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Now that your maternity leave is coming to an end, it’s time to start thinking about how to make the transition from home to work smoother. A little preparation goes a long way in boosting your confidence of how well things will go while you’re away. Whoever will be caring for your baby will do so with greater ease because of how organized you are. Consider this your guide to planning your return to work after pregnancy. It gives you the rundown of the things you need to do after your maternity leave is up. It helps better prepare you and your baby for what’s yet to come with your schedule in the future. Decide Who Will Provide Childcare This is among the most difficult decisions for a mother to make. Deciding who to trust with your baby takes careful consideration. If you have a family member who is willing to provide childcare, it could save you money and give you peace of mind knowing that your little one is with someone who is familiar and loving. If you don’t have the luxury of living close to your parents or siblings, investing in a quality childcare facility is the best option. Stockpile Breast Milk if You Breastfeed If you currently breastfeed your child, you will need to keep an ample supply of milk on hand to nourish your baby. You’ll send it to the family member’s home or childcare facility with your infant. It may take some time for your child to get used to bottle feeding when he or she is used to breastfeeding. You can make it easier on the little one by introducing the bottle before your maternity leave is up. That way, you can see how well they respond to it. If they won’t do anything but latch onto your breast, you’ll need to come up with another solution for feedings. When Going Back to Work Doesn’t Make Sense If you’re paying for childcare and it’s eating into your salary, it’s best to crunch numbers to determine the practicality of keeping your job. Oftentimes, parents don’t realize that keeping a job costs them more than they make. If you’re not offered a childcare subsidy and can’t work from home, it may be best to reconsider your need to return to work. This is a choice that often feels difficult to make. Sometimes, the parent that makes the most money opts to work. While the parent who makes the least amount of money stays home to care for the child. Stay-at-home dads are normal these days, so if you have a well-paying job with amazing benefits, this might be the best route for you and your family to choose. If you’re planning to go back to work after having your baby, you’ll be ready. You’ll have all your to-dos checked off your list. It will be easier for you once you do have to say goodbye to your little one because you know he or she will be well taken care of.

In order to relieve tailbone pain you can try to adjust your posture, move around regularly, change your sleeping position, or get a girdle to help relieve the pressure off of your tailbone.

When International model Rose Bertram delivered a healthy baby girl on February 24, she was – and still is – at the prime of her modeling career. Although life in front of the camera began 10 years ago, Bertram’s rising stardom was most recently seen on several magazine covers, including Glamour, Esquire and Vogue. As a model, her job is to look amazing, so Rose Bertram wore a Post Baby Corset to Recover After Pregnancy. As a pregnant mother, Bertram, like most new moms, found herself stressing over the changes she was seeing. Photo Credit: Rose Bertram Instagram “You usually ask yourself the question if you’ll be able to get back in shape,” she posted to her Facebook page. “Well, I was kinda stressed, as it is also my job to be in shape.” She recognized that each journey is personal, with some bodies bouncing back to their pre-pregnancy shapes much quicker than others, but she was eager to take the first step for herself. Photo Credit: Rose Bertram Instagram About Bellefit Maternity Bellefit Maternity understands the physical and emotional toll pregnancy and delivery can have on new moms. That’s why, in 2008, founder Cynthia Suarez developed the company’s first girdle, in response to her own adult daughter’s postpartum suffering. The company’s girdles are different than most on the market, offering leading medical grade products that support and comfort moms. The compression provided by Bellefit Postpartum Girdles and Corsets quickly and comfortably reduce the pregnancy-related excess weight or skin, improve posture, eliminate back pain and allow for an overall faster recovery for the postpartum woman. How Did Rose Learn About Bellefit Girdle Bertram, who’s been with Dutch soccer player Gregory van der Wiel since 2013, discovered the Bellefit benefits five days after giving birth to Naleya Rose. Photo Credit: Rose Bertram Instagram “When Naleya was born, I needed support for my belly because it felt weak and, as a mom, you don’t get a break,” she said. “You have to take care of your baby and yourself. I wore the Bellefit Corset and it did two amazing things for me: It made me feel supported and it helped me get my belly back in shape in record time!” Photo Credit: Rose Bertram Instagram Bellefit Results She began wearing a size large, sized down to a medium very quickly and was wearing a small in a matter of just 30 days. Bertram has an impressive social media presence and, at just five days postpartum, posted a photo on Instagram showing her nearly flat tummy, along with a second photo wearing the Bellefit corset. Just five days later, at 10 days postpartum, Bertram was thrilled to post a story to Instagram, amazed at the rapid results. Photo Credit: Rose Bertram Instagram “Thanks to Bellefit Maternity, I got some good results being five days postpartum,” she said. “Wearing this corset has helped me put everything back into place, as well as giving me great recovery!” As an added bonus, she said that a combination of coconut oil and the gentle pressure of the corset also helped her stretch marks nearly disappear, which will certainly benefit her modeling career, as well as her future in the film industry, an ambition that she plans to pursue. Photo Credit: Rose Bertram Instagram Rose Bertram encourages new moms to try the Bellefit products after giving birth. Those who do can enter her special code, rose20, for $20 off at Bellefit.com Bellefit Products

Figuring out how to regain your pre-pregnancy body is a common anxiety with new mothers. You've been through a lot. You gained weight, and then you lost it. You lived through soreness, heartburn, and exhaustion. Your body goes through significant changes during pregnancy and again after childbirth. Weight gain is an obvious hurdle to bounce back from. And it's no surprise that cesarean deliveries tend to be more demanding than natural births. The former involves an incision to the abdominal wall and uterus, which is no walk in the park. Because of this, you can expect healing and getting back to your pre-pregnancy weight to take some time, but don't fret. Pregnancy weight loss after a c-section is within reach with the right mindset and these actionable tips. Bellefit Postpartum Girdles and Corsets — Medical Grade, FDA-Registered, Recommended since 2008, Available in 8 Styles & in Plus Sizes Babies take a lot out of us—physically, emotionally and mentally—and although they bring us a huge amount of joy and fulfillment as we adjust to life with them in our arms, the process can be draining at times. It's important that we learn how to take care of ourselves after giving birth so that we have more energy for our babies. While some of these pieces of advice can be implemented before the baby arrives, others will require some time. Let's get into these 10 tips. 10 Best Ways to Lose Weight After a C-Section Photo credit: yourhealthsupport.in #1 Eat Healthy It should come to no surprise that an effective weight loss plan will start with a healthy diet. You must eat wholesome foods that fuel your body, so you can begin losing weight after pregnancy. Now is not the time to restrict your calories — your body needs the energy to recover from c-section surgery and nourish your baby. The basic idea here is to eat a wide variety of healthy foods that fill you up without over-consuming calories (which will depend on many factors). Eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, protein, and fats, and avoid overly processed foods. Processed foods tend to lean high in unhealthy fats and sugars, and are difficult for the body to digest. Reach for whole grains, dark leafy greens, eggs, lean meats, low-mercury seafood, and high-fat dairy products with no added sugar to help you with milk production and fuel you with energy for exercise. Here's a shopping tip to making sure you go home with less processed junk — shop outside the grocery isles. The walls of the grocery store tend to stock fresh produce, meats, and dairy, while the isles have foods that require preservatives and extra processing to increase the shelf-life. Need some meal advice to help you plan your day? We've got you covered. Breakfast: Avoid filling up on pastries (croissants, muffins, danishes) or cereals for breakfast. They tend to be high in sugar and carbs, which can spike your insulin levels, leading to an eventual energy crash and can perpetuate sugar cravings. Try to include unprocessed foods from the five food groups. If you're opting for yogurt (a favorite breakfast food), look for brands that don't add any extra sugar. If you need a bit of sweetness, use fresh or frozen fruit or sweeten with a bit of honey. Lunch: Your lunch, like every meal, should be nutritionally balanced. Protein and fats are naturally satiating, meaning it will keep you feeling full for longer to avoid mindless snacking between meals. Dinner: Healthy doesn't mean it needs to take a lot of time. Prepare your own nutritionally balanced freezer meals that are preservative-free — soups, casseroles, quiches, and side vegetables are all freezer-friendly and quick to serve. Salmon is one of the best sources of proteins for breastfeeding moms because it's chock-full of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), a form of omega-3 fatty acid. Omega-3 DHA is especially vital for breastfeeding mothers because it's critical for the growth and functional development of the brain and nervous system in infants. While eating right and exercising are two of the most important parts of losing baby weight, they're also two of the hardest. After all, you've probably gained some pounds during your pregnancy and now you have a newborn to care for—and while that adorable little bundle is a great reason to get up early, it's also an excuse to stay up late. Going from the time when you were pregnant and free to eat what you wanted to the time when you have a baby is difficult, because everything has changed. It's not just about what food is available anymore; it's about how much time you have and who might be hungry at any given moment. But there are some things that have remained constant: eating right is essential to losing weight, but it's also one of the hardest parts of the process. And it doesn't help that there are so many conflicting articles about nutrition for new mothers—some say that breastfeeding means you don't need as many calories; others say you can never eat too much protein or fiber again. While this isn't one of those articles, we can all agree that it's hard to figure out what's best when there are so many opinions on the subject. Coincidentally, eating a healthy diet will help with the next "weight loss after baby" tip. Photo credit: stylecraze.com #2 Breastfeed the Baby Did you know breastfeeding helps with weight loss after pregnancy? This is because your body burns around 500 extra calories to produce milk with life-sustaining nutrients — vitamins, fats, proteins — for the baby. How long does it take to lose weight after a c-section? Regardless of whether you've had a natural birth or delivered via c-section, you can expect to lose weight in as little as a couple of months after delivery if you breastfeed. Most healthy newborn babies are ready to breastfeed as early as an hour after birth. Studies have shown that breastfeeding mothers shed more weight quicker than mothers who don't, especially during the first three postpartum months. Breastfeeding also triggers the release of the hormone, oxytocin, which causes the uterus to contract. This contraction helps the uterus shrink back to its pre-baby size, effectively making your belly look and feel smaller. Of course, there are many other benefits of breastfeeding your baby, including strengthening your baby's immune system, aiding in growth and development, and it's easier for your child to digest over formula. To go back to our first tip, make sure you're eating a balanced healthy diet so you can produce the best milk for your baby. Breastfeeding is an amazing way to nourish a child, but it takes some work. Some mothers find it easy and can do it without any discomfort whatsoever, but for others, it can be emotionally and physically draining. One of the biggest factors in how breastfeeding goes for a mother is the diet she follows -- what she eats directly affects the quality of the breast milk she produces. So, in order to give your baby the best start possible, limit your caffeine intake, avoid high-mercury seafood, and avoid smoking and drinking alcohol while breastfeeding. Photo credit: kinetic-revolution.com #3 Start Exercising Before we talk about exercising to lose weight after pregnancy, it's advisable to wear postpartum underwear — or, better yet, a supportive post-pregnancy girdle for your workouts. A high-quality post-pregnancy girdle squeezes everything around your belly in tight to support your abdominal and back muscles during your exercises. Now, let's get to the part about why this is the best tip for losing pregnancy weight after a c-section. There's simply nothing better than physical movement and training as far as weight loss is concerned — but be mindful of how your body feels. C-section deliveries require more time to heal. Typically, exercise should be avoided in the first six to eight weeks after giving birth — but it doesn't mean you shouldn't get moving. You can start by going for short walks. You'll start by walking short distances at first, and gradually build up to the point where you're walking at least 30 minutes three times a week. This might mean going for 5 minute walks 4 times each day or walking for 20 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the evening. You'll have to go at your own pace—there's no shame in taking your time getting there! Walking after abdominal surgery prevents blood clots and speeds healing. Before you start your walks, check with your doctor to make sure they're okay with it. After speaking with your doctor, and you no longer have any pain from your c-section incisions, it's safe to start with low-impact exercises such as yoga, low-resistance bands, the elliptical, pilates, swimming, or light jogging. What's the best exercise to lose weight after a c-section? As you gradually rebuild your strength in your body over time, you may increase the intensity of your workouts. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts are excellent for burning calories to lose extra belly fat after a c-section delivery, and HIIT workouts don't take much time out of your day (20 - 45 minutes). After all, you need to make the most out of your time with a new baby in the house. Exercising with Diastasis Recti Diastasis recti, a condition in which the abdominal wall separates and allows the abdominal muscles to move away from each other, is a common pregnancy-related issue that affects many women. Diastasis recti is most commonly seen as a bulge or pouch in your lower abdomen and can sometimes lead to lower back and pelvic pain. Since it occurs due to the stretching of the connective tissue between the left and right side of your rectus abdominis (the abdominal muscle) during pregnancy, it can also be caused by heavy lifting or obesity in non-pregnant adults. Diastasis recti occurs when the abdominal muscles (the 6-pack muscles) separate from the center, weakening your core. The condition also increases your risk of back pain and incontinence, and can make it difficult to lose weight after pregnancy because you're not supporting your midsection properly. Although in many cases a diastasis will correct itself after birth as you regain strength in your core, it could also require surgery to repair. Even if it does self-correct, women sometimes develop bulging or protruding abdomens that need to be repaired surgically through either a tummy tuck or an umbilical hernia repair. If you've experienced severe pain during pregnancy or notice large gaps in your abdominal muscles postpartum, talk to your doctor about whether you should schedule an appointment with a specialist for an evaluation. Getting rid of this extra pouch on your stomach after a c-section can be challenging, since you may be dealing with stitches. Before you get back to exercising, get the green light from your doctor, and start with gentle core exercises. Wearing a c-section corset immediately after surgery and during exercises can help mitigate pain from diastasis recti and help support the surrounding muscles in the core while you regain strength. #4 Limit Unhealthy Eating This may be an obvious tip — but sometimes unhealthy foods are hidden in plain sight and can be disguised as healthy options. The goal is not to stop indulging in delectable desserts. Because that's unachievable and unrealistic. Instead, try to reduce consumption. Candy, ice-cream, cookies, and cake are obvious junk foods that are abundant in calories, sugar, and saturated fat. Fruit juices, flavored yogurt, granola, diet foods are marketed as healthy, but they can contain a lot of hidden calories, extra sugar, carbs while offering minimal nutritional value. Fruit juice, for example, is an excellent source of vitamin C — however, it's packed with sugar and lacks the fiber from the fruit. The fiber balances the fructose (sugar) by helping slow the absorption. Without it, you may as well eat spoonfuls of sugar. When it comes to losing weight, being selective of where your calories come from is a must. You need to maintain a certain number of calories to fuel for your body for both breastfeeding and exercise — overconsumption will lead to weight gain. Unfortunately, processed food and sugar perpetuate a vicious cycle. The more you indulge in unhealthy food, the more often you crave it. To avoid sugar and carb cravings, reach for food high in healthy fats and protein. Fat and protein are naturally satiating, meaning it will keep your body feeling full for longer. When you feel full, you avoid snacking where you're more prone to give in to these unhealthy choices. Photo credit: globalwomenconnected.com #5 Remain Hydrated Regardless of whether you've just given birth or are only looking to lose weight, hydration is key to losing belly fat. Dehydration is often behind the scenes when we feel food cravings emerge. The body often confuses thirst for hunger, making you reach for food over water. This can lead to consuming more calories than you need in a day, delaying your fat loss goals. Hydration becomes so much more critical when you're breastfeeding to nourish the baby. One way to know that you're sufficiently hydrated is to have a peek at your urine when you use the washroom. If your pee is dark, you definitely aren't drinking enough water. Use a water bottle with measurements, so you can track your progress throughout the day. But not everybody likes to drink so much water. In that case, don't hesitate to jazz up your beverage with natural flavors. You can add lemon, lime, or fresh mint to the glass of water — You won't believe how delicious cucumber water tastes! Other options include brewing tea or eating fruits and vegetables high in water like lettuce, celery, cucumber, and watermelon. If you find you're not seeing the results you want with your c-section weight loss goals, try drinking more water and increasing your electrolytes to stay hydrated. Electrolytes are essential salts and minerals that the body needs to maintain the balance of fluids in our system. If you don't replenish your electrolytes via a balanced diet or oral supplements, you can feel dehydrated or experience several other symptoms of electrolyte imbalance. Coconut water, fruits like bananas and avocados, and dairy products contain high amounts of potassium that helps the body retain water and is involved with many other vital bodily functions. # 6 Don't Skip Meals Sometimes, we believe that in order to lose weight we must reduce the amount of meals we eat. This is absolutely false. It is extremely important to eat several meals during the day to keep your metabolism active, which will help you lose weight after delivery. With these small tips you can safely achieve your goals: Don't skip any meals. With a new baby, many new mothers forget to eat. This is very dangerous because if you don't eat your energy will be affected and that instead of helping you lose weight can cause the opposite. Eat 3 to 5 small meals a day. Instead of eating 2 or 3 large heavy meals during the day, divide your meals into small meals. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day; always eat it. Surprisingly, it is one of the most common meals that new mothers tend to skip. Snacks are great for keeping you energized before you get to your next meal. We recommend choosing snacks that have fiber and protein. This will help keep you satiated and energized until your next meal. It is best to have 2 of your 5 meals as snacks. #7 Perform specific exercises After a cesarean section you will probably have to take some time to recover and will not be able to exercise for a while. However, as you recover, you can perform low-impact exercises that will help you burn calories without overexerting yourself like when you go to the gym. When performing these exercises, it is important to remember to start slow and listen to your body. It is also important to stay hydrated by drinking water or other non-caffeinated beverages when doing any type of physical activity. As your body continues to heal, you can then work up to more strenuous exercises like running or taking an aerobics class at the gym. By waiting until your body has recovered at least partially before getting back into intense exercise, you reduce the risk of injuring yourself again and also prevent yourself from putting unnecessary strain on an area of your body that is still healing. Walking A benefit of this exercise is that you can join other moms so that you can motivate each other to do it and support each other in your weight loss after a cesarean section. Walking is one of the best exercises because it is easy on your muscles and joints which makes it great after surgery. Walking is also a good form of exercise because it gets your heart rate up so you can still get the benefits of exercising even if you are just beginning to get back into exercise after delivery. If possible, try walking around the block with your baby in their stroller. You can also walk around indoors with either an exercise machine such as an elliptical or treadmill. Stretching Stretching is one of the most beneficial exercises for health. It will help you with all the muscles in your body. Not only that, but stretching can help you lose weight and have a fit body. One of the reasons why stretching has gained popularity among people is because it can be done at any time of the day and in any place you want. When you stretch, you are making your muscles to become elastic again so it will make your body feel lighter, stronger and more flexible. Also, it will give your muscles extra energy that can burn more fat when you are doing other activities like working out or jogging. Of course, if you are not used to stretching regularly then it is going to be hard for you to commit to doing it daily. However, there are many benefits that could push you to do this every day once you learn about them. Some people say that stretching is just for relaxing or for warming up before exercising but that is not true at all. Stretching is actually an exercise itself and it can help improve your overall health in many ways. For example, if you have overworked your muscles and they are sore, stretching will help reduce the pain while improving your muscle strength at the same time. #8 Avoid Processed Foods Some processed food contains various chemicals and substances that are not entirely healthy for our body. Many times, we are unknowingly consuming extra sugars or even fats. So, how do we make sure that we are eating the healthiest food possible? One way is to look at the ingredients of the food that you consume on a regular basis. If you notice any words or additives that you don't immediately recognize, don't be afraid to look them up. Processed foods are not inherently bad for you! It's just like anything else we consume – moderation is key. Eating too much sugar or fat can lead to weight gain and risk factors for heart disease. The same goes for processed foods – if you eat too much or too often, you may increase your caloric intake without realizing it. This can lead to weight gain over time which can increase your risk of heart disease as well as other health risks such as diabetes. In addition, when breastfeeding your baby, you will be giving him/her better quality milk since our body absorbs everything we consume. The more natural our food is, the more quality nutrients we will have in our body. #9 Find Motivation When we try to improve our habits, it is very common that soon after we start we give up. It is important to stay motivated during the process so that you are able to be consistent and adopt new eating and exercise habits. The first step is to think about why you want to make this change. You may want to lose weight, look better or feel better about yourself. Or maybe you want to be healthier and have more energy. Whatever your reason, write down your goals and keep them somewhere that you will see them everyday. When you reach a goal, celebrate! Reward yourself with something that makes you happy—a massage, a manicure, a night out with friends—it will help reinforce your new habits by making them more fun and enjoyable. After having a baby, it is very easy for your attention and care to be focused on the new baby. However, you should keep in mind that your health and care are also important. Find a motivation like a dress you want to wear or that trip to the beach you want to take later. #10 Be patient One of the reasons why it is difficult to lose weight after a cesarean section is not seeing the results in a short time. As new mothers are recovering from surgery, it is important to remember that losing weight after a C-section takes as much time and effort as it does to gain weight. It is also very important to remember that the body changes during pregnancy and requires some time to get back into shape. After pregnancy, it can be difficult to lose weight because of the excess skin that has grown during pregnancy and the extra fat around your abdomen. While it's great that you're taking control of your eating habits and exercising, please don't put too much pressure on yourself by setting a deadline for weight loss. The key to losing weight is to make healthy changes day-by-day, following a nutritious diet and working out regularly. Take your time and go at your own pace. Enjoy each meal and your exercise routine, and you'll see that before you know it, you'll be on your way to a healthy weight loss. Takeaways: How To Lose Weight After C-Section Delivery Many women struggle to lose weight post-pregnancy, especially if you've had a c-section delivery, which often has a longer recovery period. The best pieces of advice are about building healthier habits to sustain your weight goals, and it involves understanding what your body needs to heal and nurture your new baby. Tips such as eating healthy, limiting junk foods, and staying hydrated are actionable before giving birth and can help you with fat loss success after delivery. However, you'll see the most results once you start exercising again. The key to all of these steps is consistency. C-sections are major abdominal surgeries and should not be taken lightly. It's important to know that a woman who has just given birth should wait at least six weeks before starting any sort of diet or exercise plan. You may have heard that you can start exercising right away postpartum, but doing so could cause further harm to your body and slow down your recovery time from surgery. The best thing for a new mom to do is rest, eat well and take care of her new baby—this will help her lose weight naturally over time. What's the Difference Between a Postpartum Girdle and a Normal Girdle? A postpartum girdle can be worn after you deliver your baby. It supports painful areas such as your abdomen, pelvis and back. The purpose of a postpartum girdle is to help you heal after pregnancy. Some women even wear them for a few months before they give birth, in order to help the abdominal muscles prepare for the stress of childbirth and recovery after birth. After pregnancy, your abdominal muscles have been stretched out from nine months of pregnancy and childbirth. In most cases, it takes nine months to a year to recover from your delivery, depending on how you take care of yourself.

Among the most controversial subjects new mothers face is whether or not to eat their placenta. According to some, doing so helps fight against post-partum depression and boost breast milk production, but the CDC warns against it. Placenta is considered organ meat and can be cooked or eaten raw. For the women who choose to eat it, experts recommend having someone with experience cook it to prevent harmful bacteria from being consumed by the mother. Benefits of Eating Your Placenta You may ask yourself, “Why on Earth would I want to engage in such a bizarre practice?” Questioning the logic of any trend is understandable. Especially when it comes with health risks. The answer why some women eat their placenta is that it gives them a boost of energy and improves their mood. For some mothers, it helps boost their iron supply. Other reasons why women eat their placenta include: Producing a more abundant supply of milk for the baby. Allowing mother and baby to bond better. To increase skin elasticity, prevent stretch marks, and look your best. To facilitate faster postpartum healing. These claims have no scientific proof. Mothers who have chosen to eat the placenta are the ones who state that they’ve benefited from the experience. OBs are often the first to be skeptical about encapsulation because they believe that the risks are far too great to advise doing so. Risks of Eating Your Placenta Risks of eating your placenta include infection in you. There are bacteria in even the most sterile environment. If you consume contaminated placenta, you could get very sick. If you were to become ill, who would take care of your and your child? How would you be able to tend to your newborn’s needs? Would you require a caregiver during your bout of illness? This is something that all new mothers should consider. If you don’t have someone you can count on to help when you’re ill, what would you do? Is it better to take a risk doing something that the CDC urges you not to do? With that being said, there are other considerations to make. You becoming ill is just one of them. Risks go further than that. Other risk factors include: Your baby could also get sick. You pass the infection through the breast milk you supply to your infant. Your baby gets exposed to the infected placenta you consumed during breastfeed. This can cause all sorts of problems for your child who is dependent on you for nourishment. You cross-contaminate other food. You could cause blood-borne cross-contamination to occur. This could prove to be deadly. It’s something that EPA guidelines were set up to protect against. If after reading the risks, you’re still not sure if you should eat your placenta, hold off from doing so with this child. If you plan to have other children, you could very well engage in this practice. It’s not the last opportunity you have to do so. Your Choice to Eat Placenta or Not Eat Placenta Deciding whether or not to eat your placenta is your choice. You know the facts, the risks, and benefits of doing so. Now, it’s your decision to do as you wish by enjoying the experience or rejecting it and adopting something to replace it.

If you’re pregnant and looking for a cute way to reveal your pregnancy to those around you, you’ll find the inspiration on the internet. Couples around the globe try to outdo one another’s pregnancy reveals by filming them and making them more buzz-worthy. If you want to be struck by the ‘feels,’ continue reading so you have plenty of options for your own formal announcement. Here are nine adorable surprise pregnancy reveals in no particular order: The Bun in the Oven This reveal always gets its fair share of laughter and tears. It doesn’t matter if it’s a wife announcing her pregnancy to her husband or a couple announcing the pregnancy to their parents, placing a baked good in the oven and having someone else retrieve it is a clever way to let others know that you’re expecting. Good Fortune Mama-to-be Kelly Branch-Yoxall pulled the fortune out of a fortune cookie with a pair of tweezers and replaced it with her own pregnancy announcement. She placed it in a take-out box with tissue paper and gave it to her parents. When they opened up the cookie, they learned that they were going to become grandparents in the fall. The Grocery List An aww-worthy way to announce that you’re pregnant to your spouse is to create a grocery list filled with items that include the word “baby” in them. For example, Megan Burke Zahara asked her husband to pick up baby back ribs, baby carrots, and baby peas before finally listing Gerber Baby on the shopping list. It was then that her spouse caught on to what she was doing and asked to see the positive pregnancy test. Baby Makes Three Announcing the good news to faraway friends and family is easy thanks to social media. Staging photos of you, your spouse, and the sonogram image of your baby is a great way to let others know that you’re expecting. They can share your joy by writing heartfelt sentiments on your Facebook wall or Instagram account. Big Sister or Big Brother Knows Best If you have other children, you can have them hold a sign or even the sonogram photo in an attempt to help you with your public announcement. If you don’t have human children but have fur children, you can dress them up in clothing that reads “Big Sister” or “Big Brother”. Facebook Live Why not use the live option to make an announcement on Facebook? You share everything else on the social media platform, so why not? Get to Knitting, Grandma! A personalized label on a ball of yarn makes a sweet, sentimental gift. It’s a clever way to include future grandmothers in the moment. Safety Pins Take a photo of two large safety pins to represent the parents and however many small safety pins that are needed to represent the children in your family. Then, place one small safety pin inside of one of the large safety pins to represent the baby on board. Are You My Mother? Pregnancy-related books such as this Dr. Seuss title make fun props for pregnancy announcement photos. Moms and dads can get in on the fun by holding a book of their own in each shot. How do you plan on revealing that you’re pregnant? Do you have some ideas in mind? Whatever you do, make sure there is someone around to document your announcement. The reactions that you receive from family and friends will be outstanding and worth sharing!

Being anxious often comes with being pregnant. After all, you want to deliver a healthy baby despite environmental concerns. Knowing the difference between normal pregnancy fears and abnormal pregnancy fears helps you determine when to seek professional help. Being a Model of Perfect Health Being healthy doesn’t just refer to your physical state. It also refers to your mental health and emotional well-being. When you feel your best and have positive ways to deal with anxiety, you’re able to put your mind and body at ease which benefits both you and your unborn child. You may feel anxious, but you know exactly what you need to do to calm yourself down and manage your stress. Normal Pregnancy Fears The average person has anxieties. As a parent, you may be worried about how well you’ll handle your role or if you’ll get back into shape after giving birth. You may have financial fears that manifest with the approaching birth of your child or concerns that your other child won’t be accepting of his new brother or sister. It’s very common to think about these things because you’re facing a significant life change. Not knowing the details of any new scenario can be daunting. You want to do this parenting thing right and that’s something you should be concerned with because of how it affects your present and future. Stress Management Techniques to Use Throughout Your Pregnancy If your fears are unsettling you, it’s time to employ some stress management techniques to settle your nerves. Joining a support group online allows you to share your anxieties with other parents going through similar issues. You’re able to discuss the things that are on your mind without fear of judgment which often helps you gain perspective. Other things that can help you ease your pregnancy fears are reading everything you can on the subject of parenting and taking notes of what concerns you most, asking your physician for suggested exercises you can do while pregnant because physical activity produces endorphins which are the brain’s natural feel-good chemicals, and deep breathing. Learning to recognize physical and emotional triggers gives you time to calm down using the mindfulness techniques you just learned. Abnormal Pregnancy Fears If fear has you paralyzed, you’ll want to seek the counsel of a mental health professional. They’re trained to deal with far more than a mild case of anxiety. If left untreated, it can seriously impede on your daily routine and cause you and your child issues. Women at greatest risk for abnormal pregnancy fears are ones that have suffered from anxiety problems in the past, who had worries during their previous pregnancies, had a miscarriage or took a long time to get pregnant, and who are in stressful home or work environments. Long-term stress takes its toll on your body and can seriously affect the health of your unborn child. Babies whose mothers were extra anxious during pregnancy often weigh less at the time of their birth and have emotional issues as they grow and develop.

The reality of being pregnant takes a while to sink in. When it does, whoa momma! You’re taken aback by a big case of the feels. If you have yet to come to the realization that your life is about to change in the biggest way, you’ll get there soon. https://youtu.be/kuDep8RlvP8 Here are nine got real moments of pregnancy: You formally announce your news to everyone you know. You pull the bun in the oven prank with your parents, you dress the dog in a cute t-shirt that reads, “Big Brother” or “Big Sister,” and Facetime your siblings in the next state over to give them the news. After a myriad of surprised looks and heartfelt tears, you truly get how amazing it is to be pregnant. When you buy maternity clothes and wear them for the first time. Nothing compares to the feeling that you get when you put on an elasticized pair of pants. As you grow, you’ll have plenty of room to move around in your maternity clothes. You may want to hold onto them in case you get pregnant again or for sentimental reasons. Your family and friends comment on how fast your belly and baby are growing. Overnight, people start to notice that you’ve gotten bigger. They comment on your current state and how you look like you’re about to “pop”. The baby bump has manifested into a baby basketball. When some stranger comments on the bundle of joy you’re carrying in your belly. Someone you don’t know asks when your baby is due. They may even ask the sex of the child and what you plan to name him or her. The person may even share their own experience parenting. When you have to sleep differently because your stomach is so big. You have to sleep with a pregnancy pillow to fall asleep. You’re curled on your side, so you don’t have indigestion. You’ve given up shaving your legs. You’ll worry about that nonsense once the baby is born, and you have a free moment to yourself. You can’t see your legs currently, so it doesn’t really matter. You can only walk a short distance before becoming winded. You can’t go very far without feeling like you can’t breathe. All the weight you gained during your pregnancy catches up with you the last few months. You can’t help but cry when you think about the teeny tiny little body you’ll be dressing. Every tiny piece of clothing or pair of shoes gets you weepy. You can’t wait to dress your baby for the very first time. When your home looks like an aisle at Babies R’ Us. There is more baby stuff than there is space. You’ve created pathways through your home, so you can get to the bathroom safely. If being pregnant hasn’t quite set in for you, you’ll find a time when it really does like during the moments listed above. Recording your reaction in a journal, through photos or even a live video gives your child something to watch when they get older. They’ll have fun seeing your response to fully realizing that you’re pregnant with them.

Sleep is an essential facet of our health, and that’s especially true during pregnancy. Kick your self care routine into high gear with these pregnancy sleep improvement strategies. Make Your Bed Comfortable for Side Sleeping Most experts agree that pregnant women should sleep on their sides. This can be a major adjustment for back and stomach sleepers, but you can make it easier by making yourself a cozy pregnancy sleep nest of supportive body pillows placed between the knees, behind your back and/or under your chest. Even if you do ordinarily sleep on your side and already feel comfortable in this position, the experience of sleep is going to change as your body changes. Follow the same advice and you’ll feel much better. Reinforce Proper Sleep Hygiene Sleep hygiene is a research-backed concept that leads us to better sleep through a simple concept. Your bed is for sleeping and sex only. Do your pregnancy research and update your social media before you get in bed. So you can make the transition from wakefulness to sleep more seamless. Let Your Circadian Rhythms Get to Work Our bodies tend to respond in surprising ways to the sun’s natural schedule of rising and setting. This response is known as the circadian rhythm, and the bright screens on our TVs, computers and mobile devices can throw it out of whack. Staring directly into a bright light right before you go to sleep isn’t a good recipe for snoozy success. Try to limit your exposure to bright screens after the sun goes down. Also consider getting a sun-simulating wake-up light to help increase your enthusiasm for the morning. Create a Meditation Routine The old trope of counting sheep to fall asleep is actually rooted in a good idea. Counting is a basic meditation technique designed to calm our thoughts and turn our minds away from any discomfort we’re feeling, whether it’s physical or emotional. The idea is that focusing on the act of counting requires just enough attention to occupy your mind. It doesn’t require so much mental engagement that you remain alert while doing it. If you get comfy in bed and relax your mind in this way, you may be surprised by how quickly you drift off. Manage Your Schedule as Best You Can Whether you work in an office or stay at home, it’s important to get your body on a reliable schedule and try to stick to it. This is often easier said than done even when you aren’t pregnant, but you have a major incentive to do it now. Getting into a reliable routine will make it easier to get the sleep you need at night. Instead of taking naps during the day. Napping can make it much harder to actually get your full 8 hours at bedtime. If you’re trying these and other strategies but still find that physical discomfort is keeping your eyes wide open as you lie in bed, consider using a prenatal support girdle. Our supportive girdles take some pressure off the abdomen and provide a soothing embrace at any time of day. You Might Also Like: 10 Steps to a Healthy Pregnancy

Planning your baby shower can be fun if you approach it right. Use these tips to guide your decision making as you consider what kind of baby shower you want to have. https://youtu.be/Kn3L5_YeFfg Set The Right Date Conventional wisdom states that you should give yourself at least two months to plan your shower, and that the date of the shower should fall somewhere in your third trimester. Ideally, it will be toward the beginning of that period. Setting a baby shower date during your first trimester jumps the gun a little bit, and waiting until the last minute can be hectic. Give yourself time to think about what you want and build a registry. But, don’t wait too long. Think about your guests when you pick a date as well. Avoid major holidays, school breaks and other scheduling barriers as much as possible. If you’re due in mid-January, for example, you may want to plan your shower on the early side to avoid Thanksgiving and the hectic winter party schedule of December. Decide Who Is Hosting Most baby showers are hosted and planned (at least in part) by a close friend of the parents-to-be. This is one of those old-school etiquette protocol choices that people tend to follow due to tradition. Some people apparently feel that it appears greedy for family members to host the party. If you’re a modern mama unconcerned with traditional social rules, you can decide to host and plan the party yourself. There are distinct benefits to having someone else host though. So, even if you aren’t terribly concerned with tradition, you still might want to let someone else take responsibility for setup, cleanup and everything in between. Choose A Theme Themed baby showers are easy for a few specific reasons. One, they make detail-based decisions, like what color the napkins should be and what kind of invites to get, super simple. Two, they allow you to turn your nursery theme into the focus of the party. This gives guests a good guide for what to look for if they decide to shop for an off-registry gift. The right theme can also help if picking a conflict-free shower date was nearly impossible. A combined birthday and baby shower or Christmas-themed shower could help you overcome scheduling issues. Ask For Help When You Need It Regardless of who’s hosting, you should ask for help from your support network as you plan. Pregnancy brain, balancing work with doctor’s appointments and sheer physical exhaustion are likely to influence how “up to it” you feel. There’s no need to put yourself under extra strain just to plan a party. Enlist the assistance of a super-organized friend who loves planning things, a crafty friend who likes making party decor, a friend with a warehouse club membership to pick up snacks, and so on. Your host should also help coordinate and plan all these details. If you’re asking someone else to take on this role, make sure it’s someone with the time and With the right help on your side and smart scheduling, planning your shower will be a breeze. Don’t forget to include some Bellefit nursing pajamas or a support girdle on your must-have gift list!

Your first pregnancy was quite an experience, and now you’ve got another bun in the oven. https://youtu.be/6m1L6bxt0dg Now that you’re a seasoned pro and you’ve seen it all before, you might notice that a few things have changed since last time. Morning Sickness differences in morning sickness during first pregnancy vs second pregnancy 1st Pregnancy You were surprised to find that you didn’t just feel pukey in the morning—it was all day, everyday. Every cure under the sun, from ginger tea to soothing lollipops, hoping to find relief. 2nd Pregnancy Now that you’ve been through it, you know that there’s no magic cure. You’re ready to chase your kid around and roll with the punches—or waves of nausea—as they come. Feeling kinda crummy just comes with the territory of pregnancy, right? Maternity Clothes Its so much easier to shop for maternity clothes in your second pregnancy/ 1st Pregnancy Between smart eating choices and exercise, you were sure you were going to get to stay in your normal clothes until your third trimester. No weight gain, no problems, no need for stretchy elastic-waist jeans! 2nd Pregnancy You’re genuinely excited to pull those stretchy elastic-waist jeans out of storage and start leaning in. Sure, you’re still going to eat healthy and exercise for your kid’s sake, but you know your body isn’t going to obey when you tell it to avoid bloating at all costs. Maternity clothes are a blessing, not a curse! Nursery Planning During the First Pregnancy the Nursery Planning is a big deal for new moms 1st Pregnancy Everything in the nursery needs to be just so, with pristine white bedding and gorgeously designed furniture to make the space feel like something out of a stylish magazine photoshoot. Your baby’s room is going to stay neat and gorgeous from day one, and all your organizing efforts now will pay dividends in the future. 2nd Pregnancy You know exactly what matters and what doesn’t. White bedding? Forget it. You want the busiest patterns in the darkest colors to hide any stains that might occur—and you know they will. It’s just a matter of time. Gone are the days when you put style over substance in the nursery. Now you’re going for full functionality and just a little bit of cuteness where it counts. Delivery Every delivery is different but you are more prepared for your second delivery 1st Pregnancy Every little detail is in place: your delivery playlist, the fashionable custom hospital gown, the matching monogrammed pajama and robe set to slip into immediately after delivery. Natural lip gloss and some tinted moisturizer will help you look amazing for the photo shoot. Your hospital experience is going to be like a fancy spa vacation. 2nd Pregnancy The hospital go-bag is packed and ready to go, and it’s got essentials only. No makeup, no fancy PJs…just a scrunchie and a comfy nightie that’d make your grandma jealous. You know you aren’t going to look like a supermodel in your pictures, and that’s OK. The smile on your lips and the love in your eyes are all the beauty enhancement you need. Everyone has a different experience of pregnancy, and your first and second may be more alike than you expected. At the very least, you’ll venturing into known territory, and that can provide a lot of peace of mind for second-time mamas. You Might Also Like: Second Time Mom Flattens Her Postpartum Tummy in Three Weeks This Article was brought to you in collaboration with Bellefit, the makers of the best postpartum girdles Founded in 2008 Bellefit® is the most mom-trusted and awarded brand of postpartum girdles & corsets for recovery after c-section or natural childbirth. Bellefit® girdles come in five designs made using proprietary compression fabrics. Their unique design features a triple-layered reinforced front and back support panels. As a woman-owned company, Bellefit® is no stranger to the challenges new moms face during and after pregnancy. The company helps women feel supported and confident in their changing bodies. Bellefit Girdles

Pregnancy has its ups and downs, and they can make giving birth feel bittersweet in a way. Once your little one has arrived, you may end up missing some of the best parts of pregnancy, but chances are that you won’t regret being done with the worst parts. https://youtu.be/A2t0F2gWvhQ The Best Part Of Being Pregnant Extra Kindness and Care Every ordinarily grumpy folks can get a bit overprotective of the pregnant ladies in their lives, and strangers can get in on the act too. Special acts of kindness like people you’ve never met rushing to help you with heavy groceries or giving up their seats on a bus or family members giving you special treats and generally fussing over you in the best way possible, being pregnant really lets you see the best of the people around you. The Special Pregnancy Bonding Feel There’s nothing quite like that feeling of knowing that your child is growing inside you. Getting to actually meet your child is fantastic, but it makes sense that some moms miss the feeling of being pregnant thanks to this special just-the-two-of-us bond. Shopping for Adorable Baby Stuff Shopping is always fun, but it’s even more fun when you’re designing a whole new wardrobe and bedroom for a little person who hasn’t arrived in the world yet. For many parents, picking out different colors and cute prints is one of the most enjoyable parts of pregnancy (other than the sense of excitement and happiness, of course). The Worst Part Of Being Pregnant Physical Discomfort From morning sickness to weight gain and other issues, pregnancy isn’t necessarily a physically enjoyable experience. While not every pregnant woman experiences significant discomfort, most feel some sort of nausea, fatigue, pain or general weirdness at some point in the process. Pregnancy skin might look totally different from what you’re used to, and sleeping can also be more of a challenge. Nosy Nellies You know what they say about opinions—everyone has one, and they don’t know how to keep it to themselves when they see a pregnant woman. From pressuring you about breastfeeding to policing what you eat and how you exercise, unwanted advice is one of the least-enjoyable parts of pregnancy. Unfortunately, this is an almost entirely universal experience, and even some women who hated getting this kind of advice when they were pregnant will turn around and do it to others. Anticipation and Nervous Energy There is some excitement that’s naturally a part of most pregnancies, but many expectant parents also experience a good dose of anxiousness as well. Whether your concerns are financial, logistical or theoretical, this is also totally normal. Luckily, by the time you give birth you’ll already have moved past most of the things that tend to cause pregnant mamas some agita, including the actual delivery itself. From start to finish, pregnancy includes its blissful moments of enjoyment and its minor annoyances and major concerns. This balance is part of parenthood as well, so why not take the bad with the good and make the best of it? You Might Also Like: 5 Things I Wish I’d Known About Before My First Baby