Pregnancy – Page 5

First Day Of Spring + 34 Weeks Pregnant

March 20, 2015

First off, Happy first day of Spring! It has definitely felt like spring in Alabama this week! I am loving the warmer weather, but not loving the pollen and extra humidity. My hair is naturally wavy and it does not like the extreme humidity that Spring and Summer bring down here. I guess it’s time to rock the topknot and fresh face look again. What are you most looking forward to this Spring? I’m looking forward to Easter with family and of course, meeting our sweet baby girl! Speaking of, here is my 34 week pregnancy update. Because, I am 34 weeks pregnant, y’all. SO crazy!

How Far Along: 34 weeks! Only 6 more to go!

Size of Baby: 4 3/4 lbs. and 18ish inches long

Gender: Our baby girl! SRC!

Movement: She is moving all the time. Morning, afternoon and night. She even wakes me up with her big flips and kicks.

Sleep: What’s that? haha

Workouts: This week, I have walked a lot. The weather has been so beautiful and Hampton and I have been out every day playing and walking. I’ve still been doing my TIU workouts as well, although I skipped Monday. Whoops.

Maternity Clothes: Yes. Most of the time I have been in tanks and nike shorts, but if I run errands or anything, I do have to wear maternity.

Symptoms: Just very sleepy. I haven’t been sleeping very much at all. Maybe she is preparing me for little sleep like her big brother did. 🙂

Cravings/Aversions: I haven’t had any craving this week. I’ve actually been eating a lot better than I was. I’m so determined to keep my weight down and that has been a huge motivation this week.

Missing Most: Sleep and sleeping on my stomach.

Nursery: I shared a sneak peek at our nursery a couple of weeks ago Did you catch it? I still have to buy her mattress, but I did order my diaper bag this week, so that was a big step for me! haha The diaper bag decision is a tough one. I can’t wait to show you the one I picked!

Favorite Moment This Week: Going to the Doctor and hearing her heartbeat. It was 141. She sounded great and everything looked healthy. She is measuring a little smaller than Hampton did, so my Dr. thinks she may be a little smaller. I wouldn’t hate that, although he wasn’t a big baby at all. Only 7lbs 2oz. We shall see…

Hospital Bag List // Infanteenie Beenie

March 12, 2015

Rose Bow Hat: Infanteenie Beenie here

Flower Hat: Infanteenie Beenie here

This week, I started pulling a few items from baby girl’s closet that I know I want to take with us to the hospital. I learned a lot about how and what to pack in your hospital bag with Hampton. For example, we didn’t need 3 swaddle blankets or 5 onesies. The hospital supplies so many things for you. For her, I knew that I wanted to pack one swaddle, a couple of burp cloths, her going home outfit, lovey fox and her adorable hospital hats from Infanteenie Beenie!

Are they not the most precious things you have ever seen? In the hospital, they give you the typical blue and pink striped hat, but I want my little girl to have a special hat with a little added bling of her own. I discovered Infanteenie Beenie on Etsy a couple of weeks ago and fell in love with their hats. I only wish I had learned about them before my niece was born.

They are the only newborn hospital hats with a four seamed round top. They are also made right here in the USA! They have won countless awards and been featured in many magazines and on T.V. shows. They have had several celebrity customers including Kristin Cavellari from The Hills! Swoon! Are any of you fans of The Hills? That was my show back in the day! Needless to say, I’m a bit behind the game on this discovery.

These precious hospital hats are GREAT quality and I can’t wait for little SR to wear them! They would also make excellent gifts for your next baby shower! Be sure to check out Infanteenie Beenie on Etsy, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram!

6 Benefits of Staying Hydrated During Pregnancy

March 10, 2015

I received compensation for this post through my relationship with the Quality Blue Community. I also received a product for this review. All opinions are my own.

A couple of weeks ago, on Valentine’s day to be exact, I had horrible Braxton Hicks that lasted all day and into the night. They were so strong that I started to worry I was going into pre-term labor. Luckily, I go to church with my OBGYN and saw her the next morning. I told her what had been going on and about all of the activity I had done that day and she said, “Yep, you didn’t drink enough water, did you?” It hit me immediately that I had not taken any breaks between my crazy pregnancy nesting organization and my workout to drink enough water. In fact, I had two cups of coffee, but no water. Yikes. I definitely learned my lesson.

Since then, I have been filling up my water bottle every day to make sure that I am drinking the right amount that my body needs. This Nalgene water bottle made with Tritan™ plastic has been perfect because it has the ounces marked on the side of the bottle which makes it so easy to keep up with. I’ve been sure to take a water bottle with me every time I take Hampton for a walk or do my yoga and TIU workouts, or just when I am on the go, running my daily errands. It has made all the difference. I haven’t had any more Braxton Hicks since then and I have felt so much better. My doctor recommended I drink at least 8 cups of water a day, even more when I am active. I’ve always heard to drink half of your body weight and think that is a great rule of thumb to go by.

Here are some benefits to staying hydrated during pregnancy:
-Prevents Stretch Marks
-Prevents (and helps with) Braxton Hicks Contractions
-Constipation
-Swelling
-Energy
-Skin Appearance (acne)

Needless to say, I will not be leaving the house without my Nalgene water bottle anymore. It has been packed in my purse/diaper bag and has been so convenient to carry around. If you are pregnant, don’t make the mistake I did. It can be so harmful to the baby. Water actually helps make up the amniotic fluid that our babies rely on and when we become dehydrated, it could even send us into preterm labor. Nobody wants that.

Be sure to check out Eastman Tritan™ on Facebook and Twitter!

How do you stay hydrated?

32 Week Baby Update // Kandi Daniel Studios

March 6, 2015

Deer Gown: Kandi Daniel Studios here

Moccasins: Freshly Picked

As I was going through all of our baby girl’s clothes the other day, it hit me that I had not purchased any gowns for her to wear. I put Hampton in gowns every night for the first few months because they made it so easy to change him during the night, and we were doing a lot of that. It hit me immediately that I needed to get some gowns ASAP, so I took to Etsy, of course. I found this adorable little monogrammed antler gown from Kandi Daniel Studios and I knew I had to have it. Not only is the design adorable, but I love the ruffle detail on the sleeves. It is so girly which is a must for our little girl.

By the way, did you catch it? Her initials are SRC! I’ll let you have fun guessing at her name for the next few weeks. 🙂 I’m so excited to share it with everyone. Her middle name is very special to Ryan and me for very different reasons, but we have known since before we got married that we wanted to use it, and her first name just seemed to click with both of us one day. It also goes great with Hampton, so it was a done deal. I am thrilled that we finally settled on a name and I can monogram all. the. things.

Kandi Daniel Studios has so many cute tees for brides, moms, and babies, as well as monogrammed shorts, Easter toys and more! She offers a wide variety and everything is so adorable.

Kandi is giving all new customers a 15% discount with code NEW15 with your first order!

Be sure to follow her on Facebook and Instagram!

And now for my weekly bump update!

How Far Along: 32 weeks! Only 8 more to go!

Size of Baby: 3 3/4 lbs. and 16 1/2 inches long

Gender: Our baby girl! SRC!

Movement: All the time. She has really been keeping me up at night because that is when she moves the most. It’s so sweet, but I’m afraid she is going to be like her big brother and be a night owl.

Sleep: Who needs sleep?

Workouts: This week, I have walked a lot more because it has been so nice outside. I’ve walked about 2 miles a day and I’ve still been completing my TIU workouts with a lot of stretching and yoga thrown in. It has made me feel a lot better when I stretch.

Maternity Clothes: I’ve been rocking my Nike shorts most of this week. It has been warmer and it has been so nice to wear shorts.

Symptoms: Luckily I haven’t had any more painful Braxton Hicks this week. I’ve been trying to drink lots and lots of water to keep hydrated so I don’t have anymore pain. It has definitely helped.

Cravings/Aversions: Just sweets every now and then. My cravings still haven’t been crazy. I even made it three day in a row this week without any sweets at all. 🙂

Missing Most: Sleep. And my abs. Because they are officially gone. At least for the next couple of months. I am having a really hard time doing any sort of ab workouts now, although I haven’t given up completely yet.

Nursery: I shared a sneak peek at our nursery this week! Did you catch it?

Yoga During Pregnancy

February 27, 2015

This post is sponsored by Stayfree and Sverve, but opinions are 100% my own.

Staying fit while pregnant is anything but easy. During the first part of pregnancy, you are dealing with morning sickness, soreness, and tiredness. During the last part of pregnancy, many of those symptoms come back to haunt you, on top of a lot of discomfort from your body stretching and changing to accommodate that sweet baby you’re carrying. Staying motivated to work out during all of this can be tough.

During my first pregnancy, I didn’t exercise all that much, and I felt it. My hips and back were sore all the time and I just felt bad. I didn’t feel like myself. This time around I have really relied on pregnancy safe exercises – my favorite being yoga since I have had to quit running. Yoga has kept me flexible, strong and feeling more energized this time around. It also gives me a nice break from walking outside. Some days, it is just too cold, and lately it has been raining a lot, so staying indoors has been a nice alternative.

I recently discovered an exciting collaboration between Stayfree and Gaiam T.V. that I mentioned in this post. I ran to Target to grab some Stayfree Ultra Thin pads (because I will need them in a few weeks anyway) and I uploaded my receipt to Stayfree’s website and received a free 30 day trial of My Yoga videos. I have really been enjoying learning and brushing up on all of these basic moves and practicing them during Hampton’s nap time. I love these pads and will definitely be needing them in a few weeks after I have my baby. No leaks for this mama, thank you! Be sure to check out this deal now through March 12th!

Whether I am outside enjoying nature or in my living room, yoga has been the best way for me to de-stress, take some time for myself and stay healthy during my second pregnancy.

Some other changes that have made my pregnancy healthier and easier:

-Drinking more water
-Resting as much as possible
-Exercising every day
-Stretching/Yoga
-Eating healthier

What are some ways you stayed healthy during your pregnancy?

30 Week Pregnancy Update + Giveaway

February 20, 2015

How Far Along: 30 weeks…as in 3/4 of the way there! I. Can’t. Believe. It.

Size of Baby: 3 lbs. She will be gaining half a pound a week from here on!

Gender: Our baby girl!

Movement: All the time. She is getting so strong and is constantly jabbing me in the ribs. It isn’t always pleasant, but I love feeling her moving.

Sleep: Not so great. Hello pregnancy insomnia.

Workouts: This week, I only walked 4 miles and did cardio one other day, but I did do my TIU routines every day. Definitely did a lot more strength than cardio, but it has been way too cold to walk outside, y’all.

Maternity Clothes: Mostly leggings, although my jeans have been nice to have this week because…brr.

Symptoms: I’ve had horrible Braxton Hicks this week. I think I over did it a couple of days with the exercising/cleaning/organizing/moving furniture around. Yeah, I learned my lesson. I haven’t had them the last couple of days, thank goodness.

Cravings/Aversions: Just sweets every now and then. My cravings haven’t been all that strong this time around, and for that I’m very thankful.

Missing Most: Sleep. Pregnancy insomnia hit me hard this week. It’s not been pleasant.

Nursery: I have officially washed all of baby girl’s clothes, and organized her closet. I just have a few more decorations to order and put together and we will be all set. As far as Hampton’s room, it is all ready to go minus the crib. Once it comes in, we will go ahead and move him into his new big boy room so that he can get used to it before baby arrives! 🙂

And now onto the giveaway!

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Five On Friday

February 13, 2015

ONE.
I will be 29 weeks pregnant tomorrow! Nuts! Where is the time going? I finally started organizing this week and we are getting ready to have a huge garage sale in 2 weeks to help us get rid of some of our clutter before baby girl arrives. I have finally started ordering decor for her nursery and Hampton’s big boy room, so I am getting really excited to start decorating and pulling everything together. As far as me? I’m feeling okay. I’m definitely starting to feel larger and have been more uncomfortable, but that is just all part of it! I’m mostly just really excited to meet this sweet baby.

TWO.
Did you check out my Valentine’s Day inspired outfit? You must! Pink Blush sells this in maternity but it can easily be worn as non-maternity. It will definitely be a staple piece for me this spring and summer.

THREE.
You must enter to win this giveaway on my blog! There are only 5 days left to enter, so what are you waiting for?

FOUR.
Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day! My mom offered to watch Hamp for us so we can go on a much needed date! I’m so excited I don’t even mind fighting crowds! We have plans to eat an early hibachi dinner! My favorite! What are your plans tomorrow? Are you doing anything romantic?

FIVE.
One of my best friends just moved back to our hometown after being away for several years. To say I’m excited would be an understatement. I have missed her so much and am so thankful for her friendship and the fact that I can see her more often! In honor of her arrival I’m sharing a Flashback Friday picture of us our freshman year of college. Yes, I had terribly dyed hair. You’re welcome. I feel very blessed this week. 🙂

P.S. Check out My Romantic Valentine’s Day Ideas!

I hope you have a lovely Valentine’s Day and weekend!

Linking up here!

Darling Oh Deer

February 10, 2015

Head wraps c/o: Darling Oh Deer

If you weren’t already aware from this post, I have a slight obsession with Gilmore Girls, so this onesie was a must for our baby girl. I actually asked the shop to personalize this one to say Lorelai and Luke instead of Cory and Topanga, and it has seemed to really take off for her shop which is really exciting! Until this past week, I had not bought our little girl anything pink. What? Crazy. Needless to say, I was really excited when these head wraps came in from Darling Oh Deer. Are they not perfect? This pink one is reversible with black polka dots on one side and solid pink on the other. I have a feeling she will get a lot of wear out of it.

Of course I had to get her a buffalo plaid head wrap for next fall/winter. I mean, she is my daughter. She must have plaid. I also picked her up one of my favorite childhood books this week. Madeline is a classic and is set in my favorite city in the world. Win/win in my book!

These goodies are making me really excited for her arrival. While we are still far from ready as far as her nursery and preparations, we are getting so much closer to playing endless dress up. I. Can’t. Wait. Less than 12 weeks and counting, little one.

Fitness During Pregnancy

February 3, 2015

Jacket: Nike (old)

Pants: Ellie

Shoes: Nike

Fitness during this pregnancy has been a huge priority for me. Why? With Hampton, I gained 45 pounds. It was really tough to lose all of that weight. I was unrecognizable and I didn’t feel like myself. It made me feel bad physically and mentally. My pregnancy was very different with him. I was sick the first half and the second half, pregnancy cravings kicked in and I ate Chocolate chip cookies every single night. It didn’t matter if I was hungry or not, I ate them anyway. Hello 48 pounds.

This time around, I wanted things to be different. I don’t want to gain any where close to 45. I want to stay between 25 and 30lbs. That is a healthy amount of weight gain for me. I have been participating in the Love Your Body series through Tone it Up and that has really helped me stay focused. A couple of weeks ago, I had a really bad week. I ate lots of sweets and didn’t work out every day like I normally do. I could tell a huge difference in the way I felt. It wasn’t fun.

Exercising every day has helped me feel like me for a lot longer. It has helped me keep my weight gain down and has kept my muscles alive. Last time, I felt like mush. It was not flattering. While watching Biggest Loser a couple of weeks ago, Jenna Wolfe showed up as a guest trainer. She was 25 weeks pregnant which is what I was at the time and she was doing everything with them. She is a hoss. It was so encouraging to see someone who knows how uncomfortable you are but works through that to stay healthy and fit. It really lifted my spirits and gave me the push I needed to get back on track and #werk.

So far, I’ve gained 16 pounds, but I feel so good. I feel like myself rather than a beached elephant seal. For that I am so thankful. I can’t stress to you how big a difference this one little lifestyle change has made in this pregnancy. Best news? I won’t have as much weight to lose this time, as long as I continue to do well. As I’ve entered my third trimester, it hasn’t always been easy and I do give myself rest days if I really need them, but it is so worth it to feel healthy and more like myself.

Do you have any exercise tips for the third trimester? What kept you motivated during your pregnancy?

27 Week Baby Update

January 30, 2015

How far along: 27 weeks tomorrow! Hello 3rd Trimester!

Size of baby: Almost 2 lbs. and 14 1/2 inches!

Gender: Our sweet baby Girl!

Movement: She is moving all the time! I love being able to physically see her movements now.

Workouts: I’m still doing to Love Your Body Series and loving it! It has become a little more challenging the last couple of weeks and I have definitely had to modify some of the moves. Planks are getting VERY tough. I have also started just walking. It is driving me kind of crazy because it takes me forever to get my miles in, and I am getting farther and farther behind. I’m trying to walk every day, even if it’s just 1 or 2 miles.

Sleep: I haven’t slept very well this week thanks to leg cramps. They have been waking me up every night and Ryan laughs at me for downward dogging it in the middle of the night. It does help, though.

Cravings: This week, all I have wanted is Mexican food. My “cravings” seem to change week to week.

Looking Forward To: The weekend. We are throwing a Super bowl party at our house this Sunday and can’t wait to get together with friends. I’m making a pretty delicious recipe for the party that will be on my blog Monday! Be sure to come check it out and enter to win $15 cash as well!

Announcement // 14 Weeks // 15 Weeks // 16 Weeks // 17 Weeks // 18 Weeks // Gender Reveal // 21 Weeks // 22 Weeks // 23 Weeks // 24 Weeks // 25 Weeks

Have you voted on our baby girl’s name on my right sidebar?