Seems like everyone I know is having a baby all of a sudden. Funny how it always happens in waves.
With “three being the new two” and “twins being the new singleton” in NYC, the maternity business is booming!When I was pregnant I was determined to remain somewhat stylish (well with the roots growing in and the adult onset acne, the least I could do was wear a semi-decent outfit.) One ofmy very favorite brands to discover along the way was Nom de Naissance, which is based out of LA and is carried at my very favorite maternity store in NYC, Belly Dance Maternity. This adorable West Village shop carries a well edited selection of labels like Splendid, Diane Von Furstenburg and Ripe with the premise being that you can still dress like you did before you got prego.Two other amazing stores that I discovered along the way were Cappucine in Tribeca which does not have an on-line website but is definitely worth the visit. The owner carries both maternity wear and adorable regular clothes in larger sizes (and the owner is French so you know it’s cool). The other place that I found was Bump in Brooklyn which opened after I had the girls but it looks ultra, ultra swank. For the gals that are not into “Pea in a Pod” and “Liz Lange” – these stores are for you.
Good news! I had my 20-week scan, and the little girl (!) in my belly seems to be happy and healthy, at least as far as the echoscopist could tell at this stage. Hurray!! It was of course a major relief, especially given the doubtful scan I had had at 12 weeks… And I’m super excited!
I’m also feeling the baby really well now — of course I had been feeling little things before twenty weeks, but nothing compared to the clear kicks even my husband can now feel on the outside! Even though we just saw our baby alive and well on the hospital screen, it is always nice to feel the baby’s movements just to prove she’s doing alright in there. I admit that in my first two pregnancies I sometimes poked my belly to make the quiet baby inside of me move, just to put my overly worried mind at ease. Poor baby!
Thankfully, I now have an AngelSounds fetal heart detector at home so I don’t have to disturb my little girl in her fetal sleeps. I can hear her heartbeat at every moment I please, no hospital or midwife needed!
The device is easy to hold in one hand, and comes with a headphone (more fancy models are available with a built-in speaker). There’s also a second socket so another headphone can be attached (nice for your husband, parents or older children), or, very cool, a recording cable so you can record your baby’s heartbeat on the computer. No kidding, listen to my baby’s heartbeat here. Sweet, don’t you think??
So if you’re an overly worried pregnant mama like me, or know one, do yourself a favour and get an AngelSounds doppler. Mine comes from Dutch web-shop ZoZwanger, but they are available more places worldwide. Money well spent; you can hear the heartbeat from 12 weeks onwards!
The moment I found out I was pregnant, my boobs grew a full size. Crazy! (But very attractive, according to my husband…).
So my usual selection of bras was not only too tight, but since they’re all under-wired they’re not recommended for pregnancy. Under-wired bras are not advised during pregnancy because they put too much pressure on your breasts, which can result in blocked milk ducts or mastitis. They also aren’t flexible enough — apparently our boobs live their own life during pregnancy and can change shape during the day.
Good maternity bras accommodate all of these needs, but are sadly not always the most attractive ones around…
Now take a look at the selection of Ma Mère! Hello, mama! These bras are seriously super stylish and sexy!!
When pregnant with her son, Khali Whatley was so frustrated by the lack of wonderful maternity lingerie available to pregnant and nursing women, that she decided to start an online boutique dedicated to providing designer lingerie to expectant and new mothers around the world. She found the best lingerie from everywhere, and it resulted in a collection that my non-pregnant friends may very well be jealous about.
My favourite maternity bras at the moment are from Blossom and Amoralia, both available from Ma Mère.
I knew being pregnant with twins was not going to be a walk in the park but when I went into pre-term labor at 27 weeks I was shocked and terrified. After a short stint in the hospital I spent the next ten weeks on an IV drip at home, in bed, on my side, exactly 23 hours and 55 minutes a day.
You would be surprised how much of a routine you can make for yourself from bed and I must say, as the days wore on I did fall into a rhythm that made the time pass. While I did purchase a few books offering ideas on what to do while on bed rest, most suggested things that were not up my alley, like scrap-booking or knitting. I turned to Plan B which was to just suck it up and deal the best I could. I watched A LOT of television. I read all of the books that I have been meaning to read for years. I made special appointments with family and friends to come visit and bring me food. And most importantly I leaned on my husband a lot and would call him at work to just cry for a few minutes every day.
One of the best finds that come out of the whole experience was the gigantic U-shapped pillow which I would recommend to anyone who is pregnant. We found it on-line and it was life changing. I lived in that U. We still laugh about “the U”. We would joke about me being in U-niversity during the day and would sing all sorts of songs about it. Corny, yes….but your mind goes to mush when you are pregnant as you know.
As Emilie pointed out, in French a ‘doudou’ is a little soft toy that small children take everywhere with them. I think all mums love the thought of a ‘doudou’, or at least I do — a little toddling toddler, thumb in mouth and doudou in arms, what can be cuter? (BTW, my kids never sucked their thumbs, but I did as a kid and was punished with braces when I was 12… A pretty sight, especially paired with the glasses!)
Kayatine is a French mother and daughter design team, and their main line of products are cute doudous in a diverse collection of fabrics. I like the way Evelyne and Julie-Anne stick to one design — it’s simple and cute, so why look for more?
Kayatine’s doudous make perfect gifts for baby showers or for newborn babies. Or even for a pregnant mum (this one for sure)!
Now that I’m ‘officially pregnant’ I can officially start talking about all things maternity. (A prelude to discussing all things baby — even better!) Like maternity jeans…
The one thing I learned from my previous pregnancies is that a good maternity jeans is a necessary investment. Previously I made my own pregnancy jeans (replacing the waistband from a ‘normal’ pair with an elastic band), and they worked quite well for the first few months. But they soon started to hurt at my tummy and I was longing for a well cut, comfy pair of maternity jeans. I guess you just forget how uncomfortable things can get!
These great jeans by Blossom Mother and Child are nice and long (too long for me even), make me look even taller, are a great colour, are just about the right mix between skinny and straight, make my bum look sexy and provide plenty of room for a growing tummy. Just perfect.
The only thing I’m sorry about? That I didn’t get them for my previous pregnancies!
xxx Esther
NOTE: Blossom is now kindly offering a 25% discount on all Blossom jeans (which never go on sale) exclusively to Babyccino readers: just enter promo code EC0068 at check out!
I’m pregnant with number three. Wow!! Call me crazy, but we’ve always wanted three children; this is 100% planned and not at all unexpected. To have a tiny new baby in my arms again — such joy! (Although sometimes I wonder what the heck I am thinking — another pregnancy, another birth, more nappies!) Our children are about as excited as we are; you should have seen our 4-year-old’s face when I broke the news. Loads of our friends have had a new (third) baby recently, so she has seen her little friends with their baby siblings, and the anticipation of having her own baby brother or sister made her beam with joy!
Lately I keep hearing the phrase ‘Three is the new two’. Must be the proof I’m a trend-follower instead of a trend-setter! The stats are proving it: since the late nineties more and more parents decide to go for a number three, or even a number four.
It is nice that people have apparently re-discovered the attraction of larger families! I guess mostly because of the changed attitudes in business life, mothers nowadays seem to be able to combine kids more easily with their (on hold) careers: maternity leave or working part time is slowly becoming more accepted, especially here in Europe. And obviously dads being more involved in the household helps too; in the Netherlands it’s quite common for fathers to work four days a week and have one ‘daddy-day’ with the kids… (I must admit I haven’t personally convinced my husband of the benefits just yet.)
I’m not sure how I will cope with three kids, my work as an architect and co-writing this great blog, but I’ve decided I’ll deal with that later. First I’m going to enjoy this last pregnancy!!
I have been trying to travel a bit further a field, leaving my usual habitat of North-Eastern Paris, to try and discover new places for Babyccino. On one of my trips I met up with Estelle from the lovely e-shop Nordinary and she took me on a whistle-stop tour of the 17th arrondissement.
One particular shop deserves its very own Babyccino post: the fabulous maternity shop Firmaman, Paris’ first concept store for pregnant ladies.
I had been looking for a place just like this during my pregnancy in Paris and never found one. It is a lovely boutique, full of great clothes — some of which are maternity clothes, some of which are not, but all of which will look great on a pregnant woman. You can find great coats, jeans and dresses. There is also a great newborn baby section, a gift section and a lingerie section with some beautiful nursing bras.
If you are feeling to tired and bloated to travel to the 17th, check out the website, though I highly recommend popping into the shop as it has a lot more choices, and makes you realise that it is actually not impossible to be 9 months pregnant and chic at the same time….
I’ve already mentioned being a huge fan of the uber stylish maternity boutique, Mama-La-Mode, which sells everything from maternity basics to designer dresses for the style-conscious mums-to-be. Whether it’s a pair of trendy pregnancy jeans, a winter coat, or a maternity swimsuit, Mama-La-Mode has it all.
In fact, just recently they launched their very own label of maternity staples — a collection of core essentials made from soft jersey and intended for all 9 months of pregnancy. Think skinny strap camisoles with built-in bra support, basic fold-down black trousers, and must-have black leggings.
In honor of their launch, Mama-La-Mode is offering a pair of maternity leggings to one lucky reader. Just leave a comment below by next Wednesday, September 9th, and we’ll pick one winner at random.
Good luck!
P.S. Mama-La-Mode is also offering 10% off to all first-time customers. Just use the promo code babyccino at check-out.
P.P.S. The winner of our last give-away, the Bear Feet shoes, is Claudia from Italy!
At the moment I am really enjoying cutting corners, recycling and making do with what we have, embracing a simple lifestyle. However, there are a few things that are not worth skimping on and children’s security is one of them, but being security conscious does not mean breaking the bank.
I found this article in the Guardian about how to choose a buggy sensibly and they had some really good tips.
I actually wish I had read it before getting mine. I am the proud owner of three buggies, and that is exactly two buggies too many!
Akua-Ba is a well fitting pregnancy top made out of thick and stretchy, fair trade cotton. Which is nice to start with.
To make it special, it is complemented with an original, small wooden Akua-Ba doll that you can attach to the strings at the back of the shirt. An old African legend says that ‘the doll brings luck and helps the mother to give birth to a beautiful child, not only in appearance but also in character’.
To make it extra special (and I love this part), for each top sold Akua-Ba gives a mosquito net to a pregnant woman in Burkina Faso (West-Africa).
A pregnant woman is 4 times more likely to get malaria. In Africa 3,000 children die of this disease every day… A mosquito net protects the mother and her child against malaria, both during her pregnancy and after.
Check the Akua-Ba website for retailers (Shak-shuka ships internationally).
To celebrate the arrival of Courtney’s new little bundle of joy we are giving away a fabulous maternity bag by the great French Company Eva and Oli!
I have written about Eva & Oli before — they make great clothes for kids and the maternity bag is great — big enough to stick everything you could ever need into it, easy access side pockets, and it turns into a laptop bag once you’re finished with nappies (trust me, the day will come). But what I really like about it is that it looks fab, it is funky and does not look out of place in a chic Parisian café, which is more than you can say for a lot of maternity bags!
Here’s your chance to win the bag! Just leave a comment below by Sunday, May 31st with your top tips for dealing with a newborn and the best tip will win!
No, I still haven’t had the baby! We’re still anxiously awaiting the arrival — all snuggled up in our house, lying low, waiting, waiting, waiting…
Last week, in anticipation of the baby, Esther sent us a copy of Dick Bruna’s Miffy and the New Baby, and we have probably read it at least 20 times in the past week! My boys love it!
Short, simple and sweet, it is the perfect book to ‘prep’ your kids for a new sibling on the way.
These cute cards are designed by Dutch illustrator Marenthe Otten. Marenthe feels that ’special moments deserve to be celebrated’ and that ‘this begins with the card’. I couldn’t agree with her more!
On the Popje website you can find different sorts of greeting cards, envelopes and cute address stickers. Perfect for those special moments that need to be celebrated.
But if you’re looking for a special birth, adoption or wedding announcement, Popje has some really cool choices too!
Unfortunately for me, there was just no avoiding stretch marks. I inherited the gene from my mom, and despite all the lotions and potions I tried, I ended up with a tummy that looked like a road map after my first pregnancy. I think you’re either going to get them, or you’re not. But I do think there’s still something nice about rubbing oils on your pregnant belly. Whether it makes your skin less dry and itchy, or it just encourages you to take a few minutes out of your busy day to pamper yourself, pregnancy oils definitely serve a purpose.
My favorite one by far, both for the smell and for the consistency, is the Mama Mio Tummy Rub Oil. My friend Britta gave it to me, raving about the lovely smell, and I couldn’t agree more. The smell is divine, and the oil is perfectly balanced to make your tummy soft without leaving your hands all oily. I really, really recommend it!
For some reason (age??) I have quite a few pregnant friends. Four of them are pregnant with number three (Courtney amongst them), and the pressure is on for me to get pregnant again! (Not yet, I keep saying, not yet..!)
Last week our neighbour, Colette, gave birth to her third baby, a little girl. I called my 3-year-old daughter, who was on spring break and staying with her grandparents in the south of the country, and told her that the little baby in Colette’s belly finally came out. She thought about it a second and then asked me ‘But mummy, how did the baby get out?’.
Thankfully, I was able to pass the question back to my mother-in-law (’That’s a good question honey, Oma will explain everything to you after we hang up’). But I keep thinking — how do you explain the whole thing to a nearly-4-year-old??
Like: First mummy will have a really bad tummy ache and then the baby will come out from between her legs? Or even: Mummy will have to go to the hospital and the doctor will cut her belly open and get the baby out, but don’t worry it won’t hurt and everybody will be fine??
Any thoughts about this, anyone?
I was on the phone with Emilie the other day and she asked me if everything was ready for the baby to arrive. Ready?!! I haven’t even begun to prepare! I ran out that afternoon and picked up some baby-sized diapers. Phew! At least I had taken the first step…
Now, with less than 3 weeks ’til due date, I’m thinking I should pack a hospital bag. (I just did a bit of research online, and apparently the appropriate time to pack a hospital bag is by 36 weeks!) If you keep searching on line, you can find list after list of recommended items to fill the bag. Things from headbands, candles, and snacks, to your own pillow, blankets, etc. My Cookie Mag pregnancy newsletter recommended taking some nice-smelling bath and beauty products, like lotions and body washes. I thought this was a good idea, as it will make you feel like yourself if you have your own scent after you’ve showered. A friend recently told me to take a CD that you like (something calm and beautiful, probably) to play in the hospital room, as it’s nice to forever have a song(s) that will remind you of the moment. I like the idea of having little associations to remind you of the day your baby was born (smells, music, etc.)
Do you have any good tips for what to take to the hospital?
Finally the good people at Petit Bateau have come to their senses, have done what they should have done a long time ago and brought out a maternity line!
During my two pregnancies I wore a lot of Petit Bateau T-shirts and dresses. The cotton is so soft and stretchy it is perfect to fit over a growing bump. But there were always bits that gaped and pulled and didn’t quite cover. So it is great to see some key, super comfortable maternity pieces. After all, why not dress well and feel comfortable when you are pregnant?
I have seen the collection in Petit Bateau boutiques all over Paris and it is available on the French and other European Petit Bateau online boutiques, but at time of writing it isn’t available in the USA. I’m sure it is only a matter of time!
With six weeks left until my due date, I’m beginning to enter ‘crunch phase’ for getting everything organized before baby #3 arrives. Up until now I’ve been pretty relaxed about things, but now it seems I’ve got a long list of ‘to-dos’ that need doing.
Just as I was needing a little motivation and guidance, Cookie magazine launched a swanky new pregnancy newsletter which offers handy tips for every stage of your pregnancy, delivered weekly to your inbox.
But unlike the many other pregnancy newsletters which focus on health and fetal development, this one focuses on the mom and includes maternity fashion tips, nursery design ideas, advice for getting along with your spouse during pregnancy, etc. (Or, for week 34 in my case, tips for choosing the right rocker/glider!)
There are also loads of good discounts on baby gear and a handful of prizes to be won! Click here to subscribe.
I know most you have children already, but there is a chance someone might be looking for some suggestions about pregnancy books — if only to give as a gift to their good friend who is expecting for the first time.
To tell you the truth some people I know go through pregnancy (even the first) without reading anything but the NHS leaflets, and it’s perfectly fine! But if you are like me than you might want one or two (or three) books that tell you in depth what’s going on inside you.
So here we go, this is what I read:
1. What To Expect When You’re Expecting: This must be the best-seller pregnancy book ever. It’s easy to read and it contains loads of information. Although I read the revised UK edition it felt a bit too much focused on the American system.
2. The Rough Guide to Pregnancy and Birth: This could be a good companion to any other more “serious” pregnancy manual you choose. It does contain loads of advice and information, but the week-to-week progress is narrated in a semi-fictitious weekly diary. Really funny — this will not allow you to take yourself too seriously.
3. Birth and Beyond…: This is definitely my favourite. I found it reassuring and empowering, something you badly need during your first pregnancy. It covers pregnancy and the first 9 months of the baby’s life. Written by one of the world’s leading obstetricians, it takes a holistic approach covering aspects regarding both parents and the baby. It also includes an extensive reference section.
So this is what I have in my library. What’s in yours?
Seems like everyone I know is having a baby all of a sudden. Funny how it always happens in waves.
Dina in New York
February 22nd, 2010
2 comments
At the moment I am really enjoying cutting corners, recycling and making do with what we have, embracing a simple lifestyle. However, there are a few things that are not worth skimping on and children’s security is one of them, but being security conscious does not mean breaking the bank.
Akua-Ba
, and we have probably read it at least 20 times in the past week! My boys love it!
