I was going through all the photos from this shoot, choosing a few to print, and I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed and just so thankful that I have these images to look back on. The shots of Lucas and I are some of my absolute favorite. Thank you again to my ladies at Hey Mama, HATCH, and my beauty and friend Mary!
You can see the original post and final images here.
Maternity shots are tricky business. I find that I am most drawn to images that are natural and not over done. Too fussy and overly thought out bump photos make me nervous! When the lovely and talented Belle offered to take maternity portraits I jumped at the chance. I am drawn to her style and beautiful creativity and I felt confident she would capture my growing belly and I just how I envisioned.
I recently posted what I am including in my hospital bag and one of the items is this beautiful hospital gown. I wanted to share a bit more about it because it is designed and created with love by one of my very best friends and I couldn’t be more proud or honored to wear it! James Fox Co. officially launched 2 weeks ago and the mama/designer behind it is my lady love, Karla Quiz, and it is named after her two beautiful daughters. A few details about the gowns:
+ they are designed to replace those frumpy hospital gowns and make you feel beautiful during a time that is highly emotional and you should be feeling your very best.
+ they are nursing friendly.
+ the fabric is soft and is perfection against your skin especially after birthing a baby (!!).
+ the back has snaps and the gown acts just a regular hospital gown would so that doctors (and machines, cords, etc.) can have easy access.
A big congratulations to my dear Karla on quite literally birthing this amazing idea, seeing it come to life, and helping to make those first moments with your new precious bebe extra special.
You can shop the entire collection here.
We’re in the home stretch and I truly can’t believe it. It’s funny how the pregnant mind works because in the last week my energy levels have shifted from 0 to 100 and I have officially entered the nesting zone. Cleaning every nook, making lists, crossing things off, making new lists, and packing. We have four weeks left but quite a few mamas have been telling me the second baby sometimes likes to make an early appearance and well, its better to be prepared than scrambling to throw things in a bag at the last minute. Right? Right.
One of my main priorities (after having a safe birth and delivering my healthy baby of course) is having appropriate nursing gear and comfortable clothing options that still make me feel put together as visitors and family come to see the baby and I. I’m so in love with this nursing bra from Destination Maternity – I adore the color and the fit is perfect and insanely comfortable. It’s pretty enough that I don’t mind having it show under a robe (like this one shown above! also, the dark color will hide any stains.) as well as keeping it on through the night. I also love this nursing bra for when we leave the hospital. It’s a bit more structured and I feel more dressed when wearing it.
I will also be packing these black leggings, comfy white tees (preferably with a deep v-neck – I’m using my hubby’s), and a light sweater/kimono for walking the halls.
A few other essentials:
+ My bag!
+ Honest nipple balm for soothing the boobies. I’m hoping for a quick latch and a little baby girl who loves her mamas milk!
+ Witch hazel (for my lady bits..). Applying this was such a relief after my labor and recovery with Lucas. You can also get astringent pads and chill them in the fridge.
+ Bag of toiletries: body wash (I’ve been using this one and love it), toothbrush, toothpaste, unscented lotion, face wash, dry shampoo, hair brush, bobby pins, a few hair ties, and deodorant.
+ Speaking of lady bits – undies. I am purchasing a pack (these are so comfy) that I don’t mind tossing.
+ This beautiful delivery gown from James Fox Co.
+ A small make-up bag with just the essentials in case I have the energy to spruce up for visitors and photos. I’m packing powder, blush, concealer, and chap-stick. Just the basics.
+ Rubber flip flops/2 pairs of socks.
+ Camera and camera charger.
+ Cell phone charger.
I’ll be leaving the bag ready to go in our bedroom along with a written list for my hubby or my mama – depending on when baby girl decides it’s show time. I hope this list is helpful and if you think I’m missing anything please let me know! Good luck to all my expecting mamas!
I’m so honored to have been asked to style a few pieces for HATCHland – HATCH’S amazing blog full of inspo! I can’t believe I’ve been dressing this bump for 33 weeks already. I’ve been wearing these pieces almost daily and they are going to be just perfect for when the baby arrives..flowy, comfy, nursing-friendly, and beautiful.
Check out the full feature here.
*things currently making me very, very happy*
+ My sleeping toddler surrounded by all his favorite pillows and blankies. (zebra/tiger blanket | tiger pillow case | miffy lamp)
+ The sweetest gift from the sweetest shop for baby girl.
+ My beautiful aunts plant hanging in our living room.
+ NYC window sills.
+ A big ol growing bump (and this Hatch jumper that I have been living in).
A few weeks ago I got to spend the morning with Well Rounded NY, shooting with my dear friend Lindsey, around my hood. Having these photos mean the world – a little reminder I will always have of what a normal morning with my girl looked like before she was Earth side.
I also got to chat with the amazing Well Rounded mamas (ps – follow them on Instagram here!) about pregnancy, life in NYC with my family, and some of my favorite neighborhood spots in case you are local or ever thinking of visiting. You can check it out here.
Dress c/o of Storq. Bag c/o of Little Boogaweezin.
Have you heard of Hatch? It’s a maternity line created by designer and mama Ariane Goldman with style, beauty, and fluidity in mind. Each piece is meant to grow with your pregnancy and be just as functional AFTER the baby arrives, which is pretty amazing if you ask me. Hatch recently launched their Plage Summer Collection and I had the opportunity to collaborate with them and the amazing ladies over at Hey Mama – a new website (it went live this week!) dedicated to bringing the mama tribe together – for this shoot.
What I love most about the collection is how beautiful I felt in each and every piece. My dear and insanely talented friend, Mary Grace, was the photographer and she made the day even better by putting me at ease and capturing these shots that I will treasure forever. My growing baby girl and I at 28 weeks!
A big thank you to Hatch, Hey Mama, and Mary for making this shoot possible. Follow these amazing moms on Instagram! Hatch | Hey Mama | Mary Grace
These photos were snapped when I was 28 weeks and basking in the tropical island sun. I miss it so! This caftan from Tart Collections was a vacation staple for me. It’s not part of their maternity collection but it fit my growing bump perfectly and it made me feel both comfortable and beautiful – not an easy feat while pregnant! You can check out more of their beachwear here as well as their entire maternity collection.
With Mother’s Day coming up, I’ve been reflecting on not just mama-hood but how I feel about myself as woman. Everything happened faster this pregnancy and I have found myself on more than one occasion complaining about my body more than I care to admit. I’ve finally realized how freaking amazing my body is. I get to nurture and carry a beautiful being for a second time and how amazing is THAT? My breasts are growing, I have a little more junk in the trunk, and there’s certainly more of me to love and that’s OKAY. We are women. We are mamas. We are miraculous. There’s nothing more freeing than learning to love our bodies and feeling proud, beautiful, and even sensual (yep!) during this time in our lives that only we were built to do.
Thank you Calvin Klein for creating a scent that empowers me as a woman. This post is in partnership with Refinery 29 and Calvin Klein, two companies I love. All opinions are my own.