Preggatinis: Mixology for the Mom-to-be

One of the most annoying things for me when I was pregnant was not being able to drink. I'm not a crazy drinker, but once I passed my "morning" sickness, I found myself missing a glass of wine with dinner or having a drink with my friends when I went out to a nice restaurant. A new book has just been written to help the moms to be with this issue. Preggatinis: Mixology for the Mom-to-be is a drink cookbook that is all alcohol free. But the recipes, such as Mocktails for Moms-to-Be and Hot Buttered Mum's Rum, look a pretty interesting and fun to drink. There's also an option for de-virginizing the drinks for anyone not pregnant that you are drinking with. Also check out a similar book, Margarita Mamas: Mocktails for Moms-to-Be, which also looks promising with recipes that sound more similar to what we were drinking before becoming pregnant.

via Liquor Snob

Bellysonic: Introduce Music Before Your Baby is Born!

I must admit that while I was pregnant, I didn't think too much about what was going on inside my belly besides the fun kicks and hiccups that would always occur. It never occurred to me that playing music for Andy could be beneficial, but there is research that supports that claim. If it is something that interests you and you'd like to play music for your unborn child, you should consider using Bellysonic. It is a pouch with speakers inside and looks much like a fanny pack with an adjustable strap. You strap it around your belly so the music is close to your child. It has a place to hold your MP3 player and a place to plug in your head phones so you can listen too. You can go about your daily life easily while wearing it which we like. Make dinner, sit at the computer, or go for a walk while wearing it!

via Pop Gadget

Shop Dreem

Shop Dreem is a company that sells maternity tees as well as hot mommy tops. They have a lot of funny designs, especially in the maternity department, that would be great gifts. We really like the Sun Swirl Tummy Tee and the Heart Tummy Tee. All the tops are available in a bunch of different colors as well as in long and short sleeved varieties, thermal tops, and tank tops.

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Taking Charge of Your Fertility

Today we are looking at not a baby product, but instead something that all women think about: our fertility. Whether you are trying to conceive or trying not too, Taking Charge of Your Fertility is one of those books that every woman should own. This is the stuff that we should have been taught in health class in school so that we know and understand our bodies. What I especially liked about it is how to practice the fertility awareness method. Not too many people know about it, but for us it was wonderful. It helped me get pregnant very quickly after I began trying, and I have friends who use it as their birth control. I know some women have issues with taking hormones as birth control and others have religious issues with it. This is a totally natural way to look at fertility. It is easy to read and understand and practice. There is also information on the menstrual cycle, menopause, and lots of fertility information. If you are trying to conceive, actively trying not to, or just want to know and understand your body, this is a great book to have.

KickTrack Kick Counter

When I was pregnant, I had a really hard time counting kicks. I'd always start out great, but then I'd become distracted by something and forget to finish my count. Then I'd forget what I had counted. With the KickTrack Kick Counter, you at least now have something that keeps track for you. Every time you feel a kick, you enter it in, and the device will keep a record for you of how many and when they occurred. You can store 10 kick sessions at a time. It will also track your contractions as labor begins. We think it's a great idea and a good gift for a friend early on in her pregnancy.

via popgadget

Jill Maternity Tank Top

Do you want to make it clear to the world that you are pregnant? The Jill Tank is perfect for you then! It is a simple white tank top with a large picture of a baby girl right on the belly. I would have loved this tank when I was at the in-between stage where people did a double take when looking at me wondering if I was pregnant or just gained some weight. If you are having a boy, there's also the Jack Tank. Not sure what you're having? There's a Special Delivery Tank and a Cruiser Tank for you.

Speesees Maternity (& After!) Kimono

I know that while I show you something pregnancy related that I like now and then, I haven't delved into pregnancy clothes yet. I found that there wasn't tons that I loved when I was pregnant, at least not at my price range, and I am not usually impressed with what I've found online. However, I just discovered a top I think is perfect because it is stylish, can be worn after giving birth, and looks really easy to breastfeed with. The Speesees Maternity (& After!) Kimono is extra long so you can wear it with your expanding belly and there are buttons that allow for adjustment. It's also made of 100% organic cotton.

Globally Cute

When I was first pregnant, I really wanted to wear tons of cute maternity clothes and show off my pregnant belly. I didn't know where to shop besides Old Navy and the maternity stores in the mall. I wish I had known about Globally Cute as they have a ton of cute t-shirt designs for pregnant women, all with an Asian symbol on them. The website doesn't allow me to link to individual products, but take a look around their site. They also have a few toddler tees and onesies for sale too.

Belly Ups

I've just discovered yet another product that helps keep your pants up when you're pregnant. I wish I'd known about them sooner! Belly Ups go under your clothes, clipping to your pants and bra to make sure each stays where they should. It can also be used to keep your skirts from spinning. According to the website, even non-pregnant women are using them. They would be good for after you give birth as you lose weight. I bought a pair of jeans five sizes larger than what I originally wore, and as I lost weight, I wasn't going to buy a pair of jeans in every size in between. So I struggled to stay in the large pair as long as I could. Belly Ups would have helped so much then too! It's available in black, nude, or pink hearts.

via The Budget Fashionista

Review: Bella Band

Recently we showed you Maternity Buckles which allow you to continue wearing your regular pants while you are pregnant. Another very popular product is the Bella Band. I had heard rave reviews of this product from a friend of mine, so I decided to buy one myself and try it out. The way it works is you wrap the band around your waist so you can unbutton your jeans. You can also use it to wear your pregger pants a little earlier, keep up your full panel pants up or after your baby is born on any pants.

Continue reading: "Review: Bella Band"

Maternity Buckles

When I was first pregnant, I started showing pretty quickly. I was not at all prepared, however, for my expanding waistline. I remember one day having no pants to wear to a dressy event that I had planned myself (I don't do skirts), and I was so embarressed with what I eventually came up with. The b-buckle would have helped me a ton. It hooks into your belt loops and allows you to wear your non-pregnacy pants longer. I wish they had more muted designs besides Camo with Pink Peace Heart and White Rock Mama, but either way I would rather have worn one of these to my event than the only pair of pants that still fit me (that were not nearly dressy enough) with a hair elastic threaded through the button hole. The b-buckle comes in three sizes, so it should work for all sizes of newly pregnant women.

I'm Knocked Up Cards by 16 Sparrows

When I found out I was pregnant, I posted it on my blog that morning, picture of the pregnancy test included, for all the world to see. Looking back, I'm very lucky I didn't miscarry and have to deal with telling everyone about that, but I just couldn't control my excitement. If you feel the same way, a more tasteful way to let everyone know is through these cute cards by 16 Sparrows. They say "I'm knocked up" with a cute picture of a stork with a baby on it. There are also ones that read "You're knocked up" which might be a fun way to tell your spouse the good news. I think the handwritten note is something we need to bring back to our society, so I hope you consider these as a fun way to spread the word!

Back 'N Belly

Like many pregnant women, I had a body pillow in my bed during my pregnancy. It made a world of difference on my comfort level and helped me sleep much better than I would have without it. Unfortunately, mine was only on one side of the bed, so when I turned to face the other way, I had no pillow. As we only have a queen sized bed at the moment, I probably couldn't have fit another pillow in the bed. But Peter has promised me that if I ever become pregnant again, we will get a king sized bed and I will be able to buy the Back 'N Belly pillow. This maternity pillow acts as your head pillow as well as supporting you no matter what side you are facing. It can also help support you while you are nursing in bed, and although I still do that, I think the pillow would be a bit of a pain for that job. The cover also comes off so you can wash it. It has some great reviews on amazon and plenty of them, so others must love it too!