Due Maternity Blog | Designer Maternity Clothes Blog

So, your expecting a baby…yeah! If you are like me, chances are you have been on the internet searching for ways to determine the sex of your unborn child. There are the classic old wives tales, the Chinese calendar and funky signs like hair growing faster if it’s a boy.

Thanks to fabulous technology you can know with more confidence than ever what you are having as early as your 2nd trimester!

This is both a pregnancy test kit with the lab sample collection kit. There are less expensive tests but none are as accurate and none can tell you any earlier than Pink or Blue.

GIRL or BOY? This is the #1 question asked right after a positive pregnancy test. Pink or Blue® will share this exciting news to with you as early as 10 weeks after the first days of your last menstrual period… which is 7 weeks post-conception.

“The Pink or Blue® Early DNA Gender Test is the most accurate home collected early gender tests on the market to date. With real customer accuracies measuring greater than 95%, this product far exceeds the accuracies of urine testing and early ultrasound in predicting gender. Consumer Genetics stands by its test, and its results.

Some people do get wrong results; in fact, 5 of every 100 results are incorrect. Because of this, Consumer Genetics has always offered a money back guarantee to those who have received wrong results.

Just watch the video below to learn more about this fascinating technology! I sent my lab work in today–I will find out next Friday if I need to buy PINK or BLUE!

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

Celebrities are always the go-to source for all that is chic and stylish. While pregnant, they never fail to disappoint. Heidi Klum, who is expecting her 4th child {and finally, a GIRL!} this October is one of my favorites to watch while expecting.  What is her favorite maternity piece of clothing? Balenciaga’s black jeans! While not exactly “maternity wear” she wears them under her belly. Not exactly a look everyone can pull off.

Want to get the celebrity fashion status for less? Try these jeans from Maternal America! The perfect skinny jean to get you through your pregnancy in style!

Super comfy underbelly fit waistband that can be worn from the beginning to the end of your pregnancy and beyond. Pair with heels, boots, flats and your favorite tee or sweater for a fantastic look. We love the new dark black wash. Perfect for any season.

To get the “Heid” look pair these jeans with a ultra comfy cami from Fit 2b

and this versitile lightweight maternity jacket from Momzee Coco

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.