March 10, 2021

THIRD TRIMESTER UPDATE

So by now you may have realized that baby has arrived!! You can read his birth story in an upcoming blog post and I'll be posting some additional baby content as time goes on but wanted to look back on my third trimester and share an update. 

When did you give birth? I was 36 weeks and 4 days when baby was born. 

How did you feel? I continued to feel pretty good physically and mentally during the third trimester. I was deep into nesting and getting organized. I also felt calm and mostly excited as the weeks went on. (Reminder though, I thought I had about 4 more weeks before things 'got real'). I did get tired again towards the end but a mid day nap was super helpful & I had some aches & pains in my back from carrying the extra weight.

What symptoms did you have? I had a pretty textbook pregnancy in terms of having minimal complications. During the third trimester, as mentioned above, I got super tired again (similar to the first trimester) and had some back pain from the added weight. I also continued to have bad heartburn and reflux anytime after eating. It worsened from my second trimester but went away literally the day I gave birth. Lastly, I would wake up with bloody gums in the week or so before I gave birth which I found to be odd but I think was normal (??). 

Did/Do you have stretch marks? No! I think it's mostly genetics that contribute to stretch marks but I also used the Hatch belly oil every night to try to prevent them and keep my belly moisturized.

Did you exercise during the third trimester? Honestly, no. I got really tired again during my third trimester so I was a lot more likely to take a midday nap than do a midday workout. I'm looking forward to starting to exercise again soon though. It was something I grew to really enjoy at the start of lockdown last year.

How much weight did you gain? I gained about 30 lbs during my pregnancy. It was recommended that I gain anywhere from 25-35 lbs.

Did you feel prepared for birth? Because of COVID, we weren't able to take a hospital tour or any birthing classes online. We ended up not taking any birthing courses online either (I thought I had weeks to go!) but I did follow the Positive Birth Company on Instagram and loved reading their positive birth stories and mantras (ie. Your Body Knows What To Do). I think their account really helped my mindset going into labor and it's true...your body really does know what to do. 

What's in your hospital bag? I'm working on a separate post about this. I read a ton of blog posts from others about what they packed in their bags and used it to pack my bags. My post will outline what I packed and then what we used vs what we could have left home and will also call out a few items that I wish I had brought with me. 

Do you feel prepared for postpartum? I'm now just over 1 month postpartum and I have to say, the first 2-3 weeks postpartum were a lot harder (for me personally) than my pregnancy was. At one point, I said to a friend that I would rather give birth twice than deal with the postpartum recovery & side effects. The 2 week mark felt like a turning point, but I think it took me around 3 weeks to start fully feeling better and adjusting to this new normal.

Is the nursery complete? The nursery was mostly complete when the baby was born. We had been waiting for his glider to arrive and had he not been born early, it would have arrived before his birth. Instead it arrived about 2 weeks after he was born. I also had wanted to get a new light fixture for his room as well as some wall art & curtains. Those have yet to be purchased but they don't affect his ability to live in the room. 

Will you be sharing more baby content? Yes! This is my life stage currently so I plan to share our favorite baby products, photos of the nursery, what's in my diaper bag, etc. 

February 12, 2021

MATERNITY PHOTOS

Sharing some of my favorite photos from our maternity shoot.  Looking back, I don't think I took nearly enough bump photos during my pregnancy. I remember thinking I was so big around 11 weeks (LOL) and then being amazed month to month at how my body was growing and changing. At one point during my third trimester, I said that I forgot what I looked like without my bump. I'm now 3 weeks post-birth and my bump is already a thing of the past and surprisingly, I miss it! We took these photos at 29 weeks and I'm so glad we were able to capture this special time.

XO

Michelle Paige

January 11, 2021

MAKEUP & SKINCARE PRODUCTS I'M USING DURING PREGNANCY

Let me just say, WOW. I had no idea how many products I was going to need to switch out while I was pregnant. I knew there were foods & drinks that I wasn't supposed to have (goodbye hotdogs & sushi) but once I found out I was pregnant, I did a deeper dive into my skincare products and was surprised at how many of my products had ingredients that could be harmful to baby. 

Reminder, I am NOT a doctor. All of this info came from research that I did personally.

SKINCARE

Sunscreen: Pre Pregnancy, I used Sun Bum sunscreens pretty regularly. Finding a safe sunscreen that's wasn't a 'chemical' sunscreen was one of the top two hardest products to find this summer. I ended up ordering Blue Lizard sunscreen which is a mineral sunscreen and actually like it a lot. I think I'll continue to use it post pregnancy.

Facial Sunscreen: I had been using Tula's daily sunscreen but stopped since pregnancy. I switched to using an Acure day cream with SPF 30.

Self Tanner: I'm not using self tanner right now :( but before pregnancy I loved Isles of Paradise drops on my face & Jergen's Wet Skin Moisturizer on my body. I can't wait to use them again!

Belly Oil: I was gifted Hatch Collection's belly oil by my aunt early in my pregnancy and have religiously used it every night. I love how moisturizing but lightweight it is. 

Body Lotion: Also from Hatch Collection, I've been using their Down Girl lotion. It's intended for your legs & feet to help combat swelling but I've been using it wherever I have dry skin. It has a nice minty scent and a cooling feeling.

Daily Moisturizer: I am continuing to use Tula's Hydrating Day & Night Cream. It's my favorite skincare product right now so I was really glad I didn't have to give it up.

Night Cream: I am continuing to use & love Acure Brightening Night Cream.

Makeup Remover Wipes: Acure Micellar Water Towelettes. They are the best & are so gentle on my skin! I used them before I was pregnant and will continue for the foreseeable future.

Acne Products: During my first trimester, my skin would freak and break out into a rash anytime I used ANY product on it. I truly went a number of weeks wearing zero makeup and not even washing my face because I was afraid it would flare up.  The rashes cleared up since my second trimester started and my skin has been better. I still get pimples here and there and finding a 'safe' acne treatment felt next to impossible. I finally found Belli, placed an order & have been trying it out. TBH, I don't see a much of a difference but I'm continuing to use it in case it helps my skin even out. 

MAKEUP

Foundation: I had been using Georgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation since before my wedding and love how naturally and smooth it applies. It's a no-no for pregnancy though, so I've stopped using. In fact, since I'm home so much, I've stopped using foundation altogether. 

Concealer: I am continuing to use Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind Concealer since I love the coverage and it's pregnancy safe! 

Primer: I had been using Tula Blurring Primer. I have stopped using this while pregnant.

Lip Balm: I have been using good old Vaseline to keep my lips hydrated, although I just picked up Summer Friday's lip balm and am excited to start using that.

I've read a few times that there is no need to worry about powders or wax-like products like eyeliner or mascara while you are pregnant so I haven't switched out any of those.  (The bronzer I use is by ELF Cosmetics & my mascara is Benefit's Roller Lash). Similarly, since hair products don't get absorbed into your body the way a lotion or liquid makeup would, I haven't changed any of my hair products, however I am using Yes To shampoo and conditioner which have slightly more natural ingredients than your everyday drugstore shampoo/conditioner.

Any questions or products recommendations for me?

XO

Michelle Paige

PS. Again, just want to reiterate that I made these decisions based on research that I did personally. Talk to your doctor if you're unsure if a product is right for you while pregnant. Also, while many of these products can't be used while pregnant, there are different guidelines that I'll follow while nursing. 

December 17, 2020

SECOND TRIMESTER Q&A

How are you feeling? Overall I'm still feeling good although my symptoms are definitely starting to kick in. I've had some growing aches & pains in my belly & hips. I also have acid reflux and heartburn lately, but have gotten OK at controlling it based on what I eat. Lastly, my nose was stuffed recently which apparently is a pregnancy symptom that I never knew! My body has 50% more blood right now which leads to my veins swelling and causing congestion. So interesting & also so annoying haha!

Can you feel the baby move? What does it feel like?  Yes, this trimester I started feeling him move! At first I wasn't sure if I was feeling him move or I was just digesting and having some gas bubbles. In the early days, it felt like popcorn kernels popping if that makes sense; quick little pops here and there. Now, he is definitely moving around and getting stronger. I can feel him kick/punch and wiggle around which is a really cool but super weird feeling!

Have you registered?  Yes! Sadly due to the times, we aren't having a baby shower but we did move forward with building a registry and have felt SO lucky to have friends & family support us and join in the excitement with us by mailing some gifts our way to help us prepare for baby. We chose to register at Babylist.com for a few reasons. 1. It's all online since most people aren't going to stores right now anyway so this site made it easy to build my registry completely online. 2. I love that you can add items from any website to your Babylist registry; we weren't limited to one brand or site so we could add items from Amazon, Target, Buy Buy Baby as well as some more custom sites like Pottery Barn Kids, Angel Dear, Etsy, etc. 

Are you decorating a nursery? When we purchased our apartment, a key selling point was that it would have a second bedroom so it could be a place for us to start our family. That second room has been acting as a den/office for me while WFH but we are slowly transforming it into baby boy's room. 

What maternity clothes have you bought so far? For the first half of my pregnancy, I was able to just wear some oversized tunics/sweatshirts (Aerie, Free People, etc) and size up in bottoms (sweatpants & Aerie leggings).  By the end of my second trimester, however, I am in full maternity clothes mode, especially in bottoms. I can still wear some of my same sweatshirts & oversized tops.  Since maternity clothes are a 'phase',  I was really happy to find Motherhood Rental through Motherhood Maternity which allows me to rent maternity clothes; they have great basics + jeans & dresses which have been getting me through the weeks. I recently did a post reviewing over 10 pairs of maternity jeans and shared my favorite pair. For leggings, my favorite pair have been the Ingrid & Isabel seamless leggings.

Have you chosen a name? I would say we are like 90% set on a name! We refer to baby by a certain name at this point but I would like to meet him and make sure the name is a good 'fit'. We'll share it officially once he is born! 

Any other questions for me at this stage?

XO
Michelle Paige

You can see my early pregnancy Q&A here.

November 10, 2020

MATERNITY JEANS REVIEW

If I had to pick one maternity clothing item to purchase, it would be a good pair of jeans! I am such a jeans gal especially in the fall/winter so finding a pair of maternity jeans was a must for me. I went through a LOT of pairs to find a pair I wanted to keep so I'm sharing a review today in hopes that it helps someone else in the same boat as me.

A few notes before I jump in... I prefer my jeans to hit at the ankle rather than be full length. I like the look more when I pair my jeans with booties or sneakers (it's a personal preference) so I was looking for a pair that was the right length on my 5'4 frame. Also, I typically wear a size 25 jeans so for most of these jeans, I ordered my usual jean size in the maternity version. 

Articles of Society - Sarah Skinny Maternity Jeans 

Color: Crystal w/ distressing (medium wash) 

Style: Over the Bump

Size: 25 

Review: So these actually fit pretty good (when I order jeans online, I always get nervous since fit can be so risky). I was happy with the fit in the legs & the belly but my personal preference is jeans that hit at the ankle so these were a smidgen too long on me. They came right to the top of my foot. These are great and would have been kept me if I was looking a full length pair of distressed jeans (inseam is 29"). 

Verdict: Return

Articles of Society - Maternity Skinny Jeans 

Color: Carson City (very dark blue)

Style: Over the Bump

Size: 25 

Review: Same brand as above. This pair was the shorter inseam (27") that I was looking for but didn't fit as great down the leg. They were more of a slim fit from the mid thigh to the ankle, rather than a tight, skinny fit. This pair may be better for someone with athletic legs. On the bright side, this pair of denim was super soft & the belly panel was very comfy.

Verdict: Return

Articles of Society - Maternity Skinny Pants 

Color: Black 

Style: Over the Bump

Size: 25 

Review: Similar to the other AOS jeans in terms of comfort, but this pair was too long for me; it says inseam is 28" on the website, but there is NO WAY (see the bunches of fabric at my ankle???). I am 5'4 and would recommend these for someone who is at least 5'6 to avoid the bunching at the ankles.

Verdict: Return

Articles of Society - Maternity Distressed Skinny Jeans 

Color: Black w/ distressing

Style: Over the Bump

Size: 25 

Review: The last AOS pair of jeans that I ordered & I finally found what I'm wanting in a pair of maternity jeans! This pair has a 28" inseam (hit at my ankle), was super soft denim, comfortable over the belly and was pretty tapered down the leg. I also liked the distressed knees on this pair since it adds a little casualness & edginess to any outfit I wear them with.

Verdict: Keep!

Madewell - Maternity Skinny Jeans

Color: Black Sea (looks more like a dark gray in person)

Style: Over the Bump but lower back panel

Size: 24 

Review: People rave about Madewell jeans and TBH, I had never tried them but decided to give a maternity pair a try. Unfortunately, these were one of my least favorite pairs, mostly due to the fabric that goes over the bump & up the back. The back panel was much lower than the belly panel and I found it to be bothersome and uncomfortable. The legs of the jeans also weren't my favorite fit; these weren't short enough or tapered enough for me from the knee down. 

Verdict: Return

Madewell - Maternity Full Belly Jeans

Color: Orland Wash (dark blue wash)

Style: Over the Bump with denim back panel

Size: 25

Review: I liked this pair of Madewell jeans SO much better! They had a full panel over the belly with a denim panel in the back which was different but I was OK with when I initially put them on. The legs & butt fit great and they were just a little long, but I wanted them to work so I decided I would just cuff the hem to make it slightly more cropped. These were SO close to being keepers until I sat down and the belly panel elastic starting digging into my ribs. It was so tight on me! I think it's because it's only a half stretch panel and the back is denim which didn't stretch. I'm not sure if it would stretch out over time but I recommend these jeans if you are mostly standing.

Verdict: Return

DL1961 - Emma Power Legging Jeans

Color: Strobe (medium wash) & Flatiron (dark blue wash)

Style: Side Panels

Size: 24 & 25

Review: So because I wasn't sure what size I was in DL1961 (I've worn 24 & 25 pre pregnancy), I ordered the Emma jeans in a 24 and 25. Weirdly, both pairs fit VERY similarly in the waist & butt. The legs on both pairs , however, was the worst fitting of the bunch; they barely felt like a slim fit, and almost looked more like a straight leg on me.  They were also supposed to be ankle length but on me, they weren't.

Verdict: Return

After all that, I only ended up keeping 1 pair of jeans, but I'm really happy with them and have been wearing them every week since purchasing! Finding maternity jeans was such a journey and a lot of a trial and error but hopefully you found this post to be helpful!

XO

Michelle Paige

October 28, 2020

PREGNANCY MUST HAVES (SO FAR)

While sometimes the days or weeks seem long, I also can't believe I'm more than halfway through my pregnancy at this point & halfway to meeting our baby! I've been so so so lucky to have a relatively easy pregnancy; I had no sickness & have had very few cravings/symptoms during the second trimester so far. Below are a few of my must haves thus far...

Water Bottle - Confession: I have never been one of those people that drinks enough water, but now that I'm pregnant, it's extra important to be drinking extra water. I've gotten a few tumblers and reusable water bottles to keep with me throughout the day and make drinking water easier.

Pregnancy Apps - I have 4, yep 4, app that I check daily for updates/articles about my body & baby. I like each one specifically because they allow me to do different things. I have Ovia which allows me to track various symptoms, feelings, etc. Baby Center where I take/store my weekly bump photos. What to Expect which has daily tips and The Bump which allows me to track my doctor appts. 

Pregnancy Journal - Especially since this is my first pregnancy, it's been interesting/fun to track all of my symptoms and emotions month to month. When I found out I was pregnant, I ordered a pregnancy journal on Amazon and have been writing down my monthly updates in the journal. It will be fun to go back and read about my journey one day and remember this time.

Prenatal Vitamins - To be honest, I chose these prenatals bc I only had to take 2 pills and because they deliver to my door haha. Some prenatals require that you take additional supplements to make sure you are getting all the nutrients needed to keep yourself & baby healthy but the Ritual vitamins have 12 essentials for during pregnancy. They also smell like lemon and have a no nausea capsule to make taking them everyday extra easy. (They also just released a post-natal vitamin that I plan to switch to after I give birth).

Belly Oil - I've heard stretch marks are heredity but an itchy belly when your skin is stretching bc baby is growing is not. I've been applying this belly oil since July and love it!! It keeps my belly and skin feeling so soft and hydrated. It's pricy but you get a large bottle; this one bottle has lasted me since I started using it & is still about a quarter full. Bonus - no stretch marks, yet ;) 

Belly Band - One of the symptoms I HAVE had over the months, is back pain and round ligament pains (growing pains). These don't happen everyday but when they do, they can be pretty uncomfortable. I got a belly band to help with both and it works wonders to support my back and belly when I'm having aches & pains. 

OPTIONAL: Pregnancy Pillow - I got a pregnancy pillow early on in my pregnancy since I heard it was a must have but it actually is a little claustrophobic for me to sleep with since it's so large. Nowadays, Jody actually uses it to sleep and loves it and I just sleep with an extra pillow in between my legs hah

As I continue to grow, I'm sure there will be some other items that I end up needing but for now, these have been my must haves!

XO
Michelle Paige

August 28, 2020

EARLY PREGNANCY Q&A

Earlier this week, I finally shared the news about my pregnancy. I've been getting a bunch of the same questions from people over & over so I thought I'd throw them into a post. 

When are you due? I'm due around Valentine's Day 2021!

How are you feeling? I'm feeling pretty good. I was lucky to not be sick or nauseous at all during the first trimester. I'm mostly feeling hungry & tired recently with a few aches & pains.

How did you find out? I realized my cycle had reached 40 days and knew that was long. I thought maybe I was stressed bc I had been feeling anxious with everything going on in the world, but had an urge one morning to take a test. I was SHOCKED when there were very clearly 2 lines on the first test. I walked myself to CVS and picked up more tests, went home and took a digital test. I was even more shocked when the second test very clearly said PREGNANT+. I had to wait 6 hours until Jody got home to share the news with him, which was the longest afternoon ever!!!

Cravings or Aversions? No major cravings & no major aversions. I just eat what sounds good (which has been a lot of pasta & bagels) and don't eat what doesn't sound good (red meat sometimes & anything with a lot of sauce). 

Prenatal Vitamins? I've been taking the Ritual prenatal vitamins. I like that they include all of the essential vitamins/minerals as well as Iron & Folate. This way I can take just the one set of vitamins instead of having to supplement with other pills.

Are you doing a gender reveal? We did a blood test around 10 weeks so we actually know the gender ;) 

Are you exercising? I was on a roll with exercising during quarantine but since finding out I was pregnant and being so tired in the first trimester, my routine definitely slowed down. Around week 13, through the Aaptiv app, I found a prenatal program that gives you personalized workouts for each week of pregnancy. They are challenging but it's felt good to do something 2-3 times a week so I've been trying to keep up with those.

Have you purchased anything for baby yet? YES! I know it's early still, but this has been one of my favorite parts of being pregnant. We've worked on a registry using BabyList and have bought some outfits & toys already. 

Did you pick out a name? We have a list! I keep a running list of names that we are constantly adding to/removing from. Choosing a name is 100% the hardest part of this whole thing. It has to stay with this person forever!

Are you wearing maternity clothes yet? Not yet. I'm wearing loose dresses or elastic waists right now. 

Any other questions right now?? 

XO

Michelle Paige