a makeup look you like and seeing if there is a tutorial on it. There are plenty of different interpretations so you'll be sure to find one that compliments your personality, outfit, and the occasion. You can usually use the make-up you already have, but most people post where they purchased their make-up. I found one on Jennifer Lopez's make-up and practiced the look a week before the shower. The trial run really helped as I could see how to better apply it on the day of the shower.
I also saved money by purchasing eye shadow from CVS. Drugstore eye shadow has a tendency to crease so invest in a good shadow base. I used MallyBeauty's eye shadow base on my lids then applied foundation on top. To add an extra layer of defense I used Too Faced's Shadow Insurance. I feel asleep with my make-up on (a big no no!) and the next morning my shadows looked as fresh as before! If you can splurge on a trip to the make-up counter for a professional make-over, go for it! Cameras will be flashing and you want to be sure that you feel confident to take each picture.
Posing. I know that there aren’t many ways a preggo woman can pose without looking large and in charge but I suggest sometime in the mirror before your shower. Try out some poses that you feel most comfortable in. Try some sitting and others standing. You'll notice if your outfit does funny things with different poses. You don’t want to look bunched up if at all possible.
Well trendy mommas, I'll catch up with you later! Stay haute!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Arr She Blows!!
Hi Mommies-to-be!
Today's blog is taking a step back on fashion and honing in on health instead. Two nights ago, my sweetheart and I were actively participating in our childbirth classes and I sprung a leak! I had gone to the ladies room just before it happened but I guess my body and mind were not on the same wave length. When I told my honey what happened he immediately said we should mention it to the instructor as I had also been experiencing horrible back pain for almost 24 hours.
After explaining my awkward and embarrassing predicament, the instructor suggested that I get evaluated. Since we were already at the hospital, I headed upstairs to get checked out. Oh and by the way if you have to got to the hospital for any reason, get food! We learned that lesson and my love went for a Mc Donald's run (I know, soo not healthy, but I was having a fat girl moment and he wanted to indulge me).
So after being hooked up to monitors and being asked a gazillion questions a test was administered on me. The nurse used a q-tip to test if the fluid was amniotic fluid. She explained that if my water had been broken I would have to stay in the hospital until I delivered! Not just day but weeks! I was already mentally planning my break out. Lol! Less than an hour later it was determined that all was well and I was given a clean bill of health.
Apparently I had a virus and the liquid was discharge. The first signs would have been an unusual odor, when asked I said I hadn't noticed one. Later my love told me he had, wonderful partner. The virus will be easily treated with antibiotics.Ok so background story done, lets get done to the moral of it. Pay attention to the scents your body emits, be knowledgeable about pre term labor signs, and always air on the side of caution. Its better to have the doctor tell you there is nothing wrong then to ignore signs and complicate your pregnancy.
Until next time moms, stay healthy!
Today's blog is taking a step back on fashion and honing in on health instead. Two nights ago, my sweetheart and I were actively participating in our childbirth classes and I sprung a leak! I had gone to the ladies room just before it happened but I guess my body and mind were not on the same wave length. When I told my honey what happened he immediately said we should mention it to the instructor as I had also been experiencing horrible back pain for almost 24 hours.
After explaining my awkward and embarrassing predicament, the instructor suggested that I get evaluated. Since we were already at the hospital, I headed upstairs to get checked out. Oh and by the way if you have to got to the hospital for any reason, get food! We learned that lesson and my love went for a Mc Donald's run (I know, soo not healthy, but I was having a fat girl moment and he wanted to indulge me).
So after being hooked up to monitors and being asked a gazillion questions a test was administered on me. The nurse used a q-tip to test if the fluid was amniotic fluid. She explained that if my water had been broken I would have to stay in the hospital until I delivered! Not just day but weeks! I was already mentally planning my break out. Lol! Less than an hour later it was determined that all was well and I was given a clean bill of health.
Apparently I had a virus and the liquid was discharge. The first signs would have been an unusual odor, when asked I said I hadn't noticed one. Later my love told me he had, wonderful partner. The virus will be easily treated with antibiotics.Ok so background story done, lets get done to the moral of it. Pay attention to the scents your body emits, be knowledgeable about pre term labor signs, and always air on the side of caution. Its better to have the doctor tell you there is nothing wrong then to ignore signs and complicate your pregnancy.
Until next time moms, stay healthy!
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