Tips to Stay Cool while You are Pregnant during the Summer!

I was speaking with my friend Jordana last night at my rooftop BBQ and she looks amazing for being 6 ½ months pregnant…my only question was, “HOW are you surviving this heat??” It was 84 degrees in New York City yesterday, no humidity and pure sunshine on the roof deck where we had a BBQ. Here were some of the tips she gave me on how to stay cool in the summer…I added a few of my personal tips for you too!

Tips for a Cool Summer during Pregnancy:

• Ice! Put it in drinks, chew on it or wrap it in a flannel and use it as a cold compress. Soaking your feet in a bowl of iced water can help soothe sore and swollen feet to no end.
• Do outdoor tasks in the morning or evening when the sun is lower and temperatures are cooler.
• When temperatures exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit, stay indoors in the shade near a fan or air conditioner.
• Wear light-colored clothing.
• Carry a fan! – whether you go for a battery operated or classic hand-powered variety, having a fan on hand can really help to keep you cool when the temperature is rising. If you work on a computer, mini fans that plug into USB ports are now available and these are fantastic for keeping you feeling fresh if you’re office doesn’t have air conditioning.
• Light and airy fabrics. Summer dresses are best for taking advantage of breezes and staying cool. Turn to thin, breathable fabrics and enjoy long flowing dresses that also serve to camouflage swollen ankles.
• Drink plenty of liquids to remain hydrated. Sports drinks with electrolytes can help replace lost salt and retain fluid.
• Sip a cold “mocktail,” like this Pina Colada Smoothie: Combine 6 ounces frozen coconut yogurt, 1/2 a frozen banana, 1/2 of a 20-ounce can of crushed pineapple, and 1 cup milk; blend until smooth.
• Apply sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher 20 minutes before going into sun. Reapply throughout the day.
• Take quick showers frequently to keep cool.
• Put feet up to alleviate swelling.
• Minimize salt intake, which will combat water retention.
• Take frequent naps.
• To help you sleep at night keep your bedroom as cool as possible. If your room gets a lot of sun keep the curtains closed during the day, keep the windows open and invest in a rotating fan to place at the foot of your bed.
• Ask for help if you’re too tired to cook, clean, or run errands.
• Beware of typical barbecue foods, such as potato salad and coleslaw that, when left out in the sun, can sour and cause stomach upset.
• Clear your calendar. If it doesn’t absolutely need to be done now, or by you, don’t do it.

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Was that a kick?

This week I was sitting in a meeting here at Le Top when suddenly I felt something different! Was it just a gas bubble in my tummy or was it the baby moving?! Well it is safe to say at 4.5 months along, it was definitely the baby moving! I read about this feeling in one of my books last week – the gas bubbles or gurgley stomach movements – are usually the baby moving around in there. Since reading  this, I have been really vigilant when I feel something and stop to assess it. Not only did it happen then, but when I went to the dentist later on that day it happened twice while I was in the chair! Though, this time it felt more like something dragging along the front of my stomach.

Then today while I was sitting at my desk I started to feel it again, unlike the dragging at the dentist office, it felt almost like Thumbelina (or Tom Thumb) was doing a flip-flop. I can hardly wait for a real “Mommy I’m HEEEEERRRREEEEE” kick! Ha ha! My husband’s face just lit up when I told him about the movements, like it was the coolest thing ever – which it is pretty close to!

I hit another milestone this past week; it was the ability to rest my hands on this little belly. I was sitting on the couch Saturday night watching a movie, when my husband looks over at me and says “you look so cute!” I looked down and without even thinking about it, my hands were resting atop my bump! I think I like this new place for my hands!

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My Pregnancy Week 5

I am now quite a few weeks into my pregnancy! I promise I won’t drag you through the minute details of pregnancy. Just a few fun things to share with you…Right now I know this body is definitely hard at work. How do I know? Because I am exhausted!!!  All I want (more than anything in the world) is a Venti Caramel Frappaccino and my nice comfy bed.  

It’s definitely amazing to think that my now lime of a baby has only 28 more weeks ahead to go (or at least I am crossing my fingers for nothing more than that time span). I haven’t outright started planning  for the arrival of our little one, merely gathered thoughts in my head; even though we have known for two months now, I am still trying to process this new life. What are the steps I need to take at home? How much and how hard of exercise should I be doing? What and how much should I be eating? I am a candy-holic, and after all – this isn’t going to be an easy road.  I think I will have to sneak a candy bar or two- hmmm maybe Chocolate Pattie in Rockford, IL will be a cohort in that evil scheme and send me some yummy chocolate?! 😉

I have started reading the “key” books and have downloaded great applications on my iTouch – What to Expect When You’re Expecting and Pregnancy 411 by the Bump. These two great apps are really getting me through these long weeks. I am also surfing http://www.letop-usa.com/ and dreaming of all the clothes that I will soon be dressing my child in! Ooooh temptation!

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Nesting: It’s an Obssession!

There’s definitely something wrong with me. I’m either obsessed or possessed! I’m 37 weeks pregnant and I can’t seem to stop organizing, cleaning, and putting things in order. This is like nesting to the 100th degree! It’s 2:37 AM, and I’ve done everything that I can do as far as organizing and reorganizing my daughter, Miranda’s old clothes and placing them in marked bins by size. Shouldn’t I be sleeping and resting instead?

I’m trying to get things in order before the baby arrives. And it seems like once I cross something off my To-do list, two more items have been added. I know that I’m anal retentive, but this nesting thing has made me even more obsessive. It’s quite maddening to witness. I feel like I’m watching myself go insane. (OK… that sounded insane!)

Last week, I caught up with my scrapbooks, ordered any digital albums that had been sitting on my desktop, and bought a new baby book for the little munchkin. I disinfected all the old baby toys that were in storage. I packed (and repacked) my hospital bag. I packed my daughter’s overnight bag. Every time I wash a load of baby clothes, I find something else to wash. Aaaaarrghhhh! It’s never ending. I need to stop! But I don’t…

Last weekend was dedicated to cleaning and organizing. I cleaned all three bathrooms (while doing four loads of laundry) because my husband was too slow to get to them. He was busy installing the baby car seat, washing both of our cars, dusting, and vacuuming. (You’d think he could manage to get to the bathrooms and the laundry done as well, huh?) And when he was done with all that, I yelled at him for not spending time with Miranda. So I made him take her to the park. (Oh, the mood swings!) Three more weeks… three more weeks…

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Week 35: I’m Done with Pregnancy!

Who would be comfortable with a belly this size?!

About two months ago I was complaining about my last trimester. Well, I should have been enjoying it back then instead of complaining about it, because the last MONTH of pregnancy is even worse!

This weekend I realized that I’m SO DONE with this pregnancy! All because I can’t find a comfortable position to sleep in. I’m supposed to lie on my left side for better circulation. But when I do, I wake up in the middle of the night with all my right fingers numb! I can’t even form a fist. (My doctor said that this is absolutely normal. It happens.) So I turn over and lie on my right side, only to wake up  an hour later with my right leg in pain. (My doctor said that this is absolutely normal, too. Cripes!) So, I roll over to my left side again and, once again, my fingers are numb. I do this so much throughout the night that I feel like a rotisserie chicken!

But the pregnancy blues don’t stop there. Every time I roll over, I have to get up and pee. Or if I do finally fall asleep, I get woken up by a massive leg cramp! To top it off, I’m swelling everywhere! I can’t wear my wedding ring, I can’t wear my watch, and my left foot is bigger than my right. (This better go away after pregnancy because there is no way I’m going to buy two pairs of shoes in different sizes.)

I’m counting the weeks left. I have five more but I’d be happy to deliver at 37 weeks. Oh, to be comfortable again.

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Pregnancy Update: I’m the Seven Dwarfs All Rolled into One

Don't mess with me, Buddy! Ooh... and hand over the cookies.

Yup, that’s me! I’m Sleepy, Grumpy, Dopey, Clumsy, Forgetful, Hungry, and Hormonal all in one. This last trimester is catching up with me! There’s so much I need to do during the day, yet, as I sit here typing out this blog entry, my eyelids are dangerously half closed…and it’s only 11:00 AM! If I’m not sleepy, I’m definitely grumpy. Probably because I want to sleep and crawl back into my warm bed and forget about all my responsibilities for the day.

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Nesting phase… is it real?

A place for everything and everything in its place...for now!

My friend, Erin T. (everyone will soon realize I have many people in my life named Erin or Aaron!), is 7.5 months pregnant and never thought “nesting” was a “real” thing. More or less, she thought it was an excuse to stay home and redo a room or something…that is, until about two weeks ago when she called and said, “I have ten bags of baby clothes that were just handed down to me. Can you come over and help me sort through them?” Of course I said “YES!” Being in the children’s clothing business, I love going through baby clothes and see what people are putting on their kids (besides our brands!). Let me tell you, there were some really cute clothes in those bags…and I was very happy to see le•top and rabbit moon clothes (and no they were not from me) in the mix! We trudged through and weeded those ten bags down to about three, with the rest for donation. Whew! that was some work.

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Welcome to the Last Trimester!

Pregnant and happy at Disneyland!

Gone are the days when I was the happiest, symptom-free pregnant woman in California. The honeymoon is over!

• The leg cramps have arrived with a vengeance, and disturbs my heavenly slumber.
• I can’t bend down as easily anymore. I can’t soap my legs in the shower. I can’t apply lotion to my legs. I can’t pick up anything that I’ve clumsily dropped. And forget about putting on boots… Arrgghh!
• Rolling over in bed is WORK! And to top it off, my pajamas get all twisted so that the seam of my pants are on the sides of my body. How comfortable is that?!
• And the worst of it is… Every time I sneeze, I pee my pants! I hate it when that happens because although I just peed five minutes ago, you’d think my bladder would be empty. But NOOOOOOO… apparently, sneezing will make sure you get every last drop out. (I know… Too Much Information but you fellow mothers and mothers-to-be know what I’m talking about.)

I’ll stop complaining now. Three more months to go. I don’t know whether I want them to go by fast or slow. Fast, so I can have my body back AND eat sweets again. Slow, because I’m not quite ready to have a newborn yet.

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