It’s no surprise you’ve been doing some serious daydreaming about who, exactly, is in there. Before you dive into full-on baby shower planning mode, have some fun trying these at-home baby prediction tests to find out how to tell the gender of your baby. Can a wacky at-home prediction test tell you if you are having a boy or a girl? Well, you’ll have to try these tests to find out. (Regardless of the outcome, these incredible gender-neutral nurseries should have you covered.)

Related: 10 Fun & Easy Baby Shower Games

A daughter touches her mother's pregnant belly as they discuss how to tell the gender of the baby
iStock

1.  Carrying high? That's supposed to mean you'll have a girl, while a low rider means boy.

2. If your skin has that pregnancy glow, chances are you're having a boy, according to one old wives' tale. If you're breaking out, get ready for a girl.

3. Look at your breasts in the mirror. If your right breast is larger than your left, you're having a girl. If your left breast looks larger, it's a boy.

4. Consult a Chinese gender chart, which uses your age and the month you conceived to determine how to tell the gender of your baby.

5. Energetic fetuses are thought to be boys, while chill babes in utero are predicted to be girls.

6. Pee in a cup (you should be a pro at this by now after all those doctor's visits), and then mix in 1 tablespoon of Drano drain cleaner. If the color turns green, you'll have a girl. Blue means it's a boy. (Be careful with this one. Drano can be toxic, so wear gloves and a mask or have someone else do this experiment for you.)

Related: Your Epic Baby Shower & Sprinkle Planning Guide

A mom to be in a green dress embraces her pregnant belly as she wonders how to tell the gender of her baby
Camylla Battani via Unsplash

7. At your next prenatal checkup, check out baby's head on the ultrasound. If it's square-shaped, then you're having a boy. If you see a rounder head, it's a girl.

8. Tie a ring on the end of a piece of string. Sit down and have someone hold the string over your belly. If the ring swings in a circle, you're having a girl. If it swings back and forth, it's a boy.

9. That dark line that runs from your pubic bone straight up the center of your belly (known as the linea nigra) is said to indicate baby's sex. If the line stops at your belly button, you're having a girl. If the line continues up to your ribs and chest, it's a boy.

10. The faster baby's heart rate is, the more likely you're having a girl. The slower the heart rate (below 140 beats per minute), the more likely you're having a boy.

11. If the skin on your hands is dry and chapped during pregnancy, you're more likely to be carrying a boy. Smooth skin means it'll be a girl.

12. If you're craving salty foods, then you're pregnant with a boy. Are you jonesin' for something sweet? Then it's a girl you're carrying.

iStock

13. Since you have to pee all the time anyway, pee in a cup one more time. Then drop in some baking soda. If it fizzes, then it's a boy; if it doesn't, it's a girl.

14. Here's another pee test: Boil a head of red cabbage in some water. Save the red cabbage water and mix it in a cup with your urine. If the water turns pink, it means a girl is on its way. If the water is purple, you're having a boy.

15. Next time you wake up in the morning (or from one of those much-needed pregnancy naps), check which side of your body you're sleeping on. Left side indicates boy, while right means girl.

16. This one is similar to the Chinese chart above. The Mayans take the mama's age at conception and add it to the year baby was conceived. If it's an odd number, the baby is a boy. Even means it's a girl.

17. If your morning sickness lasts beyond the first trimester, some people think you're carrying a girl. If your sickness subsides or you didn't have any to begin with (lucky you!), then it's a boy.

18. If your baby bump looks like a basketball, it could be you're having a boy. If your baby bump is more spread out across your waistline, then it's a girl.

While planning for your new arrival, there’s no better time to download the Tinybeans app. The secure platform allows you to share special moments with friends and family near and far and puts parents in total control of who sees and interacts with photos and videos of their littles.

Pre-kids, you sported tired eyes like a badge of honor—they usually meant you’d been out late having fun night before. Now that you’re a parent, things have changed, and those dark circles and not-so-glowing skin could mean any number of things (sick kid, new baby, extra work, take your pick). Luckily, there are plenty of products that aim to help you look refreshed and bright-eyed, even if you didn’t get enough zzzs the night before. See our favorites below.

Liquid Green Oil, I-N

Rough day? I-N's Liquid Green facial oil is here to replenish. The lightweight product reduces redness, plumps and firms and gives you a radiant glow. The certified organic Intelli-Seed™ antioxidant oil helps to restore collagen and elastin production and is made of argan, blue tansy, açai and active essential oils. We love using this product both in the morning and night.

Buy it here, $85

Karuna

Female-owned skincare and beauty line Karuna has arrived! Available at Whole Foods Market, the three-collection lineup offers beauty products that act in synergy with the body, utilizing the four principles of Ayurveda practices, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Adaptogens and Clinical Science. We love the brand because of its 11 creamy and revitalizing products that are free from parabens, phthalates, formaldehyde, and SLS/SLES and come in at an affordable price of $5-23 each. Shop what appears to be made-for-mom options like "Wake Up Eye Cream," "Illuminate Face Oil" and a "Drench Sheet Mask."

Buy it here and at your local Whole Foods Market, $5+ 

Malie Coffee Fruit Mask

In order to make your skin look bright and shiny like you’ve had a great night of sleep, go straight to the source and try a product made with coffee fruit. With more antioxidant power than any other fruit, it’ll do all sorts of good things like battle dull skin, (the anti-bacterial factors in Quinic Acid & Trigonelline are key), smooth out wrinkles and help to fade hyper pigmentation. It’s got a strong scent, but it’s because it’s made with 70% organic ingredients, instead of chemicals like parabens, sulfates, phthalates, petrochemicals, mineral oil, and silicone, among others.

Buy it here, $55.

The Spa Dr. Glow Boost

Speaking of youthful, glowing skin, we found a hidden gem of a product for glowing skin. Part of a four-step skin regimen from The Spa Dr., it ’s the last thing you’ll apply before moisturizer, morning or night. It’s got a diverse blend of organic ingredients full of antioxidants such as pomegranate and raspberry seed oils, which help to smooth wrinkles overall, which means it’s perfect for dark circles and under-the-eye bags. Called “liquid gold” by devotees, we love that it doesn’t leave an oily residue after use and that it totally hydrates the skin. .

Buy it here, $79.99.

Revitalite Professional Eyelid and Dark Circle Corrector

Revitalite Eyelid and Dark Circle Corrector from Dermelect has a metal applicator that’s cool to the touch, which immediately helps to soothe puffy, tired eyes. It’s also full of light diffusing pigments, which help to conceal, lighten and brighten dark circles, and finally, the emollient textures help to infuse skin with moisture, which leaves the eye area feeling well rested.

Buy it here, $59.

Benefit's Boiing Industrial Strength Concealer

If you need serious under-eye coverage, Benefit's cult-classic concealer will do the trick. Simply swipe a small amount under eyes and softly blend outward. Boiing is offered in six colors, will stay on all day, and since you only need a tiny bit, will last you for months. 

Buy it here, $22. 

Osmosis Colour Navy Eye Pencil

Did you know using cool tones helps to reduce the look of redness? Yup, on those days when it’s obvious you didn’t get enough sleep, swap out your go-to black eyeliner with this navy color from Osmosis and it’ll brighten the whites of your eyes.

Buy it here, $25.

Grace & Stella Anti-Wrinkle and Energizing Eye Masks.

These eye masks will perk you right up like you’ve had a full eight hours. Formulated with collagen, peptides and hyaluronic acids, they help to revitalize that delicate area around the eyes. It’s been suggested to put them on in the morning, before starting the day. They are also cruelty-free, vegan and made with zero parabens.

Buy it here: $21.96 for 12 pairs.

DRMTLGY Age Reversal Eye Cream

This cream battles under-eye issues in two ways: it’s full of peptides, collagen to boost skin growth (read: refreshed-looking skin), and it’s got light-diffusing minerals that provide a solution to dark circles and puffiness on the spot. It has virtually no scent (it’s fragrance free), is light the touch, and it’s a great price.

Buy it here, $52.

Honey Belle Eye Crème

This natural product is made with evening primrose oil, white willow and jojoba oil, all things that help relieve the puffiness and inflammation that can occur under eyes when you haven’t slept enough, drank enough water, or gotten enough exercise (all things that make your skin look as tired as you feel!). It has a creamy texture, and you can even use it under concealer, to help with hydration and creasing.

Buy it here, $18.

basq NYC Bright Eyes Cucumber Tea Eye Gel

Ahh, cucumber circles, it’s one of the first things you think about when thinking about classic eye treatments. Here’s the good news—we found an eye gel that’s cool to the touch, and full of antioxidants, which means it’s perfect for both as night time deep treatment and morning eye opener. Plus, All basq NYC products are safe for pregnant and nursing mamas, yay!

Buy it here, $24.

Hard Candy Instant Eye Fix

Sometimes, you just need a product that’ll work instantly. This under-eye treatment will brighten tired skin and de-puff skin. It’s also slightly tint, which helps to cover any dark areas.

Buy it here, $6.

FarmHouse Fresh Wine Down Serum

Have a glass of antioxidants to “wine” down at night. This serum is perfect for overnight treatments—after even just a couple of hours, the compounds from various veggies and fruits (including Texas grapes!) help to shrink pores, and the clinically-test added peptides help to make under-eye circles appear lightened.

Buy it here, $56.

2nd KIND Ground Coffee + Cocoa Face Mask

You drink coffee to wake up, why not add it to your beauty regimine, too? This exfoliating mask wakes skin up by fighting free radicals, increasing circulation and cleansing skin for a fresh feeling.

Buy it here, $19.

Be Well Company Probiotic Facial Toner

You know probiotics help your body on the inside, but did you know they can make you look better on the outside, too? Made with rose water unique organic cold pressed live probiotic kombucha cultures, it helps to minimize dark spots, and has anti-inflammatory ingredients too. You can use it all day long, so it’s a perfect refresher while you’re on the go. Best part? You can choose your natural scent. It comes in rose, lavender and jasmine.

Buy it here, $48.99.

— Gabby Cullen

featured image: Mattheus Ferrero via Unsplash 

All images courtesy retailers.

 

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Let’s be honest, when it comes to the morning makeup routine, well, it’s probably fallen to the wayside. But did you know there are a ton of natural beauty tips that can get your day at home off on the right foot by helping you look great and feel confident (even if you’re still wearing yoga pants)? Keep reading to discover our list of tried-and-true beauty hacks for busy moms everywhere!

Castor Oil

Kelly Sikkema via Unsplash

Beauty Hack: Use for thicker brows. Why? Castor oil contains an Omega 9 Fatty Acid and boasts anti-inflammatory properties to help hair grow uninhibited

Sugar

Pixabay

Beauty Hack: Use for softer lips, feet, and hands. Mix a DIY sugar scrub with olive oil, lemon juice, and sugar to soften rough heels, hands, and lips. 

Honey

Free-Photos via Pixabay

Beauty Hack: Use for anti-aging. Apply a honey mask to clean skin for its anti-bacterial and healing properties (honey can heal acne scars!) as well as anti-aging effects.

Sweat Sesh

Inspired Horizons Digital Marketing via Unsplash

Beauty Hack: For detoxing skin. A good sweat session (be it at your fitness class, chasing your kids, a visit to the sauna) is good for your skin as it helps flush toxins from the body.

Baking Soda

evitaochel via Pixabay

Beauty Hack: Use for whiter teeth. Apply baking soda to your toothbrush once a week to whiten teeth.

Petroleum Jelly

Amazon

Beauty Hack: Use for a natural highlighter. Apply to the high points of the face and eyelids as an all-natural highlighter for a quick, subtle glow.

Steam

kboyd via Pixabay

Beauty Hack: For detoxing skin. Run a washcloth under warm water and apply it to your face before your masks for optimal results. This opens the pores and allows the product to really absorb into the skin. You can also boil water on the stove and hold a towel over your head to create a makeshift steam room.

Business Card

Bru-nO via Pixabay

Beauty Hack: Use for clean, precise mascara. Hold a business card behind your lashes as you apply mascara. This lets you get to the root of your lashes without leaving smudges on your skin.

Peppermint Oil

Kelly Sikkema via Unsplash

Beauty Hack: Use for plump lips. Peppermint oil offers lips a natural plump, so add a drop or two onto your lipstick next time you apply.

Glycerin Soap

Kristina Balic via Unsplash

Beauty Hack: Use to keep brows in place. Dip your spoolie in a little glycerin soap and brush your brows upward for a full look and to keep them in place.

Scotch Tape

Crissy Jarvis via Unsplash

Beauty Hack: Use for eyeliner application. Use scotch tape as a guide for the perfect cat eyeliner.

Contact Solution

Rawpixel

Beauty Hack: Use to prolong mascara. If your mascara has gone clumpy, mix in a little contact solution to make the tube last longer.

Propped Pillows

Holly Stratton via Unsplash

Beauty Hack: If you want to de-puff your face, sleep with two pillows propped up instead of one to help fluid drain from the face.

Lipstick

kaboompics via Pixabay

Beauty Hack: Use as a cheek stain. If you don’t have time (or the makeup stash in your bag!), use a little lipstick as a stain on your cheeks for a fresh, healthy flush.

Frozen Spoons

Pixabay

Beauty Hack: Keep two spoons in the freezer and place them under your eyes to de-puff any under-eye bags or dark circles when needed.

Face Mist

courtesy NSMBL

Beauty Hack: Spritz it on throughout the day for an instant skin (and spirit) pick-me-up. You can make your own face mist by steeping a couple of bags of white tea with the zest from one lemon in boiling hot water. Let it sit at room temperature before transferring it to a spray bottle and letting it chill in the fridge. Spray your face whenever you’re feeling the baby blues. Make a new batch after a week.

 

Baby Oil

Amazon

Score a quick fix for your manicure by applying baby oil to your nails and cuticles every night. Nails will stay shiny and hydrated 24-7.

—Kaitlyn Kirby with Ayren Jackson-Cannady

Feature photo: Kevin Laminto via Unsplash

 

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Soft, warm, comfortable pajamas are the key to sleeping in heavenly peace this winter. Whether you want bamboo or cotton, cool prints or solids, you’ll find your favorite winter PJs for your sleeping beauty right here.

nununu

nununu

We love this unisex shirt and pants combo with faded stars. It's made from soft, 100% cotton and also comes in powder pink, gray and black. Sizes range from 0-3 to 18-24 months.

Available at nununuworld.com, $75.

Little Sleepies

Little Sleepies

Say yippie for the zippies from Little Sleepies. They're made with soft bamboo-viscose fabric that regulates with the temperature to keep kids comfortable, and the foldover cuffs mean you can switch between footed sleeper and footless romper. The 18m size and smaller also feature foldover mittens to stop unintentional scratching. Sizes include preemie, newborn and up.

Available at littlesleepies.com, $32.

Bonsie

Bonsie

Skin-to-skin contact with your baby is key to bonding with your baby, and Bonsie's innovative footies, rompers and baby bags make that special time easier thanks to their clever construction. The top part of the outfit features two layered flaps that fasten together with a hook and loop. Unfasten them to expose baby's chest and belly during nursing, snuggling and chilly days. You'll definitely want these for your newborn.

Available at bonsie.com.

Smaller Things

Smaller Things

Made with 100% organic cotton and flat seams, these jammies are the cream of the crop. Comfy ribbed cuffs keep them in place, while the two-way zipper makes for the easiest diaper changes. Did we mention the unique artists prints? You can currently shop styles for Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and Texas.

Available at smallerthings.com, $36.

MORI

MORI

MORI makes some of the softest kid pajamas we've tried. These Baby Bear Pajamas are made from a bamboo and organic cotton blend with a little stretch for a cozy and comfortable fit for your little cub. There are poppers on the crotch and back for easy on/off and diaper changes.

Available at babymori.com, $39.50.

Kyte Baby

Kyte Baby

The soft bamboo rayon fabric is the secret sauce of these zippered footie pajamas. The fabric stretches and breathes, helping babies sleep soundly. These zippered footies are available in sizes from preemie to 24 months and 24 gorgeous colors (pastels, jewel tones, neutrals and more), you're guaranteed to find one you and your baby will love. 

Available at kytebaby.com, $33.

Gracyn Sky

Gracyn Sky

Dressed-up owls adorn this adorable zip onesie, which comes with convertible footies and mittens you can fold up or down. Double zippers make sleepy diaper changes easier, and the temperature-regulating fabric (viscose from bamboo with 5% spandex) is soft, durable and eco-friendly. Created by parents for their baby girl (mom is the co-founder of skincare line GLAMGLOW) with designs by pop artist Donald Robertson, Gracyn Sky jammies are bright, bold and luxurious to wear.

Available at gracynsky.com, $40.

Clover Baby & Kids

Clover Baby & Kids

For this capsule pajama collection, Clover Baby & Kids partnered with three independent female artists of color to create four designs that celebrate inclusivity. The four bold patterns (named pride, love, unity and peace), were created by Brooklyn-based artist Lo Harris, Meera Lee Patel of Nashville, and LA's Blair Paysinger. Each pattern comes in two-piece sets and zip footies.

Available at cloverbabyandkids.com, $34.

Günamüna

The Convertible Pajama is a game-changer in the diaper-changing world. The bottom of these footie pajamas has an inseam zipper (no snaps!) to make swapping a diaper easier, while keeping baby mostly covered and cozy. To keep kids comfortable, the soft bamboo-rayon fabric regulates body temperature, wicks moisture and is hypoallergenic for sensitive baby skin. This super cute sleeper comes in three neutral colors and patterns, and in sizes to fit newborns up to 24 months.

Available at gunamuna.com, $32.

Zutano

Just in time for the chilly winter months, Zutano recently released a line of organic cotton pajamas (Big Bear theme pictured above; check out the entire collection). Choose from oh-so-soft and stretchy two pieces and one-piece zippered sleepers. All picks are eco-friendly, GOTS certified 100% organic cotton without any lead, phthalates or flame retardant chemicals.

Available at zutano.com starting at $32.

Westyn Baby

Baby and children’s sleepwear brand Westyn Baby uses super-soft fabrics in creamy pastel colors. What could be more soothing and gentle on baby’s delicate skin? The PJ materials are lightweight and breathable so your little one doesn’t overheat, and there are no irritating tags to deal with. These long-sleeve sets come in seven beautiful shades.

Available at westynbaby.com.

Lark Adventurewear

In addition to eco-friendly activewear for babies and toddlers, Lark Adventurewear also has baby sleepwear like the Ultimate Zip Footie for sleeping and lounging around the house. The company uses moisture-wicking technology to keep sweaty babies comfy and cool no matter what. The footie provides full coverage and is designed with grippy feet for when your little one starts walking.

Available at larkadventurewear.com.

Clover Baby & Kids

The best part of waking up early (gee thanks, baby) is this Bacon and Eggs Footie. The onesie comes in two colors (petal and haze) and is made with a long-lasting viscose-spandex blend that allows for lots of tossing and turning in the crib, and then playing around the breakfast table the next morning.

Available at cloverbabyandkids.com, $34.

Hanna Andersson

Hanna Andersson

Any parent worth their salt knows why Hanna Andersson PJs are so popular: They’re comfortable, have bold prints, and they last forever! The Baby Zip Sleeper in Organic Cotton comes in a number of prints: flowers, dinosaurs, hearts, animals, fruits, trucks and more. And it maintains its softness and bright colors after washing. 

Available at hannaandersson.com.

Burt’s Bees

Another modern classic—at a great price, Burt’s Bees organic cotton zipped pajamas have a roomy fit and non-slip grips on the bottom of the feeties so baby doesn't slip. Expect a smart design with a protective snap-tab zipper cover and interior zipper guard. Fits babies up to 9 months and comes in pink, light green, heather gray and navy blue.

Available at burtsbeesbaby.com, $13.95.

Baby Deedee

Quilted sleepers can be hard to come by, but Baby Deedee has them in a bevy of colors with warm footies and zippers, including one in between the legs for easier diaper changes. Soft cotton fabric means these are a safe, flame-retardant-free alternative to fleece PJs, and non-skid soles keep your cruiser safe during any pre- or post-sleep exploring.

Available at babydeedee.com, $30.50.

Primary

Primary is your best bet for best-in-class basics. These organic ring-spun cotton pajamas come in a rainbow of beautiful colors—and in matching adult sizes! The fit on babies is snug for safety, and sizes 9 months and up come with non-skid soles. They come in cute stripes and seasonal colors, as well as in a romper style (no feet).

Available at primary.com.

Whitney C. Harris & Eva Ingvarson Cerise

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The world is a diverse place, and your PJ’s should reflect that! To honor the beauty and diversity around us, Old Navy is bringing back its famous skin tone Santa PJ prints!

Launched last year, the whimsical Santa print is back with three skin tone choices including Beige, Cocoa and Walnut. Choose from pajama pants, shorts, matching sets and onesies in sizes ranging from baby to adult.

photo: Old Navy

 

Old Navy wants to help Santas all over the world embrace the culture of today, so the brand is launching Santa BOOTcamp! The 30-minute, virtual training course covers everything it takes to become Santa and addresses topics like kids hard-hitting questions, signature phrases in sign language and Spanish and plenty more.

Interested Santas in Training can visit oldnavysantabootcamp.com starting Nov. 9 and register for free!

––Karly Wood

 

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It’s time to get excited: Polar Bear Week is almost here! Running from Oct. 31 to Nov. 6, the special time coincides with the annual gathering of hundreds of polar bears on the shores of Hudson Bay where they wait for the sea ice to freeze so they can start hunting seals out on the frozen ocean.

Polar Bears International (PBI) is using this week to focus on protecting polar bears and people. Families can tune into Polar Bear Live Cams, play polar bear cam bingo, access free curriculum and activities, and watch live-streamed “Tundra Connections,” with scientists and experts.

photo: ©Kt. Miller + Polar Bears International

Polar Bears International will also be doing a live, family-friendly concert to kick off Polar Bear Week for the first time. The concert will host a performance by Kishi Bashi (multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter) with bears in the background, and families can tune in this Wed., Oct. 27 at 1:30 PST / 4:30 EST (it’s free, just RSVP here).

––Karly Wood

Feature photo: ©BJ Kirschhoffer + Polar Bears International

 

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My daughter was born 18 years after my son. Just one week before he would attend his senior prom, to be exact. Becoming pregnant with my second child, nearly two decades after my first, was quite the shock. Here we were just a few months away from seeing my firstborn off to college and becoming “empty nesters.” In the months leading up to my son moving out of state for school, I experienced a range of emotions. Some days I was really sad and others, I was excitedly creating Pinterest boards with my future world travels. Somehow, grasping the reality of becoming a mom all over again left me excited yet conflicted. How would I navigate motherhood for a second time, so many years later?

Midway through my pregnancy, I’d read a blog about some of the benefits of babywearing that really resonated with me. With my husband being from Senegal, West Africa, we’d spent a few summers there, and watching the strong Senegalese women wearing their babies from birth while socializing, working, and tending to other children was fascinating to me. Their babies looked happy, safe, and strong! I knew that I wanted this bond with my daughter and wanted to integrate babywearing into our journey. It was an experience that I’d missed out on with my firstborn, and I was excited to try it!

We were gifted our first LÍLLÉbaby baby carrier for our baby shower. To this day, I still say this was the best gift we could’ve received.

Navigating Our Way through the 4th Trimester & Beyond
We owned all the fancy baby equipment- swings, rockers, bassinets that swayed, swaddles to help aid better sleep, but nothing beat the rhythmic motions of holding my baby girl close to me, heart to heart.

Skin-to-skin contact was big for me, and we did LOTS of it in our carrier. The benefits of skin-to-skin contact during the fourth trimester are enormous for both mama and baby. Body temperature regulation, an increase in oxytocin levels (the happy hormone!), and bonding, just to name a few. This was also a huge bonus for my husband in bonding with our little girl.

As she became stronger and more aware of her physical abilities and surroundings, I found that moving her around my body in different positions gave her just what was needed to satisfy her curiosity, give her a front-row seat to the world, and remain confident because mommy was right there.

Nursing in the Carrier Changed Our Life!
Our breastfeeding journey started off rough. By week 2, I was in tears! My toes would curl in agony every time my baby would cry to be fed. We couldn’t get her to latch correctly, and by this time, she was cluster feeding. Exhausted and in pain, I was ready to throw in the towel. Thankfully, I received help from an excellent certified lactation consultant, who I think of as my fairy milk mother, and we were able to continue breastfeeding for an extended time. There’s a learning curve to both breastfeeding and babywearing, but once we got the hang of both and combined the two, this was a total game-changer for us!

Wearing her close to me, I was able to tend to her cues immediately, plus this helped with my milk “let down.” Nursing the baby no longer left me confined to my couch with a pillow for 30 minutes. I could feed her handsfree around while working from home, walking around the mall, or out on the hiking trails. This was such a huge part of our journey, and we successfully did this until she was nearly 3 years old.

Babywearing Gave Me the Ability to Be Hands-Free
We moved my son into his college dorm when she was 4 months old, and I wore her in my favorite emerald green soft structured carrier throughout the entire tire experience. Everyone marveled at the mom who was schlepping boxes and suitcases and participating in NSO week with an infant in tow! Being able to share unforgettable moments like this with both of my children melts my heart.

Precious Bonding Moments That Are Simply Indescribable
I remember hearing so many misconceptions about babywearing, and none of it proved to be true. There’s no such thing as spoiling a baby by holding them too much. But we as parents can give our babies the security of knowing that their needs are being met, and we feel confident in holding our little ones close.

Together we’ve hiked National Parks, traveled around the country, and internationally all while babywearing. There is a closeness that my daughter and I share that is unlike no other. She is now a fearless, confident, strong, and independent 4-year-old. To this day, when I pick her up, she pulls her legs into the most perfect “M” shape as if she’s being worn in a carrier. Occasionally we still babywear when she asks for it. This will forever be our special bonding experience.

Azja Pryor is a trained babywearing educator and a wellness coach residing in beautiful Southern California.

A mom of two, you’ll find Azja in her free time hiking National Parks with her husband and toddler daughter, traveling, or enjoying delicious international cuisine.

Just because breastfeeding is natural doesn’t necessarily mean it comes naturally. Many women struggle with producing enough milk, which can be confusing and frustrating. So, we’ve rounded up all the tips, products and natural supplements that can boost your supply and keep that liquid gold flowing.

We also recommend talking to your ob-gyn and a lactation consultant for more personalized guidance, and to run your milk-boosting plan by them.

Food, Drinks & Supplements

Galactagogues (pronounced gah-lak´tah-gogs) is a fancy word that means a food, herb or supplement that can help increase breast milk supply. Add it to the things you never heard of before you embarked on motherhood but is all of a sudden an essential! Here's a list of the most common and helpful galactagogues: 

Fenugreek seed. It has been used since the 19th century and is probably still the herb most associated with increasing milk supply (some say it can increase flow by 900%). It's a common ingredient in Indian dishes and is similar to clover. Steep a teabag of it to get full benefits and a sweet maple syrup taste. 

Fennel. It's your choice how you want to take this sweet-smelling, highly nutritious herb: Cook with it, toss it into a salad, or take it in the form of a supplement. It's said to be an excellent, natural way to increase breast milk production. It’s also available in an essential oil form. 

Flaxseed and flaxseed oil. Flaxseed has phytoestrogens that can influence breast milk production. Flaxseed also contains essential fatty acids.

Oatmeal. This common breakfast food is fantastic for building and maintaining your milk supply; it's also high in iron, which helps new moms who are anemic. Any oatmeal should workrolled, old-fashioned, steel-cut, even oatmeal muffins.

Alfalfa. Known for its ability to increase breast milk production, alfalfa also provides the body with essential vitamins and minerals. Many midwives encourage their clients to supplement with alfalfa for six weeks before birth and several months afterward.

Brewer's yeast: This healthy nutritional supplement contains B vitamins, iron, protein, chromium, selenium and other minerals. Not only can it help you make more breast milk, it may also give you more energy and have a positive effect on your mood (yes, please!).

H20: Staying hydrated is important for everyone, but especially while breastfeeding. The milk nursing mothers produce is 88% water; when a baby feeds, the mother will lose bodily fluids. Apart from that, you also need to make up for the fluids needed for the body to produce milk. 

Techniques to Try

Milk production is all a supply and demand game—the more milk your baby consumes, the more milk your body makes. It sounds simple, but it is oftentimes not. So here are tricks and techniques to encourage your body to produce more milk so you can meet baby's nursing needs. 

Breastfeeding on-demand. In the first few weeks after birth, your goal should be 8 to 12 nursing sessions in a 24-hour period. After that, pay attention to your baby’s hunger cues (like lip-smacking, finger sucking and rooting) and feed your babe as often as needed. This number will gradually reduce once your baby becomes more efficient and can drink more milk at each feeding.

Skin-to-skin contact. Research shows that holding your baby skin-to-skin helps increase milk volume by boosting your levels of the milk-making hormone oxytocin—the hormone responsible for milk ejection. Oxytocin is nicknamed the love hormone, and your levels go up when you snuggle up skin-to-skin. Here's to that overflowing love (and milk!). 

Power pumping. If your baby isn't with you or has a hard time latching on, try power pumping. To do it, you’ll want to sit down and pump on and off at an interval for about an hour. You can choose the interval that works for you—you can do 20 minutes first and then 10 minutes off and on, 12 minutes on and 8 off, 15 and 5, etc.

Apply heat. Try taking a warm bath or applying a warm compress to your breasts before nursing, as it's an easy way to increase milk flow.

Breast compression. Before pumping or nursing, massage your breasts using the palms of your hands and finger pads. This helps move more milk forward and increases your output. It also helps the rich, high-calorie hindmilk release more efficiently. In addition, with so many milk ducts on the breasts, massaging can help allow for better milk flow when you begin pumping.

Switch sides. It's common for one breast to produce more milk than the other, but it is important to switch sides regularly to increase overall production. The movement of changing sides, plus the change in the flow of breast milk from one breast to the other, may encourage babes to keep breastfeeding. Demand goes up; supply goes up! 

Products for Purchase

Motherhood Maternity

Search for products that help stimulate milk production, and you'll find quite a few. We've rounded up ones that are consistently praised by my moms-in-the-know. 

Milkmakers. A company that knows how to get a new mom's attention! Milkmakers sells delicious cookies that include ingredients known to increase milk production, like oats and brewer’s yeast. They also contain flax seeds, which provide an abundance of omega-3 fatty acids that pass through the mother’s milk to support proper brain development. In addition to their sweets line, they sell lactation teas and drink supplements. 

Legendairy Milk Pump Princess Lactation Supplement. If you're looking for a one-stop supplement, try Pump Princess, which contains a blend of organic ingredients (including black cumin seed, fennel, and dill) designed to optimize breast milk production and support milk flow. 

Pink Stork Lactation Sweets: Individually wrapped sweets with a watermelon flavor support breast milk supply with essential herbs. Perfect for on-the-go moms.  

Boobie Bar Superfood Lactation Bar: Created by a board-certified lactation consultant, these tasty bars include six organic superfoods that keep the milk flowing.

—Aimee Della Bitta

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As much as we love online shopping, there are always time you need something NOW. When that happens, it usually means packing the entire fam into the car for a road trip of errands.

Now, moms have one less trip to make as Ulta is moving into Target! Starting this month, Ulta Beauty at Target is debuting at 100 Target stores and target.com with more than 50 prestige brands for cosmetics, hair, skin, body and fragrance.

photo: Courtesy of Target

While the initial roll out only includes 100 stores (you can see which locations here), Target plans to reach a total of 800 locations in the future. The “shop-in-shop” concept will be near the existing beauty section and will be packed with displays, discovery zones and seasonal items.

Not only that, but you can shop using both your Target Circle and Ultamate Rewards programs! Tack on your RedCard and you’re saving big bucks (plus, not having to drive to another store!).

If you’re not near a Target where Ulta will be moving, you can still grab what you need from Target.com using the retailer’s same-day delivery using Shipt.

––Karly Wood

 

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Carrying and birthing life into this world is a miracle. Our bodies go through so many beautiful changes in order for this to happen. Yet there is a cultural expectation for moms to erase signs of pregnancy immediately after giving birth. We are made to feel ashamed of our protruding belly, loose skin, stretch marks, and sagging breasts. We feel the pressure to immediately get our pre-pregnancy body back! When I’m asked how I was able to do it I simply respond, “I didn’t and I’m not mad about it!”

After carrying and birthing four babies, I have learned to celebrate and love my body unconditionally. I’ll be honest though, it took almost four pregnancies before I got to this place of self love. I finally started nourishing and moving my body from a place of love and adoration, which helped me to start enjoying my postpartum fitness journey. I changed my focus from achieving a certain weight, size, or shape to giving my body what it needed to thrive! It was this mindset shift that led to improved health, increased energy and confidence.

Here are 7 things I did that helped me develop a healthy and enjoyable lifest‌yle:

1. I took time to rest and recover. I took time to bond and enjoy my baby, while my body healed. I had a C-section with each of my pregnancies, so I was never in a rush to start exercising. Once I reached the 8 week postpartum mark, I started walking a few days a week. I started slowly, really listening to my body and only doing what it allowed. 

2. I focused on actionable goals rather than outcome goals. This means I figured out what actions I needed to take to reach my larger, long term goal. My short term goals, starting out, were to drink plenty of water daily, eat protein at every meal and snack, and to get in three, 25 minute workouts each week. By focusing on actionable goals, I felt more in control of my journey because I was in control of my actions. It also made the journey fun because it kept me from focusing on how far away I was from my pre-pregnancy size, and brought me to the present! My focus became about conquering each goal for the day, and that was doable! This also kept me focused on sustainable and healthy methods to lose the baby weight, rather than turning to quick fixes, jeopardizing my overall health to temporarily move the scale. 

3. I built a strong foundation. After a few weeks of just walking, I eased into workouts, really focusing on building stability in my core and joints. I learned the importance of this the hard way! After my third pregnancy, I made the mistake of skipping over this step and I ended up with a back injury as a result. I spent several months in physical therapy, to reverse the injury and build stability in my core. The hormonal changes and changes from pregnancy and delivery can cause joint dysfunction, especially around the pelvis, and weakness of the pelvic floor. That, combined with the separation of the abdominal muscles to allow for a growing belly, are a recipe for injury. This is why after Baylor was born, I made strengthening my core a priority. When people think core, they often think sit-ups are the best way to target it. Instead, it’s important to focus on strengthening the deepest abdominal layer, the pelvic floor, and hip stabilizing muscles.

4. I ate more protein. By increasing my protein intake, I was able to boost my metabolism significantly, helping to burn calories and fat throughout the day. It also helped to curb my hunger by balancing out weight-regulating hormones. I increased my protein intake by eating protein at every meal and snack, making sure to eat at least every 3-4 hours throughout the day. My go-to lean protein sources were grilled chicken, grass fed ground beef, beans and legumes, eggs, salmon and tuna.

5. I cut back on processed food. I tried to eat mostly whole, natural foods while limiting my intake of foods from a package. However, it was busy with four kids under six years old and I was breastfeeding a brand new baby. I definitely wasn’t prepping all my foods from scratch. To make the best choices I could, I made sure to read the ingredients list on the food labels. I would try to choose options with ingredients I could pronounce or understand, avoiding the big and unrecognizable ingredients that are more heavily processed and chemically altered.  

6. I drank a lot of water. Since I was breastfeeding Baylor, I knew I needed to drink plenty of water to keep my milk supply up. I also wanted to make sure that I was getting enough water to support my recovery from workouts, energy levels, digestion, and skin. These areas tend to suffer when I’m not getting enough. I carried around a 32 oz water bottle and refilled it several times throughout the day.

7. I showed up consistently. At the beginning of each week I took time to schedule my workouts like I would a meeting. I blocked that time off for myself. If something came up, I always made sure to reschedule my workout for another day or time. It wasn’t about being perfect in my fitness routine or diet, because I never was. There were also times I had to cut my workouts short to tend to a crying baby or needy toddler. What was important was that I kept showing up! It was the consistency that led to change.

I encourage you to celebrate and love your body for all it has done! You will be surprised at how far a little self love can take you. While you may not look or feel the way you did before having babies, I can promise you this. You are beautiful!  

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This post originally appeared on The Lavender Lifestyle.

Ashley and Jocelyn have experienced it all being a working mom, stay-at-home mom, pregnancy fitness, postpartum fitness, fad diets, nutrition struggles, etc. Both are NASM certified personal trainers, certified nutrition coaches, and hold a B.S. in Health/Fitness management. They help women step into their power and become who they are meant to be, inside + out!