Maternity & Pregnancy :The Fashionable Housewife

JU-JU-BE’s Commitment to Breast Cancer Awareness

November 12th, 2011 by Lucie Amberg

We just finished National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and sadly, too many families are aware of this horrible disease all the time. If you’re interested in mobilizing your shopping dollars for this worthy cause all year round, you’ll be interested in this:

In Spring 2006, JU-JU-BE started making a donation forevery bag sold and continues to do so today and are committed to keep it going as long as the company is around. “Thousands of dollars of “Our” money (“our” means “you” plus “us”) goes toward breast cancer initiatives ranging from cure research to providing mammograms for the underprivileged. We’re proud to give back, you should be too!” From lifestyle bags to diaper and baby bags, JU-JU-BE blends style and function for women on the go. Framed against classic shapes – totes, hobo, bourse messenger, backpacks, laptop, weekender, carry all and beach, JU-JU-BE offers an array of large and small sized bags, wallets, cosmetic and sun-glass cases.

I’m loving a lot of these looks as diaper bags. (In fact the middle one below is quite similar to what I’m currently carrying.) Also keep in mind that especially given the company’s history with breast cancer awareness, the smaller items make great holiday gifts.

Each bag is a bold statement that brings the visual richness and a thoroughly modern context for the fashion forward woman of today. The line retails from the $20 range for wallets to upwards of $200 for larger sized carryalls. JU-JU-BE is steadily gaining momentum as the must-have bag for not only fashionistas but also yoga enthusiasts, travelers, and to carry about town. Currently available in Nordstroms, Von Maur and countless specialty boutiques nationwide as well as on their website: www.ju-ju-be.com.

Posted in Gift Ideas, Handbags & Purses, Holiday Features, Maternity & Pregnancy, Moms On The Go Related Topics: Breast Cancer Awareness, diaper bags, Gifts, Handbags & Purses, holidays 2011, JU-JU-BE, lucie

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Mamatini – The Drink for Breastfeeding Moms That Helps Increase Milk Supply

September 2nd, 2011 by The Fashionable Housewife

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If you are a mom or a mom-to-be you’re going to want to read this post!

With my first child, I had a really bad experience with breastfeeding. I persevered for 17 months, but ultimately I had to stop due to many factors including low milk supply, plugged ducts, a lot of pain due to poor latch and a couple run-ins with Mastitis to name a few. When I became pregnant with my second, I was terrified I was going to have a horrible experience nursing again. I wasn’t going to give up though…

I was pretty excited when Mamatini contacted me a couple months before my due date and asked me to review their organic herbal tea that promised to increase milk supply. A low milk supply was one of the biggest problems I had last time around, so I was really excited to try Mamatini.

Mamatini™ is an all-natural, organic herbal infusion that was created with your specific needs in mind. You realize that breastfeeding your baby is the best way to ensure that your child receives the most perfect nutrition and immunity-building proteins during his or her first year of life. You know that the experience of breastfeeding will bond you and your baby more than anything else you will do together. Mamatini will help you breastfeed better by boosting milk supply, increasing your energy and increasing your ability to absorb and retain critical nutrients your body is using to produce milk for your baby.

Mamatini was created by a pediatrician to help mothers like you breastfeed better, easier, and for longer. So drink to your baby’s good health, and Drink Mamatini™!

Their proprietary formula:

Is pediatrician designed and approved

Contains herbs used for centuries to increase milk supply

Helps your body absorb and retain vitamins and minerals depleted during pregnancy and breastfeeding

Can help relieve baby’s colic symptoms

Provides the energy you need for motherhood

Tastes delicious! Try our all-natural and refreshing lemon flavor made with organic ginger.

I drank my first bottle of Mamatini while I was in labor and my second bottle within 3 hours of giving birth. It was one of the first things I could stomach after my intense and rapid labor and delivery. (4 hours of labor and 2 pushes!) I labored and gave birth at home, in a birthing tub with no medication or drugs. It was a beautiful experience being at home where I was comfortable and with my family. And it was wonderful to have my hubby bring me a nice cold bottle of Mamatini as I laid in our king size bed with our new little muffin.

I love the flavor – ginger lemon. It’s a very mild tea-like flavor that you’ll adore. It tastes so refreshing ice cold!

Anyone with breastfeeding experience knows it usually takes 36-48 hours for your milk to “come in” after giving birth. My milk came in within 24 hours after drinking 3 bottles of Mamatini, which really surprised and delighted me!

It took me about a week to drink the entire case (12 bottles) of Mamatini. I noticed a plentiful supply of breastmilk which made nursing my new baby a completely different experience. He was able to latch on really well and I was able to relax because I knew he was getting nourished. His birth weight was 8.5lbs and he went right back to his birth weight within 4 days of being born and has been gaining a pound a week since then.

Mamatini made a huge difference in my new baby too. He didn’t have any symptoms of colic at all and slept peacefully and for several hours at a time from day one. Just a completely different experience from my first child and I attribute a lot of it to Mamatini.

I believe that Mamatini helped me so much, that I purchased an entire case of it as soon as I finished the first case I was sent to review. I didn’t want to go one day without it!

Mamatini was on backorder for several months and I was unable to order more. I’ll tell ya, I definitely noticed my milk supply decrease and my normally content and peaceful baby was suddenly getting fussy, had occasional indigestion and wasn’t sleeping quite as well anymore. To me, that was proof that Mamatini is absolutely essential and worth every penny….

I was so glad when Mamatini was finally back in stock and I could get more! Hallelujah!!!!

Buy Mamatini™ >>>

Posted in Baby Fashion, Health & Fitness, Home Life, Maternity & Pregnancy, Moms On The Go, Nursing & Breastfeeding, Organic or Eco-Friendly, Recommended, Reviews Related Topics: breastfeed, Breastfeeding, colic, Drink Mamatini, herbal fusion, increase milk supply, Mamatini, milk supply, naturally increase milk supply, Nursing, organic tea, relief for colic, relieve colic, tea

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gDiapers Pictures How-To & Instructions

June 24th, 2011 by The Fashionable Housewife

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My friend recently found out she was pregnant for baby number THREE and she’s hoping to try cloth diapers this time around, to help save money. She was concerned that she was wasting a ton of money on disposables and didn’t think they were very good for the environment either! So, of course, I suggested gDiapers! I have had such great success with them and they are really easy to use for people who are new to cloth diapering.

She’s right about the wasted money AND the negative impact on the environment. (You can read all about the “yuck” of disposable diapers here.) The biggest thing to take into consideration is that disposables are made from plastic. One plastic diaper equals 1 cup of non-renewable oil. And we all know how excited everyone is about the rising cost of oil these days, right?! Yeah… I’d rather put that oil in my car than make a diaper with it.

Another reason why I chose cloth diapering is because once I tried it, I never wanted to go back.

TFH’s List of PROS for Cloth Diapering

No more diaper rashes!!!
Cloth is more comfortable than paper. (Do YOU want to wear paper undies?)
Better for the environment.
WAAAY cheaper than disposable diapers.
No cancer causing chemicals on baby’s bum.
Easier to clean baby’s bum at every diaper change.

TFH’s List of CONS for Cloth Diapering

Bigger initial investment.
More Laundry (but you’re probably already doing a ton anyway!)
Have to change cloth diapers more often than disposables.
Need bigger clothes because cloth diapers are more bulky.

I recommend gDiapers because they are the easiest cloth diaper system around. I have tried other cloth diapers and nothing compares to gDiapers. You have the flexibility to use gCloth inserts OR disposable/compostable/flushable gRefill inserts.

I almost always use the cloth inserts, unless I am going to be out for the day, then I just use the disposable ones and flush them in the public rest rooms or dispose of them in the nearest garbage can. I personally don’t like dealing with a poopy cloth insert when I’m out and about… but if it happens, I just stick it in my gWetbag and deal with it when I get home.

One of the thing I love about gDiapers that sets them apart from the rest is less laundry than most. gDiapers are made up of three parts… The gPants (comes in 4 sizes and lots of different colors), the gSnap in Liners that act as a buffer between the insert that gets wet and the outside gPant that doesn’t get wet (usually!), and the gCloth or gRefill insert.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Baby Fashion, Maternity & Pregnancy, Nursing & Breastfeeding, Organic or Eco-Friendly, Parenting, Recommended, Reviews Related Topics: Baby Fashion, cloth diapers, diapers, FuzziBunz, gDiapers, gDiapers review, Huggies, Natural, Organic, Pampers

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HELP! Desperately Seeking a Nursing Bra

March 18th, 2011 by Lucie Amberg

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Since my husband and I are expecting our first bambino next month, my life is full of changes. Most of them are exciting, like creating a nursery for this little person we haven’t met yet. Some of them are funny, like when the fraud department at my credit card company called and asked if I was really the person spending so much money at Wal-Mart and Babies R Us. (My response? “Yes, I know. I miss Nordstrom, too.”) But some of the upcoming changes are a little scary, and for me, breastfeeding falls in that category.

I’m definitely planning to breastfeed, and I know it’s a natural process and women have been doing it for eons and blah, blah, blah. But it’s intimidating! For example, I only recently learned that newborns eat 8-10 times a day. Seriously? That’s more often than I check email.

This woman looks very happy. She has obviously found a good nursing bra.

If I could just get a handle on the wardrobe issues, though, I’d feel much more confident about the whole thing. Let’s face it: looking good while nursing is the El Dorado of motherhood. I could go on all day about the limited variety and questionable style of most nursing clothes, but I don’t have the luxury of worrying about that because I have yet to find a suitable nursing bra. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s that looking good starts with a great-fitting bra.

Since I’m naturally “well-endowed”, I’ve been investing in well-made, supportive bras for as long as I can remember. Wacoal and Chantelle work best for me, and although they cost a pretty penny, I don’t mind spending more for such crucial wardrobe items. But now I’m fretting because my old stand-bys won’t work for nursing.

Further complicating the issue is that—of course—my bust has gotten even bigger during the pregnancy. Something I read said that this is a good sign biologically; it means your body is getting ready for the baby by making sure he can find his food source. Well, I don’t think that will be a problem. Helen Keller could find my bosoms these days.

And now that a supportive bra is even more important than ever, I’m frustrated with the options I’m finding. So I need HELP in a big way! Any D or DD women out there who’ve found nursing bras they love? I’ve heard that underwire styles can be problematic but can’t imagine going without it. Has anyone found a brand that works? BareNecessities.com has many options, but I’m not familiar with the brands and have no idea where to start. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!

Posted in Baby Fashion, Body Shapes, Fashion Advice, Lingerie & PJ's, Maternity & Pregnancy, Moms On The Go, Nursing & Breastfeeding Related Topics: Bras, Breastfeeding, Maternity, Nursing, nursing bras

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Bashful Bump Maternity Bodysuits

December 3rd, 2010 by The Fashionable Housewife

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Never tug your shirt down again! Bashful Bump Maternity Bodysuits are the perfect complement to low waisted skirts and pants – no more bump flashing or indecent backside exposure.

Bodysuits can be worn on their own or layered under other maternity tops allowing women to move about freely knowing they will always be covered. They extend the life of pre-pregnancy clothes and help avoid having to purchase maternity clothes in the next size up during your last month. They are perfect for crawling around after other children and bending over to pick up toys.

You can wear your bodysuit out to dinner and look amazing and then turn around and wear it to pre-natal yoga class the next day. Maternity bodysuits are made of a soft, stretchy fabric complete with a built-in shelf bra. Available in four flattering styles, there’s a Bashful Bump Maternity Bodysuit for every occasion!

Find yours at http://www.bashfulbump.com

Posted in Maternity & Pregnancy Related Topics: Bashful Bump Maternity Bodysuits, Maternity, maternity clothes, Shapewear

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Most Comfortable Nursing Bra And Breastfeeding Advice For New Moms

November 18th, 2010 by The Fashionable Housewife

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We all know that breastmilk is without a doubt, what is best for babies. That’s what boobs are for afterall! These days, nursing in public is becoming less of an issue and there are many products on the market to make nursing your new little baby easier than ever.

I always recommend attempting to breastfeed for at least 2-4 weeks. It takes a few days for the milk to come in and a few more days after that to establish a really good latch and nursing relationship with your new baby. Don’t give up in the first week! Tough it out and keep your eyes on the goal. Once you get through the tough part, you’ll be so happy you stuck it out. Nothing compares to the look on your babies face as they drink up the nourishment only you can provide.

After successfully nursing two children, I have a few pointers that can make it easier for moms-to-be and first time mothers get through the tough part and go on to a wonderful nursing relationship with their new little prize!

My advice for new moms or moms to be that plan on breastfeeding:

Don’t wear a bra at all or wear a bra like Glamourmom® Mbody™ Starter Nursing Bra ($40). Don’t wear a nursing bra with underwires until good breastfeeding habits are established. Underwires, deodorant, tight shirts and not drinking enough water are all things that can inhibit milk supply.
Don’t introduce your baby to a pacifier or bottle until a good latch is established. You don’t want to confuse them! I attempted to get my first born to like the pacifier (per the urging of those around me) and it only decreased my milk supply because she didn’t like the paci and when I gave her the boob, she thought I was still trying to give her the “fake boobie with no milk” and she would refuse to nurse and just cry and cry.
As soon as the baby is born, start using Simplisse Nipple Cream. Forget Lanolin… Simplisse works wonders and isn’t sticky and gross. Keep your nipples moisturized constantly!!! They might stick to cotton bras, so be sure to use Simplisse Disposable Nursing Pads even if your breasts aren’t leaking. Believe me, they will come in handy the first few weeks!
Drink Mamatini starting in the weeks before birth or as soon as possible after giving birth. Mamatini is a great-tasting organic herbal infusion designed to meet the needs of nursing moms. It is doctor-designed to give you the confidence, energy, and strong milk supply you need to raise a healthy baby. I highly recommend it!
Don’t worry about what you look like! Relax with your baby and let someone else worry about everything else. It’s hard to come to terms with your new body, post-baby, and adjust to your whole new life. Try hard to just focus on baby, what’s best for baby and getting sleep. It’s the most important thing for the first few weeks!

The most comfortable nursing bra you can wear in the first few weeks of nursing (and beyond) is the Glamourmom® Mbody™ Starter Nursing Bra ($40).

This essential first step Nursing Bra with cotton heat molded cups has built-in inner sling for added support and is made from breathable, absorbent, stretchy cotton/elastane blend is cool and comfortable for sleeping. It adjusts over two sizes for added comfort during the engorgement stage, has a full, smooth, high-cut back with adjustable chest band and delivers full breast exposure for latch-on flexibility and more intimate initial connection.

The high-cut front provides added modesty and looks great under other shirts, giving you that layered look. It has a convenient hook closures for easy, one-handed access and of course, it is machine washable.

Price: $40

Get It: Glamourmom.com

The featured product for this post was provided to me, at no cost, by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing and review. Opinions expressed are my own and are not influenced by monetary compensation.

Posted in Maternity & Pregnancy, Nursing & Breastfeeding, Reviews Related Topics: best nursing bras, Bras, Breastfeeding, breastmilk, Comfortable Bras, Drink Mamatini, Mamatini, most comfortable bra, most comfortable nursing bra, nipple cream, Nursing, nursing bra, nursing pads, Simplisse

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Best Starter Nursing Bra – Glamourmom Mbody™

November 9th, 2010 by The Fashionable Housewife

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My favorite nursing bra company has added a new product to it’s selection of impecably designed items for breatfeeding mothers. It’s the NEW Glamourmom® Mbody™ Starter Nursing Bra ($40). This exciting new style has been designed to accommodate mom’s important needs in the fourth trimester when the milk arrives and baby is learning to latch-on – the time when bonding is most important.

Since this is the only bra on the market to focus specifically on this transition period it is the essential nursing bra for the new and contemporary mom who demands cutting edge bra design and that answers her body’s needs during those first precious days and weeks of breastfeeding. It also offers superior fit in a pre-pregnancy styled fashion. In 2010 and 2011, Glamourmom® plans to introduce additional Nursing Bras that will continue to deliver solutions for the new mom during dress, work and play.

The Glamourmom® Mbody™ Starter Nursing Bra features heat molded bra cups and built-in inner sling for added breast support. It has a full, smooth, high-cut back and adjustable chest band that adjusts over two sizes for added comfort during the engorgement stage. It also features easy one-handed access hook closures and full breast exposure for latch-on flexibility and a more intimate initial connection. The high-cut front provides added discretion often desired when our new mom receives visitors in the hospital. The breathable, absorbent, stretchy cotton/elastane blend is cool and comfortable for sleeping. It is the ultimate nursing bra that embodies both mother and baby facilitating a smooth transition and introduction to the joys of breastfeeding for both!