Most of us took the sex education class in high school, right? What did they teach us there? What did we learn in biology about human anatomy and the reproduction system? Did we even listen, or were we too embarrassed to pay attention?

I think the later is most likely the closest answer to the truth, or it could be that we just forgot. Here’s a shocking (?) reminder – there is a whole lot more to getting pregnant other than having sex.  We should care to know the details for two reasons: One, so we know how NOT to get pregnant and two, so when we are ready we know what/when we need to do in order to increase our chances for conception.

If you are trying to conceive, you want to know when you are ovulating, so your efforts are more targeted. Something else to keep in mind is that sperm can live in the female reproductive system for up to three days. This will affect when you want to have intercourse.

Your physical health is a factor when it comes to your fertility. Pregnancy history, miscarriages and planned abortions can all affect your chances to conceive. The “ticking clock” is not a myth – your body will tell you when it is ready. Your fertility is at its peak in your mid 20’s. Not to say that the window is closed before or after, but it may become more challenging after age 35.  Something else to keep in mind is that weight issues can cause infertility. Malnourishment as well as overweight, can both affect your chances of conceiving.

If you are sexually active, but are not planning a baby, there are a few facts you should NOT overlook. The first is an all time myth that curtain sex positions will keep you from getting pregnant – this is NOT true. Also, proven methods to prevent a pregnancy include birth control pills and the use of condoms. Counting on safe days is a dangerous way to go. Specific foods or diets do not have a large impact on fertility, contrary to some beliefs. All in all, if you are NOT trying to conceive, research the birth control options available today. Talk to your doctor to see which one is best for you and your needs.

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It is safe to assume that your body will change throughout your pregnancy. Though we periodically hear stories of women who went to the doctor for abdominal pain and came home with a baby, not knowing they were even pregnant! For most of us, we will certainly feel and see the changes our body goes through throughout the pregnancy.

The obvious change is your growing belly, due to the new life growing inside you. Other elements affecting your body may not be as obvious, and may or may not affect you.

You may notice, even before your belly begins to expand that your pelvic bone widens and your jeans may start to feel a bit snugger. This is due to the loosening of your hip bone, which occurs in order to prepare your body for the birth.

You may have also been told to avoid salt during your pregnancy. This is due to water retention and is typically associated with the third trimester. Most women experience some swelling during their pregnancy. It is common to experience mild edema in the feet, legs and hands, even the face. This is due to the increased blood volume in the body during the pregnancy. Some woman may experience more swelling than others. See your doctor if you feel the swelling is extensive or abnormal.

While all these changes, combined with elevated level of hormones, can result in frustration with your body, it is best to try and see the up side of things, and remember it is all temporary. Your body is changing because of the baby growing inside, and after the birth your body will change again. This is certainly not the time to start a diet, but a short while after you deliver, you can start working on your figure again, if you wish.

Do not be discouraged when you look in the mirror, but find ways to enjoy these changes while they last. Treat yourself to new items of clothing, shop for maternity clothes that will enhance your celebrated curves and don’t throw out all you have in your closet. You never know, you may fit into them sooner than you thought.

What does the fall / winter fashion has planned for us? This winter maternity fashion brings us styles for extreme body sizes – everything from newly pregnant and still skinny to celebrating the “real” feminine shape of the ‘nearly due’. Grays integrated with a touch of warm color in truly dramatic textures & patterns are what’s “in”. The chest that was magnified in the past decade is now covered under layers of thick sweaters accenting long lines of feminine legs. The combination between forms that emphasize a skinny waist & those that leave room for a preggo belly truly broaden the selection and allow even the most pregnant women a wide variety in putting together their pregnancy wardrobe.

The global winds

New designs have always been inspired to an extent from historical periods and different ethnic cultures, as well as from textile innovations, social movement, weather & politics. Yes, my dear readers, our garments are made of a little more than we would have thought. This season we can see the changes in the global weather very clearly on the runway as well. The new ethnic trend is assembled of a collection of cultures across the globe combined into a unique new line. Patterns and textures from wild cultures are introduced in tailored and conservative designs.

If so far one period was significantly present in one line, this season introduces the 20’s, 80’s & 50’s with a hint of futuristic sci-fi movies. The use of multiple layers that has been in style for some time now, supports the immediate and constant movements between extreme weather and air conditioned or heated spaces. These elements are evident in current fashion collections around the world. With time, a collection of layered items is being designed to fit to any weather with the use of accessories and layers that make the difference per outfit. The infinite mix & match with the layering of clothes allow the pregnant women to wear maternity clothes with items from her pre-pregnancy wardrobe.

Gray is the new global color

The famous “little black dress” is making room for the new “little gray dress” in different tones. Other new colors this season are purple, which is replacing the summery yellow; the bright red is stepping down for red gray; blue & brown are also touched with gray with season. These new colors and tones are combined with items in gray, of course. For example: gray dress with colorful tights. If you are pregnant & are planning for more than one pregnancy, you should design a classic wardrobe in fashionable gray, mix it up with this season’s purple scarf or top, and in a year or two for your next pregnancy you could use the same basic wardrobe and update the item(s) of color with the colors of the time.

A celebration of textures & fabrics

Do not worry, the world of fashion is not becoming boring, all this grayness that is introduced this season is accompanied by many patterns, thick knits, and – feathers! No, it’s not a typo.. many feathers, layers & folding of the fabric that look much like origami.

This new style celebrates long skinny legs. Hence the higher belt location at the waist, that make the legs look longer & ignores the chests area. If you are pregnant this is your time to celebrate! A massive & comfortable sweater dress & tights will emphasis your skinny legs in comparison to your growing belly. If you finally have a chest to show off, you can always emphasis it with a belt at the bust line.

And to wrap up, the jeans! You can see that even the jeans go gray and the blue gets deeper.

So how does it all fit on us?

Shape – careful, over layers will compliment the colloquial among us. A fashionable look can also be achieved with softer layers with clean-line tailored top & a flowing bottom. For those of us with feminine legs, this is the time to enjoy tights, a skirt or dress– anything that ends above the knee. For narrow legged, skinny tights are the way to go.

Going back to work is tough – especially if you were lucky enough to get a full 12 weeks of maternity leave to spend with your new little angle.  Unfortunately, time flies by quickly – especially when you are sleep deprived and trying desperately to adjust to a new schedule with new parenting responsibilities.  You might be left feeling a little overwhelmed by yet another obligation of ‘work’. So now what?

Although you may have thought about going back to work while you were pregnant – you may find it difficult to do when you are suddenly faced with the realities of leaving your child with a sitter.  In fact, you may find it harder to do than you had originally anticipated.  Or you may be one of those mothers who is anxiously awaiting a much needed break from all the chaos of becoming a new parent and getting back into your old routine may sound refreshing.  Whichever side of the coin you fall – these feelings do not reflect on your connection and / or love to your baby what-so-ever. These feelings associate with change and need to be dealt with and addressed.

Before return to work you need to decide what to do with your baby during our absence. Your choices are between leaving your child with a family member, if that is a possibility, hire a babysitter or consider a daycare . All options have pros and cons, but only you can determine what you feel most comfortable with.

If you choose to hire a babysitter, you can check your local YMCA for infant & child CPR certified listings, get referrals from friends and family, and learn what to ask a potential sitter and how to choose one.

When looking for a daycare you first want to see what is available in your area. Ask family members and friends with young babies / children if they can recommend a daycare. A recommendation may put you at ease in selecting a facility for your loved one.  When looking, you want to check what ages they accept and what their cost is. After you have narrowed down the options you can choose the one you feel most confident will provide the best environment for your little bundle of joy.

There are different options out there, and you want to be comfortable with the one you choose. Take the time to do the research ahead of time if possible, so you can find the best fit for you and your baby.

In a world where having children is a joy and excitement and anxious anticipation of what is to come fills our conversations – it’s amazing how quiet everyone gets once these little blessings arrive into our lives.  Let’s be honest, parenting is hard!  However, what often makes it harder is that few parents will admit or even talk about the difficulties of parenting. Sometimes I wonder if people are living in denial, or if they are just hiding under a thick blanket of ‘keeping appearances’ up for the surrounding world.  Regardless, of why so many shy away from admitting that parenting hard – it is, and remains the world’s most difficult and challenging job!  It will test your patience, ability to multi-task, ability to get anything truly done in a day, and it will force you to operate and function with only minimal sleep.  Somehow when we are planning for our babies to arrive we find it hard to imagine any difficulties or challenges.  Even while pregnant, you may think “I want 3 kids”, and plan them to be two years apart – your plan will be the most logical thing to you, and seemingly make sense until your first baby arrives.  Then reality sets in..

The reality of motherhood is that it is far from being logical let alone scheduled. Life takes a new turn once your little one arrives, and for the most part takes control over your daily routine. Especially if you choose to be a stay at home Mom (but also if you don’t), and try to put order in the chaos that is now your life (newborns often mix up their days and nights, and if you are lucky, they will feed every 3 hours on average). It will take months (if not years) till your schedule will return to.. hummmm, your hands.

Children are a joy – nonetheless, parenting is challenging and difficult.  People don’t tell you that being a new parent equals little to no sleep for months, dealing with new experiences (even with your second or third child; each baby is unique in its temper and needs), and having to keep going, providing, and many times having to keep a job on top of everything at home.

The irony is we can’t truly know what we do not know, nor can we understand experiences we have never had – yet it is really important to know that the challenges that lie ahead will test you in ways you’ve never been tested before.  However, do not spend too much time worrying over the future and try to enjoy the pregnancy with all its challenges and expect for the best after. Meeting your new baby is an amazing experience. Learning how to care for your newborn, yourself and your marriage is not easy, but give yourself a chance, with time, it DOES get easier. And if you need help, support or advice, you can always speak to family, your baby’s pediatrician, friends or other professionals.

Enjoy every minute, because even if you are sleep deprived and think you are miserable, you’ll be surprised at how fast this stage is gone and they grow. Enjoy your baby’s milestones that make you a proud mother such as the first time they smile, laugh, turn, crawl, etc. Like many things in life, the little things are what make it all worth it.

Amazingly enough, we forget how difficult it was and then have another…

You’ve dreamed of the day you’ll be pregnant. You have fanaticized about your belly growing, even of holding your child in your hands. But nowhere in your fantasies did you ever envision yourself peeing on a stick, or the fact that the very first thing your doctor will have you do is get your blood drawn, and a lot of it, as a part of this joyful time in your life.

The day you realize your period is late you rush to the pharmacy to get a pregnancy kit (or ten) only to pee on a stick. Some two to five minutes later you find out you are pregnant (or confused which color means what, etc.). Then the excitement hits you and later reality (not to say it isn’t a wonderful time in your life, but less picturesque items find their way into this new reality). You now have to start taking care of yourself for the two of you. No more alcohol, tobacco, sushi, hot tubs & more. You may accept these new restrictions, or resist the new prohibitions, but remember, it is just for nine months (actually less by the time you found out you’re preggo) and it really is for the health & safety of both you and your baby.

Talk to your doctor about your lifestyle to determine if you need to make any changes due to your pregnancy. If you have before, you can keep exercising, but don’t overdo it or start something new. If you are a smoker, this is a great time to quit this unhealthy (& expensive) habit. You will find that you feel better once you get over the addiction! Give up alcohol all together and pick up a new habit of taking a battle of water with you everywhere. You should stay hydrated, especially during the summer months.

In the first trimester you may find that you are exhausted most of the time. You’ll most likely get a second wind in your second trimester, till then don’t fight it, rest when you can. Start taking your prenatal vitamins, they should help. Even if you are not showing yet, wear comfortable clothes and shoes (This does not mean you cannot be stylish!).  Your back will thank you later (…)

And most importantly, enjoy this magical time in your life! It may not seem like it now, but it is only nine months and the time flies by so fast you’ll be looking back and wandering how it slipped away.

Happy pregnancy!

If you are pregnant, you must have been asked at least once or twice (or a gazillion times…) if you are planning on breastfeeding or use formula. Well, it certainly is a good question (not to say that it gives people the right to nag you in the matter).  Obviously, you have to find an answer once your baby is here.  Why not prepare now?

As a first time Mom, I faced the same question during my pregnancy. An interesting thing is that you may find that you and the father to be may not see eye to eye about this, or have different expectations. My personal hubby wanted me to BF (Breastfeed) for a year. I said “I want to BF for 6 months if all goes well.” But in actuality I didn’t really know what I wanted. I wasn’t sure what to expect. There are so many horror stories on one hand, & on the other are fairytales (and you can never know which are true). The two polls are too extreme to make any knowledgeable decision, especially when it is really a very personal thing. Mothers who have more than one child find that their breastfeeding experience differs child to child.

Deciding whether you want to breastfeed or use formula should be a personal decision you want to make with your life partner. Do not let others pressure you one way or another. Researching the topic & hearing from other moms is key in making an educated decision.  Take a class (ask your doctor about classes offered by your health group), go online, talk to people. And most importantly, listen to your inner self. If you are still not sure, I’d try BFing first. You can always choose to switch over to formula, but not always the other way around.

More on this topic next time.

Hooray! Summer is here and you are ready for the beach. At this point it is nearly impossible to ignore the urge to cool off in the cold water, and really, there is no reason to resist. This year you’re sensitive to the heat more than ever, since you have the body temperature produced by two.

This season, the gods of fashion have heard your prayers and decided – bikinis rule! More so, they have allowed you to purchase the two pieces separate from each other according to your body’s need for different sizes. Furthermore, you can gather great information about the colors, prints, and of course taking into account the new changing proportions of your body. It is time to show off your curves and leave your shyness at home!

It is true, hardly any companies design maternity bathing suites; and those that do rarely have an eye for style and chic attire. You can find yourself walking around for hours, looking for a piece of 5” fabric that is not designed to hide it all and costs and arm and a leg.

Alas, that does not mean you have to hide indoors. On the contrary – you should show off your curves and join the many other pregnant women at the beach wearing well made and well priced bikinis.  Start looking and feeling fabulous!

The best fit

Regardless of whether or not you are pregnant you should select a bathing suit shape according to your body type in order to accentuate your body with a slimmer look.

The first step on the way to finding the prefect fit is to take a look at your whole body in the mirror. I suggest doing this at home rather than in the florescent lighting at the department stores.

What I have found is the cut of the bathing suit top will have a major impact on the shaping of your hips. The top piece should emphasize a wider shoulder area in order to “shrink” the look of your hips.

A halter top or a strapless design enlarges the appearance of the hips. A string bikini top or a tank top shape puts emphasis on the shoulders and makes the hip area look smaller in relation to the rest of the body.

If you are a woman of beautiful contour and your hips seem to bother you, try a top that brings the eye to the top half of you. Trust me it Works!

Long legs: you can shorten the length of your leg and emphasize the calf by wearing shorts with low pockets.

Fuller hips: do not be fooled to believe that covering your hips with a sarong will make the hips look slimmer. The contrary is true. Instead, wear a loose skirt or an A shaped design.

Colors: when you’re pregnant, you may have pigment spots on your skin, and those are usually yellow and brownish in tone. Avoid a bikini in these colors. Blue, green & pink will complement you more. If your skin is prone to burning, avoid purchasing red colored swimwear.

Black is a great classic color. It wears and washes well. However, in a full piece design black is no longer slimming, better to opt for a two piece. Patterns: Mix it up! Use inspirations from the 50’s & 70’s with a symmetric prints, polka dots, flowers and stripes. Black & white prints, geometric shapes, and throwing caution to the wind, is the way to be, happy and free.

Make your bikini last longer:

First, try to find bikini bottoms that are adjustable with strings, so you can adjust its size as you grow. There is a good chance you will use it through your entire pregnancy. Same goes for the top part – with string around your back and neck. There are plenty tops with thick strings – those give better support for your changing chest.

Buy a one piece? Yes or no?

One of the disadvantages of the one piece bathing suites is that they are limited in their ability to expand. For this reason, the one piece suit will not flatter you at any point in your pregnancy. Therefore, avoid spending the money on a one piece.

Final tips

• You can wash your swim suit in the machine, using the delicate cycle. Do not dry
• Sun tan oil will stain and destroy the swim suit. Use sun tan lotion instead.
• Vinegar can help rid of stains, but could change the to the suites’ color.

And lastly, remember – it is only a bathing suit. All of our imperfections are just that.  A bathing suit will not eliminate them entirely so, embrace it all. Love your body and enjoy your new look.

Welcome!

We are very excited about our new blog!

We now have the means to communicate our thoughts about, well, anything (…) on paper. Well, not exactly paper… but the screen will do.

This is a wonderful time to be pregnant! The fashion world has so much to offer & you get a wide selection to choose from in color, style, pattern, even budget.

It used to be easiest to go into hubby’s side of the closet & find something to hide your growing belly with. But let’s face it: 1. their side of the closet is small(er than yours!) & doesn’t have the variety you’d like to be able to choose from. 2. Who do you think you are fooling? Other women will know what trick you are trying to pull!

This summer is the time to take advantage of all worlds & enjoy a celebration of maternity fashion! It’s here, and you are not pregnant every day, enjoy it!

Happy pregnancy! Happy shopping!