My Top 5 Pregnancy Style Must Haves

I wouldn't consider myself that trendy of a person. I have a couple outfits and accessories here and there but for the most part I'm pretty plain. For some reason, when pregnancy comes around I feel the need to ramp up my wardrobe. Why (during a time that my body is every changing and I wont be able to fit into the clothes once the baby is born) do I pick this time as an opportunity, I'm not sure.

One of the biggest things I look for when shopping while I'm pregnant is versatility, comfort, and the possibility of wearing post pregnancy. Here are my top 5 pregnancy wardrobe must haves for this season of my life!

Belly Band

This has always been a staple for me from my very first pregnancy. This helps extend the ability to wear "normal" pants well into your pregnancy reducing the need to buy those pregnancy jeans that never stay up. They are also a life saver post pregnancy when you haven't quite fit into your pre-baby jeans.

Maternity tanks

Another staple from my first pregnancy. I love tank tops because they don't get too warm and you can buy a couple of neutral tones and pair them with a cute open top. I would recommend having one in both black and white! What's nice about these babies is that I still wear them post pregnancy and I love that they are much longer than the average tank top.

Kimono

I LOVE these, like I'm obsessed with them. They are breezy and adorable and I feel so fashionable wearing them. These can be worn over your maternity tanks. You don't even need to be preggo to wear them, that's the best part! Here is a 

Kimono at Target

 that I picked up and I absolutely love it! This

one

is also super cute!

Maxi dresses

These work well for my pregnancy this time around as I will be having a summer baby. Maxi dresses are so soft and stretchy they are perfect for the pregnant body.

We made it to 28 weeks!

It was about this time during my last pregnancy that my water bag slightly begin to tear, leaking amniotic fluid, aka PROM (Premature Rupture of the Membrane). When it first happened, I had just put my little one down for the evening and I was cleaning up around the house. The hubby was working nights and I was alone. I bent over to pick up some dirty laundry on the floor and when I stood up I felt the slight bit of trickle between my legs.

My initial reaction was that I must have lost control of my bladder, although I didn't feel the need to go. I was so confused. There was no gush, just a trickle. I went to the bathroom and sat upon the toilet and it continued. Was I really going nuts? Was I really peeing my pants and not feeling it? It was a sporadic trickle but just seemed to keep coming. My gut told me this was not good and so I got on the phone and called my husband.

We went into labor and delivery that evening to only be told that it was not amniotic fluid and I must have just lost control of that area. I just couldn't believe it as I got back in the car and sat on the already soaked bath towel. Finally after a week of this awkward problem and wearing poise pads, I had a regular visit with my Doctor, where it was indeed confirmed that my water bag had torn. So at 29 weeks pregnant and a week after leaking I was admitted into the hospital on full bed rest. Three weeks later I delivered our little girl, luckily with minimal complications.

Bed rested in the hospital

When you have one complicated pregnancy it basically dooms the joys and happiness of any pregnancy that might fall after. Given that my first baby was born with multiple heart defects and my second was premature, this third pregnancy has been more about avoidance than joy. You hold strong through the nausea of the progesterone shots.They put you on the high risk list, add extra anxiety inducing tests and tell you this one will be different. It doesn't help when they say “now you are at a greater risk for (this or that)”. Usually it is different but you never entirely escape from that unsettling feeling that something else might go wrong.

Week 28 is an eerie week for this pregnancy. Almost like a Friday the 13

th.

 It doesn't help that this one has been the hardest for me physically and emotionally. One more day and I will be at week 29!

Mocktails and an easy DIY for New Year's Eve

Just because you're not drinking alcohol during this holiday season, there is no reason to not partake in some bubbly or fun festive drinks! What's even better is having a fun sparkly drink stirrer to go with your favorite mocktail.

Pink Fizzy

Ingredients

Pink Lemonade (I used the Organic Trader Joe's kind)

Ginger Ale

Frozen fruit (blueberries are shown in the picture)

I used a 50/50 ratio between the pink lemonade and ginger ale.

Add your frozen fruit for a garnish and to keep it cold.

Sparkly Stir Pick

long wooden skewer

sparkle poms (comes in assorted sizes. I used a 1/2 inch pom)

You can hot glue the pom pom on to the dull end of the skewer. This would be the most efficient method to keep the pom in place.

Or

You can poke the skewer with the sharp end through the pom pom and slide it to the other end. Be careful not to poke yourself!

*you can also use pom poms on tooth picks for festive hors d'oeuvres.

What is your favorite non-alcoholic drink?

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Third time is the charm.

It's what I've been told lately, that the third time is the charm. The third pregnancy is what they are referring to. I'm official outing myself and my pregnancy:)

The reason for the "charm" is that the first two were brought with challenging circumstances and more anxiety than I could imagine. My first child was born with multiple heart defects and had heart surgery when she was only 7 days old. With second baby my water bag tore at 28 weeks and I was on bed rest for 3 weeks until we finally had to deliver her early.

I'm so blessed that they are both with us today and are doing very well! So the third time is hopefully the charm, right?

After the first, I was convinced that number two had to go as planned. How could a momma be thrown into this kind of circumstance twice? I was very wrong. So for this one, I'm very cautious and apprehensive.

My very first prenatal visit was a long one. An hour and a half talking with the doctor, explaining each previous pregnancy in detail so she could understand. Then we had to discuss what came after the pregnancies... the thing that most women don't want to admit or even talk about..... Postpartum Depression. Doctors always monitor this closely and there tends to be an extra eye on your emotional well being throughout and after the process. Normally I would have lied to avoid this stigma but I knew I might need help again after this one. It's easier to be asked "how are feeling" rather than having to choke it out yourself and admit to the doctor that you are not okay.

I was then educated on all the extra procedures, shots, and screenings I would need to do with my high risk pregnancy. The doubt started to set in. I could feel the anxiety building in the pit of my stomach. Fetal echo cardiogram. Progesterone shots. Special monitoring....

I was feeling excited until this visit. Now I'm just slightly nervous. I am excited, however, to announce to all of you about the pregnancy as I have been almost bursting trying to keep it a secret from everyone this long. I'm not very good with secrets and when I have news this exciting it is sooo hard to keep it to myself.

I wish you all a very merry Christmas!

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Premature rupture at 29 weeks

A week and a half ago, I went to labor and delivery at 28 weeks pregnant. I thought my water had possibly started leaking. I was picking up around the house when I noticed the trickling between my legs. I didn't feel like I had to go to the bathroom and it didn't smell like urine. When it didn't go way I called my doctor and went into the hospital. They did some tests and didn't find any evidence of amniotic fluid. So I went home.

The rest of the week went by as normal, except I had to wear poise pads... I assumed my bladder had just lost all control. I went to a wedding on Saturday and even spent some time on the dance floor.

I had my next doctors visit the following Thursday and mentioned about the continual leaking. She looked worried when I told her the pads I was using. She did another test and sure enough It was amniotic fluid...

I've learned to always trust your body, I knew deep in my heart that this wasn't right. I went a whole week of activity with my water bag broken at 29 weeks! I am so grateful that nothing serious happened to the baby or me. When they did a ultrasound they found that I had lost almost all of the amniotic fluid. So many things could have gone negatively this past week, but they didn't. Someone is watching over us.

I was transported to another hospital, where I have been for the last five days on bed rest. I will be here until the baby is born. For now she is relaxing in my belly, where we hope to keep away any infection, complications or labor. For now I just have to beat the boredom and hope my baby stays in as long as possible.

Pregnancy Journal: 22 weeks

(I'm starting this journal a little late.. well really late. I am already half way through my pregnancy.)
I am 22 weeks pregnant and I remember how not so great it feels to be pregnant, physically speaking.

This baby is active, that's for sure. I felt little movements at about 19 weeks, but now I can feel kicks!!! I remember with my last pregnancy feeling them a lot later?

The queasiness has subsided for the most part!!! Yay!!! The excruciating head aches have also tampered off! I felt pretty good for a while but now
My hips have been bothering me so much that it keeps me up at night. Its painful, but the part that bothers me is unexplainable. Its like this uncomfortable feeling of pressure. I know not a great explanation but like I said I can't explain it.

My weight has kept the same as before I even got pregnant, but my belly is expanding and from what the doctors tell me the size is normal, if not even larger.

We had a level two ultrasound a couple of weeks ago, which determined the gender of the baby!!!! Some women can feel what they are having. For baby # 1 I knew it was a girl... Baby # 2 I thought it was a boy.

IT'S A GIRL.... another girl:) Poor daddy, another female in the family to push him around.. haha it really is like that. At least we wont be lacking in the baby clothes department.

We had a fetal echo done very recently. Because of Bella's heart condition they wanted to go the extra measure to make sure. Everything came back normal!!

A pea in the pod

It's official... I'm pregnant again!!! It came as a surprise but we are very happy and feel extremely blessed! My due date is January 2nd, maybe a New Years baby?!?! As of this week I am 16 weeks!

This pregnancy has already been so different then the last. I have my hunch as to the sex, but I'll save that for later. I was correct with the first one, so we will see. I am not as nearly sick or as tired as before. Thank God for that. However, I have been a little more light-headed and dizzy.

It's all been surreal. At times I can't even believe I am pregnant. Like it's all been a dream.

One thing that I do know, is that you forget. You forget the feelings, the sympotoms. You forget everthing and then you have to pull out old faithful... "what to expect when you are expecting"

I need to start bargain hunting now for some maternity wear! Check back for the lastest in prego styles and deals!!!