Mama's Beautiful Mess

Pregnancy, Parenthood, and All Things Baby

Popular Posts

The Complete Third Trimester To Do List
5 Tips to Relieve Gas Pains in Babies
10 Things You Must Do When You Find out You Are Pregnant
What to Expect at Your First Prenatal Appointment
8 Things That Shocked Me About Labor and Delivery
How to Survive The First Week Home with Baby

5 Tips to Prevent Stretch Marks During Pregnancy

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Stretch marks are certainly not the end of the world, and some women actually grow to love their stretch marks. If you would rather avoid them all together, try these 5 tips for preventing stretch marks during pregnancy.

While some women dislike their stretch marks, most can agree that they were a small price to pay in exchange for their children. I knew that most women get stretch marks during pregnancy, and I was okay with the fact that I was probably going to get them as well. Matter of fact, I was expecting to get stretch marks since my mom has them, and I already had a few from puberty. However, I thought if it was possible to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy, I should give it a try.

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What to Expect at Your First Prenatal Appointment

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What to expect at your first prenatal appointment

Your first prenatal appointment is so exciting. I’m not sure if I was more excited or nervous, but I do know that it seems like I waited an eternity before it was time for my appointment.

The first prenatal appointment marks the beginning of many exciting (and a few not so exciting) appointments that you will experience throughout your pregnancy. If this is your first pregnancy, you may be wondering what to expect at the first prenatal appointment.

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5 Reasons I Chose to Co-Sleep

     Baby      2 Comments

5 reasons I chose to co-sleep with my baby

I read all the articles on safe baby sleep, and made sure I bought a crib that met all the guidelines.

The crib was set up in our bedroom as recommended. The crib sheet was nice and tight, and there was not a pillow or stuffed animal within a five mile radius. It was the definition of a safe sleep environment for a newborn. And did she sleep in the damn thing? Absolutely not.

I did not plan to co sleep, but I knew I didn’t want my baby too far either. I dug around online for a while and liked the idea of sidecaring the crib against my bed. But, with moving and getting everything else ready for the baby, we just ran out of time.

The first few nights home with the baby, I got almost no sleep. I was constantly up checking on my baby and making sure she was still breathing.

She spent two nights in her swing before I moved her into my bed, and just like that, I became the co-sleeping mom I said I would never be.

After I learned how to safely co-sleep, we decided it would be a great fit for our family. While it’s not always great, there are a few things that make it worth while.

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10 Must Have Baby Items I Could Not Live Without

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10 must have baby items I could not live without

Once they get the news that you are expecting, everyone has their list of must haves that you need before your baby arrives.

You will probably be surprised how many different baby items get recommended to you! However, when you check the price tags on some of these items, you’re left wondering if you could do without! No worries, as a mom who has been there, I am here to share with you my top ten must have baby items!

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10 Things I Actually Miss About Being Pregnant

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Pregnant perks

 

You waited anxiously for months on your sweet baby to arrive, you counted down the hours until your due date, and the third trimester seemed to last forever. Pregnancy can certainly be unpleasant, and for some it can be completely miserable, but I don’t think it’s all bad. Matter of fact, there are a few things that I actually miss about pregnancy. Does that make me crazy? Maybe so….

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How to Safely Co-Sleep (So You Can Finally Get Some Sleep)

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How to safely co-sleep with your baby

If you are expecting a baby, you have probably read countless articles and blog posts on safe baby sleep, SIDS statistics, and took in so much information you feel your head might explode. Contrary to popular belief, there are ways to make co-sleeping with your baby safer and give you the peace of mind you need (so you can finally get some sleep!)

Which is why I chose to co sleep! I was getting out of bed almost hourly to check on my baby, and I was driving myself absolutely crazy.

Co-sleeping totally helped me get through the newborn phase.

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