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When I was newly pregnant, I couldn’t fathom the thought of eating anything. I wanted to snack on something and couldn’t put my finger on what it was…I tried everything! Nothing was satisfying the baby bump and it was awful! On top of that icky feeling I had to travel on a plane from New York to Chicago. I was stuck on a 4 hour flight on a small plane crammed with people.

I tweeted out that I couldn’t eat a thing and felt nauseous all the time. One of the first people to come to my aide was Belly Bar. They sent me the cutest little package of snacks for the plane ride. I had a chocolate shake, some chews and 3 bars. Can I tell you that I ate all 3 bars during the flight? Yummy! It was the start of my tummy turning over to the good side again.

What was one of your first cravings that was satisfied while pregnant? Tell us and you can win!

Belly Bar has generously offered up 2 baskets for 2 lucky readers! The baskets include:

- 2 bars of each flavor (Baby Needs Chocolate, Berry Nutty Cravings, Mellow Oat and Burstin’ Chocolate)
- 1 pouch of each chews flavor (Chocolate Cuddles and Citrus on Board)
- 2 shakes of Due for Chocolate Bellybar Shakes

Contest ENDS Sunday, October 11th, 2009 at Midnight EST

I’m Marianna, Owner & Editor of Green Mama’s Pad, mama to William (4) and twin boys Luke & Joshua (22 months) and wife to my wonderful husband Dan for 5.5+ years. In 2007, I decided that I wanted to “go green” and since then have been gradually moving my family in that direction. From natural personal care products to organic foods and everything in between, I plan to share my journey with you.

It’s been almost 2 years since I started on my “green” journey. I’ve made a point to make sure my 3 boys eat mostly natural or organic foods. They have been my top priority for eating healthier. Now, this is my first time being pregnant while “going green”, so I am trying to be more conscious of what I eat as well. After all, whatever I eat, the baby eats too. As many pregnant ladies out there know, eating healthy when pregnant can be quite a challenge because of all those cravings. You know, maybe for some salty chips or a chocolaty cookie? Believe me I am guilty of my fair share of this. Those Oreos call to me when I am grocery shopping!

If you are new to the organic/natural foods world, you may be wondering what the big deal is. Why should you shop for organic foods? What does organic mean anyway? If something is organic it means that the product or the ingredients in the product were grown without pesticides, genetically modified organisms, synthetic fertilizers, ionizing radiation or sewage sludge (yuk!). According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) “The growing consensus among scientists is that small doses of pesticides and other chemicals can cause lasting damage to human health, especially during fetal development and early childhood.”

Now if you are like me, it is nearly impossible to able to afford to buy all organic foods. I will not lie, organic foods are more expensive. So you need to determine which items you want to switch to organic and which ones you will leave as is.

Let’s start off with fruits and veggies since we’re supposed to be eating lots of those, right? There are some that retain more pesticides than others so therefore, some that you probably want to switch while others are not so important. To make it easier for all of us, EWG put together a list called The Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides. You can download the PDF for a printable, pocket-sized list or if you have an iPhone, they even have an app for that! From this list you will learn that peaches are the number one most contaminated produce followed by apples. So I make a point to always buy organic apples – right now we have been eating organic Gala apples. The Top 2 cleanest produce items are onions and avocados so, you really need not worry about buying their organic counterparts.

While this only covers fruits and vegetables, what about snacktime? Great snacking choices for expecting mothers are slim. Thanks to Belly Bar you can snack smart and satisfy your sweet cravings with some yummy natural ingredients like Rolled Oats, Honey and Soy Nuts. And, it delivers critical nutrients you and your baby need before your conceive, during pregnancy, and while nursing, including folic acid, iron, calcium, protein and Omega-3 DHA. Plus, you get the peace of mind of knowing that OB/GYNs, midwives, doulas and healthcare providers recommend it.

If you think you are ready to start switching your foods the best tip I can give you is take it slow. It is so easy to get overwhelmed and give up. Change one item at a time and eventually you will get there. And really, it is OK to indulge yourself with your favorite treats. If your baby bump has a midnight craving for ice cream – go for it! After all, when those Oreos are calling me from the cookie aisle, I never said I ignored them. But I do dunk them in some organic milk, so I say that makes it A-OK!

This isn’t my 1^st trip to the rodeo. I am Victoria Arya, the head honcho and mommy behind Life Starring the Kids & Me.  I am a married stay at home mom to two little girls: Ellie, who is 2, turning 3 in September, and Eve who turns 1 in June.  I am also expecting my third child, yes another girl, sometime in late October. 

I don’t know how many times I have heard all about how I have “easy” pregnancies and that everything has been so “easy” for me, and each and every time it seems like the person saying that is some how lessening my 9 month commitment.  Now, I admit to the fact that I happen to not have any issues with being pregnant; no morning sickness, no huge problems, no premature labor…I am healthy as a horse while pregnant.  But, even though I may have an “easy” pregnancy, it doesn’t mean that there isn’t a physical, emotional, and mental toll. 

According to me, growing a plant is hard, so imagine how hard it is to grow a human…you basically give up your body for 9 months, your hormones go wacky and you deal with the emotions that come up, and then you torment yourself with the mental thoughts about the next 18 years of your life and how you are going to be responsible for a kid…a real honest to goodness kid.

So, since I have been through this a couple of times (even though those times were “easy”) I have a few tips on how to deal with even the “easiest” pregnancy when it gets hard.  First of all physically there are going to be a lot of changes: your feet and other areas are going to swell, it’s going to be harder to get around and your skin is going to go a little wacky. 

* Swelling: Face it, you are going to swell, the real question comes in how much are you going to swell?  Keep your salt intake down to a minimum and drink water…yes I know you will have to use the bathroom a lot if you do, but it’s worth it.

* Getting Around: While it’s a good thing to be as active as your doctor allows, remember to take it easy and rest when you feel the need; you’re growing a baby and you need to keep your body happy.

* Your Skin: Alright so some pregnant women get glowing skin, but for the rest of us mere mortals we get skin issues because our hormones are going crazy.  If you are like me your skin will get dry, so invest in a couple good lotions to lock in moisture and keep everything feeling smooth.  If your skin gets oily try switching to a stronger face/body wash and a lighter moisturizer.

Not only will pregnancy effect your physically, but you will also have to deal with it emotionally and mentally.  You’re hormones are going to be wacky which means that you could potentially go from swinging on the rafters to getting annoyed because your hubby/partner ate the last donut.  This may sound weird, but don’t control the wackiness; if you keep everything bottled inside you are more likely to become stressed and unhappy, neither of which is good for you or the baby. 

Mentally you are going to have to deal with the fact that you will have 9 months in order to prep yourself into becoming a parent…and actual guide to another human being (heck I have 2 right now and there are times when I look at them and think “I am in charge of making them decent human beings?”).  In order to mentally prepare yourself read parenting books if that is what works for you, talk to people who have been there.  And just because you get all of this advice, it doesn’t mean you need to do what they tell you: your kiddo-your rules.

So, overall while people may tell you that you have an ”easy” pregnancy, that doesn’t diminish the fact that you are not only growing a human (think about it, that’s amazing), but you are also mentally and emotionally preparing yourself to put a child first…forever.  That’s big. 

SproutBaby.com and Due Maternity are offering a chance to win free organic baby food developed by Food Nework Chef Tyler Florence. To learn more, read the entire press release http://base.google.com/base/a/3919796/D12610089931294201793 or enter your name online at http://www.duematernity.com/maternity-contest.html.

So, you find out you’re pregnant! Suddenly all sorts of thoughts begin racing through your mind. Questions, concerns, ideas, so may things!

One of the biggest concerns is caffeine. The decision to cut back or cut it out is entirely up to you and should be discussed with your doctor. However, if you decide you want to cut caffeine out completely, do you think that just because you order decaf, you are getting 100% decaf?

Studies have shown that up to 30% of decaf coffees ordered at coffee houses and restaurants contain unacceptably high levels of caffeine, or are not decaf at all!

Introducing The D+caf™ Test Strip – a unique new product that quickly and easily determines whether your coffee or tea is really decaf.

Maternity clothes and so much more at Due Maternity!

Having a craving for rich chocolate or sweet vanilla? Indulge in your craving while getting excellent nutrition with these Bellybar Shakes – a delicious treat that you and baby will both enjoy without all the calories and fat!

Available at DueMaternity.com