Style Lush

A Slimming Nursing Tank...on the cheap!

By Sara

I've heard such great things about the Bravado line for nursing mothers but have been turned off by the price point of most of the line's nursing bras and camis/tanks. I've never been one to spend a lot on my undergarments (perhaps to my husband's dismay?) so the idea of spending upwards of $50 on a nursing bra that has a short(er) lifespan wasn't appealing. However, a recent stop at Target introduced me to the Basics by Bravado line. Basically the Basics line is a cheaper version of the Bravado line and I'm sure it's not as nice as the original line but it's price point (half that of the original) is right up my alley. I picked up the Felicity nursing cami and have been thrilled with it.

The cami comes in white and black, has easy access strap snaps, and best of all, SLIMS YOU IN THE MIDDLE. Yes, that's right. This tank has a little extra chub suckage that all new moms will clamor for as well as a no poking wires in sight. Those first few weeks (months!) post-partum are fraught enough so anything to make a new mom feel a little more "together" is a major win in my book. 

Boden Maternity

By Lauren

I've only recently discovered Boden. (I know!) The previous owner of my house must have ordered clothes from Boden because last summer I started seeing the small-format, witty little British catalog dropping through my mail slot. I've finally ordered a couple of items, both jersey tunics that I wear with leggings, and I've been really impressed with the quality and fit. 

I noticed months ago, while helping my sister-in-law hunt for flattering maternity wear for the office, that they offered a few maternity items through their website. At the time, though, the selection was pretty paltry.

So I was pleasently surprised this month to receive an email announcing their new and expanded maternity collection. Even though I'm not currently expecting, I popped over to take a look at what they were offering. It looks adorable! Their jersey dresses would be perfect for the office or dinner out. They're showing their jeans paired with cute patterned tops and cardigans layered on top. All in all, they manage to make maternity wear look downright stylish. 

Straightleg jean.

Flattering jersey dress.

Skinny jean.

Jersey party dress.

If I once again find myself in need of maternity clothes, I know where I'll be buying!

{Image credits: Boden USA, via Pinterest.}

There's an app for that: Tracking your period with FemCal Lite

By Manda

I cannot believe that I'm about to write this. But! It's for the greater good! My embarrassment be darned ... I hope this will be helpful to someone as it took me YEARS to finally figure out I could use my iPhone for this purpose!

I would like to share one of my favorite apps with you, ladies: The FemCal Lite Period Tracker.

{image via iTunes.com}

I don't know about you, but during my pregnancies with both of my children (and during the time we were trying to conceive) I kept track of EVERYTHING in my planner with pencil. That's right ... I had an iPhone the whole time and I STILL hand-wrote it. So when I dragged myself to the doctor for prenatal visits (and most post-natal!) I also dragged my trusty BusyBodyBook and made the intake nurse wait as I flipped through to find the answers to whatever questions she was asking for my chart. I even lost my calendar once and it was devastating! All that pertinent info ... just GONE!

No more! Thanks to this app (which I discovered after my son was born) I know exactly when old Aunt Flo is making her monthly visit, how long she stayed, when I'm ovulating, etc. It's a free app and it has helped me so much. It's easy to navigate and it's always with me (as is my iPhone!).

Do you track your cycles religiously? If so, with good old pen and paper or digitally?

Taking the plunge: A Diaper Dude Bag

By Elisabeth

So, I bit the bullet and purchased a diaper bag.

Yes, I own a few already, but this one is more of a purse than a diaper bag. So, for that reason, this purchase is more for me than for my baby. (funny what you can tell yourself.)

I told you about my diaper bag journey awhile back and had narrowed down my search to two bags. Then, I got all practical and put away my lust for a new bag and began using the striped one I already had.

It works. It totally does.

But, that's not the point here, now is it?

I would go to the amazon page and go back and forth whether or not the red bag was worth the plunge. I mean, $89 for something I didn't really need was eating at me. How could I justify?

Well, I somehow found a way.

I found it on Zappos.com on sale for $73. Plus, I picked the green one. Going outside my normal color comfort zone is thrilling enough. It should arrive this afternoon just in time for our road trip to Southern Oregon.

A girl's got to look stylish out in the middle of nowhere, now doesn't she?

 

{photo credit: zappos.com}

Convert a regular bra to a nursing bra

by Blythe

Now that I have a four-year-old, the newborn stage is really just a hazy memory for me.  I think I've blocked out much of the exhaustion and screechy witching hour drama and the shout-whispered "conversations" during middle-of-the-night feedings about how to get the baby back to sleep. (OK, maybe those memories aren't so hazy after all.)

I do remember feeling like I had nothing at all to wear; certainly nothing familiar that would fit on the new body that came home from the hospital along with my baby.  The nursing bras I had purchased in advance were new and not yet broken in (flash forward to six months later when they were comfy and stretched out and stained with that weird milk stain everywhere), and anything that didn't allow easy access to the milk machine just wasn't going to work.

{photo credit: mamasworldwide.com}

That's why I like this tutorial for converting your favorite regular bra into a nursing bra.  It requires some hand-sewing skills, but it looks like the work is well worth it to be able to wear the kind of bra that feels good during a time when everything else feels pretty unfamiliar.  It could also be a great money-saver, since it's easier to find regular bras on sale or at discount stores than it is to find discounted nursing bras.

Maternity Pencil Skirt

By Sara

At almost 6 months pregnant, I decided it was time to put away the sacred Belly Band, retire the idea that my round bottom could still fit into pre-pregnancy pants (it can't...at all) and fully embrace the Full Size Stretchy Bands of Awesomeness that sit atop so many of my maternity bottoms. Looking through my maternity wardrobe made me realize that I did not have one solitary skirt that was appropriate for work. I had plenty of maxi dresses and stretch jersey dresses/skirts, but nothing that was a basic business casual skirt. A swift internet browse, a few clicks, and four days later this beauty showed up at my door:

The Secret Fit Belly Knee Length Pencil Fit Maternity Skirt from Motherhood Maternity. This skirt has everything I was looking for: the stretchy full belly panel that stays up, the perfect length (I'm 5'2" and this hits right in the middle of my knee), lightweight for summer and WASHABLE. Oh, and did I mention it's only $24.95? That's right, the perfect price for the perfect pencil skirt that will be worn for less than 4 months. With a pair of cute heels, this skirt is just one more way for me to feel like I'm put together during the long slog through pregnancy...even when I'm really not. 

Birth Announcements: A must?

By Elisabeth

I don't know about you, but I love getting birth announcements in the mail. There is something about those cute, squishy babies that makes me all warm inside.

Sadly to say, I didn't do a birth annoucement with my first. (I know, he's quite devastated over the whole thing. NOT.) But, I am sad. I didn't think it was a big deal at the time. Actually, it's not a big deal, but I do wish I had done it. Heck, I have all the photos still. Can you image getting a birth announcement six years late?

HA.

Luckily, I had two more kids and got the chance to document my very own squishy babies for all the world to see (or to my top 50 family and friends. They don't grow on trees, you know?)

This last effort, I believe, is my favorite. I had had a couple of designs already put together and was dragging my feet to pick a favorite. (Actually, I am going to blame my husband on this one. Trying to get his "OK" on what I had put together, or actually his adoration for all my time spent on this project was all I was really looking for, took TIME, YO.)

Then, I noticed at the top of the birth announcements page on Tinyprints.com they were running a special. I could  get an additional $20 off, plus free shipping if I ordered THAT DAY. Well, hell, I had to make a decision, STAT. A nod from the husband or not, the purchase button was hit.

And this is what I came up with.

Cool, huh?

(On the back of the card I was able to include a note.)

 

Do you have a take on birth announcements? Waste of time, nice to have, or A MUST?

{photo credit: me and tinyprints.com}

Nest Egg Necklace

By Elisabeth

The other day there was a knock at my door. It's the type of knock I'm familiar with. You know, the one that subtly says, "There's a package at your door! WOO HOO!" Only this knock was different. Why? Because I hadn't ordered anything (this week.)

To my surprise, there was a tiny package on my doorstep and I had no idea what it was nor who it was from.

What was inside?

This.

 

Only my Nest Egg Necklace had three "eggs."

My dear friend, Marci, (aka lvgurl) sent this lovely necklace to me representing my (now) three kiddos. What I love most about this necklace is the subtlety. The dome itself doesn't scream, "I'M A MOM, HEAR HE ROAR," but the pendants inside do represent a part of me I definitely cherish.

What a special gift to give a friend. I will treasure it always!

 

{photo credit: uncommongoods.com}

Postpartum: Belly Wrap

By Elisabeth

So, it's been almost two weeks since I had our third baby. (How on earth has it been two weeks? How on earth has it ONLY been two weeks? Wait, what day is it?) Clearly, I am in the throes of tending to a newborn. Along with that, I am continually healing from giving birth itself!

One way I have tried to take care of ME during all of this (besides taking the well-needed meds they sent me home from the hospital with) is my trusty belly wrap.

Back when I had baby #2, I invested in a Brooke Burke "Taut" Belly Wrap. (Mine was white satin and was about $60.) While I loved this wrap and wore it for 40 days post-delivery, like instructed, I am not sure I purchased the right size, or it just didn't fit like I wanted it to. In the end, it buckled a little in the middle causing me to tug on it often.

This go around, I wanted the same support the previous belly wrap provided to my back. (Having weak stomach muscles really makes for a weaker lower back post-baby.) But, I didn't want to use my faulty wrap from before, nor wanted to pay $60 plus shipping on another one.

So, I went to Babies 'R Us not long ago and found their version of a Belly Wrap for $24.99. (The image and link I have posted here is for the Belly Bandit line. The kind I purchased is only available in stores, it seems.)

If you're expecting or know anyone who is due, I'd recommend purchasing some sort of wrap for after-the-baby-fact. It does wonders in supporting the back, and can also help get that mid-section back in form sooner than later.

{photo credit: babiesrus.com}

My Very Own Diaper Bag Journey

By Elisabeth

Heading in to this last week of pregnancy, all of the necessities have been accounted for. Everything has been washed, assembled and purchased. Or as much as it can be because let's be honest, you can never really be prepared when you add another human to your family dynamic. And, it doesn't get any easier the more kids you add!

With my first kid, I have no concept of which diaper bag I purchased before delivery. It just goes to show you how much I knew about babies. I'm sure it was some free-be that came with some formula samples. Luckily, not too far in to the first year, I got my wits about me and invested in a Skip Hop Duo Deluxe.

This was a great bag. Definitely perfect for one kid. Enough space for sippy cups, snacks, an extra pair of clothes, diapers and wipes. I still have this bag, but somehow never used it with kid #2. Since I was having a same-sex second child, I invested in some items for myself, (instead of having to buy another waredrobe, etc.) One of those was a Rebecca Denny Diaper Bag.( When I bought mine, it was way on sale, so there's that.)

I used it in the beginning, but it was too big, a little flimzy and didn't go with my lifestyle. NOT that it's not a lovely bag, it is, it just wasn't for me. (Of course, this is the bag I am currently using to take to the hospital.)

What have I been using since having two kids? It's quite stylish, let me tell you, BUT it's SO handy and works great with my current needs: The Columbia Trekster Diaper Bag.

Now, while this backpack is ideal for most of my needs, I WANT (which as we all know is entirely different than NEED) something more.....GOOD LOOKING and hip. What do I want? This Skip Hop Studio Diaper Tote Bag.

 

Or, this Diaper Dude Diva Rachael Diaper Bag.

 

Aren't they just LOVELY? They both are $89 and not something I desperately have to have, but it's fun to see what's out there. Maybe this could be a push-gift, or a June anniversary present or a Mother's Day thing? I guess we'll just have to wait and see if it truly matters that much in the end, or by that time I've moved on to something else I HAVE TO HAVE.

 

{photo credit: amazon.com, babiesrus.com}