A big congrats goes out to Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps and his wife Nicole. The proud parents welcomed their third child on Monday!
Phelps announced the birth on Instagram, writing, “Family of 5! Welcome @mavericknphelps to the world! Born 9-9-19. Mama and baby are healthy and the boys are pumped to be big bros!”
The new dad (for the third time) wasn’t the only one to announce the birth of baby Maverick Nicolas. Phelps’ wife Nicole wrote, on her IG page, “We welcomed Maverick Nicolas Phelps into the world on 9/9/19 at 36 weeks and 2 days. Our lil big man was 6lb 5o and 20 (inches). He instantly has stolen all of our hearts and keeps me an ecstatic mommy of boys .”
If you’re wondering based on Phelps’ post, baby Maverick does indeed already have his very own Instagram page. Even though the newborn is yet to post a pic, he does have over 8,000 followers already!
Celeb dad Ricky Martin recently shared the first full pic of his now-seven-month-old daughter. And yes, she’s absolutely aww-dorable!
While the musician isn’t exactly shy about posting on Instagram, this is the first full photo that features his daughter’s face. In the past, Martin’s posts of his little girl were only partial pics or don’t show her face from the front.
The proud dad of Lucia Martin-Yosef wasn’t the only one in the fam who shared this perfect pic. Martin’s artist hubby, Jwan Yosef, also posted the sweet shot.
Martin caption his post, “La luz de mis ojos,” or in English, “the light of my eyes.” His husband continued with the same theme, captioning his matching post, “Baby Lucia Martin-Yosef being the LIGHT she is.”
Following a week-long hospitalization for bronchitis, celeb mama-to-be Jessica Simpson is finally back at home. The singer, designer and mom to two hasn’t exactly had the easiest pregnancy this time around—and we totally feel for her.
Simpson’s pregnancy woes aren’t new. After announcing her pregnancy last September, the celeb’s Instagram feed became a sounding board for her tough time. In January, Simpson posted a pic of her super-swollen feet, asking her followers for help. Even though the swelling went down, her pregnancy problems didn’t end there.
In February, Simpson posted another pic of a problem. This time the mama showed off her brand-new recliner—purchased to help with the severe acid reflux.
The star’s current battle with bronchitis, which she also ‘grammed, isn’t the first during Simpson’s pregnancy. According to her post, this her fourth go-round with the illness in the past two months. Fortunately Simpson is on the mend and, again according to her IG post, baby Birdie is “doing awesome!”
If you’ve had a baby longer than five minutes, you know that babies change your life. They’re like a black hole for your time, energy and attention. Most of the time, this works out great for baby and parent—they crave the extra love and you love to give it to them. But, if you’re not careful, it’s easy for your other relationships to take a back seat to baby—especially the one that created your adorable energy-sucker in the first place.
Fortunately, while it’s normal for passion and friendship with your partner to end up on the back burner after baby is born, all it takes is a little effort to reconnect postpartum. Here are a few of our favorite ways to rekindle the spark with your co-baby-maker.
Give Thanks When you’re in the throes of postpartum exhaustion, saying “thank you” to your partner for taking the 2 a.m. shift with baby (when you had the rest of the night) or emptying the diaper pail (when you changed all the diapers) may not be the first thing on your mind, but research has proven that making an effort to verbally appreciate your partner is a key indicator of relationship happiness, with or without baby. If you think your guy is a great dad, say so! (Bonus: Expressing gratitude to a partner is proven to promote loving behavior on their part. Positive reinforcement for the win!)
Take a Baby Breather You know what they say: Three’s a crowd. And this is why bringing along baby to every date is a no-no. Having a few minutes to focus fully on your spouse—even 30 minutes to grab a cup of coffee and catch up on life—is a breath of fresh air in a relationship that tends to naturally revolve around baby.
Solve Your Date Dilemmas What’s holding you back from post-baby date nights? Worried about leaving your little one during their waking hours? Schedule a sitter for after you’ve put baby down for the night (or their first solid stretch of sleep). If funds are tight, swap hours with a mom friend or enlist the grandparents for extra snuggles.
Talk About Baby—and Other Stuff, Too. We’ve all heard the mandates to not talk about your kids while on a date with your partner, but we say, gush away about the amazing human you created together. But chat it up about other things, too—world events, updates on mutual friends and family, whatever. If your brain is consumed with all things baby, use your phone as a talking points tool. Before you go out, glance at the day’s top headlines or your social media feed to get you back in the outside world loop and give you a few conversation go-to’s.
Take It Outside Next time you and your partner find yourselves bickering over household chores or diaper duty, strap baby in the stroller and take it outside. Literally. Turns out, stepping outside for some fresh air can be as good for your relationship as it is for your body. Consider this interesting finding: Moving physically forward with another person gives you the sense of moving forward with them mentally, too, thereby creating a sense of connection. So the next time you feel at odds with your honey, walk it out and watch your stress melt away.
Up Your Netflix Game Good news for tired parents everywhere: The best date nights can happen at home, no planning for sitters or working around baby’s schedule required. It’s easy to turn a mundane night on the couch watching your favorite show into something special with a little effort. The next time you settle in to Netflix and chill, order take-out, grab your favorite drinks and trade back rubs or foot rubs while snuggling up on the sofa.
Snap a Selfie Grab your phone and open your camera roll. If a quick scroll reveals an endless sea of baby pics, it’s time to snag your honey and take a few couple selfies—bonus points for kissing pics! Then set them as your lock or home screen as a reassuring reminder you’re in this parenting/life/love thing together.
Get Busy—Together We know. You’re busy all day—changing diapers, making bottles or baby food. But that’s not the kind of busy we mean. (*Wink*) After a long day of toting baby around, it’s likely that the last thing on your mind is slipping between the sheets with your man—unless it’s to sleep. But making physical intimacy a priority is one of the best ways to establish an emotional connection with your spouse. And remember that having a healthy sex life isn’t only about intercourse. Laughing together, holding hands, hugging and kissing all create a sense of closeness that will keep you connected.
Kevin Hart’s wife, Eniko Parrish, recently shared an Instagram video that shows off her awesomely amazing pregnancy transformation. The new mama worked out during her pregnancy, and it shows. Through the magic of time-lapse, Eniko shows how her belly grew from a barely there bump to pretty and preggo. Check out this beautiful belly bump clip and you’ll see why it’s so very special!
The new mommy just (seriously, just) gave birth to her first son. After having baby Kenzo on Nov. 21, Parrish jumped right back in to her exercise routine. And you can see it all on her IG time-lapse post.
Okay, maybe not all. There are probably hours of sweating that went into her pre-and post-baby body. But the clip does detail how her bump grew, as she does squats. Eniko squats away in the same place as we watch her bump build and build. And then comes the grand finale — her adorable baby boy!
It might only be a few weeks after giving birth, but the video of Eniko squatting with her newborn in her arms shows just how hard the mama worked. Sure, she might have some pretty amazing genetics backing her up. But if the video is any indication, the new mom certainly worked to get her post-preggo bod.
What did your pregnancy workout routine look like? Tell us in the comments below.
You’ve birthed a human being, survived sleepless months, and figured out how to change a diaper in the dark, swaddle a baby, and maybe even take a shower. With all of that under your belt, it’s time to face your next challenge: returning to work. Most moms who’ve been-there-done-that will tell you the transition can feel a little bumpy at first but gets easier. Here are our best tips for helping you get back into your work groove.
1. Find the right childcare. Daycare, in-home daycare or nanny; that is the question. Knowing your little one is well taken care of will give you peace of mind to help you refocus on work. Moms who’ve been there recommend making a short list of what’s most important to you: Does your job require a lot of overtime, making schedule flexibility a top priority? Do you want to be able to see your baby during the day? Budget, work schedule, faith, language preference, food habits, and more can all influence your childcare decision, so make a list to help filter the options you’ll be considering.
If you’re looking for a nanny, cast a wide net between personal referrals, sites like Care.com and SitterCity, and a nanny agency in your area. If you’ve decided on daycare, start your research as soon as possible, ideally before your little one is born. Some daycares have extensive wait-lists, and you’ll want to visit your top choices, speak with other parents, and mine the internet for other sources of feedback.
2. Build your support network.
Does your company have a women’s or mom’s network? If so, you’ll have a readymade resource for all your new-mom questions about separation anxiety (yours and your child’s) and how to juggle everything on your plate. If not, build your own network with work peers, ideally a mix of new moms going through similar issues and old pros who can offer proven advice. Or join a local moms group (look for groups in your neighborhood or through your religious organization). Having a few trusted mom friends to reach out to will help you get through the tough times—and they’ll be there to cheer you on when you land that big client or get your first post-baby promotion!
3. Stock up on essentials.
Yes, we’re telling you to shop. Before you return to work, buy the basics you’ll need for the next 6 months, from diapers and wipes to paper towels and dish soap. That way, you don’t have to think about those things as you ramp back up at work. If you can automate deliveries via a service like Amazon’s Subscribe & Save, do it. Then, make a list of the gear you’ll need to feed your baby for the next 3-6 months. And that brings us to our next two tips….
4. If you’re pumping, increase your comfort level.
Buy a stash of nursing pads, milk storage bags, a cooler and ice packs. Also, look for items to make pumping at work more comfortable for you. Think: Freemie concealable collection cups, an inflatable foot rest, a bowl to wash pump parts in, sterilization bags, or a nursing cover for privacy.
5. If you’re formula-feeding, increase your convenience level.
Once you find a brand you and your baby like, purchase several months’ worth to avoid the dreaded realization that you’ve just finished your last can. Buy bottles in bulk to allow you to go 1-3 days between washing a batch. For extra convenience, look into products like the Mixie Baby Bottle, which allows you (or daycare or your nanny) to mix water and formula on the go, and the Tommee Tippee bottle warmer, an easy way to warm up your baby’s bottle when away from home.
photo: iStock
6. Look after yourself.
To feel your best, ensure you’re eating well. Keep a water bottle with you at all times, and stock your desk with healthy snacks like nuts, low-sugar snack bars, and dried fruit. To avoid the dreaded “I have nothing to wear” crisis each morning, consider a clothing rental service like Rent the Runway or Le Tote to stock your closet while your body is still finding its stable post-baby size.
Then, make a short list of three things that help you feel peaceful in a day—yours might be “make bed, dry hair, sit at the table for dinner” or “pray/meditate before baby wakes, take vitamins, read one chapter of a book.” Make every effort to conquer this list. You’ll be surprised how much of a confidence boost this can give you, no matter how small its items might be. And that confidence will translate into your work as a mother and employee.
Above all, give yourself grace. It may take time, but you will find your groove as a working mom. We’re cheering for you!
The day you become a mother will be one of those memories that polaroid themselves into your mind forever. The way the heart just grows beyond explanation and how mother’s intuition just kicks in all on its own. It is the exact moment that you stop living for yourself and start living for another soul. But the mistakes – oh the mistakes you make. Nothing purposeful of course, but within the first few months of holding your first bundle of love, you will look back over your labor and pregnancy as a whole and you will begin to make a mental checklist of things that you will do different the next time you see two pink lines.
Everyone says that birth order plays a huge role on a child’s personality, but that may be said for the pregnancy order as well. The first pregnancy is full of nerves and anxiety, surprises and doubts. These emotions will still exist throughout the second pregnancy, but the way a mother handles them is what changes.
The six main lessons a mother learns from her first pregnancy include:
Taking the Time to Become Educated: Education is key. This is YOUR pregnancy, and it is your right to be informed. Whether your first birth was rainbows and unicorns or an emergency c-section, there was something you learned; probably a handful of things (or more) that you learned. No two births, or pregnancies, are the same so preparing for anything is the way to go. An epidural has major possible side effects. It may not work, or it may ware off before labor ends. You may have a precipitous birth and not have time for one! What this means is that you should be prepared to handle labor – natural labor. By taking a childbirth class that prepares you for an unmedicated birth, you will learn all the ins and outs of labor. You will understand the terminology; you will know how to prioritize your birth plan, and you will be informed. There is nothing more empowering, in ANY birth situation, than making informed decisions and owning your labor.
Having a Supportive Birth Team: Your birth care provider is not set in stone, and you can switch at any moment of your pregnancy. The doctor or midwife that you choose to be present for your labor and delivery should make you feel confident. The environment in which you choose to birth in should make you feel calm and safe. Those whom you choose to be present for the birth should be nothing if not supportive of you and your wishes. Enlisting a doula to support you and your partner is a great way to ensure that you feel at ease while laboring.
Not Eating for Two: Too many women learn this lesson the hard way after their first pregnancy. Our society tends to play up the whole ‘pregnancy craving’ thing. It does not matter what side of the scale you weighed in on before this pregnancy, healthy is the goal. There is no exact number of pounds to be gained; there is only what is right for you. Remembering how hard it is to shed the daily donuts, though – that can be avoided.
Exercising: This includes kegels. While pregnancy brings exhaustion and weight gain with it, exercises improves common ailments, keeps weight gain in check, provides more oxygenated blood to the baby, and sends endorphins from the brain. Endorphins make you happy, so exercise is a must. Many moms tend to think of working out while pregnant as off-limits, but that could not be farther from the truth. There are plenty of prenatal fitness options out there if you are not comfortable continuing with or partaking in a non-pregnancy guided sport. There is really no excuse not to exercise throughout pregnancy. Your post-baby #2 body will thank you.
Relaxing: Somethings in life get easier with more experience, pregnancy is no exception. The first time you tip toe through pregnancy as if you are walking on egg shells, but not the second time around. You are too busy parenting the child you already have to stress over every little twinge you feel with this pregnancy. Most second time mothers claim this is the #1 thing that changes with each pregnancy after the first. Every mother swears they become more relaxed. This could be because once you know you are perfectly capable of growing a tiny human, you begin to really trust yourself and your own intuition the next time the opportunity arises.
Cherishing the baby in utero: It is so special to be the only one who really knows the baby growing inside of you. No one knows her movements or heartbeat like her mother does. Once earth side, this tiny baby is shred with the world, but while still in the womb, her mother is the only being that truly knows her. Throughout the first pregnancy, this monumental realization may not be made until after the baby is born – after she must be shared. It is a definite lesson that is taken to heart to treasure with the second pregnancy.
Elizabeth is a passionate writer at My baby’s Heartbeat Bear, a pregnancy & babyshowers gifts store, focused on educating those open to learning. She is also a pre and postnatal exercise specialist, natural childbirth educator, former teacher and current homeschooler to her 4 young children. Read also Elizabeth's Pregnancy Blog.
Parenting fact 101: once baby exits the womb, life is forever changed. Instantly, conversations about your baby’s bowel movements are the new norm, yoga pants are life and date nights are never quite the same again (partially because of conversations about baby poo and yoga pants). Read on to see some commonly, funny ways date night goes down differently once baby makes three.
Date night before baby: You decide at 6 p.m. to grab drinks at 7 p.m.
Date night after baby: Exiting the house on a whim with just the two of you? Yeah, that’s illegal. Expect at least two weeks of advance planning to coordinate your escape. Finding reliable childcare isn’t for the faint of heart. And, if the sitter cancels at the last minute? Family date night it is.
Date night before baby: You pulled out your phone without abandon to post up pics on your Instagram.
Date night after baby: Forget selfies. Stealthily glancing under the table every five minutes to see if there is a text from the sitter or to open the handy-but-kinda-creepy nanny-cam app is your new obsession.
Date night before baby: Netflix and chill.
Date night after baby: “Netflix and chill” is literally Netflix and chill, with baby, hopefully sleeping.
Date night before baby: You spent a leisurely hour or two showering, shaving and blowing your hair out to perfection.
Date night after baby: You can go from hot mess to hot mama in under five minutes flat. (Hello, topknot!) So what if your last shower happened last week and Cousin It is hiding out under your skinny jeans.
Date night before baby: Leaving your house is as simple as locking your door on the way out.
Date night after baby: Go over the written checklist detailing every possible emergency scenario (and respective instructions) with the sitter one. more. time. Then, do it again. Tear up as your partner puts the car into drive, seriously think about cancelling, then blurt out a rational thought like: “Let’s just take baby with us. Babies love five-course meals!”
Date night before baby: You connect over intellectually stimulating topics like the meaning of life.
Date night after baby: You try not to talk about baby. Then, you fail. You agree to only discuss the most sophisticated aspects of parenting—like how cute baby is when she blows spit bubbles or sucks on her toes.
There are few Hollywood mothers we could relate to, and actress Anne Hathaway might be one of them. The new mom took to Instagram this week to talk about her post-baby bod.
The actress, who welcomed a baby boy in April, posted an picture of her DIY’d shorts from a pair of old jeans to illustrate her empowering message:
There is no shame in gaining weight during pregnancy (or ever). There is no shame if it takes longer than you think it will to lose the weight (if you want to lose it at all). There is no shame in finally breaking down and making your own jean shorts because last summer’s are just too dang short for this summer’s thighs. Bodies change. Bodies grow. Bodies shrink. It’s all love (don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.)
Preach it, Girl!
What do you think of this? Tell us in the comments below!
Every week, BabyCenter brings you the best parenting and lifestyle stories from the bloggers at the BabyCenter blog. From pragmatic advice for new parents to recipes your picky eaters will devour, the BabyCenter blog has it all. Here are five must-read stories we spotted this week on the BabyCenter blog.
1. Chinese food doesn’t always have to come in white cartons. Ditch the urge for take out and make your own chicken chow mein at home. It’s much healthier and will be as tasty as your favorite Chinese restaurant. Here’s a super simple recipe your kids will love.
2. Looking for a wow-worthy, but DIY Halloween costume? Click here for a fun box of popcorn that uses balloons, a giant box, and your creativity!
3. Bodies come in all shapes and sizes. Recognize the beauty of your changing body after childbirth with a stunning photo gallery that celebrates the post-baby female body. Take a look here to view the memorable photos.
