Bump Editor's Blog

Q: Summer pregnancy?

Paula K — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 19:33:00 GMT

Q: It's so hot outside already! Are there any specific risks I need to watch out for during the summer? And how can I stay (relatively) comfortable?

A: With your belly getting bigger and bigger just as we head into summer, you may find yourself wondering if you’ll make it out alive. But don’t worry -- while it’s true that a summer pregnancy isn’t always easy, here are a few tricks to ease your hot-weather woes.

Summer Bummer #1: Dehydration
Getting enough fluids is especially tough in the hot summer months. Ordinarily, you should try to drink two liters of clear liquids every day, but in the summer, you need to add eight ounces for every hour you spend in the heat, according to NYC nutritionist Lara Englebardt Metz, MS, RD, CDN. That’s basically the amount you’ll be sweating out.

Cool Fix: Icy concoctions
Since you’ll be constantly sipping, make your drink a fun one. Try out Lara’s favorite mocktail: chilled seltzer with a splash of mango juice and lime. The mango is loaded with vitamin C and iron. Pretend you’re relaxing on a tropical beach by sipping from a super-cute cup like this coconut-shaped one from Target ($16.99 for set of 4, target.com). Or, if you get sick of sipping, go for a homemade Popsicle. Lara suggests blending nonfat yogurt, walnuts, and blueberries and pouring into Popsicle molds for a sweet snack loaded with H2O (not to mention omega 3s, calcium, antioxidants, and fiber).

Summer Bummer #2: Swelling
Edema can be worse in summer, causing your calves, ankles, and feet to become one wide, bloated mass. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it?

Cool Fix: Kick up your heels!
“To help reduce swelling, make an effort to keep your legs up whenever you can -- even in the office,” says Lara. For an extra-relaxing way to lounge, try a comfy hanging seat like the colorful, handmade, Mayan hammock chair (from $38.99, hammocks.com). If your swelling persists, Lara suggests munching on watercress, celery, citrus fruits, or small bits of parsley, which may act as natural diuretics.

Summer Bummer #3: Extreme heat
Obvious but true: It’s steaming. You’re huge. It stinks.

Cool Fix: Get wet
Be sure to wear sun protection (at least SPF 30), but don’t shy away from the pool. Water is a mama-to-be’s best friend! An afternoon dip will not only lower your body temp, the buoyancy will also ease the stress on your squished organs, and splashing around provides a great low-impact workout. Plus, you’ll have the chance to really show off that belly! Go on -- be brave and bare your bump in a colorful printed suit like the sungarden bikini from Maternal America ($92, blossommaternity.com). No access to a pool? Try the plastic kiddy version. Baby can use it later.

Summer Bummer #4: Sticky sweat
Okay, so the summer may have you chafing a bit. But the best thing about a summer pregnancy: lightweight and comfy maternity clothes!

Cool Fix: Breathable maternity wear
For maximum cuteness and comfort, go for loose, light-colored clothes. This helps keep you from overheating and allows sweat -- especially beneath and between your boobs -- to evaporate, preventing nasty rashes. Some cool options to try: Juicy Couture’s floral printed maternity dress ($220, juicycouture.com), A Pea in the Pod’s linen/cotton shift dress in tiki print ($225, apeainthepod.com), or Gap’s smocked tube top ($25, gap.com).

Summer Bummer #5: Boredom
The simplest way to keep your body temp on track? “Stay indoors in an air-conditioned home,” says Lara. But how’s a girl to keep her sanity when she’s hanging out on the couch in the living room all day?

Cool Fix: Fun summer rentals
Beat the heat with a few belly laughs courtesy of some baby-focused DVD favorites. Your, er, “condition” might have you looking at a couple of ’80s and ’90s classics in a whole new light. Remember Junior? How about Father of the Bride Part II? Look Who’s Talking and Nine Months are great for a chuckle too. Renting (rather than hitting the theaters) will give you the freedom to pause the flick and walk around to ease your aches (or pee every 10 minutes).

-- Erin Walters

Conner Herman and Kira Ryan

The Bump Editors — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 17:39:00 GMT

Conner and Kira are New York City moms and lovers of sleep. They are the co-founders of Dream Team Baby, an infant and toddler sleep consultancy based in Manhattan . They help babies (and their parents) across the country get some much deserved rest. In their free time, they enjoy planning the 2035 spring time wedding of their toddlers, Wyatt and Emilia. Learn more about their services at www.dreamteambaby.com.

Conner & Kira's Advice
Helping Baby Sleep

Got a question for Conner & Kira? Send it to experts@thenestbaby.com
Make sure to include your user name. Conner and Ryan are not able to provide personal responses, and are not able to guarantee an answer to your question. Please consult your personal healthcare provider with urgent questions and emergencies.

Posted by The Nest Baby Editors

So what? My boy loves his kitchen!

Nest Amy — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 19:57:00 GMT

When I told my husband that Wyatt really wanted a kitchen for the holidays, he was a bit shocked. But, there was no denying our top-chef-in-training of his cool blue compact cooking center.

We told Nana and Poppie that this big ticket item (Play Wonder Kitchen from Target, $99) was going to be the hit of the season. Sure enough: not only does it look good in my house; but it is also his favorite new item ... alongside trains, firetrucks, kicking the ball in the house (yikes!), pirates and all those delicious "boy" things.

I say, why not let the kid learn to love the kitchen, the vacuum cleaner and the laundry basket. Maybe encouraging him to tidy up as a tot will make his wife very happy one day!

What's on your kids' wishlist this year?

The Best Bibs

Nest Lori — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 21:43:00 GMT

When Cooper started eating solids, my laundry increased dramatically due to all the bibs. Every meal resulted in a terrycloth mess of smushed sweet potatoes or apples. Gross! The last thing a busy mom needs is more clothes to clean -- so what to do?

Enter Bumkins, which I have now dubbed "the laundry-less bib." From the first time I tried them -- on a recommendation from our nanny -- I was hooked. Bumkins not only come in stylish graphic patterns, they are made of a special waterproof fabric that cleans in a breeze. After Cooper wolfs down another jar of carrots, all I have to do is run the bib under the faucet for a few moments and the food and stains are gone. You don't even need soap to clean it -- though I prefer to use a dab of dish doap. When we're on the go, I just quickly wash the bib down with a baby wipe, and then it's ready to be used again! Doesn't get much easier than that.

Any other Bumkins fans out there? What are some of your favorite feeding products?

Hollywood Baby Boom

Nest Lori — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 15:30:00 GMT

The new year is poised to be bouncing with new celebrity babies -- and that means showers with tons of trendy baby gear! Nicole Richie, who looks to be due sometime in the next month or two, recently celebrated her bundle of joy with a Wizard of Oz-themed shower. Nicole reportedly received a Jack Boy T-shirt by Tummy, which has caused some chatter that she and Joel Madden are expecting a boy, though they remain mum on their child's gender. Christina Aguilera is due in January and celebrated her baby boy's impending arrival with a carnival-themed baby shower. Famous guests like Gwen Stefani (who has been spotted in Prague pushing son Kingston around in a limited edition gold stroller by Mamas and Papas) came armed with gear for the tiny man, including the adorable and surprisingly affordable Johnny Socks by Trumpette (shown here). These socks make tiny newborn feet look like they're wearing high-top sneakers. Too cute!

A solution for droopy maternity pants

Nest Kate — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 22:44:00 GMT

As soon as I started really showing, I was lucky enough to be offered a whole slew of maternity clothing by a friend who had just had a baby herself. I was beyond thrilled because she included quite a few pairs of corduroy pants – one of my absolute favorite fall and winter staples. Only problem? They wouldn’t stay up. Ever. I tried various other types of maternity pants only to discover that this issue wasn’t limited to just corduroys. I did not have a single pair of maternity pants that would stay up. I spent entire days pulling up my pants. Truthfully, I feel like I lost years of my life pulling up maternity pants. Step step…pull up the pants…step step…pull up the pants. I figured I’d have to give up. Clearly, maternity pants were just never going to stay up on me and there was either something wrong with my body or pregnant women all over the world were pulling their pants up every 30 seconds.

Google to the rescue. In desperation, I did a search for “maternity pants won’t stay up” and eventually found my way to a blog where women were chatting about a pair of maternity suspenders called Belly Ups. I didn’t even think, I just clicked and ordered. I was willing to try anything to end the torture. They arrived a few days later and, sure enough, they worked! I could wear my pants and they never fell down. It was like a miracle. You do have to attach them to the non-stretchy part of your pants and then to your bra, so you’re better off not using a really nice bra when you wear them because they do stretch out the material a bit. Anyone else have any “miracle” products that helped them through pregnancy?

Jet Baby Blue

Nest Lori — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 16:34:00 GMT

Two weeks ago we took our 10-month-old son on his first flight to visit his grandmother in Rochester, NY. Even though the airtime was only an hour and our total trip was only three days, we still hauled what felt like a week's worth of gear through the airport -- the concept of "traveling light" simply doesn't exist when you're traveling with a baby.

We received some great tips ahead of time from BTDT moms, and developed some methods of our own. Here are some things you can do to make your next flight with baby a lot less turbulent:

Contact your airline ahead of time. Find out their policies on checking strollers and car seats, and how much extra baby-related baggage you're allowed. Our airline let us take a big diaper bag and didn't count it as part of our carry-ons.

Consolidate. Anything you can bring that is dual-purpose will make life simpler. I saw a few people using the Go-Go Kidz Travelmate (shown here), which easily attaches on to your carseat and converts it into a stroller. Brilliant!

A sling or carrier is great for going through security. Since we had to put our stroller on the x-ray conveyor belt (we brought our folding Maclaren Triumph), I wore Cooper in my beloved Ergo Carrier through the security area. Having two hands free made things much easier, especially when recollecting our belongings after passing through the checkpoint.

Don't necessarily board early. As a courtesy, airlines allow you to board the plane early if you're traveling with small children. Reconsider doing this. Remember it takes 30+ minutes for everyone else to board, and all of that is just extra time your child will be spending in a cramped seat getting antsy. You don't have to board early.

Sit in the window seat. I'm normally an aisle person, but since I was holding Cooper on my lap, we wound up trading seats with the kind woman sitting next to us. Being in the window seat prevented his squirmy arms and legs from stretching out into the aisles where flight attendants and other passengers are constantly walking back and forth. (Yes, it's a harder seat to get out of, but we figured that was the trade-off).

Feed on take-off and landing. The changes in pressure bother those little ears so it's a good idea to nurse or bottle-feed your baby during the ascent and descent. This forces them to swallow and helps keep the ears open -- worked like a charm for us!

Bring entertainment! So they don't wind up trying to climb up the seat in front of you (as Cooper attempted several times), bring tons of books and toys to keep baby's attention. Remember to leave home anything that squeaks loudly or makes noises -- the passengers sans-baby will thank you.

Plan ahead and relax. Travelling with kids can be stressful. Make packing lists for yourself and tape them on the back of the front door so you won't forget anything on your way out. If you are visiting family, contact them ahead of time and ask them to pick up things like diapers and wipes -- this will prevent you from having to pack such bulky items in your luggage.

Do any traveling Nestie moms have more tips to share? Add them below!

Setting Office Hours as a SAHM

Nest Amy — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 17:07:00 GMT

If you've followed my blog, you know that opted for the SAHM route about a year ago. But, all along, I've committed naptime and evening hours to continuing my career as a publicist and event planner -- and that has been one key to keeping my sanity.

But looking after a toddler, your house, and juggling freelance projects often feels like a harder job than your typical 9-to-6 full time job. After all, I am now responsible (and completely accountable) for keeping my boy happy, fed, changed, entertained and safe while finding time to squeeze in the dishes, grocery shopping, paying bills, AND working on several jobs simultaneously. I cannot complain because this new schedule allows me to spend most of his awake hours as an SAHM -- but I find it hard to do everything.....and feel a constant tug of war again about balancing my crazy, happy life.

I've decided to set office hours with my clients, and be upfront about my availability with business partners. So long as I can prioritize my tasks to fit into this schedule, I have been able to meet all demands.

Are any of you in this same place in your life? I would suspect that any mom with starting a business in mind or working from home might feel the same way I do? Advice?