Made To Mommy

Let the Countdown Begin!

November 29, 2017

It’s so crazy to think that almost nine months ago I found out I was pregnant. From working my full-time job at Red Tricycle to traveling over the summer to spending as much time with friends and family on weekends as possible, this pregnancy feels like it has flown by. I can’t even believe our baby shower was two weeks ago!

I am exactly one month away from my due date!

At my 36-week appointment on Monday, it was learned that our baby girl is head down – not “I’m ready to come out now” head down, but she’s starting to adjust herself into the right position. My next appointment will be at 38 weeks if I haven’t gone into labor already.

Things are now coming together. On the 18th we had our beautiful co-ed baby shower hosted by my mom and pseudo-sister at her place (check out my photo slideshow) and it was such a fantastic afternoon celebrating baby girl. My husband’s friends drove up from Santa Cruz to spend time with us and it was just a really joyful day. Check out the slideshow below for some behind-the-scenes look at the shower.

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Now things are starting to really get real: we just started receiving all our nursery furniture that we ordered, so this weekend will consist of our hospital tour, followed by putting together the crib, dresser, bedside bassinet and changing table. I can’t wait till the nursery is completely put together! We only have her blush pink curtains hanging up there and a sign that says “Spread the Sparkle.” Check out my post about Curated Nest if you’re in the market for nursery interior design ideas!

We are getting so excited to meet our little nugget! We cannot believe she will be here in just a month (or sooner!).

Do you have any labor and delivery tips and tricks? I’d love to know! Leave a comment below.

Nursery Inspo: Kick Start Designing Your Nursery with Curated Nest

November 18, 2017

This post is sponsored by and in partnership with Curated Nest

At 34-weeks pregnant you would think that my little girl’s nursery would be completely set up and ready to go for when she arrives this December. Guess again. While my nesting instinct has kicked in in terms of getting the house cleaned up and organized for her winter arrival, my little one’s nursery is still very, very bare. The only thing I have in there right now is a full length mirror that has a frame I need to repaint, a desk lamp and and canvas art that reads “Spread the Sparkle.” With working full-time and being really tired at night, finding the time to actually sit down and order my nursery decor is surprisingly difficult for this soon-to-be millennial mama.

Enter Curated Nest. When interior designers – and recent first-time moms – Erin Coren and Lina Galvao were designing nurseries for the bundles of joy, they realized that new parents needed an easier way to shop and design their own nurseries. They needed a one-stop-shop. So Erin and Lina took their interior design talents and started Curated Nest, a website where soon-to-be and new parents can go to browse their creative nursery styles, purchase all the furniture and décor they need, or use their online interior design services for something truly custom.

Perfect for millennial parents who love to do everything online, Curated Nest’s online interior design service is an option not to miss if you’re waiting until closer to delivery to design your nursery. You can purchase the Petite Nest ($149) or the Dream Nest ($349) where you can have your nursery, toddler room or playroom custom designed for you by Lina and Erin.

The Petite Nest option is more of a kick start to designing your nursery. If you’re the creative type who just needs some guidance, this is probably the option for you. Here’s what you’ll get:

Complete a brief questionnaire and send back to Curated Nest so they can gauge your style.
Send Lina and Erin links to your Pinterest or Houzz boards, as well as any registries you have open as well as any photos of the room you can provide.
One week after you send them the questionnaire, links and photos, Curated Nest will send you a custom nursery style board with products tailored for your lifestyle and design.
You can purchase anything you like straight from your personalized link on their website.
While there are no revisions at the Petite Nest level, you can upgrade to the full online interior design service, Dream Nest, to reap those benefits, a complete personalized experience.

As for the Dream Nest, you can choose to design your nursery (toddler room or play room) and you’ll get everything in the Petite Nest package plus:

Revisions
Access to Curated Nest’s secret designer vendors
Floorplan showing exactly where every item will go
Personal shopping and checkout page
Detailed designer’s style notes and setup guide
Registry concierge where Curated Nest will help you share your custom design on your registry, build your registry and offer a 10% discount (Baby Nest option)

I had the fantastic opportunity to try out Curated Nest’s

After completing my questionnaire and sending links to my Pinterest board, Amazon and Babies ‘R’ Us registries, Erin and Lina scheduled a 30-minute call with me a few days later. We were able to get to know each other a little more (which is SO important) and they were able to gauge my style a bit better while I was able to see how well our personalities would mesh and how well they understood my vision for my little girl’s room.

One-week after that phone call, I received my style board. I have to say that Lina and Erin nailed it on the head with my style. I consider myself a classy-chic-subtle glam type and have a vision of greys, pinks, golds and whites for my baby’s nursery. My style board from Curated Nest was spot on. Here is my style board:

So in love with what they suggested, I ended up purchasing a few things right away: the rocking chair (the beige wasn’t calling my name, but the chair in grey was) and a fitted crib sheet they recommended with a floral, watercolor pattern. I’m considering buying a few more items as well, including the cat pillow, which they selected in honor on my original baby, my black and white cat! Perk: Lina and Erin only suggest products they’d buy for their own kids. That is a definite plus!

My overall experience working with Curated Nest was fantastic. Erin and Lina really listened to what I had to say during our phone call and I could tell they referenced my questionnaire, links and photos while creating my style board as it features products I would have picked myself. As a soon-to-be millennial mom, this is a service I highly recommend. I didn’t have to leave my house or get changed out of my comfy sweats and it keeps things simple and easy.

Check out the slideshow below for a close up of some of the products in my style board.

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Have you tried Curated Nest’s online interior design services before? I’d love to know in the comments below!

ABC Kids Expo 2017

October 22, 2017

One of the perks of working for a company like Red Tricycle is that I get to attend really cool conferences and last week I went to the 2017 ABC Kids Expo in Las Vegas. I went with Red Tricycle’s editorial director and bump + baby account director and we met with some great companies. It was also a fabulous experience seeing so many baby and kid companies displaying their 2018 gear for everyone to test out and learn more information about.

I do have to admit that there was a bit of sensory overload since I’m an expecting mom, but it was all worth it in the end. Walking around 5 miles per day and talking with all these amazing vendors was a great experience.

There are so many products coming down the line in 2018 for companies and I just have to share some of my favorites that I saw.

What’s New

Three companies that caught my eye by either being new or offering new products this year were Bink Modern Safety, HNY Baby (pronounced honey baby) and Lulujo Baby.

Bink Modern Safety has the most stylish baby and kid proofing products I have seen in a long time. Their chic pastel-colored dot outlet covers will fit any room’s decor and are muted enough not to attract little ones to it. What’s new for the company this year and in 2018 is their magnetic blind cord. This keeps blind cords up and away from children (and animals!). Learn more >>

Along with their new products, Bink was showcasing their edge and corner covers called Bumpy. Bumpy is the first furniture bumper to be made from baby-friendly rubber instead of the normal foam or PVC. You can purchase in black or white, and like the dot outlet covers, they blend in well and wont attract your little one. Learn more >>

bink DOTS outlet child protectors

Bink Up & Away magnetic blind cord holder (upper right hand corner is the actual product)

The other new exhibitor at the ABC Kids Expo this year that caught my eye was HNY Baby. Based in Canada, HNY Baby sells their own brand of bandana bibs, multi-use nursing covers, sippy cup clips, pacifier clips and much more. Made from organic cotton, the bandana bibs will grow with your child from their newborn stage all the way into their toddlerhood. What drew me to their collection was the versatility of the products and the bright colors! How can you not love bright colors when you’re expecting a bundle of joy? I can’t wait to try out their products when our little girl finally arrives.

While walking around and admiring the displays, one that caught my eye for creativity and overall design was Lulujo Baby. Offering a vast array of baby swaddles, blankets, bath products, stroller clips and more, Lulujo Baby’s latest product is the “Baby’s First Year” blanket and card set. Each blanket is made from muslin and features a cute saying and wonderful design. Perk: they come with cards to capture your little one’s latest age! The one that stuck out to me the most is the “Isn’t She Lovely” blanket – obviously because I’m having a girl! Here are some pics of Lulujo’s fab display.

Other Favorite Finds

Like I said earlier, walking around was definitely sensory overload, but I’m excited I went. There are so many new products launching in 2018 including the Minu stroller from Uppababy, new macron color line for the Béaba Babycook (OBSESSED with the Rose Gold), a new pram from Silver Cross, new pacifier animals and Lovey’s from Wubbanub, new products from Graco, Nuk and Babyjogger and much more. I am so excited to see what’s in store for the baby-sphere in 2018 and I hope I get my hands on some of these products to fully review for all of you!

Browse the slideshow below for more of my photos from this year’s ABC Kids Expo.

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Lucy Belly Designs Etsy Store Launch!

October 6, 2017

I am so excited to share the fantastic news that one of my closest friends, Nina, has launched her Etsy store Lucy Belly Designs!!

Nina designs luxury leather bows for all ages and those who just want to rock a bow or bowtie! A little background about Nina straight from her Etsy page:

I started this shop to give me the creative outlet I crave while still having the flexibility needed to be a full time mom to my baby girl Lucy.

My background is in corporate retail, specifically home decor buying and product development. I started working with leather in 2013, and trained under Beatrice Amblard, who hails from The house of Hermès, for two years. At Amblard Leather Atelier I learned all of the skills needed to create works of art with leather. While I may not be creating handbags (as originally planned), I still utilize these skills when creating my bows. From pattern making to, cutting, gluing, sewing, and finishing; everything is done by hand and with the techniques I learned at Amblard. I use a variety of tools from both the U.S. and France. The luxury leathers I use are also sourced from the U.S., France, and Italy.

Now that you all know we’re having a baby girl, I cannot wait to get my hands on these bows! My little princess will definitely have a better hair accessories collection than I do.

What I like about Lucy Belly Designs is that Nina will craft bows for any age, so you’re not just limited to babies and toddlers. Her designs are reasonably priced, amazing quality and are great gifts!

Bow ties for the little man in your life will be launching in the store soon!

Check out the photos below to see some of the designs and her adorable daughter Lucy modeling the bows!

I hope that you check out Lucy Belly Designs and get your hands on some of these bows!

– all photos courtesy of Nina

What to Expect Part 3

October 6, 2017

In this third installment of What to Expect, I want to talk about how a majority of your prenatal appointments will go moving forward in your pregnancy.

At 28 weeks, I am happy to announce that all ultrasounds will now be done ON your belly. Doctors appointments have been dialed down to about 15-20 minutes and blood tests are few and far between. The constant all around is the having to pee in a cup and getting blood pressure checks.

We’ve had to sign up for our birthing, breastfeeding and newborn care classes and we also scheduled our hospital tour. Most of these classes will happen next month, but we wanted to make sure to get registered well ahead of time.

The most exciting part of my second trimester was the anatomy scan! This 1-hour scan happens at 19-weeks and the tech scans for all the important organs in your baby: brain, kidneys, lungs, spine, heart, liver, etc. It was so cool to see our little one moving around! I actually had to go back the next day to finish my scan because the baby was moving around too much!

At this scan you can also find out the gender of your baby. Drum roll please…

We’re having a girl!

I obviously have known for the last 11 weeks that we’re having a girl, but I’ve just been so busy that I haven’t had a chance to tell my readers! Buying clothes has gone a little crazy and we’re now gearing up for all that’s to come.

I think this might be the end of my What to Expect series for a while. I probably won’t go into all the detail about labor and delivery until well after baby girl is here!

What to Expect Part 2

September 12, 2017

If you read my last post in the What to Expect series, you’ll know that the very first appointment you have with your nurse practitioner or doctor is almost an hour and a half long! Definitely an overwhelming experience, but rest assured that you’ll feel great about your pregnancy and if you’ve had any questions, they’ll get answered. Most doctors now offer email communication which makes your life even easier when you feel uncertain about things you can or can’t do.

So when do you see your doctor next?

Believe it or not, you don’t see your doctor again until you’re really close to starting your second trimester. The second time I saw my doctor was when I was 12-weeks. I literally saw my doctor and then jumped on a 14 hour flight overseas. That was for sure an exhilarating experience.

The 12-week check-up lasts about 45 minutes including the wait time from getting your blood pressure, weight and temperature taken to when you actually see the doctor. My doctor called this the “viability” exam to make sure that the fetus is still viable and growing. Some women can miscarry between weeks 8 and 12, hence why you have your appointments around then.

Your doctor will go over any prenatal blood work you had done and answer any questions that have come up since your last visit or email and then you’ll have another vaginal ultrasound. I know… I just shared too much info, but I want to be real with you all. This is the last vaginal ultrasound you have unless they can’t take certain measurements at your anatomy ultrasound later down the road (different post to come!).

As uncomfortable as it is for those 15-20 minutes of scanning, it’s remarkable. At 12-weeks, your little kidney bean has developed arms, legs, you can make out the skull and even its ears! While gender is determined upon conception, you won’t really be able to start spotting genitalia until around 9-weeks and even then, most doctors and ultrasound techs won’t tell you what you’re having until your anatomy ultrasound which happens between 18 and 20 weeks (at least with my health care provider).

If you so choose, between these first two appointments you’ll have your first round of genetic testing. You won’t get the results in until after your genetic ultrasound (this checks for any spinal abnormalities in the crucial growing stages) and the second round of genetic testing that’s done at the beginning of your second trimester.

Ubbi Blanket Buddies Review

September 2, 2017

One of the perks about working for a company like Red Tricycle is that we get to review products! Whether they’re for kids ages 3+ or even babies, companies rely on Red Tricycle to provide authentic information about a product.

On Thursday, I had the opportunity to review Ubbi’s latest addition to their product line: the blanket buddies. These 100% cotton muslin blankets are so adorable! They come in pairs, ideal for any messy situation (so you always have a clean one on hand!) and they can be used as a blanket for nap time and a stuffed animal for when your little one wants to strut around town with a bestie. Here’s my full review for Red Tricycle:

I am also really excited to share that Red Tricycle is giving away a set of these blankets on Facebook! All you have to do is enter your email and you’re in the running to win a set.

I cannot wait to get my hands on these blanket buddies for when our little one makes their debut this winter.

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway! Good luck.

What’s your favorite Ubbi product? I’d love to know! Share in the comments below.

What to Expect Part 1

August 5, 2017

Here I go with another series. I know, I know… but I figured this one might be a little more beneficial than the Do’s and Don’ts of Pregnancy. Now, I’m not copying the What to Expect When You’re Expecting best-seller. My series is more along the lines of what you should expect at doctor’s appointments and what tests you need to think about.

The reason I started this series is because a) a friend of mine asked about it and b) it can be a really overwhelming experience if it’s your first child.

The only thing I knew to do after finding out I was pregnant was to email my OBGYN and start the process. Not even a week after I emailed my doctor did her staff call me and start asking questions and giving me a plethora of information. The phone nurse asked when my last menstrual cycle was and calculated my due date that way (I’m due this December) and then proceeded to tell me about all these videos I need to watch before my first ultrasound and doctor’s appointment. I should also expect links to review about what I can and can’t do or eat, as well as tips for a healthy pregnancy in my inbox. Then was I able to ask questions. Learning all these pieces of information, I didn’t have many questions to ask on the phone. My first ultrasound was scheduled around 2 weeks after my phone call with the nurse.

Oh, can’t forget to mention the mountain of paperwork that was sent to me that needed to be filled out before my first appointment. It went through my whole family history – and my husband’s – to help rule out certain genetic testing (if you decide to do that, which we did). We filled out all the paperwork and put it aside until we needed to bring it to our appointment.

Fast forward two weeks and my husband and I are sitting in the exam room, waiting for the nurse practitioner. My healthcare provider calls this first ultrasound the “confirmation” ultrasound to confirm pregnancy and to calculate whether your due date is accurate or not. They do the standard weight check-in and blood pressure readings and then go in for the full exam. Now, I’m going to get a little TMI here, but your first two ultrasounds are done vaginally, so it’s really uncomfortable, but not painful. Think of it as a pap smear with a thick tool. I’m just grateful that I didn’t need a full bladder as sound waves tend to travel better with one.

Then we saw the baby: our little kidney bean at the time. So small that it would have harmed the baby to turn on the doppler and hear the heartbeat, but boy was it beating! The nurse took some measurements and made sure everything was kosher and then she printed out some pictures, let me get re-dressed and came back into the room to start asking and answering questions (check out my pregnancy do’s and don’ts post for more info).

While the paperwork we filled out gave our nurse practitioner a guideline, she wanted to go into more detail about what we can expect during this whole process. A slew of blood tests for me, and my husband not needing to be at every single appointment (lucky him!!). We then had to decide whether we wanted to start our genetic testing, which we did, and I had to fill out a bunch of paperwork for that. My nurse practitioner also put in an order for other prenatal tests that would tell me my blood type, if I have a cold, how my glucose levels are, etc. Lots of pricking, for sure! Fun fact: genetic testing is done through the State of California and not in your local lab, so while you can get your blood drawn at your local lab, they send it off to the State and it takes three weeks to get your results.

After discussing everything, they scheduled my next appointment for around four weeks later and I made my way down to the lab to get my first set of blood tests done. Stay tuned for Part Two of the series.

Fast Facts:

Length of appointment: 1 hour and 15 minutes.

What is done: Confirmation of pregnancy ultrasound (vaginal) and questions.

Next steps: First trimester genetic testing and prenatal workup blood tests.

What was your first experience like after finding out you were pregnant? I’d love to know. Leave a comment below.

Pregnancy Do’s and Don’ts: Part 1

August 2, 2017

After finding out I was pregnant the first thing I did (aside from telling my husband, of course) was go straight to Google. What can I eat? What should I avoid? Are manicures and pedicures okay? What about wearing makeup? Can I have feta cheese in my salads?

Great thing about Google is that you can typically find answers to most questions. Bad thing about Google is that you can also scare yourself just by reading the comments other moms or moms-to-be have left on certain sites. That’s when I stopped the researching and made a list to ask my doctor at my first appointment two weeks later.

While there isn’t a lot I’ve had to give up there are a few things I have had to completely cut out of my life for the meantime (list to expand per series):

Soda. I am the person that enjoys a mini-can of Coke Zero at dinner almost every night. Giving up soda or only limiting it to when I feel really sick has been somewhat difficult.
3-cups of coffee. I’d usually have three cups of coffee per day. Now I’m only allowing my self either one cup of freshly brewed coffee or a cappuccino from my local Starbucks or Peet’s. Why cappuccino? Less caffeine content than in a brewed cup of coffee. Or, if I’m feeling really excited about not drinking coffee (said no one ever), I go for a cup or two of decaf.
Tuna salad. I absolutely love albacore tuna. Tuna salad sandwiches and tuna melts have been a hard thing to give up.
Moldy cheeses. Yes, this means blue cheese, goat cheese, any unprocessed cheeses… But what about feta? It’s my favorite of the cheeses and can be considered a moldy cheese since it’s crumbly. I asked my doctor and she said that as long as it has been pasteurized (as all milk and cheese products should be while you’re pregnant), then I’m OK to have small amounts. Phew! That was a close one.
Wine. Duh. Need I say more? I’m counting down the months to when I can bust out a big glass of red wine and truly enjoy it. That being said, it probably won’t be as exciting as I’m imagining, since I’ll be breastfeeding for as long as possible, and I’d hate to “pump and dump.”
High-heeled shoes. Sticking to flats and chucks. Why? Because I can be somewhat of a klutz when I’m not pregnant and I want to avoid any chance of falling.
Certain body washes & face washes. I was using Dove body wash for the longest time mainly because I love the way my skin feels afterwards. I then started reading the ingredients and realized they aren’t the best for your skin when you’re pregnant. So, I’ve since switched to Aveeno and I’ve been loving it! The oatmeal wash is absolutely amazing and smells divine. As for face wash, I was using Proactiv for my acne breakouts and have since had to stop due to the Retin-A-like chemicals in it. I’ll go back eventually, but cutting out a majority of processed sugars (except for the occasional Oreo or ice cream binge), my skin is looking pretty good. I’m sticking to natural products as much as I can.

Now, if you know me, you know that I absolutely love makeup. I love watching YouTube tutorials, I have my own makeup blog and it’s a collection I keep up-to-date (my husband collects Lego, I collect makeup of all shapes, kinds and sizes). Makeup – and mani/pedis – were two things I really couldn’t bare to part with. Parting with my acrylic nails was hard enough (due to the acetone nail techs use to remove them), so having to give up my favorite makeup brands was something I wasn’t willing to do.

Lucky for me, since I 99.9% wear cruelty-free and/or vegan makeup brands, I didn’t have to part with any of my makeup products (with the exception of my MAC Russian Red lipstick – which I only wear during winter anyway). The brands I wear most often are tarte cosmetics, Too Faced Cosmetics, Urban Decay and ColourPop. When pregnant, one must steer clear of parabens and phthalates, which thankfully, these brands don’t put in their products! At least, I haven’t found these chemicals when reading the ingredients label.

Manicures and pedicures are also something that I’ve struggled to do less of. I love a good pedicure and miss my acrylic nails, so when I’m able to schedule a mani/pedi, I’m excited. I’ve had to watch out for nail polishes, too. Most nail polish brands feature toluene, phthalate and formaldehyde, so when I was trying to find a subtle pink color, I was looking for brands that carry nail polishes that are 7-free. 7-free nail polishes mean that they don’t have seven harmful chemicals (toluene, DBP, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, camphor, TPHP and xylene). The best brand I’ve found that actually lasts a long time and has great color payoff is Zoya. Check them out.

I know this is a lot of information, but I’m curious to learn about what you have had to give up or didn’t give up when you were pregnant! Leave a comment below.

When is the Perfect Time to Buy Maternity Jeans?

August 1, 2017

When is the right time to buy the first pair of maternity pants or jeans? That’s a question I’ve struggled with since about week 8. At week 8 you’re not quite showing yet, but regular jeans or pants start to get uncomfortable. That being said, I stuck it out like a trooper till about week 10 when I officially switched to legging central. Luckily, it’s summertime so capri leggings are super lightweight and comfortable. But I am now at the point where I’d like to start wearing jeans again. Enter maternity jeggings.

I haven’t “popped” quite yet, but needed to buy a pair since pants are just too uncomfortable. Here’s where Isabel Maternity by Ingrid & Isabel come in. Recently launched – and exclusive to Target – Isabel Maternity is a fantastic line. My local Target hadn’t put out the full line when I went over the weekend, but I was able to find a pair of dark wash jeggings that are so cute! I purchased the Maternity Crossover Panel Skinny Jeans in Dark Wash and absolutely love them. For a curvy and short gal, these are the perfect length and very flattering. My tush still looks good.

Photo courtesy of Target.com

These dark wash jeggings are still a little too big for me as I haven’t quite expanded enough to really make them fit well, but as an easy an inexpensive alternative to high-end maternity jeans, these are great. They only run $34.99!

The entire Isabel Maternity by Ingrid & Isabel line is trendy and affordable. It features a vast array of styles including dresses, tops, post-partum belly bands and comfortwear, leggings, jeans, activewear, nursing and intimates and more. Once the collection has been out for a little longer – and I’m showing more – I’ll definitely be going back to pick up another pair and a few dresses for wedding season coming up!

What’s your go-to maternity line? I’d love to know! Leave a comment.

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Let the Countdown Begin!

Nursery Inspo: Kick Start Designing Your Nursery with Curated Nest