Round Up – Issue 7 May 2013

There are some really cool things I came across this month (okay, last month too because I totally missed the boat in April -- toot toooooot) so I'm excited to do this Round Up.

Let's get started!

I finally figured out a way to archive all the Ask the Chicks questions.

I kept getting emails asking where to find questions that had been asked a few weeks ago, but here was no way of finding them without scrolling down the entire Facebook page which is both time consuming and tedious. So I've added a section that has all the questions with a direct link to the answers. You can search it by tags, categories, or with a search feature, but let me know if you have any other suggestions to make it easier. 

As always, thank you for being so amazing on this board. I can't tell you how many emails I get saying how wonderful the page is because it's such an amazing group of kind, supportive and helpful people that aren't assholes (I'm paraphrasing a bit there). So thanks.

 

Love this shot Ilana from mommyshorts did. The one on the left is her mother with Ilana and her sister and the one on the right is the recreation Ilana did with her two daughters. I love it.

If you aren't familiar with Mommy Shorts you should check it out. It's a great site with so really funny stuff on there including her "baby mugging" which was so successful that it has its own Faceboook page.

 

Next up is this amazing post from Banned from Baby Showers that brilliantly compares a hospital birth to eating at the Olive Garden. 

It's a smart, quick read that does a really good job of pointing out some of the challenges around hospital births without getting mean spirited or negative.

 

This site called Preggopager.com is really clever. If you live in Canada or the U.S. you can sign up for this free service that keeps important people in the loop with all your labour updates. Call one number and record a personalized voice message or send a text message to one number and PreggoPager will deliver that message instantly to your closest family and friends to share the news.

Smart, eh? Certainly beats calling each and every family member because you just know you're going to forget someone, or worse, get stuck on the phone with labour stories from a distant aunt. Screw that noise.

 

Remember how I was sent that Airocide Air Purifier to try? Well, I've been using it for a few months and guess what? I haven't had to take one allergy pill and no one here has been sick. High fives all round. 

Now sick-free may just be because it's Spring and the worst of the colds, flus and general snots tend to be Fall and Winter, so it is possible that was just coincidence. However, my seasonal allergies are the real deal and I get them something awful just before the trees bloom (I'm told it's ground spores I'm allergic to – sexy, non?). Historically they would always be at their worst when I woke up, then slowly improved during the day. With this Airocide bad boy cranking in my room, not once did I wake up with the stuffy, watery and general shittyness of my usual allergies. Not once. And that just blows my mind because I get them every year without fail regardless of how good or bad the allergy season is.

I'll let you know how we do in the fall when everybody comes back from summer holidays with a hot, fresh batch of puke germs clinging to them, but I have a feeling it will be up to the challenge.

I'm not saying you have to drop the cash and get an air purifier, but if you're in the market for one, I would seriously check this one out. It's pretty damn impressive.

You can check them out on the Airocide site if you want to find out more.

 

 

www.bforbel.com

Best ultrasound picture ever. Look, they're expecting a baby...... and a cat.

 

byrosenhoff.com – Charlotte Rosenhoff, Svelvik Norway

When I saw this photo I nearly shat my pants – in a good way of course. What a positively beautiful, smart, brilliant way to capture all the details of a child's birth.

 

Patrice Laroche – Beauport, Quebec

Speaking of clever photoshoots, I love this series from Patrice Laroche. I'm also trying very hard not to be bitter about how incredible his wife looks pre-birth, pregnant and post-birth. You go sit at the Gisele Bundchen table, Lady. I'll be over here eating cheese.

 

Emily Garrison Photography - Tallahassee, Florida

I found this picture on Pinterest and it made me all teary. Here's this beautiful baby girl that has four older brothers that are all going to look out for her. Sniff. I've already created a scene in the future where these handsome, corn-fed boys answer the door to a date coming to pick her up. They bring him in real close and tell him that if he makes their sister cry he'll have them to answer to. I haven't decided if they have southern accents in my scenario or not – they may be from Nebraska. Can't decide. 

In reality they'll probably shave her doll's heads and hold her down while hovering a string of spit over her face, but I like to think it will be a bit of both.

If you know the source of this photo (or these beautiful kids) please let me know so I can credit the shot. 

Update: This shot was done by emilygarrisonphotography.com Thanks for emailing me, Amanda! This beautiful family is from Florida but they will always remain little Nebraskans in my heart ; )

 

Oh, and if you think a cat is awesome, how about this little old man hovering in this ultrasound courtesy of Leyla? Magic. 

Best Maternity Swimwear

Let me start this post by saying you don't have to buy a bathing suit that is specifically maternity. If you aren't that far along or you aren't carrying that large, there's no reason why you can't wear a regular suit. However, don't make the same mistake I made and assume that because a bathing suit stretches it will fit your pregnant body. You might have to be cut out of it with the jaws of life – imagine sea lion wearing a sausage casing – so know your limits.

I tried to find suits that were reasonably priced. There are some gorgeous suits that are well over a hundred bucks, but unless you're going somewhere really special or having 12 children that will all be born in August, that may be getting a little pricey for ya, but sometimes we all love the splurge.

Here's what I found:

Women's Two Piece Swimsuit from Target: I liked this one because it isn't too tight around your belly. The two pieces give you a little more room so if you're long waisted like me, you aren't going to get that crotch grab. Around $35

 

Halter Tankini Two Piece Swimsuit from Walmart: I like the pattern on this because it breaks up the area without looking like Walt Disney vomited all over you. The halter cut is nice to show off any pregnancy boobs you're rocking and you can't beat the price at $25.

 

Halter Tankini from Destination Maternity: These guys have a great selection of maternity swimwear. I like the bright colors and the flattering cut of this one. It's gotten really high ratings and it's on sale right now for $40.

 

Ruched Maternity Tankini: This one is starting to creep up there at $89.50, but I thought it was such a beautiful suit that I added it in. If you're going on holiday or spend a lot of time at the pool, it may be worth shelling out a little extra cabbage for a sharp suit like this.

 

Old Navy Maternity Halter: Ah, good ole Old Navy. You can almost always count on them for simple, clean inexpensive maternity clothes. I chose the black version, but this suit comes in a few colors and patterns. I've also included the bottoms as well but I suppose you skip them if you like your bum hanging out – hey, I don't judge. Around $45 for the set.

 

Plus Size Baby Doll Maternity Swim Top: If you think finding a half decent maternity swimsuit is tricky, try finding a nice plus size maternity swim suit. They are out there though! I like this one because it gives you good coverage without becoming a tent. The colors are fun but not seizure inducing. About $50 once you factor in the bottoms.

 

ASOS Maternity Suit: When I first saw this I was all "wow, 25 bucks!!!" Then I realized that it was in pounds which roughly translates to 8 billion dollars (okay, about $40) but it's still such a pretty suit and I think it's just "brilliant".

 

Maternal America Jenni Tankini: Okay, this one breaks my $100 rule, but isn't it pretty? Wouldn't you feel like a bohemian princess with an aura of awesome in this thing? If price isn't an issue or your have to go to a destination wedding where you're dealing with a everyone-but-me-will-be-drinking-so-I'm-getting-a-nice-bathing-suit-dammit situation, then this site has some gorgeous suits.

 

There's no reason you can't look hot when you're pregnant, so I love this suit from Maternity on Mooki that is both a maternity AND nursing swimsuit. Smart.

 

Here's another pretty , little number that can be used for both maternity and nursing from Evymama. For the record, I would kill to look like this now, let alone when I was pregnant or nursing.

 

Maternity Rash Guard: I think rash guards are this best thing ever invented because they dry fast, aren't too hot, and cover the spots you inevitably miss with sunscreen so you end up with a crazy ass burn between your shoulder blades. They look sporty too. Around $85 once you factor in the swim shorts.

 

Preggo Dot Ruched Maternity Bikini: I love how this suit can be worn three ways so there's some flexibility with how you wear it. About $70. 

 

If you're looking for something a little more sporty there's this one from Speedo, and this one from Beach Maternity which is also chlorine resistant so the ass of your suit doesn't slowly evaporate while you're doing the breast stoke.

 

What's that, you say you have a big chest and need some support? Pfft, that never happens when you're pregnant. At least that's what you'd think if you're tying to find one online. There are two sites I found: Bravissimo and Linda's that carry suits for us girls with the guns, and bikinis and tankinis look to be your best best.

 

Forever Sexy Victoria Secret: As I mentioned right off the top, there's no reason why you can't wear a regular bikini when you're pregnant. I found this one on Victoria Secret because it looked like it had pretty good knocker coverage (I was also trying to find a shot where it didn't look like the poor model was pulling a muscle while she posed) but if you're a skinny mini with a bump, hey, you may as well. If you're looking for something really inexpensive, there's this number from Forever 21 that's only $10 bucks too. If you can't rock it, I say go for it – I'm not jealous or anything.

 

Maternity Crossover Jersey Maxi from Old Navy: If you want a nice cover-up or something comfy to lounge in by the pool I thought this maxi dress from Old Navy was awesome and it's $32 to boot.

So there you have it. Tons of great ways to look great when you're expecting!

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Oh, and while you're out there looking all hot and sexy in you're swimsuit, don't forget your sunscreen. Pregnancy has enough comfort challenges so don't add a tidy sunburn to it (sage advice coming from a redhead). As I mentioned in my tanning post, there's nothing dangerous about tanning while pregnant, but your skin can do some kooky things while you're hormones are cranking up the production of melanin, and that can cause uneven skin pigment (or pregnancy mask) with sun exposure. Aveeno is a good bet because I don't find it greasy, it comes in high spfs and it relies more on mineral ingredients than chemical ingredients, which is always a plus whether you're pregnant or not.

And for those of you that think you're too big to be seen in a bathing suit or bikini? Just remember there's an 80-year old fat man with grey back hair sporting a speedo on a beach somewhere not giving a fiddly fart about what people think because he's enjoying the sun. Soak it up, Baby. Soak it up!

Happy Mother's Day

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