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For the mother-to-be
In the past few months we’ve received lots of reader requests for a goop issue on pregnancy, and so we got to work on the subject. Below are all my essentials plus our most recent sources of inspiration for everything from wearable maternity clothing to putting together a nursery.
Love,
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The Nursery |
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Jessica Wilpon Kamel, the co-founder and creative director of Edition01, lends us her mood boards and inspiration for the nursery and layette she's prepared for her own baby, who's on the way.
“I’m a total website and blog junkie so when presented with the project of selecting the best places to shop for babies online, I only had to take my hundreds of bookmarked sites and begin the arduous and addicting process of editing! My husband even took the laptop away from me and told me I had to take a break from looking at baby products! I obliged, but then went straight back to it.”
The Furnishings
A dream nursery comes to life in this mood board that Jessica created.
The Walls
Some of Jessica’s inspiration for the walls to complement her nursery layout.
The Layette
A baby preparedness kit with clothes, swaddles, blankets and stuffed toys.
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Guidance and Inspiration |
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Gowri Motha is an obstetrician turned doula based in London who was invaluable to me during my pregnancy. After spending years delivering babies in UK hospitals, she came to understand that giving birth did not have to be as difficult and stressful as it can be for some, many times leading to cesareans that could have been avoided, etc. So, she developed a method of preparing mothers for giving birth called the Gentle Birth Method, which is described in her book and encompasses diet, gentle exercise tips, Reflexology, Creative Healing, Reiki, visualization, emotional preparation and more.
Here’s a very relaxing foot massage from the book:
This is a super easyfoot massage you can practice at home. For five minutes have a friend or partner massage your feet, giving you an all-round kneading. Work deeply on the tissues at the top of the feet firmly moving your fingers up and down the spaces between the bones. This can be done on the hands too.
Dr. Gowri Motha teaches and holds private sessions at the Viveka Centre.
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This book is based on Dr. Peter Adamo’s blood type diet, which takes his research on eating according to your blood type and applies it to pregnancy.
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This is a site that is a collaboration between Violet Gaynor, the senior fashion editor at InStyle and Kelly Stuart who is a photo director at Hearst. They feature beautiful photographs of cool moms and their kids and each post is full of personal tips for kids' clothes, beauty, kids' recipes and more. It’s very inspiring to look at and also full of useful ideas directly from one mom to another.
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Babble provides a guide for every single week of the pregnancy, with specific information for each particular week. It describes the changes you might be experiencing, tells you about how big your baby is inside your womb, and provides advice for each step of the way from other mothers.
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The Clothes |
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A few of the brands that I like the most for pregnancy gear.
HATCH is a fantastic collection of simple, incredibly cute and cool clothing that transitions well throughout pregnancy, meaning you can wear it when you’re at two months or nine months and about to burst (or even when you’re not pregnant). The spring collection is especially cute – flowing dresses, a trench that goes well with just about anything, an adorable jumpsuit...etc. HATCH gives Every Mother Counts $5 from each transaction on the site.
This site has a huge selection of clothing for expectant mothers including a brand called Nom, which makes super comfortable and wearable tops, bottoms and dresses, which I practically lived in while pregnant. Also, don’t miss Bellydance’s maternity denim selection.
A French brand of totally wearable, casual clothing. It has a laid-back and yet not slouchy aesthetic. Great straight-leg pants, airy shirts and shorts.
JBrand has some of the best maternity jeans out there. They’re comfortable on the belly and nice and tight everywhere else. Wear their legging jeans with a flowing top and a cropped jacket on top and you’re set.
And of course, Topshop is a good place to stop if you’re looking for a few pieces to liven up your wardbrobe affordably and get you through the nine months without your getting too tired of your closet.
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Beauty and Wellbeing |
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Where possible, incorporate organic and natural products into your routine during pregnancy. Check out our Natural and Organic Skincare issue for more ideas on products that you can use while pregnant.
A skincare brand created by four beauty experts who developed products for problem areas such as, their Boob Tube, a bust and neck firmer, Lucky Legs, a cooling serum, and Tummy Oil. They have an extensive line of special pregnancy products including their Congratulations Kit with O-Mega Shower and body creams and Tummy Rub oil. Their products are what they call “no nasties” in them, meaning no parabens, petroleum, phthalates, colorants, sodium laureth, sodium sulphates, synthetic fragrances or xenoestrogen.
Tips on the Pregnancy Beauty Routine
Melissa Schweiger, who recently wrote Belli Beautiful about baby-safe skincare, offers a few suggestions from her book on how to stay safe with your routine during pregnancy.
- "Instead of applying mascara at the roots of the lashes, apply it only onto the tips of the lashes."
- "Stage a ban on all synthetic perfumes. Instead, use essential oils (we love jasmine and citrus scents) and dab them onto your hair."
- "Rather than getting a single process hair color that sits on the scalp, opt for highlights instead. Or get an ammonia-free glaze to keep the grays at bay. But wait until the second trimester to do any hair coloring treatment. Our motto is ‘When in doubt, wait it out!’"
- "Stay away from finger bowls and foot spas at the nail salon. Instead ask for a waterless manicure and pedicure."
- "Swap your highly pigmented red lipstick for a gloss."
- "Shampoo every other time – or even every third time – you wash your hair to lessen the number of chemicals you’re putting on your scalp. And apply conditioner to only the ends of the hair."
- "Cancel your waxing appointment and throw away any depilatories or body and facial bleach. Laser hair removal is also a definite pregnancy no-no. Instead stick to good old shaving for the body and plucking or threading for the face."
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The Baby Kit |
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And, when the baby arrives, a few of the practical things you’ll find incredibly handy in the first year.
Organic Soft Toys
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You never know what the No#1 favorite toy is going to be but both Under The Nile’s Fruit and Vegetable Toys and Sage Baby’s Organic Baby Blanket Friends are serious contenders. They’re made from organic cotton so they make safe companions for sleeping, playing and chewing.
Note: Once your child chooses its favorite toy, be sure to buy duplicates to avoid crises when and if the prized toy gets lost or left behind!
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