Pretty Me Maternity

Boppy Noggin Nest Cog Wheels Head Support

2009-11-10T02:08:00.000-08:00

This adorable little invention is a great sleep aid for your baby and has great reviews from mothers. It is supposed to help your baby sleep comfortably without getting a flat head. We know that today's medical guidance suggests putting babies to sleep on their backs, as doing do has cut the SIDS rate by 50% in the US. However, many babies end up with flat heads from being put to sleep this way, instead of a round head, as their heads are still being molded so early in life. While generally not dangerous, it can aesthetically displease their moms, elicit annoying comments, and in some cases can actually require the use of a helmet to reshape their little heads, already a bigger issue.
This cute, little device has a padded pillow-like area for the head that elevates it and keeps the head from laying flat on the mattress. Cool, no? We think so.

What You Eat is What Your Baby Will Eat

2009-11-04T06:44:00.000-08:00

Ever hear that you are what you eat? This applies to your baby as well, in a slightly different way. Studies show that what you eat when you are pregnant is likely to affect your baby's tastes when he or she begins to eat. If you eat smart and healthy while expecting, your baby is actually more likely to enjoy the same foods later on! So it is worthwhile to eat well - you'll have less to worry about later when trying to get your kids to eat their fruits and veggies.

A Winter Wardrobe

2009-11-01T23:30:00.000-08:00

Most women are not looking to spend a fortune on a maternity wardrobe. Maternity is generally worn for 5 or 6 months at a time and then stowed away, perhaps to be worn again at a later date, perhaps not. The truth is, many women prefer to buy a few pieces for each pregnancy and then update for the next one in any case.
If a pregnancy is spread out over a few seasons, all the more reason for someone to be choosier about which pieces to purchase.
Key pieces for Winter essentials are a great, black pencil skirt. We love the Olian longer length Ponti skirt. The fabric is lightwieght, but just thick enough to provide a little extra warmth for the colder months. The new length is a fabulous, sophisticated style. And of course it goes with everything.
One great, fashion shirt, like the Mod Ruffle top from Juliet Dream. Pink and feminine, warm and chic. Can work for casual, career, or evening out.
A neutral sweater, like the wrap sweater, a bestseller. Very flattering style that looks great over whatever you've got.
And last but not least, some warm tights!

Sweaters are in!

2009-11-01T07:38:00.000-08:00

We have some gorgeous new sweaters in for the fall. Even though pregnant women inevitably feel hot toward the end of their pregnancies, at least one sweater is a must for stepping outside when the air starts getting colder.
The best styles have some sort of closure but are open toward the bottom so that your belly has room for expansion. You don't want the bottom to be too open, as then your belly will pop right through it. The bottom should look closed without being closed.
The collared sweater is a fabulous bet. In a neutral tan color, great styling, and luscious, yummy fabric.

Foods to Avoid

2009-10-28T08:02:00.000-07:00

Although almost anything in small amounts will not harm a growing fetus, there are many foods that can have an adverse affect in unusual cases. It's best to avoid these foods in general because you don't want to take any risks.

According to the American Pregnancy Association, pregnant women should not consume the follwoing:

1. Many raw foods such as meat, poultry, eggs, fish, and milk (not pastuerized.) Any of these foods many contain contaminants such as bacteria, salmonella, listeria, any of which could get into the bloodstream and affect the baby.

2. High mercury fish, such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish.Tuna fish has less but should be consumed in moderation, only once every 2 weeks. The mercury can affect brain development.

3. Caffeine, which different studies show to cause different problems.

4. Alcohol, which even in small quantities can be a lot for the tiny baby, and is associated with undesirable outcomes.

GBS

2009-10-22T11:56:00.000-07:00

Depending on where you are in your pregnancy, you may or may not have heard about the "GBS" test. What is it and why is it important?
GBS stands for group B strep, and it is an infection that can get passed from mother to baby during delivery. It is a bacteria that can be found in a significant, although nor majority, percentage of healthy women. Most of these women will not become ill, but if the bacteria gets passed to the baby it can be quite dangerous. Therefore, most doctors will do a test on the mother in the 37th week of pregnancy to see if she is positive. This is a simple, internal swipe, so blood test, so it's fairly easy on the mother, and can be very important to the baby's health.
Most of the time, if the mother tests positive, the doctor will administer antibiotics through and IV during delivery. This greatly reduces the chance that the baby will contract the infection or be harmed by it.

New Products for Babies

2009-10-20T03:26:00.000-07:00

Baby slings are the hot products that have got moms running to carry their little ones. Although they've been around forever and are staples in less industrialized societies, they've only become popular in the US recently. Now many companies are making them in gorgeous fabrics in styles that are easy to wear for the new mommy, and fast track chic women are embracing them - pun intended.

So what exactly is the use? "Wearing" your baby in the first months of his or her life is supposed to increase the bond between you and your baby. Your baby was inside of you for nine months, so that is her comfort zone. Keeping her close to your body provides a soothing environment for her while she learns about the outside world. Many women claim that they also help the baby sleep nicely.

For many moms, slings are also a great way to carry around the baby hands-free. You get to keep her close by while being able to talk on the phone, read, or just get around without pushing a stroller.

One of the hottest slings on the market is the hotslings, pictured above. Great patterns and look how easy it is to wear!

2009-10-20T03:12:00.000-07:00

Hey All!
We are going to start a series of reports on pregnancy.
Since we like routine, Here's how it's going to work:
Sundays: Maternity Fashion - new products, great ideas, and celebrity cop
Monday: Information about our site, like sales, promotion, new products, etc.
Tuesdays: New products for babies
Wednesdays: Important information for the pregnant lady
Thursday: Important information for mom-to-be

Since it's Tuesday, stayed tune for the first in our new blog!

New for Fall

2009-09-21T22:52:00.000-07:00

Lots of great new merchandise in for Fall! We're seeing muted colors typical for great Fall style. Browns and heathers lead the way. Stunning new tops from Juliet Dream just arrived! You can just feel the chill in the air.

Great Silhouette - The Pencil Skirt!

2009-06-23T01:20:00.000-07:00

When we first opened, we seriously missed out on the great, basic, black pencil skirt. Somehow our buyer just skipped over it. But after many requests, we got some, sold some, and now we have them in many different fabrics! Almost all of them are multi-seasonal, making a great staple even more necessary. Here are some great ones!
The quintessential best seller - Ripe's pencil skirt! Comes in black and sand. In a lightweight, stretch sateen, They go with everything and can be worn in most climates.
The Ponti Skirt by Olian - heavier stretch jersey worn under the belly. Super comfortable.
Vertigo Pencil Skirt - lighter-weight stretch jersey by Olian with foldover panel. Looser, generous fit.

Best summer skirts

2009-06-21T05:48:00.000-07:00

We love the brown tiered skirt from Olian! Lightweight, comfortable, and matches everything. The perfect summer skirt!

For something more dressy, the black pearl skirt is terrific. Also lightweight, but with the extra oomph of cream colored lace at the hem. Totally pretty.

Both skirts will give you style and comfort to ease you through the hot days of summer.

New Styles - A Change for the Better!

2009-05-19T00:45:00.001-07:00

It's been a while since we posted, and we have fantastic new styles for spring! We love the cool chic of Maternal America's Spring showings, like this gorgeous raspberry colored shirt, makes you look pretty and delicate while giving your tummy space to grow.
The new maternity styles are not trying to "hide" your changing figure, but rather helping you to look your best while giving you room to expand and feel comfortable. Although there are still some expandable, elasticized waistbands, we are in a new era of stretch, foldover waistbands that hug and give room all in the right places. Of course much of the new offerings show a lot more than we like here at Pretty Me , so we have kept our selection to tasteful and classy.

Winter Maternity

2008-11-26T00:47:00.001-08:00

So most of us get so hot when we're pregnant we don't really need too many sweaters. But, some warm tops are helpful to get us through the really cold days. Anyway, how can you give up turtlenecks in the winter?

Here are our suggestions for maternity to get you through the cold:

1. A great wrap or zip sweater. One that looks great matched up as an outfit, but can do double duty as an extra layer with anything else. Try The katie poncho (sooo cute!) or the Chunky cardigan.

2. A basic turtleneck in a great color, like soft pink.

3. A warm, yummy winter skirt, like the toledo skirt.

And of course a fabulous scarf that you picked up on sale at Bloomingdales.

New pictures!

2008-11-26T00:38:00.000-08:00

Yes, we were also getting bored of the main picture on our homepage. Although we love it dearly, it's been nearly a year! So...we've got a new one! It's really pretty, of course. And, we plan to change it quite often.

World Breastfeeding Month

2008-08-13T00:46:00.000-07:00

Study after study shows that breastfeeding is best for your baby. The natural composition of the milk that perfectly fits your baby's needs, the special closeness created when you hold your baby close to you, it all blends together to create the ideal situation for nurturing your little one. August is world breastfeeding month, and we have gotten in some great nursing gear to get your wardrobe going! Check out the new meta top by majamas.
At Pretty Me Maternity

Nursing Shawls are in!

2008-07-28T11:41:00.000-07:00

They are a nursing mom's best friend - nurse modestly anywhere you go! These nursing shawls from NursEase are soooo pretty, you will be so excited to pull one out in the park! Or in the mall! Or anywhere! I used to use a blanket but after my babies kicked and pulled, or the blanket fell off every time that I moved, I just gave up. Now there is such a darling and functional alternative! 100% organic cotton, for $26! Yay!

Getting the right fit

2008-07-27T00:47:00.000-07:00

Almost all maternity web sites will tell you to wear the same size in pregnancy that you wore before. I will say something different.
For some people, this will be the case. Everyone carries differently, so there are the few who gain no weight except in their stomachs, and they can wear the same size throughout pregnancy.
HOWEVER, many women gain in other places too and do better one size up. I was a small before my first pregnancy and bought a nice selection of smalls and mediums for maternity. A lot of the smalls didn't fit toward the end. When the super-skinny saleslady was trying to convince me to buy the mediums, I was fighting her saying "No! but I am a small too!" desperately trying to maintain my image as slim, which had been difficult for me to attain. Well, she was right, and many of my customers who have a good self image already know that. Really, it doesn't matter what the tag says. You need your clothes to grow with you. Also, some tops will rise as your stomach expands and will leave some noticeable skin showing if the size is too small.
So you need to keep in mind two things: 1, your stomach will grow a lot, but 2, your shoulders will not. What I mean is that not all tops will look good one size up because they have to fit the upper part of your torso as well.
The idea is try to find appropriate tops that fit in the shoulders and still have room to expand in the stomach. The Erin top is a great example, because the cap sleeves are sloping and therefore cal fit different sized shoulders, while the roomy fit lets it grow with your stomach.
Alas, there will always be a few things that don't quite last the whole 9 months, so do keep in mind that you may need a few extras toward the end. We have so many customers who walk in at eight months and just need something new after wearing the same thing for so long.

Maternity clothing you can't live without

2008-07-22T01:10:00.000-07:00

What are the pieces you just can't live without? We think you need 5 basic items:
1. A great black skirt. Our most popular is the Lilo long black skirt. The title kind of says it all. This is the ultimate wear-all-the-time goes-with-everything skirt. At only $38, customers buy 2!
2. A fabulous, comfortable colored shirt. The shirt you can wear casual or dressy, and looks terrific so you feel really great when you wear it. Good example, the Olian blue circles top, which is now on sale!
3. A great layering shell to complement your shirts - like the 3/4 sleeve layer in ecru.
4. A great every day tee to throw on and run out - like the Cotton Glam Hoodie, one of our bestsellers at only $40!
5. An awesome dressy piece, like our brand new pink plaid outfit from Maternal America! (okay, it's 2 pieces but they are great together!)

Because this is when you look your best!

2008-07-21T00:13:00.000-07:00

Ok, so what do people really think this means? Do you look your best when you're expecting? Do you want to look your best when expecting? People talk about the "glow" that pregnant women have. Does that make you look better? Or does constant throwing up and feeling nauseous and putting on tons of weight make you look gross?

Well, that's sort of the point. I love having great maternity clothes because then even when I feel totally yucko, I get dressed and then I feel good! Clothing DEFINITELY affects how we feel about ourselves, even if they don't define us. So in the midst of crazy physical changes, you get dressed beautifully and then you can sit back and be thankful for the tiny miracle forming inside of you.

Summer sale is here! Yay!

2008-07-14T01:14:00.001-07:00

Okay, you've waited long enough...summer sale is here! Lots of summer merchandise has been reduced 30-50%! That's right, we don't play games here with sales. We have some great deals on in-season items to make way for the new crop of awesome maternity clothing on its way in. There are a few new items already here, and Fall is just starting to come. We are sadly going to remove the exciting S*P*R*I*N*G is here! category from the listing since spring is no longer here, and it will be replaced with New Arrivals! Don't worry, you can still find remaining Spring items in the other categories. Check out our sale items now! Happy shopping!

Maternity for Weddings

2008-07-10T02:42:00.001-07:00

When invited out for a special occasion, of course you want to look your best.
We are often asked about clothing for weddings and other special occasions. Its seems so hard to come by, and why invest in a maternity special occasion dress to wear just once?
We have a couple of suggestions.
Firstly, there are affordable options out there! You don't have to spend a ton of money on a fancy dress. One of our bestsellers is the Taffetta Belt dress by Belly Basics, super comfortable, gorgeous. and only $120. It's classic styling should last through several pregnancies.
Anther fab idea is to dress up something simple to make is spectacular. For example, you can take a plain black dress and add great jewelry and heels, and you are set. Try the side shirred dress.
Or, just invest in either a great skirt or top, and pair it with something simple that you own. The lace top will look terrific with almost any black skirt, and the ball skirt will look ultra chic with a plain black sweater.
Whatever your choice is, great accessories, like jewelry, bags, scarves, or shoes can take it from drab to dressy in no time.

As Google takes over the world...

2008-07-08T00:20:00.000-07:00

On day 2 in blogworld I have added Google adsense to this page. This was a decision that required thought, because I have seen it on other web sites advertising for competitors, which looks sort of silly! However, I decided to do it because we are totally confident that our merchandise is better and more reasonably priced than any competition. And so far, the only ads I have noticed coming up are for saving starving people and reading about social entrepreneurs, two great causes.

Did you see our first newsletter? How exciting is that! If you haven't yet seen it, send me an email and we'll send it over to you. There's a great promotion in there...

Yay! We have a blog!

2008-07-07T01:06:00.000-07:00

Hooray! We finally have a blog today!
We'll keep it short and sweet to start.

We'll be posting often about our views on pregnancy, maternity clothing, styles, nursing, kids, and lots of other things sandwiched in between. And, oh yeah, all the stuff going on here at pretty me.

Today, as I am experimenting here in blogworld, I will just tell you that I have the greatest job, dealing with pregnancy and clothing - what as awesome combination! I get to pick the best styles from each season's crop, and present them to you. This comes in a close second to being a mommy :)

We'll be back tomorrow with some more interesting things. ba-bye!