Everybody loves a big ol' beautiful baby bump. The only thing cuter is the actual baby! But that bump can bring with it sometimes debilitating aches and pains. But there's no need for mothers-to-be to simply grin and bear it, not when It's You Babe has such a great line of belly support!!

Whether you're suffering from aches and pains of a large and in charge preggo belly, or need help with more serious conditions such as prolapsed uterus, pubic symphysis, hip separation, or vulvar varicosities, It's You Babe has got you covered!

I didn't have too many problems with my singleton pregnancy, but this time around with twins I'm sure I will need some help lugging around my ginormous belly!! At just 4 months, I won't need support for some time, but I went ahead and got the Best Cradle by It's You Babe.

It's a bit intimidating when you take it out of the box, but you'll figure it out in no time just from reviewing the picture on the box or going to their Prenatal Cradle how-to video. The Best Cradle differs only in that it has an adjustable waist band with three sets of hooks; the shoulder straps for both devices adjust just like a bra. You just put it over your head like a t-shirt, hook it under your belly, and adjust the shoulder straps as needed. Pretty simple really!

The support is supposed to mimic the natural ways a mother tries to support herself, such as holding up her belly with both hands, or placing a hand on her back for support. It's certainly not a sexy piece of lingerie, but it seems like an amazingly helpful product. I haven't had the chance to put it to the real test yet with my third trimester twin belly, but am looking forward to doing so in a few months and will be updating this review with those details!

You can purchase maternity support items from It's You Babe on their website or on Amazon, and one lucky winner of my $500 value Best for Your Bump Giveaway will receive her choice of either the Prenatal Cradle ($59), Best Cradle ($69), or Mini Cradle ($25)!!

There are tons of various subscription boxes out there, to be sure, they're all the rage these days! But I have a really cool one for moms-to-be that ya'll are going to love. 

Preggonista (Pregnant + Fashionista) style boxes can be purchased on a monthly subscription basis or as a one time gift (for a friend or yourself). Each box contains:

• a piece of must-have maternity wear (ex. a dress, leggings, a shirt, etc)
• an accessory (ex. a necklace, belly band, etc)
• beauty product geared for pregnant women (ex. stretch mark cream, belly oil, etc)

They have strict criteria for the clothes they include in their style boxes - all items must be: easy to care for, wearable during and after pregnancy, sophisticated essentials, and luxe easy-wear fabrics in colors that look good on everyone. 

Well, it all sounds great to me!! I couldn't wait to get my hands on a box!! Here's what came in mine:

First of all, how cute is that box? Did they know hot pink is my favorite color?? Second of all, opening it up felt like Christmas! It was all wrapped in pretty tissue paper and when I finally uncovered the goods... YIPPEEEE!!! Happy mama-to-be!!! My box included:

• A super soft (machine washable) black Seraphine maternity / nursing wrap dress (below left).
• A beautiful gold silicone easy-break clasp SmartMom Teething Bling necklace (below left).
• A Preggonista tee (below right; my first t-shirt that may actually still fit my twin belly at the very end!!).
• 1 fl oz jar of OGmama relaxing lavender organic moisture oil.

Now, full disclosure - I've never joined any subscription box services before, but this gave me a taste of how awesome they can be. I could totally get used to receiving one of these every month!! It would also make a fabulous baby shower gift, because sometimes mama needs a gift that is for HER and not the baby :) Here are the options they currently have (all include free shipping):

Monthly Style Box, $55
Gift Box, $75
Gift Box + 3 Month Subscription, $240
Gift Box + 6 Month Subscription, $375

And get this! If you sign up for the subscription, you can cancel at any time, or they'll automatically cancel your account when you reach 37 weeks (because they know new moms have more important things on their mind than remembering to cancel their subscription services!). Also, if you deliver prior to 37 weeks, simply refuse the latest delivery (i.e. return it unopened) and send them an e-mail so they can process your refund. Talk about great customer service!

Preggonista is also giving away one of their style boxes in my $500 value Best for Your Bump Giveaway!!

ENTER TO WIN HERE!!

Disclaimer: Although I did receive these products free of charge, all thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased.

If you're planning to breastfeed, you'll need a few good nursing bras (check out a review of my all-time favorite nursing bra!), but did you realize even before you welcome your bouncing bundle of joy into the world you'll have outgrown your pre-pregnancy bras? However, your soon-to-be milk monsters are far from reaching their fullest potential, so you'll find yourself in an awkward in-between zone of needing bigger and more supportive bras, but not needing official nursing bras yet. 

It's even recommended that you wear a bra to to sleep in, since your breasts may be sensitive, not to mention you'll want to avoid unnecessary flopping around and stretching of the muscles responsible for keeping the ladies nice and perky! Suffice it to say, you'll want to avoid underwire and clasps in your nighttime bra, so I have a great recommendation:

Check out the Comfort Maternity Bra by Coobie available on Nursing Bra Express for $22. It's extremely supportive, almost like a sports bra, and so super comfortable! No underwire and yet completely supportive - I'm a size C/D and since having a few bouts of mastitis while breastfeeding my son in underwire bras, I've since given them the heave ho and have been sooooo happy! 

My favorite thing about this bra? The removable pads (see below - they slip in and out via a small hole on the inside of the bra)!! I really REALLY hate nipping (possibly a result of having lived in Japan for 5 years), so having thin pads in there to offer my boobies a bit of discretion is just totally awesome in my book!!

Nursing Bra Express carries a great lineup of maternity and nursing bras, nursing tanks, postpartum shapewear, and mom & baby care - so head on over and see what they've got!

WIN A FREE MATERNITY BRA!!!!

That's right!! The grand prize winner of my Best for Your Bump Giveaway will win her choice of Coobie's Comfort Maternity Bra (below right), Strappy V-Neck Lace Trim Maternity Bra (below left), or Strappy Seamless Maternity Bra (below center) - courtesy of Nursing Bra Express!

With this pregnancy, my morning sickness started just shy of 4 weeks, before I even knew I was pregnant. By my first prenatal visit at 7 weeks, the nausea was practically intolerable. It persisted around the clock and it was all I could do to hold down food and liquid. When the midwife noticed two babies on the sonogram, it all became clear. TWINS! Double the hormones, double the nausea. Faaaaaabulous...

My midwife suggested eating at least every 1-2 hours, always including something protein in the snack. And that helped bring the insane nausea down to a terrible annoyance that left me pretty miserable and for lack of a better description, a pretty lousy mother to my toddler (i.e. LOTS of TV time).

I tried No Mo Nausea acupressure aromatherapy bands but they didn't grant me much relief (though many moms find great instant relief with them, I wasn't so lucky). So by the time I discovered Pink Stork Morning Sickness Solutions I was pretty darn desperate, excited, and wary.

I got the Mild Morning Sickness Treatment set (apparently it's "mild" if you're not vomiting), which includes the following:

Pink Stork Mist: Containing Dead Sea magnesium flakes and steam-distilled purified water. It's widely believed that a deficiency in magnesium can contribute greatly to pregnancy-related nausea, and it's believed that most adults are either mildly or moderately magnesium deficient! You can take oral supplements, but many nutrients will lower the absorption of magnesium, as will any kind of gut issues (including, ahem, vomiting), so a transdermal magnesium oil or spray such as Pink Stork's Mist is definitely the way to go. 3 spritzes equals about 100mg of magnesium. Supposedly many pregnant women find relief instantly after spritzing with this magnesium mist, however I didn't notice any myself.

Pink Stork Pro: A powerful probiotic to eradicate harmful bacteria that are believed to cause or contribute to nausea and vomiting. Probiotics are all the rage recently, and for good reason! Making sure our guts are filled with enough good bacteria to fight the bad bacteria really does a body good!! Instructions say to take two of these (completely tasteless, by the way) capsules first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach if possible. 2 capsules includes 2 billion lactobacilus acidophilus, 1.2 billion bifodobacterium bifidum, 200 million bifodobacterium longum, 200 million streptococcus thermophilus, 200 million lactobacilus bulgaricus, and 200 million lactobacilus paracesei. I started right away with the full dosage and never had any negative reactions - no diarrhea, cramping etc. Phew!

Pink Stork Cocolaurin: A pure monolaurin derived from coconut oil, the cocolaurin is the most powerful agent of the Pink Stork lineup, and acts as a "gut cleanser" against harmful bacteria and gastrointestinal issues. Monolaurin has been used for decades as a natural immune booster, and instructions recommend starting with one scoop three times a day working up to three scoops three times a day within two weeks. This supplement was the hardest for me to get used to. They're like tiny soap beads and you just toss them in your mouth and swallow with a chug of water. There's no taste or anything and the beads are very small, so they're actually easier to swallow than a regular sized pill. Just an odd feeling in your mouth!

After about 3 weeks of being on the treatment plan, I started to feel overwhelmingly better. Now, whether this was due completely to the Pink Stork Supplements or just a coincidence with relief actually being due to my body coming to terms with the hormones as I journeyed into the second trimester, well, I will never know. But, I definitely think that Pink Stork is worth a short if you're suffering from morning sickness or even hyperemesis gravidarum, as they have the mild, moderate, and severe morning sickness treatments to choose from. Please do note I am not a doctor or medical professional, and Pink Storm treatments are not regulated by the FDA. As always, please consult your health care professional before considering this regimen!

You can order Pink Stork products on their website and Amazon, and you can also enter to win a Mild Morning Sickness Treatment set in my $500 value Best for Your Bump Giveaway, running through April 28!

ENTER TO WIN HERE!!
Disclaimer: Although I did receive these products free of charge, all thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased.

Eating healthy is important, and especially so while pregnant. But it's not always easy! Pregnant women find themselves with insane cravings and aversions, as well as increased nutritional needs. Prenatal vitamins are pushed by most care providers and even recommended for women to start while still trying to conceive, since consuming enough folic acid during the first few weeks following conception seems to be vital for preventing spina bifida and other severe birth defects.

But what if I were to tell you that you could avoid the scary horse sized gag reflex inducing prenatal pills for a powder that is equally nutritious and actually, dare I say it, DELICIOUS?? Well, you can!!

I give you:  Mamamlicious!!

Mamalicious is the first ever protein powder formulated specifically for pregnant women, and really packs a nutritious punch into a yummy drink! We're talking 11 grams of protein, 800mcg of folic acid (100% DV), 5mg of B6 (200% DV), 30mcg of B12 (375% DV), 255 mg of calcium (25% DV), and even probiotics! And that's before you mix it into 8 ounces of milk, a Greek yogurt smoothie, or your beverage of choice! The protein base is whey, but they even have a vegan option for you vegetarians / vegans out there!

When my midwife mentioned that I need to be consuming 175 grams of protein A DAY for the duration of my twin pregnancy, I felt extremely overwhelmed and frustrated. How can I possibly get in that much protein?? Especially when dealing with morning sickness and severe lack of appetite. It felt like a losing battle, on a daily basis. I tried a couple of protein drinks I found at the grocery store, but each swig was rather repulsive and they did not go down smoothly. 

And then I discovered Mamalicious. One scoop, together with 8 ounces of milk provides me with 19 grams of protein. What's more? It's freaking delicious!!! I'll be honest, for my taste the vanilla and vegan chocolate are alright, but the chocolate one is, in a word, AMAZING!!!! No joke, it would fit right in at Jamba Juice, Starbucks, Shake Shack... you get my point. Actually, Mamalicious should really try reaching out to be carried as a supplement at those types of shops!! I wonder what they would say if I walked up and ordered "a tall caramel light frappuccino, oh and hey can you throw a scoop of this in there?" handing over my tub of Mamalicious! HA! Actually... I may have to try this, just for the sake of research of course...

Will Mamalicious provide you with all of the nutrition you need during the long nine months of pregnancy? No, of course not. You still need to do the best you can to eat a smart and well-balanced diet. Nothing beats nutrients that come from fresh whole foods! But if you're struggling, as I am, Mamalicious sure is a (delicious) insurance policy to help you know you're doing everything you can to keep yourself and your baby as healthy as possible!

You can purchase a 14-serving tub of Mamalicious on their website or on Amazon for $39.99. And don't forget to enter to win 2 tubs (a 1-month supply) of Mamalicious in the flavor of your choice in my $500+ value Best for Your Bump Giveaway, running April 15-28. 

Still extremely nauseas around the clock... check!
Eating for 3... check!
Switch to maternity pants... check!
Nuchal Translucency Scan... check!!

Nuchal what now? Yep, you know, the NT scan where they measure the back of the baby's neck to assess their risk of having Down Syndrome. It's offered to all pregnant women between 11-13 weeks. Apparently during this period the back of the baby's neck is still translucent so they can measure the amount of fluid back there. Baby's with Down's have more fluid, and also lack a nasal bone at this point (you can see Kenzo's scan here, which was done at 13 weeks). Just before heading off to my high risk sonogram clinic today, I read a post from a mom in my Multiples group who went for her NT scan only to discover both of her babies' hearts had stopped beating, which kind of brought back the reality of that risk still being very real even this far along! Agh. I was a bit nervous during my 45 minute walk to the clinic!!

But... everything is GOOD!! Both babies' necks and noses were absolutely perfect. They were both measuring a few days ahead (Baby A was 12w3d and Baby B was 12w5d), which is fine, always good when they're the same size and measuring close to their gestational age (which today is 11w6d)! 

I wasn't prepared for how active they were on the screen. Last time I saw them they still resembled little jelly beans, but this time they've definitely taken human form and were just scissor kicking and karate chopping up a storm!! In my keepsake photos, you can't see much in the way of limbs, but in the live video you could see arms and legs and profiles. I was giggling like a school girl it was just really really cool to see them dancing around in me, especially since I can't feel them doing so yet. 

They also did a blood test, which combined with the scans and another blood test at 16 weeks will give a better assessment of the risk of Down's along with some other chromosomal disorders. I guess if something comes back high risk, you have the option of doing a more invasive test such as an Amnio, but I'm pretty sure we'd pass on that since it comes with a 1% risk of miscarriage!! No thanks!! Some people don't even do the Nuchal scan because they don't want to have pointless worry, but for me, I like to have my mind put at ease when they tell me everything looks good, which they did this time and also with Kenzo last time, phew!

I also wasn't prepared for the schedule the doctor set forth for me. My next visit will be at 16 weeks (hopefully we can determine genders!!) and from there I'll have to get scanned every other week til 28 weeks, and from there every week!!! And that's just the high risk clinic, my OB/Midwives have their own schedule, so pretty much it's like weekly or bi-weekly visits starting in a month. UGH!! Very annoying, but at the same time it's nice to be able to see and hear the babies that often and just be reassured that all looks good!

I haven't had a chance to take a belly shot recently, it's not a cute bump anyway but rather a bloated pooch, so here's an idea of what's going on via babycenter.com :)

One more week til I'm officially out of the first trimester, not that it's a magical point where the nausea will stop, but here's hoping!!!

In case you are just tuning in, I'm 9 weeks along in my second pregnancy (with twins) and as one might suspect, the morning sickness is indeed doubled... or worse. It's pretty miserable, and I've talked before about various ways I'm trying to deal with it. The biggest help so far is making sure I eat pretty much every hour on the hour, ideally something with protein. But all of this food leaves quite a nasty aftertaste in my mouth, which just brings on more nausea! So, after eating I have to brush my teeth, chew on some minty gum, or suck on some candy!!

You've probably heard of Preggie Pops and seen them in your local maternity store, but perhaps you haven't tried them yet. I never tried them in my first pregnancy, so was extra keen on giving it a go this time around! The brand, Three Lollies, has several varieties and I got a box of the original Preggie Pops (Variety Pack) as well as the Preggie Pop Drops Plus.

Both of the products contain dried cane syrup, corn syrup, citric acid, natural flavors (made with essential oils), and natural colors. The essential oils are what separate these from any old candy. They're specifically formulated to help relieve morning sickness related nausea.

The Preggie Pops Variety Box comes with 7 lollipos in each flavor: Peppermint, Spearmint, Lavender, Ginger, Sour Lemon, Sour Tangerine, and Sour Raspberry. They hit the nail on the head with the sour flavors - those really rock this pregnant lady's world! The lollipop design has the benefit of being able to easily remove it from your mouth, say if you're at work and have to answer a phone call. Personally, I just felt kinda guilty eating them around my son with the evidence of my "candy" hanging out of my mouth, since he's not allowed to eat candy yet. Ha!

I also tried the Preggie Pop Drops Plus, and the "plus" is because each drop contains 10mg (750% of your daily value) of Vitamin B6 (which is believed to help relieve nausea). They come in Sour Raspberry and Sour Lemon and are both delish! These were my favorite since I could discretely pop one in my mouth and shove it over to the pocket in my cheek if I needed to talk or anything. Plus, you feel good about it containing some sort of vitamin - yay! 

If you want to try any of the Three Lollies products for yourself, which come in various flavors as well as "queasy pops" (i.e. for non-pregnant folks) version, you can purchase them directly from Three Lollies' website, on Amazon, at your local Motherhood Maternity, and at various other pregnancy-related shops!

Or you can enter to win this set in my $500 Value Best for Your Bump Giveaway!!

ENTER TO WIN HERE!!

Are you a fan of Three Lollies or another nausea-relieving candy? Share below!!

Disclaimer: Although I did receive this product free of charge, I was not compensated in any other way to do this product review. All thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased.