Say 'Ta-Ta' to Those Pesky Pregnancy Symptoms!

 

We’ve all been there. The nausea. The swelling. The headaches. As much as I LOVED being pregnant, there were many times I sat and wished I could fast forward a few months and be, well…not so pregnant. 

We worry. It starts before we stare into the eyes of the perfect, little person we made. Am I eating right? Am I getting enough exercise? Am I gaining too much/too little weight? I guess it comes with being a mom, this inherent need to worry about our babies getting the absolute best of everything.

So when it came to trying to deal with pregnancy symptoms, I tried a natural, food-based alternative and guess what? It actually worked. Yup, you heard that right. By changing what I was eating, my body actually started to cooperate. Life was swell.

Here are the 10 most common pregnancy symptoms and the foods that will help you deal with them:

Nausea: 

• Ginger. Candied ginger. Fresh ginger. Ginger syrup (whole foods carries it). Ginger pops. Juiced ginger (goes great with carrot juice). 
• No spicy, greasy foods. Probably not the first on your list, but fight the urge if it is.
• Leave crackers by your bed and eat a couple before getting up. An empty stomach is an unhappy stomach. Which brings me to my next point..
• Eat smaller, frequent meals…always have something in your belly, even if its just a cracker.
• Preggie pops (found in most maternity stores and online)
• A bit of yogurt and crackers right before bed
• Peppermint tea
• Sour things..lemons, lemonade, candies

Fatigue:

• Lots of carbs and proteins. They are the energy-makers of food. Whole grains, chicken, fish, avocados, nuts, and beans.
• Fluids. Lots of them.
• Eat often..the less your sugar drops, the less energy lows you will have.
• Iron and a whole lot of it. Red meat. Egg yolks. Dark, leafy greens. Dried fruit. Beans, lentils, chickpeas. Liver. Artichokes.
• Exercise. I know, sounds counterintuitive, but take a walk, you will most likely find you have slightly more energy than when you started.

Dizziness:

• Don’t forget to eat. Blood sugar drops are not pregnancy-friendly. Have a small snack at least every two hours.
• Water…water…water. Stop reading for a minute and go get a glass. I’ll wait…

Constipation:

• Water. It keeps thing moving, literally.
• Fiber. You should be getting between 25-35 mg of it. Try foods like peas, beans, veggies, dried fruit, roughage, and kiwis. 

Headaches:

• Most often caused by not eating or drinking enough, so water and frequent snacking are key. Introduce water-heavy foods like watermelon and celery. Keep toast or crackers handy.
• Shoot for 1200 mg of calcium per day. Try greek yogurt, cheese, tofu and nuts.

Breathlessness: 

• Iron-rich foods. Red meats, berries, spinach and other leafy greens.
• Vitamin C. Eat more oranges, bell peppers, guavas, kiwis, and strawberries.

Leg Cramps:

• Potassium rich foods like bananas, mushrooms, avocados, leafy greens, and dried apricots.
• Magnesium power foods like bran, edamame, flax seeds, almonds and cashews.
• Calcium. A glass of milk or a yogurt would do you good.

Heartburn:

• Have more dairy, non-citrus juice, oatmeal, green veggies, beans, pasta, applesauce, ginger, tea.
• Avoid caffeine, chocolate, mint, spicy foods, vinegar, citrus, tomatoes, and mustard.

Swelling:

• More fluids. Again, sounds counterintuitive, but the more water you drink, the less you will bloat. 
• Exercise to keep the fluids in your body from pooling more than they are. Get up every 30 minutes, walk around and stretch.
• Minimize salt intake. Sodium makes us retain even more water.

Hemorrhoids: 

• Fiber to keep things moving. Lots of fruits and veggies.
• Water for same reason.
• Exercise to keep the gut moving. The more motion there is, the less you will suffer.
• Minimize salt intake. Sodium makes us retain even more water.

Allya Orlov is a Certified Health Coach and founder of Organic Life Wellness. Being a mom herself, she understands the challenges that come with pregnancy and motherhood and can help you find the solutions that are right for you! She works primarily with women who are trying to conceive, who are pregnant, or are new mommies. She provides fitness, diet, wellness and nutrition counseling to her clients, bringing harmony and balance to both mother and child. All Club MomMe fans get a FREE initial consultation! Find out more at www.OrganicLifeWellness.com

Maternity Monday: Babes with Babies

The ladies from Bump to Baby Gear are highlighting maternity picks from across the pond this week, and from a mom-founded company, which we love!

Practically everything in the world is globally accessible, and fortunately for pregnant mamas that means European maternity wear is easier than ever to get your hands on. Babes with Babies is a lovely British brand founded in 2006 by mom Sophie Devonshire. She set up the design label following the birth of her daughter to bring pregnant and new moms a touch of luxury.

Babes with Babies has a nice selection of items from a variety of luxury brands plus its own exclusive maternity label. The pieces we have selected are from the Babes with Babies collection.

A few weeks ago the company sent us its Magic Dress, the black wrap dress you see pictured above left, so we could see the quality of its pieces. Ladies, there is a jersey material and then there is Babes with Babies jersey! This dress is perfectly named. It is well made and the jersey falls flatteringly no matter what you’re trying to cover.

The pieces have simple, flattering cuts and come in stylish, timeless colors. Outside of everyday wear, the button-down nightie (pictured below) caught our eye as it looks so comfortable and feminine.

In addition to its maternity collection, Babes with Babies offers some fun options like matching mom and baby cashmere beanies (pictured above) and a lot of British-inspired baby gifts.

The shop ships globally. Shipping to the US take about 6-10 days and requires a signature upon delivery.

Belly Bandit & Mother Tucker - A MomMe's Best Friend

The Belly Bandit and Mother Tucker are a MomMe’s best friend. 

After having a baby, every new mom wants to reduce the size of their mid-section as quickly as possible.  While we may think during pregnancy the baby will come out and our stomachs will immediately return to the pre-pregnancy shape, this is unfortunately not true.  We have all heard stories of a new mom proudly venturing out in public post-delivery only to be asked when they are due.

What’s a new mom to do?  The answer is the Belly Bandit, a product developed from practices dating back thousands of years.

Lori Caden, the founder of Belly Bandit, searched endlessly online after having a baby about how she could get her flat stomach back.  She stumbled upon the practice of belly-wrapping, or applying compression to the mid-section to encourage excess water to leave the body, skin to become tight, and the hips to move back into their pre-delivery position.

While the body’s bones and joints naturally expand during pregnancy, labor and delivery, you have a fixed period of time to encourage their contraction after having a baby.  Generally you have 6-8 weeks to encourahe this area to move back to their old position.  Nursing helps contract the uterus and encourage the hips to return to form, but on it’s own this will not do anything to move your hips and target the excess skin and water in your mid-section.

Enter the Belly Bandit.  It was specifically developed by a new mom to get your old body back!  Put it on right after your post-delivery shower.  Wear it as much as possible for 6-8 weeks after baby.  Using the Belly Bandit also encourages you to sit up straight while breast-feeding, preventing headaches and tension in your shoulders.

It comes in Orginal, Bamboo, Couture and more.  Celebs like Kourtney Kardashian liked it so much, she created her own design!

As your mid-section shrinks, you may need to size down in your Belly Bandit to ensure the right amount of pressure.

So what do you use to compress your mid-section after 6-8 weeks of using the Belly Bandit?

The Mother Tucker Compression Tank smoothes and shapes your mid-section designed with three “zones” of varying compression.

• The center section - with the most compression - flattens your tummy, promoting a slimmer silhouette.
• The 3” anti-roll bottom applies muffinology™ technology to help smooth your “muffin top.”
• The upper section provides the perfect amount of support; helping to eliminate that squeezed-in feeling.

The Mother Tucker even comes in a nursing tank!

Check them out today, put them on your baby registry, and gift your expectant MomMe Friends with something for them (everyone else is buying them baby gear anyway!).  Trust us, you will not regret it!

Check out our Belly Bandit and Mother Tucket Must Have Monday Giveaway here.

7 Useful Stroller Accessories

What do you think of this list of 7 useful stroller accessories?  What are you must have stroller accessories?

View this SkinnyScoop List

Maternity Monday: For Two Fitness

This week’s Maternity Monday feature from our friends at Bump to Baby Gear features a brand we love: For Two Fitness. Staying fit while pregnant is important, and there is no reason why you can’t look good and have a little fun with your maternity fitness clothes.

For Two Fitness offers a large selection of flattering tops, bottoms and headbands. Fitness pants are available in black and grey and the tops come in a range of vibrant colors.

The little messages and drawings are adorable, like “toning for two,” “six pack abs” with a six pack of baby bottles, and “body by baby.” Let’s face it, when you are visibly pregnant and at the gym, everyone is checking out your belly so you might as well have a little fun with it!

What’s really noteworthy are the fit and fabrics. All of the cami maternity tanks have double-layer shelf bras, and removable bra inserts for no show-through. The bottoms feature a three-way belly panel: fold-over mid rise, full belly panel, and under-belly so you can adjust how you wear the waist as your belly grows.

Headbands sell for $12, shirts start at $45 and pants start at $60. For Two Fitness clothing is made in the USA (love!).

For Two Fitness has generously offered a $75 gift certificate to a lucky MomMe in our latest giveaway, so be sure to enter by January 18 for a chance to win this and other amazing prizes like a BOB jogging stroller, fitness DVDs and more.