This May marked the fifth anniversary of Alisa Donner and Anna Getty’s Pregnancy Awareness Month; an organization committed to inspiring and educating women about every aspect of pregnancy. As one who celebrates maternity moxie in print, tv and my book BUMP IT UP: TRANSFORM YOUR PREGNANCY INTO THE ULTIMATE STYLE STATEMENT, I was delighted to, once again, take part in the PAM kick- off event in Los Angeles. From pre-natal exercise and nutrition to eco-chic products for the nursery, this event draws all type of organizations devoted to a healthy, happy pregnancy. I, of course, focus on style. My mission is to make women look and feel their best during one of the most fashion challenged time in their lives.

This year, I joined forces with Viacord to present the VIACORD BUMP IT UP STYLE LOUNGE, a chill out area (complete with sofa and snacks) where women could score one on one style sessions with me. Topics du jour? How to look like a long, lean baby making machine and strategically lengthen one’s silhouette with accessories. Women swarmed the lounge to learn how to “bump up” their wardrobes and transform nine months of potential frump and dump to jaw dropping fabulosity. Of course, you cannot have fabulosity without flattering fashion. On hand was the maternity brand Ingrid & Isabel, a celebrity favorite known for perfect dress-them up/dress- them- down basics. I styled our mannequins with two of my favorite dresses-the Athena and the Waterfall – to illustrate the concepts of silhouette “elongation”, “garment rotation” and “layering.”

Our lounge was a celebrity magnet. We had visits from Lisa Loeb (clad in a gorge Ingrid & Isabel dress), Ali Landry, Disney Channel’s Tiffany Thornton and Catherine McCord. Once they gleaned style tips, women headed over to Viacord to learn about a topic that I am passionate about: cord blood banking.

Fashion is fun but being educated about the health of your baby is critical. Viacord collects and stores the stem cells found in your newborn’s umbilical cord, which are used in the treatment of nearly 80 life-threatening diseases including a wide range of cancers, genetic diseases, immune system deficiencies and blood disorders. Essentially, storing your baby’s cord blood gives new parents peace of mind. It is an awful thought. But, should there be a need, your baby will have a source of stem cells that is an exact match, with no risk of rejection. There is also a strong possibility that his/her siblings will be a match as well. I did it with my children and strongly recommend that moms to be do too. Viacord offered valuable information and a copy of my style bible BUMP IT UP. Book in hand, guests then plopped down in our welcoming sofa to read and nibble on Sprinkle cupcakes and Godiva chocolate.

I recently partnered with luxe mom subscription service CITRUS LANE to develop a pregnancy pampering kit featuring my book and some of my favorite products. We raffled one kit off per hour which was a massive hit with the crowd.

What else can I say? It was a bumptastic day.