Packing Your Hospital Bag

Packing your hospital bag while pregnant is definitely overwhelming. You're thinking about so many things like I'm about to be a mom, how will labor be, when is my baby coming, is the nursery perfect, am I missing anything, and the worries go on.

Once you hit that 37 week marker, you should have you bag ready to go. A good size bag to bring is a tiny luggage. The wheels are convenient to pull around if in case you will be headed to the hospital alone.

Things For Mommy To Be
1. Pjs- preferably nightgowns. pj pants will be uncomfortable.
2. Robe
3. track suit
4. tank tops
5. sports bra
6. cotton underwear
7. makeup
8. soap, facial wipes, shampoo/conditioner (optional: if you don't think you will wash your hair but after all that pushing you will be sweaty and be dying to wash it)
9. hair iron/dryer (optional: for if you wash your hair)
10. camera
11. breast pads (optional)
12. nipple cream (optional)
13. sandals, slippers, sneakers, socks

Things For Baby
1. going home outfit (size 3 months)
2. socks
3. hat
4. mittens
5. blanket
6. car seat
7. diaper bag

While at the hospital ask more of:

1. the blue booger sucker- you will not find any one like it
2. pacifiers- they are the best. not even babies r us sells it
3. tucks- for mommy recovery
4. burp cloths- always needed
5. diapers- can never have too many
6. disposable bottles/nipples for breastfeeding
7. wipes- good for diaper bag
8.magic paste- best diaper rash cream ever
9. formula
10. pads- for mommy recovery

I literally would ask for double or say I lost it or need more.
Do not be shy to ask. They have a lot!!!!!
and plus the nurses are there to help and assist you and your baby.
I would stock up in a bag and have my family take it home.
Be smart! Do the same.
by the way, the best diaper bags are Kipling. They are spacious, affordable, and washable.

Maternity Shopping: Getting more for your buck and your belly

Being stylish and pregnant is harder than it looks. How can you look nice when all the maternity clothes are so expensive and are not as appealing??

I remember when my shirts became crop tops and pants could no longer zip, it was time to go shopping! I went to Target. The maternity clothes were so expensive and not cute at all! I literally thought to myself, " why doesn't Kourtney Kardashian have a maternity line?", more like prayed. Solution: I just bought everything in normal woman's clothing much bigger.

Thank god my sister in laws had a collection of maternity jeans. That saved me a lot of money. Loose pants, maxi dresses, and long skirts were my favorite. They conceal your legs so you look much thinner and can show off your bump gracefully. Another important buy are leggings. Buy them all. Every color, pattern, and material. They are the best and last after pregnancy.

I tried my best to buy things that would still fit me after my pregnancy. As crazy as that sounds, you could do it. Buying those loose shirts in a medium, but looks like a large, can become a legging coverup after delivery. Also, you should definitely invest in yoga pants and track suits. They are the best towards the end of your pregnancy and recovering after childbirth. 

Shoes! This is the most crucial outfit accessory. Being heavier puts more star
in on your feet and ankles, some women even swell. Try to buy supportive flats with plenty of cushion. If you want to spice it up with heels, wedges are your best friend. But of course, sneakers are number one! Keep in mind, pregnancy makes your feet grow at least 1/2 an inch so don't spend too much or buy too many shoes.

You will also find your underwear and bras to be shrinking before your very eyes. Try not to waste your money on vicky secrets, after all these are temporary. Buy cotton panties and lacey thongs. The cotton helps prevent UTIs and the lacey thongs stretch and doesn't leave any creases on your sides. When it comes to bras ladies, you will eventually trade in the push up for a sports bra. Now sports bras, buy alot. They are useful throughout pregnancy and afterwards. For more support try wireless bras. Since your belly is stretching so is the structure of your body so a wireless bra prevents that stabbing feeling into our ribs from the wire.

Pajamas!!! Invest in the cotton gowns and robes. Usually you will outgrow your pj pants. With dresses, you can wear them throughout pregnancy and afterwards. They are the best for the hospital too. I got most of mine in target and still wear them today.

Cosmetics! My favorite!!! Ok so always  keep makeup simple. Pregnancy is a natural period of time in a women's life, so as hard as it might be to pound on a smokey eye, remember natural is much better. Save the extra eyeliner for special occasions. The best investment is SPF anything! Some women get stains on their face from pregnancy. The sun only makes the spots darker so using SPF moisturizer and foundation is the effortless way to protect against this unfortunate change. Nude lips and thick mascara is an easy way to keep that natural yet sexy look  30 lbs overweight. 

Lastly, accessories. Long colorful necklaces or long embellished earrings are amazing while pregnant. Wearing the most comfortable plain outfit with bold accessories makes you look that much better. Long necklaces emphasize your belly and detailed earrings being focus to you glowing face. Scarves also are a pretty little thing that works in the cold, and most recently in the summer. 

Pregnancy shopping is torture. You see all these hot new styles of clothes just in the size you used to be. Don't get discouraged or let the prices scare you. Hopefully you can do well with my shopping tips and get more for your buck and your belly. After all, this is a temporary time. 

Best Shopping Locations 

Old navy 

Target

Walmart

Rainbow

Ross

Marshall's 

Tj maxx

Macy's 

That Nasty Little Thing Called Stretchmarks...

Not everyone gets them, but when you do, all you wonder is "Why Me?!", or at least I did.

Yes! I am the victim of these nasty little things. When I found out I was pregnant, first thing I bought was Palmer's oil along with my prenatal vitamins. I literally oiled down twice a day everyday. Everything was fine, until i hit 7 months. Bam! A little lighting bolt appears on my side. It was the end of me, or just felt like it.

Sometimes desperation gets the best of you. I spent hours googling and you tubing my life away to rid me of this curse. One video told me to scrub really hard with an exfoliation bar. This was the biggest mistake I have ever made. Because my belly was still growing, so were the marks, and my skin was only becoming thinner and less strong so scrubbing the way I desperately did only make the marks worse.

No matter what products you use, stretch marks will come based on the type of skin you have. Some women never moisturize and walk away mark free from the maternity ward. The best thing is to moisturize as much as you can, take in a lot of vitamin E and B, and try not to gain too much.

Now, my marks are much better from my weight loss. I have also been exfoliating with oatmeal and using oatmeal soap and some venezuelan soap called las javes. After I shower, I moisturize with vitamin E oil, almond oil, or rose seed oil. I try to change it up every week. The only true ways to get rid of stretch marks completely is to let them fade over time, a tummy tuck, or laser scar removal.

In the beginning I was ashamed, thinking "omg, this will never go away" but that is no longer the case. The marks are barely noticeable only after 3 months post partum. So all those hours I spent weeping over these nasty little things, I regret. After all, without them my little girl would not of been able to grow as healthy as she did.

Don't beat yourself up about them. Some would say it is the sacrifice of being a mother, but now I see it clearly, as a blessing.

this was after I delivered

today

Losing The Prego Pounds

Weighing in at 185 lbs, I gained a total of 60 lbs in my pregnancy and I do not advise anyone else to do so. Pushing was very difficult, even breathing. Plus losing the weight was even harder. All I would and still think about is getting my pre baby body back, and its not as impossible as people make it. Some lose the weight from breastfeeding, but like me, we know that is not the case. I'm here to say you can do it without latching on your baby 24/7.

This photo was taken when Victoria had just turned 3 months weighing in at 137 lbs. How did I do it? diet and exercise! low carb protein diet with no processed foods, cardio everyday, and light weight lifting 3-4 times a week. Today I am 135 lbs, still need to lose those last 10 lbs. I wanted to try something different so I decided to start Juicing!!!


*The day I found out I was Pregnant