FACT: Preggos get dehydrated.
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And, drinking gallons of water is a bore. How to boost H2O intake? Create a mocktail that looks and tastes like a minty, fresh mojito. Here’s what to do: Fill a water bottle or glass with water. Squeeze in ¼ fresh lime or lemon juice. Add sliced strawberries, raspberries, cucumber or even mango. Add a few sprigs of fresh mint. Voila. You will easily triple your water intake.
Not so long ago pregnancy was a private moment. But Demi Moore’s Vanity Fair cover (in 1991) along with the internet and fashion blogs generated the paparazzi fueled “bump watch” we know today. Here are some of the most glamorous bumps to date.
IT’S TRUE! I talk strategic styling tips with Lia Sophia. Read full story here.
Yes, it’s hot. Yes, heat causes swelling. But, the upshot is that you can avoid the incredible bulk of a winter pregnancy and channel some St Tropez sultriness.
The trick: sporting beach cover ups as RTW. Pop into a trendy boutique or the swim department of a large retailer and scoop up a few printed caftans and a chic pareo (a.k.a oversized scarf used to wrap around the waist). A caftan’s generous cut is a gift from the fashion fertility gods. They are comfy and thoroughly au courant. Pair your pareo with a tight tank top. Just wrap it around your waist and knot it under the bump. The best part? Both of these summer wardrobe staples have “before and after” appeal. They are perfect now and can be worn for dozens of family vacations to come.
Expert tip: Dress up casual caftans and pareo looks with dramatic gold dangle earrings and a pair of elegant wedges.
Roberta Roller Rabbit Pareo $55 \\ Stella & Dot tiered escapade earrings $59 \\ Mossimo waylon harachi cork wedge $29.99
What does a pregnant woman crave more than a dozen red velvet cupcakes? To be pampered. Meet Mama Lana, the latest in monthly subscription boxes specifically for moms-to-be. Here we chat with Anna and Lauren about their philosophy and passion for supporting fellow mompreneurs.
Meet Anna and Lauren, Co-Founders of Mama Lana
Q: What sparked the idea of Mama Lana Box?
A: Lauren: Over the holidays last year, we were sitting together around the breakfast table in Carpinteria, California, talking about our dreams. Anna had been trained as doula (a birth coach) and wanted a way to share her expertise and passion for pregnancy with mamas that were too far away for her to personally visit. I’m in business school – and at that point, I’d fallen in love with small, entrepreneurial, women-owned businesses, and hoped to learn how to support them.
Anna: As we gabbed, there must have been magic in the air along with the smells of cinnamon buns — because we came up with Mama Lana!
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Q: What were the biggest challenges you faced when developing Mama Lana?
A: Anna: One major challenge is creating a box that reflects the individual and diverse experience of each expecting mama. Because each pregnancy is different, not all mamas-to-be need the same products. However, there are some similarities: all mamas want to feel loved and inspired not only for the good work that they are doing (growing a whole new human life!), but also for the incredible transformation that they are undergoing, as a person. All mamas also deserve touches of luxury and extravagance — pregnancy is not for sissies! We have curated our boxes to reflect these shared experiences.
Lauren: A second major challenge is that pregnancy is so personal, and there are many different philosophies and beliefs about it. Expecting mamas and their partners are very passionate about their pregnancy beliefs! It is essential to us that our boxes respect all of the choices that the mamas and their partners have decided is best for them and their baby.
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Q: What are the guidelines you follow when choosing products to include?
A: Lauren: First, our products must be top notch. We never settle for second-best. Our boxes are not paid advertisements or filled with teensy samples. Our Council of Experts, led by Anna, carefully choose the highest quality, most luscious product for our mamas, formulated for that month of pregnancy.
Anna: We also want to make sure that our products are good for the world, as well as the mama. After all, we want to make sure that the world is in great shape for the new babies coming into it! We look for skin care products that are organic, natural, and responsible, such as Bella B. We also love products that give back — especially to other mamas, such as Global Girlfriends. We also donate a percentage of each box to Madre, a nonprofit that advances women’s human rights internationally. We believe that when you help mothers, you help the world!
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Q: Who are your dream clients?
A: Anna: Any pregnant mama out there! We have worked hard to create a well-rounded box that we hope appeals to all tastes. Our boxes nourish and celebrate the “whole pregnant woman”, and we pride ourselves on the fact that we are not tailored to a certain “type” of mama-to-be. Pregnancy is a transformational time, and it unifies all women who go through it. Our boxes are meant to honor every journey, and honor every woman walking the path of pregnancy.
Lauren: Totally agree there. We also love the idea of others celebrating mama – and have found that all sorts of folks love gifting our boxes to pregnant women. Whether it’s the mama-to-be’s partner, sibling, mother, auntie, best friend, work acquaintance, or grandparent, we’ve seen it all. This box is designed to be a rockin’ gift from anyone to a pregnant woman/new mama.
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Q: Do you try and support fellow momprenuers? If so, what have been you favorite products and why?
A: Lauren: We love momprenuers! Given a choice, we will choose mompreneurs over any other. We think that mamas are the smartest, most innovative people around, and one of the great joys of building Mama Lana has been meeting all these amazing companies run by mamas. Additionally, no one understands the needs of our pregnant mamas-to-be like mamas themselves. For example, we love Knocked Up Nails, the brainchild of “The Funtrepreneur” Ashley Judge, because only a mama who had experienced the joys — and the less-than-joys — of pregnancy would be able to create such slyly clever names for preggo nail polish colors. Vosges Haut-Chocolat brings a sense of style and elegance to their sweets, inspired by the founder’s creative experiences as a mama.
Anna: Lauren is spot on – mompreneurs are the best! I’d also add that mamas often have wisdom that has been passed down through generations of previous mamas, such as Raegan Moya-Jones, the founder of Aden + Anais. When Raegan shared traditions of swaddling babies in pure cotton muslin, originally from her native Australia, she gave us all beautiful cloth for our babies. And Solmate Socks was named after the founder’s mom, Sunny, who taught the founder how to knit when she was nine years old. Women’s wisdom is timeless, and mompreneurs have a beautiful way of harnessing that and sharing it with the world. At our core, we think mamas are so inspirational! (Can you tell we’re excited?)
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Q: What are a few pregnancy products you couldn’t live without?
A: Lauren: Well, I guess the cat’s out of the bag! My husband, Will, and I were blessed with a new pregnancy just about the same time that Anna and I were starting off with Mama Lana. As the business grows, so does my belly! I’m currently in my second trimester, feeling a lot better and amazed at how my belly grows every day (it seems like)! So hmmm…products…(1) In the first trimester, I was pretty sick — so I ate a lot of Preggie Pops. A LOT of them. Sometimes they were the only things that got me through meetings in law school. (2) Nowadays, since my belly is stretching, I really love Earth Mama Angel Baby’s Natural Stretch Oil. It feels amazing against my stretching skin and helps to moisturize without leaving a strong scent (my nose is still pretty vocal these days). (3) Throughout my pregnancy, I have always drawn strength from Anna’s Blissful Birth Cards, which are enclosed in every box. I love Anna for so many reasons, but even if she weren’t my sister, I would still get so much inspiration from the coaching, support, and love written into every card. These days, my favorite card is probably the Turtle: “Slow and Steady” is the mama mantra. Sometimes I feel like nine months lasts forever. Anna’s Turtle card helps me remember that I’m doing good work, even if it feels like it’s taking a long time.
Anna: Can you believe I’m going to be an auntie? Lauren is just rocking it right now…growing a business and a baby FROM SCRATCH. Love you sis! OK – I’m a doula, so I love lots and lots of pregnancy products. But from my personal experience with my two pregnancies, a few stick out for sure! (1) BellyBars. I was so, so sick. I just felt like I had a perpetual stomach flu for three months. BellyBars were seriously some of the only things I could keep down. And I felt so happy knowing that I was getting some excellent nutrients for me and baby. (2) Zutano hats. You know the ones – those incredibly soft ones with the little bear ears? Seriously, during my pregnancy I became a swooning softy at anything baby-adorbs, and Zutano’s infant hats topped them all. Seeing the teeny size of the hat made my baby seem more real to me – picturing his/her little noggin hanging out. And also, dressing up my child like a cute little animal was one of my main reasons for making babies. (3) Mother’s Special Blend Soap. Thank GOODNESS for this stuff. My skin was so sensitive, so itchy, and so prone to breakouts. Ugh. This soap smelled divine, and calmed and smoothed my skin. Sigh of relief. (4) Purple Leaves Red Cherries. Seriously, this book is incredible. I recommend it it all of my doula clients. Once I had my babies, this was my go-to book for reflection and inspiration.
One Mama Lana Box is $59 and the full box service for all nine months of pregnancy is $459. Please visit Mama Lana for more information.
Parks, culture, history, sports and a culinary scene that runs the gamut from old-fashioned hot dog stands to haute Michelin-starred cuisine—Chicago has no shortage of activities. If you’re looking for the kid-friendly variety, you’ll find your fill at five of our favourite Windy City attractions. READ FULL STORY HERE
Dear Kim Kardashian:
I feel badly that the media is skewering you for poor maternity choices. It’s hard to be pregnant, especially when you are short and curvy. Here’s the good news, I have some easy fashion fixes that can easily “bump up” your style. The key? Proportion and a flattering soft silhouette. I know that you favor structured pieces. But, these form fitting pieces are far too restrictive to flatter a pregnant body. Flowy, loose fitting garments- without definition of the shoulders and waist- are a better choice. Soft does not mean sloppy. Designers like Dries Van Noten, Issey Miyake, DKNK, Comme Des Garcons, Yohji Yamamoto and Zero+Maria Cornejo have made non structured garments a hallmark of their careers. These garments skim the body and create a more slouchy/sporty elegance.
10 Ways to BECOME A BUMP IT UP BABE
1. BOOBY TRAP
A loose bra does nobody any favors in the frump department. A bra should be a perfect balance of tension and support to supply the breast with lift and stability. Look in the mirror. If you see droop, it is time for a fitting and a new bra. Head into a department or lingerie store and get measured. Flawless fit will give you the coveted pertness of celebs and models. It’s all about lift.
2. ELONGATE. ELONGATE. ELONGATE.
Add verticality with a longer, open cardigan or dangly scarf. Choose darker colors which are more slimming. Choose long necklaces to lengthen the torso.
3. SHORT & SASSY
Shorter hemlines, especially for shorter women, accent the legs and add height.
4. DECOLLETAGE DRAMA
An open neckline-V, scoop or boatneck- slims explosive bust and gives the illusion of a longer neck.
5. GO FLOWY
To camouflage bottom heavinesss, create a column effect with wider boot cut jeans and dresses/skirts that flare outward. Avoid straight skirts and tapered pants.
6. BUILD YOUR EMPIRE
Start your love affair with the empire waist. This genius silhouette gathers under the breast and falls loosely to the hip, knee or floor covering bulging bellies and butts with cascading fabric. The empire waist also put the focus on the arms and shoulders, places where pregnancy weight does not manifest itself.
7. MEET THE A LINE
Narrow on the top, and flaring at the hemline this garment is designed to graze the midsection and makes one’s gams the focal point.
8. SEISMIC SHIFT
Channel Gidget. Or, my preggo icon Gwen Stefani, with the flirty old school shift. Cut straight from the shoulders and flowing away from the hips, this above the knee dress is easy to wear and disguises thickening thighs and other forms of bottom heaviness.
9. WEAR WOW FACTOR
Bold, beautiful baubles-long necklaces, neck grazing earrings and statement cuffs- define and refine a look. They also draw your audience’s attention away from your cellulite ridden rump to your incredible eye for detail.
10. GO TO JERSEY
Known for its breathability and ability to stretch with its wearer, jersey tops the preggo popularity charts because it is incredibly comfortable. And flattering. Somehow, jersey drapes perfectly over pregnancy bulges spotlighting the good and obscuring the nasty. Whether you work in an office, a classroom or a board room, this wrinkle free fabric is a best bet basic. Jersey comes in a variety of weights and blends so it is available year round.
And Kim, if you want a one-on-one styling session, just say the word.
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Best,
Amy
Tiffany Burress, wife of NFL Super Star Plaxico Burress, is a go getter. Dissatisfied with the maternity offerings available during her two pregnancies, this mom of two (and full time lawyer) decided to take matters into her own capable hands. “During my pregnancies it was challenging to feel stylish,” she explains. “I wanted to present women with a solution; pieces that are flattering’ versatile and sporty”. Burress’ Joiful Maternity line is based on her own active lifestyle during pregnancy. The collection – dresses, tops, leggings and a pant – can easily go from office to school pick up and, with the addition of a statement necklace and heels, back out to an evening event. Fit is a huge issue in pregnancy. Burress chose modal for its softness and ability to embrace the belly in an elegant, sexy way. Happily, prices are reasonable. The stylish Assymetrical Maternity dress is $70. Maternity leggings are just $58. Her dream clients? On-the-go moms from every walk of life. And, of course, celeb moms-to-be Penelope Cruz or Kate Middleton. This accessible line is most definitely Bump It Up Approved.
Joiful Maternity is launching this week. See http://www.joifulmaternity.com for the entire collection.
No muu muus at Clarence House! A baby is no bump in the style road for super glam Kate Middleton. Bump it Up: Transform Your Pregnancy into the Ultimate Style Statement author Amy Tara Koch predicts that the Duchess of Cambridge will maintain her elegance throughout her pregnancy. She chatted with USA TODAY about how Kate the Great will craft maternity style that reflects her inherent poise and polish.
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