Product Review: Bella Band

About an hour after the truck left our home in Vancouver, WA to take our things to storage, I realized that all of my maternity clothes had been packed in the truck as well. Okay, no big deal, I was only going to take a few anyway, just in case. As with all of the baby stuff, I was not going to take up precious space with things that I may or may not need. However, it turns out a few things would have come in handy. (I also found a few maternity shirts that snuck along anyway-phew!) I am currently finding that even though my clothes still fit, pants are definitely much more comfortable unbuttoned. If only they would stay up when they are unbuttoned. Enter the Bella Band. This has got to be one of the most amazing, multi-use tools for pregnant and new moms!! I got it when I was pregnant with Lucy and trying to keep it a secret until 14 weeks, and it has been in my closet ever since. Even after the baby comes, it is great for a simple prevention for showing off some postpartum belly while nursing. While pregnant it does everything from prolong the use of non-maternity clothing to help keep up maternity pants when baby is just too big. This is so versatile and useful that I found it worth the $26 (off brands run around $20.)

First Trimester Survival Tips

Now on my fourth pregnancy, I almost feel like this is old hat. If only it were a wonderful feeling old hat. :) But at least I have figured out some okay ways and some great ways to cope. It has varied for me each pregnancy, just like each pregnancy is different. But here are some starting tips "from the trenches":

1. Snack: little frequent, protein rich snacks can go a long way to managing and preventing nausea. (I love the Mrs. Mays nut and fruit snacks available at Costco-they have a natural, healthy source of protein-nuts, and about 6g/serving.)
   
2. Gum! I am really loving chewing on mint gum right now. In past pregnancies, there have been times where the thought of having something just sitting in my mouth sounds like a really bad idea. This time, a piece of mint gum has done wonders for taking off the edge so I can make dinner.
3. Preggie Pops: similar to the gum, having something in my mouth is not always a good idea, but when I was on the edge, these seemed to help a bit. And they were a yummy treat. :) Honestly, the drops seemed better than the pops. I had to be doing really well to handle a lollipop.
   
4. Minty goodness: Burt's Bees has a clay face mask with a very minty smell to it. Aura Cacia has a wonderful ginger/mint aromatherapy bubble bath. One of my favorite things to do when I was pregnant with Lucy, was to take a nice bath after the kids were in bed. It was worse in the mornings and at night, so this was a good time to just enjoy nice minty goodness with a good book.
5. Lemon in water: I have read that lemon can help with morning sickness. I am not sure how much it helps, but it sure makes that unappetizing 7th and 8th glass of water look a little more appealing. Much healthier than juice, but tastier than plain water.
   
6. Juice: speaking of juice, getting down those prenatals can be tricky at the best of times. One way I would get them down is to get a glass (of a healthier option) juice. If I used the juice to swallow the pills, and knew I had a cup of juice left to drink after the pills were down, it helped. Bribe yourself.
7. Make dinner count: I know there are amazing women out there who cook their way through pregnancy. I am not one of them. I am realizing that the pregnancy/new baby season is one where cooking ends up low on my priority list. One trick I am learning is to make a meal count for two or three. Whenever possible, I try to double the meal and freeze the other half. When I am having a really rough day, I can pull it out of the freezer and know that I do not have to work very hard to make dinner that night. :)
8. It is okay: It is okay to take a break. It is okay to nap on the couch while the kids are watching Blue's Clues. It is okay to ask for help. :) At least, I hope it is okay. My kids are all doing fine so far. And I get a nap to get through the morning!