We love Me2Roo…a clothing line that inspires us to stay fit and feel good about ourselves throughout all stages of pregnancy and motherhood! Check out just a few of our favorites in their line:

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New Jersey-based Me2Roo was founded by Maggie Zembruski in October 2010. Zembruski was born with a passion for fitness and fashion where no stiletto was ever too high, even in her ninth month of pregnancy. After leaving her job at Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy, Zembruski went on a mission to combine her passions in life with her newly loved job: motherhood. Zembruski’s belief in a “happy, healthy mommy = happy, healthy baby” is channeled through her clothing line to inspire women to exercise and feel positive about themselves along with the changes their bodies experience pre and post pregnancy.

 {Maggie with her son and daughter}

We are so excited to have Maggie as a guest writer on our blog today, and hope you feel as inspired as we do after reading her wonderful tips on pregnancy fitness classes! Enjoy!

Fitness Classes to Shape Up Your Bump by Maggie Zembruski

Fitness classes may not be at the top of a pregnant woman’s list as countless other thoughts and responsibilities move to the head of the class but hitting the gym, or even undertaking an at-home workout can provide real benefits for both you and your baby! Exercise helped me with many of the aches and pains associated with pregnancy, improved sleep (that is, when I got sleep), and elevated my spirit.   As always, check with your doctor before undertaking even minor workout but here are several great fitness options for pregnancy.

Excusing myself from the calculated treadmill routine I started with a little yoga to prep mind for my body transformation. Baby steps for the seasoned fit fanatic, but – boy did it do this mommy good.

My prego-exercise journey starts with FITiST (www.fitist.com) which has a mom-to-be smorgasbord of ”doctor approved" plans for a healthy pregnancy. Fitist.com aims to be your fitness coach, curator, and calendar by bundling the best boutique fitness classes NYC and LA has to offer. Mom-to-be, New Mom and Slim are just some of the packages being offered by FITiST. A healthy fit-mom can log into FITiST and create a workout plan which includes twelve Core/Pilates classes, twelve yoga classes and a cycling class. Flywheel for a cardio blast of indoor cycling and SLT which combines cardio and Pilates are just two of my favorite butique classes being offered by FITiST. 

Here are some simple exercise ideas that made my pregnancy plans even healthier.

Yoga and pilates are good staples of any new mommy’s workout! Both can serve as amazing routines for maintaining muscle tone to carry some of the extra weight.  I found Yoga to be a huge help due to its relaxing quality…a real stress-buster for even the most wired moms!

Step up to the barre at barre3 for a modern alternative with a fusion of yoga, pilates and ballet. Shaking, squeezing and stretching are all part of barre3’s ultimate muscle-shaping routine. The hour long class which combines isometric training (squeezing your butt), elongating your muscles and a bit of cardio to sculpt the perfect routine. barre3 offers locations nationwide.  Talk to a professional to obtain some modifications to accommodate the growing belly.

For the final months of your pregnancy, water aerobics can provide lots of splash to ease joint pain while providing a relaxing exercise.

With some simple modifications, this is the time to have some fun with traditional fitness routines.  Remember, after your first trimester, utilize a workout bench or stability ball when exercising. Oxygen flow decreases when lying on your back. Core work is fine until you can start to see your belly pop which typically happens between weeks 8 to 20. Take the extra time to stretch your back and legs.  And don't forget to do the breathe test - if you can't catch your breath your baby may not get enough oxygen and blood so take it down a step or two. 

Learn more about Me2Roo:

:: Website: www.me2roo.com 

:: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/maternity.activewear  

:: Blog: http://me2roo.com/blog/   

:: Twitter: @me2roo 

As you’ve probably noticed…we LOVE sharing great resources for parents and products for kids here on the blog! As parent’s ourselves, we are constantly looking for tips, information, and “stuff” to help us out as we do our best to raise our kids! Today, we are excited to share with you another wonderful resource out there… Super Healthy Kids.

With a consistently (and what feels eternal) picky eater living under my roof, I am forever looking for help on the matter (see my past post, “Feeding the Picky Toddler” here).  Luckily, on my quest to conquer poor eating habits, I have found that I am not the only mother out there who struggles with getting their child to eat the right foods…or to eat ANYTHING for that matter!  Thanks to Super Healthy Kids, I feel like my goal of improving and diversifying my son’s eating habits is attainable!

Super Healthy Kids was put together by two nutrition educators who want to make it easier to feed your kids better.  They focus mainly on fruits and vegetables, and how to make them simple, fun, and delicious for your little eaters.  They offer everything from menu plans and ideas, to recipes, gardening tips, and much more.  They have a super helpful blog, and a wonderful weekly newsletter.  Also offered by Super Healthy Kids are awesome products for feeding time, like their My Plate which helps to promote balanced meals.

If you are a parent, and are trying to promote healthy eating habits in your children, we highly recommend spending some time over at Super Healthy Kids  (www.superhealthykids.com) .

A few of my favorite picky eater blog posts from Super Healthy Kids:

:: Picky Eaters: How to Diversify Their Diets

:: My Best Strategy for Turning a Picky Eater

:: Picky Eaters

And… another great blog post stumbled upon this week about kids and veggies… “The Kid Versus the Vegetables,” by Constance Marie over on People.com’s Celebrity Baby Blog.

Best of Luck!
 

Summer is definitely here, and the heat has undoubtedly arrived!  With a three-year-old on my hands, we spend a fair share of our time outside...particularly at the pool.   Also in tow on our summertime outings is my infant, whose safety I have worried about when partaking in the fun. So…I looked to several resources for answers…and was surprised by some of the information that I found.  I think now my infant can be safer in these conditions, and hopefully yours can, too!

Q: When are babies old enough to get in the pool?

There are a few reasons why it is recommended that young infants stay out of the pool.  First, it is important to recognize that chlorine doesn’t kill all bacteria.  Infants have a higher vulnerability to illness, and therefore have a higher chance of picking up a yucky bug from the swimming pool.  Baby’s skin and eyes are also more sensitive to chlorine, so it’s a good idea to avoid heavily chlorinated pools.  Also, an important factor to consider before letting baby take a dip is the temperature of the pool water.  It is important that the pool water is warm enough because babies aren’t yet able to fully regulate their body temperature.  A pool needs to be somewhere around 84-86 degrees (F) to be comfortable.  Also, hot tubs and pools that are more than 100 degrees (F) are off limits to babies and children under five years old.

Jennifer Shu, a pediatrician and co-author of Heading Home with Your Newborn has this to say on the matter, "There's no exact age when it becomes safe to take a baby into a swimming pool, and I wouldn't tell parents never to take a young baby swimming, as long as they take these factors into consideration. For a rough guideline, though, 6 months and up is a safer time than infancy to take a baby for a dip."

Q: Can my baby wear sunscreen?

The answer is no…and yes. Let’s explain…

There are baby sunscreens on the market, but it is advised that you do not use them on babies under six months of age.  However, the American Academy of Pediatrics recently suggested that they are probably safe for children younger than six months on small areas, like the face and hands.  It is best to choose a non-chemical sunscreen with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide that just sit on top of the skin rather than those that are absorbed.  It is not certain that chemical sunscreens will harm babies, but there are still a lot of unknowns about them and their effect on infants- so it’s probably best to avoid them.  You may want to check out Neutrogena’s Pure and Free Baby Sunblock Lotion …made to accommodate baby’s sensitive skin while blocking the sun.

Obviously, the best way to protect your baby’s sensitive skin is to keep them in the shade or indoors.  However, if your baby is going to be in the sun, there are things other than sunscreen that you can do to keep them protected.  Dressing your baby in things like long sleeved swim shirts and large brimmed hats is a good place to start. 

Q: What things should I be doing to make sure my baby isn’t overheating?

Because of the inability to fully regulate body temperature, it is vital to take extra precautions to help baby beat the heat.  Always remember to provide good ventilation.  Babies don’t perspire effectively yet, so never have a baby in a hot room or hot car with poor circulation for very long. 

It’s also important to keep your baby hydrated (see below), and if they looked  flushed, have warm skin, breathe rapidly, or become restless…it’s time to hydrate and find a cooler place as these could be signs of dehydration. 

In the heat, also take extra caution when putting babies in car seats and strollers.  Always check them before putting your baby in to avoid burns from hot seat buckles and to prevent overheating. 

Keep in mind that you should never let a baby sleep in a room that’s too hot.  A fan or air conditioner should always be running with a baby in the house, but remember to never put a fan blowing directly on your baby.  Another important fact to be aware of is that, although there are still so many unknowns about SIDS, it has been suggested that when babies are too hot in their sleep, the chance of SIDS is greater. If your baby is exposed to heat, giving them a sponge bath or bathing them in lukewarm water is a great way to help them cool down. 

Q: How do I keep my baby properly hydrated?

Although babies don’t sweat much, they still loose fluids in hot weather.  It is recommended that baby’s fluids are increased by 50% on hot days.  With this said, it is important to know that infants should not drink water until they are at least six months old.  Drinking straight water interferes with the body’s ability to absorb nutrients in breast milk/formula, and can also lead to a serious condition called Water Intoxication . Simply replace lost liquids with extra formula or nursing more frequently.

Resources:

American Academy of Pediatrics

What to Expect

Parents Magazine

Baby Center

The period of time after baby arrives is not only an incredibly joyous one, but can also be confusing for a new mother.  With fluctuations in hormones, sleep deprivation, body issues, and a myriad of new roles…mom can sometimes feel a little overwhelmed with meeting the needs of her family and herself.

Below you will find links to some wonderful articles from Pregnancy & Newborn that are worth reading if you are a mom trying to wade your way through the days after baby is born. Also- scroll a little further for a classic post over at Pregnant Chicken: Happily Giving Birth- 10 Things They Don’t Tell You!

:: Maintaining a Good Relationship with your Partner

Mother Lover: Keeping Your Relationship Strong by Sarah Granger

:: When Baby Has an Older Sibling

And Baby Makes Four by Sarah Granger

:: Navigating the First 7 Days with Baby

Beyond the Belly by Meredith Parker Toy

:: Dealing with Postpartum Hormones

Emotional Overload by Molly Jones

:: Easy Steps to Losing Baby Weight

5 Steps to Lose the Baby Weight by Lissa Harnish Poirot

:: Find Some Humor...

Happily Giving Birth-10 Things They Don’t Tell You: Pregnant Chicken

It’s a time of utter exhaustion, when it seems that sleep should be easy to come by.  Unfortunately, however, pregnancy can offer all sorts of obstacles when it comes to getting a good (and comfortable) night’s sleep!  Between hormones, anxiety, stress, physical discomfort, and an increasingly cramped bladder… an uninterrupted night of sleep is usually highly unlikely- especially as you get further into your pregnancy.  Maybe it’s Mother Nature’s way of preparing new moms for sleepless nights to come?!

Luckily, there are a few things you can try to make your sleepy time a more pleasant one.

:: STAY HYDRATED (but not too close to bedtime)

Drinking plenty of fluids, mainly water, during the day can greatly improve how you feel at all times of the day.  Staying well hydrated can reduce your chances of muscle cramping, and improve the function of all of your organs.  Just be careful not to drink too much for the few hours before bedtime.  Chances are, you’ll be tending to your bladder at some point in the night anyway… try not to add unnecessary trips to the bathroom during the night!

:: EXERCISE REGULARLY

For optimum health, and to improve your circulation… frequent (and appropriate) exercise when pregnant can help your sleep patterns tremendously.  Try not to exercise right before bed, though, as it may increase your adrenaline and make it hard for you to settle into sleep.

:: REDUCE STRESS & ANXIETY

Find ways throughout your day to reduce stress and anxiety, so that when bedtime comes, your mind is at ease and can concentrate only on pleasant dreams!

A few tips for reducing stress and anxiety:

1.      Find people you can talk to and commiserate with. 

2.      Make lists to prepare for baby, and find peace in checking them off each day.  

3.      Give yourself a break…take a short nap during the day.

:: FIND COMFORT

While comfort is hardly a word used to describe pregnancy, you can at least improve your level of comfort when it comes to sleep.  Make pillows your friend, and experiment with ways to position them in order to achieve some support and relief from the weight of baby.  Pregnancy or body pillows can be particularly helpful, while regular pillows can typically do the trick with some adapting.  A pillow between bent knees, and one behind your back is one position that has been known to provide some relief for those expecting.  Also, if you’re feeling like baby is restricting your breathing, you can alleviate pressure on the lungs by propping yourself into a semi-sitting position with pillows. 

Keep in mind that it is recommended that expectant moms sleep on their left side for best blood flow to the fetus and to your uterus and kidneys.  It is best to avoid lying flat on your back for a long period of time.  However, don’t lose even more sleep worrying about accidently rolling on your back.  Most likely, the discomfort will awaken you anyway. 

:: ESTABLISH A BEDTIME ROUTINE

Just as important as it is to establish nighttime rituals when baby arrives, is establishing your own routine before bedtime.  Try to decompress about 45 minutes before lying down.  Try prenatal yoga, take a bath, or read a book to get your body and mind ready to settle down for sleep. Use a favorite lotion, massage your feet and hands, or light a calming candle. You can avoid restless (and awkward) tossing and turning, by preparing yourself for sleep before ever entering your bed.

Sources:

:: http://www.sheknows.com/health-and-wellness/articles/812876/better-sleep-tips-for-pregnant-women 

:: http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/my-life/sleep/

:: http://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/landing-page.aspx

:: http://busymommymedia.com/2010/11/pregnancy-guide-week-20/ 

* image from busymommymedia.com

During the last couple of weeks as my family and friends have been making their resolutions for the New Year, I found myself opting out… I am pregnant after all.  In many avenues I feel like I’m on a hormonal planet of my own where opting out of normal activities seems normal.  Truth be told, being pregnant serves as a pretty good excuse for sitting a lot of things out.  However, I have recently decided that there is probably no better time to jump on the resolution bandwagon than when I am pregnant!

As all expecting mothers know, health and wellness during these vital 40 weeks is of utmost importance.  So, for my resolutions, I am looking to recommit myself to bettering my overall health and wellness for both myself and my baby.  I've decided on 3 main goals, and have provided some tools below to help any of you expectant moms out there as well!

 1. Maintain Good Nutrition

   At my current stage of pregnancy, I am always hungry and always able to eat plenty! With this said, it can become pretty easy to let good nutrition slide.  While the old “eating for two”   theory holds some merit, it’s important not to use it as an excuse to allow yourself to eat whatever, whenever! Making sure that you are getting the right nutrients each day will not only be a gift to yourself, but to your baby as well.

   The American Pregnancy Association provides a valuable guide for pregnancy nutrition…what you should be eating, and how much of it you need to ensure that you’re getting all the essentials needed for you and baby.  You can find their guidelines here.

   I also love the article, Organized Eats from Pregnancy and Newborn…offering a week’s worth of realistic meals, broken down to help you cover all of your food group and caloric bases.

2. Participate in Daily Exercise/Stretching  

    I wish I could say that I have been as diligent with exercise this pregnancy as I was with my first.  Feeling sick combined with cold weather have served as decent excuses, at best.  Now I’m feeling the urge to improve in this avenue.  Better late than never, right?

    I’m going to commit to making a physical effort during my final trimester, and the following workout plan from the Bump seems like one I can actually follow and maintain.  I can do just about anything for 20-30 minutes a day!  Check out their plan here.

3. Enjoy the Ride

    It’s incredibly easy to find displeasure in pregnancy, with unbelievable body transformation, unattractive side effects, and less than becoming moods.  However, my goal to enjoy the ride of pregnancy is one to benefit my overall wellness and level of happiness at this stage of my life.

    If I have learned anything from being a mother to my oldest, it is that time goes fast.  I know that the second this baby is born, the myriad of milestones in his life will come and pass with increasing speed no matter how hard I try to slow it down.  I am committed to remind myself that every time I get to hear my baby’s heartbeat, or feel his movements inside me, that this too will be a phase that shall pass, and will truly be missed.  I am going to love being pregnant, even when I feel like I don’t.  Being uncomfortable cannot mask the fact that carrying a baby is a truly wonderful and unique experience… one that can never be replaced or fully described. 

   As I work to embrace my growing belly, I want to stop to appreciate the strength and capacity of my body.  Not only will I relish this unique time with my baby, I am consciously trying to  recognize the value of this precious time with my first born, with my spouse, and with my pregnant self.

   Check out what a group of What to Expect  mamas love most about pregnancy here.