xxx Esther

I disclosed already how I feel about the fact that that ‘we’re done with babies’. I’m sort of in a mid-life crises about it! Thankfully one of my best friends is heavily pregnant with a little girl, so I have the foresight of having a little baby in my close surroundings very soon. Seeing my friend so big and beautiful, so happy with the little creature growing inside, almost makes me envious of being pregnant again!

Anyway (dream on), I’m writing this to tell you about the beautiful tops by Lulu Arver my friend has been wearing. Super feminine, comfy and fashionable — perfect for working (or non-working) mamas with style! I really like the strong lines and basic colours; they emphasise the best parts of the pregnant body and work for every occasion.

xxx Esther

When I was pregnant with Sara I went to yoga class once a week faithfully. I danced around the room with other pregnant ladies and connected with my baby embracing my belly. After her birth I went back to a weekly baby massage/yoga class until Sara was crawling around and yoga wasn’t an option any more. Maybe the fact that she is nowadays such a balanced child has something to do with all of these yoga classes she enjoyed as a baby!

Sadly baby number two and three didn’t get similar treatments; it’s just too difficult to get out of the house these days with three small children and a household to manage. But… I recently received the DVDs Bump, Birth and Beyond by the London Yoga Company and Ava and I have been doing our own private yoga class in the living room, and we are loving it! I really feel so much better after the 5 minute quick fix, just incredible. And the exercises you can do together with your baby are wonderfully simple and effective. I wish I had known about these DVDs when I was pregnant, it’s such a lovely way to relax and connect with your baby… And get in shape at the same time!
Yoga for You and Your Baby is available through The London Yoga Company, together with the Pregnancy Health Yoga and the Post Natal Yoga ones.

xxx Esther

Oh, I’m in love with the cute packaging of the BabyBearShop products. So adorable! This line of organic products is maybe not extensive but it is absolutely enough for what I need. Loving the cheeky baby butter that I’m using for Ava! The lip balms are delicious too (and they come in the cutest packaging), and how cute is the soap with the bird (and again, how beautiful is the packaging with the nest drawn on it and the little holes in egg shape). All available through BabyBearShop.

xxx Esther

xxx Esther

I’m not going to go in to detail about where exactly my body needs to be lifted and by how many centimetres, but let me just tell you that Sabina from Sabina Swims picked the exact right bikini from her gorgeous collection. A little bit of padding here, the exact right cut there… really does the trick!

Sabina Swims Swimwear is the perfect place to browse to if you’re looking for a swimsuit or bikini, especially if you’re a mum with a bit to lift or hide. I love how you can select your own ensemble — you can pick the top that suits your boobs best, and then choose a matching (or not!) bottom in the size and shape of your preference. There are more daring and more modest choices, cute swimsuits and tankinis too. I also love the look of the maternity collection! And Sabina very kindly included a tiny swimsuit for Ava in my order — in matching fabric to my bikini — so sweet!! Bring on the summer; I’m all set for the beach!!!

xxx Esther

xxx Esther

OK, technically I’m not pregnant anymore, but I still love to wear my stripy DRIA top! Made of a high quality thin, silky-like jersey, this poncho t-shirt really looks very trendy and elegant over leggings or skinny jeans. It also works wonders as a nursing cover — it really hides it all, and still looks great! I think this poncho will stay a much loved clothing item; I can imagine it would be great on the beach as well, to quickly throw over a bikini. But that’s for the future — first, there’s winter (and second, there’s the question of whether I ever dare to wear a bikini again)!
Oh, the DRIA also doubles up as a car seat cover (the neck opening provides easy access to the carrying handle). I would say this poncho/cover is almost annoyingly perfect. A very good investment if you’re pregnant!

xxx Esther

xxx Esther

Available through our favourite eco store Shakshuka, where you can also find a matching nursing cover.

xxx Esther

I recently got thank-you-cards printed at Fresh Press. They are of the Later Gator range, and they are very cool! Love the green alligator, and love the funky red/green back, which is very refreshing. All Fresh Press cards have the signature patterned back, which gives the cards that special distinction… I also had address labels printed, and some note-cards and calling cards. All from the same range, all very cool.
Together with my order, Fresh Press sent me a sample pack and these delightful birth announcements were part of it. I think they are just adorable. They’re printed on beautiful linen paper and have that classic yet contemporary look that I love. If you’re expecting a baby and are looking for the cutest birth announcement — you should surely consider these!  Personalising your cards is extremely simple at the Fresh Press website, but if you still have questions the people behind Fresh Press are really super kind and attentive!

xxx Esther

These diaper bags run the gamut from small backpack to medium and large messenger bags and even a handy tool-belt style kit for your waist. The colors are bright but neither too baby nor too feminine. The bags are of very high quality materials, meticulously sewn and machine washable with so many nooks and crannies that it is impossible to mention them all. But the standout feature is the ‘Activefold‘, a patent pending foldout, collapsible activity bar.

Considering the many times one frantically changes their baby’s nappy whilst out and about,  in order to avoid the boredom induced fall-out that can occur if the baby is not distracted or otherwise engaged –well then this toy arch is worth its weight in gold! Full marks for innovation! To see the Gittabag and Activefold in action, just click here (an impressive 2-minute demonstration).

For information on worldwide stockists, please click here.

- Sara

A maternity swimsuit is a good thing to invest in if you’re going to be pregnant throughout the summer, or even in winter, as swimming is one of the most pleasurable maternity exercises (think weightlessness). The ‘tankini’ varieties are perfect — very flattering and covering strategic parts of the body. This beauty from Blossom is a good choice as it gives hidden support and has plenty of room for a growing belly. I tried normal bikinis but I can tell you — this tankini looks a whole lot better on!

If you make your way over to Blossom you should also check out the gorgeous maxi dresses in their new collection… Almost a pity that I won’t be pregnant anymore in summer… (Just kidding!!!)

xxx Esther

Do you have any pregnancy favourites?

xxx Esther

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 of my 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.

-Dina

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!

xxx Esther

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.

xxx Esther

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.

-Dina

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)!

xxx Esther

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!