Today marks the first day of my last trimester, I am officially seven months pregnant! I have been wanting to write this post for a while, my favorite products that have helped me get by during my first few months of pregnancy. It's been a roller coaster of emotions and exhaustion but I am so happy the end is near. Hope some of these items help you as much as they have helped me. 

Madewell Maternity Skinny Jeans
I love these so much they got their own dedicated post, you can read it here. They are soft and comfortable, hug you in all the right places and the belly fabric allows them to work with you from small bump to postpartum. If you’re only getting one pair, make sure this is it!

HATCH Collection Belly Oil

Some people say stretch marks are genetic, some people say it depends on how to treat your body during your pregnancy. Truth is doesn’t hurt to help you skin a little bit during this process where your belly stretches so very much. I love this oil because keeps my skin incredibly moisturized and soft. Seven months, 18 pounds extra and no stretch marks yet! Comes with a huge applicator that makes it easy to drop product on your belly after a hot shower. 

Pregnancy Pillow

I call this my banana pillow although it looks nothing like one haha I was having all kinds of back and hip pain and this pillow helped tremendously. I cozy myself up in the middle and it hugs me in all of the right places. Makes it so easy to sleep on my side too. The only down side to this is that my dog discovered it and now we fight over it; he’s such a cutie. He usually naps on it all day and then I get to sleep on it at night. Pretty fair deal I’d say.

Charlotte Tilbury Face Powder

You know that pregnancy “glow” people always talk about? I mostly sweat and no body part is safe. I have combo skin and was used to powdering myself up once or twice a day to keep things from looking greasy, but even since I got pregnant my face became significantly shinier. I added this primer to my routine and the Charlotte Tilbury powder. It’s made significant difference. Is still blot and powder a couple more times than I used to but it is not as bad.

Cotton Sleeping Gown

 I am typically a sweat pants and tank kind of girl for lounging around the house. I also love little short sets or rompers for sleeping, but with the growing belly the last thing I want is to feel restricted. I purchased a couple of these cotton gowns and they have been life savers. They let me move around freely and keep me cool overnight. I usually throw this robe on when I wake up and after I shower.

Superga Sneakers

I always wanted to be one of those cool women who wear suits and business dresses with sneakers to work. I never thought I could actually pull it off until my flats and heels got so uncomfortable I had to start wearing sneakers to work often. I decided to purchase these Superga sneakers in classic white and have not taken them off since. They offer great arch support and are quite soft. Meaning as it gets later in the day and my feet start to get swollen these shoes accommodate the changes that are happening. They are great for flying too!

Bella Bands

Got these at Target when I was around 8 weeks pregnant. Not much of a belly but I was so uncomfortably swollen I needed some help. They worked amazingly well with all of my business pants and jeans. I purchased one in white and one in black and they carried me all the way through month 5 when my belly popped and I had to invest in actual maternity clothes.

Large Water Bottle

 We all know drinking water is important to keep our bodies healthy. When you are pregnant is is PARTICULARLY important to stay hydrated. Like I mentioned above, pregnancy “glow” is mostly sweat so you need to make up for all the water you are sweating through the day. It also helps with constipation {gross, I know}, keeping your skin moisturized and swelling down. I am usually good at drinking water while at the office since I keep my Yeti cup on my desk, but I noticed I wasn’t as diligent at home and during weekends so I purchased this 25 oz water bottle and it’s been a lifesaver. I aim to drink 4 of these which equals 3 litters of water a day. Enough to help my body to function properly. Best part…it’s less than $20 dollars!

Lululemon Align Shorts

I have raved about my Ingrid & Isabel workout leggings before. But once it started getting hot and my mileage on my walks started getting longer pants were too hot for me to handle. I did some research and noticed a lot of women raved about the Align collection from Lulu for pregnancy so I went and got a couple shorts. LOVED THEM. Super soft, no chaffing or movement and they keep my legs cool during my workouts. If you are a summer pregnant lady and are working hard to stay active I would definitely give these a try.

HATCH Collection Dress or Jumpsuit

Yes I know they are pricey and it is more of a splurge but here me out…you’ll wear it ALL the time. The brand is focused on making clothes you can wear before, during and after pregnancy so it is not an investment piece you’ll be wearing only a few months. I was rocking their silk jumpsuit way before I was pregnant {seen here}. I have since invested in a couple dresses I keep wearing over and over. I have my eyes on this {and the pink dress I linked above} and this and maybe I’ll get just one more before my pregnancy wraps up. I would stick to fabrics that are matching washable and styles that you can wear to work and play.

Hope you found this helpful!
xx,
Nicole

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First Pregnancy: Picking The Perfect Maternity Jeans

Jeans // Top // Bag // Sunglasses

First time pregnancy wardrobe challenges can be quite overwhelming. Should I buy bigger sizes? Should I wait to shop? Will this fit me later? For me it was a combination of wanting to have comfortable clothes and look cute but not over-buy pregnancy items that I could only wear for a few months. For the most part, with jeans and pants I got away with wearing my regular clothes and using belly bands to keep my pants in place but things quickly turned on week 20.

By the time I hit five months and my belly started to pop it became obvious my belly band idea was no longer an option. Pants were sliding down and was an overall uncomfortable situation. I decided to shop for ONE pair of classic skinny maternity jeans that I could wear through pregnancy and the first few months after giving birth {yes I am hopeful to lose the weight rather quickly, but I am also realistic}. I ordered jeans from three different brands from Shopbop, two brands from Nordstrom as well as H&M, a few from ASOS and Madewell. Not surprisingly, I ended up with Madewell.

It makes sense to me that the brand would fit my changing body so well since they are my go-to for regular jeans -and just about everything in between-. I went by the reviews and ordered a size down {yay for vanity sizing while pregnant! ha!} so I got a size 26 instead of my usual 27. They fit perfectly! They were a bit sung in the very beginning, but that happens even with regular jeans. Once I wore them for a little while and they relaxed they were perfect. My advice on sizing would be order according to WHERE in your body you gain your weight. My pregnancy weight has gone mostly to my belly, boobs and face. But my arms, legs and bottom have remained slim. So sizing down made sense. If your weight tends to go towards your bottom and hips I would stick to your regular size. Make sure to wash inside out in cold water and air dry for best results.

Overall I ended up buying {and returning} over 10 pairs of jeans; and my favorite kind were the ones finished with the soft fabric belly band, like these skinny jeans from Madewell. Contrary to what I was expecting, the fabric band does not slide down, bunch up or restrict the kind of tops I am able to wear. It is super soft and accommodating, I’ve been wearing this jeans for almost two months now and my belly has grown significantly. Still as comfortable as ever. If you are concerned about the navy blue fabric and lighter tops just wear a nude cami. That’s what I did on this look and it camouflaged the darkness perfectly. This gauzy top is from Madewell’s new Spring collection. Love the loose look and fabric. It will be perfect for the hot summer days coming up.

Hope you find this post helpful in deciding what kind of maternity jeans to get. Have a wonderful week!

xx,
Nicole

*Thank you Madewell for partnering up with me for this post. 

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Madewell Rainbow Dress

Dress // Bag // Sandals

Days are starting to get warmer and longer as weeks go by, which means summer is right around the corner! As we start preparing for hot humid days in Austin I am also mentally getting ready for being in my third trimester heavily pregnant with 100 degree days. I am currently shopping for easy dresses I can wear now and transition to after the baby is born. Pieces that will keep me cool and comfortable through the last leg of this pregnancy.

I love Madewell’s colorful Spring collection. I spotted this little dress and was immediately drawn to the rainbow speckled gauzy fabric and colorful sleeves and neckline. I sized up to a size Small and it worked out perfectly. I was a bit worried about the slip maybe being tight but it accommodated the bump and boobs quite comfortably. I styled here with my brown leather sandals and rattan bag; a typical Friday office outfit for me {grateful for casual Fridays!}.

They recently started previewing part of their Summer 2019 collection and I already have a few things on my radar, like this dress, this bag and this top. I just love shopping for warm weather outfits!

Until next time!
Nicole

*Thank you Madewell for sponsoring this post. 

 

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First Pregnancy: Building A Maternity Wardrobe

Dress // Sneakers // Sunglasses // Bag

Maternity wear is a whole new world for me. As excited as I am to dress the bump and look good every day, I also don’t want to break the bank or purchase too much since this situation/body is temporary {hopefully! haha}. I see all kinds of adorable maternity dresses and jumpsuits but have limited myself to only purchasing a couple. I am a firm believer in investing in pieces I can wear long term, during and after pregnancy, so I decided to stick to the brands I normally purchase and go up a size. Madewell is one of my absolute favorite ones, so they were my starting point when my body started changing and I needed a couple dresses that would accommodate my chest and belly. Their selection did not disappoint.

Now, there are certain items I have bought that are in fact maternity, and I’ll be going over those in future posts. But for today in particular I want to share what I look for on a non-maternity piece:

• Flowy silhouette
• Elastic back {to accommodate an expanding chest}
• Comfortable straps/sleeves
• Longer length {shorter hems might become TOO short once the bump starts growing}
• Washable Fabrics {dry cleaning? Ain’t nobody got time for that!}
• Quality

Overall I am interested in a shape I’ll be able to wear AFTER the baby is born. This Madewell linen dress is the perfect example. It accommodates my upper body comfortably, has plenty of space for belly growth and I’ll be able to wear this for years to come since it’s a classic summer style. I did notice on their website the dress had low reviews due to it not being lined but I have to say I did not think it was an issue at all. I’ve worn it twice so far with nude underwear and it’s been fine. The skirt is so well constructed with plenty of fabric to create a beautiful ruffle flow around the dress. Personally, I love it without lining. I think it would have been way too hot for summer with extra fabric.

Paired here with sneakers is the perfect weekend outfit to head to brunch and errands. I can also see myself wearing it with sandals and a straw hat when I gets hotter and even wedges and a nice statement earring for date night.

I’m very excited to start these series on how to build a lean maternity wardrobe that you can wear for pregnancy and beyond. Looking forward to sharing more tips with you.

Until next time!
Nicole

*Thank you Madewell for partnering up with me for this post.

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