Celeb moms at 2015 People’s Choice Awards Red Carpet and Show

Posted on January 8, 2015

Tonight, not only did a Bellyitch Bumpwatch alum co-host the People’s Choice Awards LIVE from the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles, California, but several were up for awards and took home statutes at the show controlled by viewers.

Bumpwatch alum Anna Farris and her Moms CBS co-star Allison Janney hosted the event which had our past featured moms up against one another. Scarlett Johansson, Kerry Washington, Zoe Saldana, Tina Fey, Drew Barrymore, Reese Witherspoon, Emily Deschanel, Tea Leoni, Angelina Jolie, Mayim Bialik, Hayden Panattiere, Alyssa Milano, Kate Winslet, Carrie Underwood, Hillary Shelton’s “Lady Antebellum” and Ellen Pompeo were all up for awards in various categories. Lady Antebellum, Underwood and Pompeo won in their categories. While projects and shows starring Winslet (Divergent), Jolie (Maleficent) and Bialik (The Big Bang Theory) won as well. See winners list here.

Anna Farris looked sultry in a Juan Carlos Obando top and fishtail skirt, strappy Jimmy Choo heels, accented with Irene Neuwirth earrings and a Graziela Gems ring.

Anna Farris and Allison Janney, co star of the CBS show Moms coordinated well while hosting the show. Love the matching white pant suit. Very “Twins”-ish! ha!

Hillary Scott was looking fab and showing off leg in a Yigal Azrouel dress, worn with shoes by Ralph Lauren and a Jimmy Choo purse. Her Lady Antebellum bandmates Dave Haywood and Charles Kelley looked dapper as well, though Kelley explained on the red carpet to Giuliana Rancic that he had ripped his pants in the inseam on the car ride to the show. oops!

Hot Pink was the color Kristen Bell chose to wear while making her first public appearance since giving birth to daughter Delta this past December. She was rocking an interesting layered Monique Lhullier dress with silver Christian Louboutin pumps and accented with Neil Lane jewelry, and a Jimmy Choo clutch.

I personally loved Giulana Rancic in a mint green Tony Ward dress which gave me a retro 50’s feel and the hair is perfect to match.

photos: Getty

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Six Curvy/Full Figure Fashion Bloggers You Should Know

Posted on January 7, 2015

CuurvyCouture

What we love about fashion bloggers over traditional models for clothing lines is that they are able to assemble looks with accessories in a practical way that the average woman can relate to and imagine for themselves. We get a bunch of styling ideas from these women (and some men) who take the time out of their day to snap themselves in their out-of-the-day and share for their followers and readers. Another great thing about Fashion Bloggers is that, unlike traditional professional models, they come in all shapes and sizes. This includes curvy, full figured and plus-sized – depending on your choice of moniker.

Here are 6 fashion bloggers that we scoped out for you to consider following.

We love their style because they are not afraid of COLOR and to play with accessories and a variety of material and textures to mix up their fashion palette.

Amy at FullFigureAndFashionable and Katie from Hems for Her

CuurvyCouture

Assa from My Curves & Curls

Amy at FullFigureAndFashionable

Kiersten Heath from BiteMyHeathBar

Katie from Hems for Her and Amy from FullFigureAndFashionable

Celebrity Fashion Stylist Becca Alexis

Tina Campbell and Erica Campbell of Mary Mary

CuurvyCouture

Kiersten Heath at BiteMyHeathBar

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Winter Vacation Over: Transition kids into School Mode Tips

Posted on January 7, 2015

Bellyitch Rewind

Winter break is over, and while most parents enjoy getting their schedules back into a routine, I think it’s safe to say that most kids feel differently. Getting up early, focusing in class and finishing homework on time can all seem like foreign concepts to kids after a couple of weeks of school vacation. To help make the transition back to school a little easier on everyone, give these tips a try:

Stick to your regular routine: As much as possible, stick to your regular routine during school breaks. Bedtimes, mealtimes, play and learning time should be as consistent as possible. While it is nice to give your kids a little more freedom during vacation, staying in line with your normal routine will make heading back to school much easier when the time comes.

Make learning a part of vacation: Just because your kids are on vacation doesn’t mean that their brains should take a vacation too. The trick is to make them think they are just having fun. MindWare has lots of books and brainteasers, building sets and games that will get your child thinking and learning while still having fun!

Don’t wait until the last minute: Don’t wait until the night before to ask your kids if they had any homework or assignments over break. Check in on their progress throughout vacation and get those projects taken care of right away. Have them pack their backpacks and pick out their clothes a few nights ahead of time, so they don’t feel stressed the night before school resumes.

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Two MTV ‘Teen Mom’ stories are trending

Posted on January 7, 2015

Two teen mom stories are trending;

Congratulations are in order! On New Year’s day, MTV cast members Catelynn Lowell and Tyler Baltierra welcomed their second child together, a daughter. The couple gave away their first child to adoption in 2009, citing immaturity and lack of resources to care for their daughter Carly.

They plan to keep and raise this one and to marry later this year. They named her Nova Reign. Baltierra addressed online critics about the birth after adoption on his Twitter account:

So sick of the ignorance in the world. Just because you place a child for adoption doesn’t mean your not allowed to have another #GetReal

— Tyler BaltierraMTV (@TylerBaltierra) January 4, 2015

Since then, he has been promoting adoption and its benefits on his Twitter account.

Two other new celebrity babies have Reign in their names. Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick’s second son is named Reign Aston. And rapper Lil Kim named her daughter Royal Reign.

Also, today Teen Mom star Farrah Abraham revealed a botched lip augmentation surgery on her Twitter Account. She tells Hollywood Life that the surgeon used an anesthesia which she was allergic to it causing her lip to swell severely.

Ouch! Get well soon, mama!

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The history of “The Pregnancy Test”

Posted on January 7, 2015

In light of all the pregnancy test related news of late, this:

Have you ever wanted to know how the modern pregnancy test came about? There is a long bizarre history to the development of the one-step early detection tests we have on the market today.

The ancient Egyptians had women urinate on bags of wheat and bags of barley. If wheat sprouted, it was a girl. If barley sprouted, it was a boy. If neither did, there was no pregnancy. Just so you know, urine on wheat and barley can’t detect pregnancy. Don’t try it at home.

The Greeks lined the genitals with perfumed linen. If the woman’s mouth and nose took on the odor of the perfume, she was pregnant. Eww.

Medieval doctors would dip a needle in a woman’s urine. Depending on whether the needle rusted red or black, determined if the woman was pregnant. They also sprinkled sulfur on urine, they thought if worms suddenly appeared was indication of pregnancy. Um okay. Sure. Doctors even mixed urine with wine which was interesting and at least close to what we know is true today given that wine has certain proteins that react to HCG.

Wikepedia

Oh Rats! It was thought that injection of a pregnant woman’s urine in to rats would send them into heat. A few days after the injection, scientists dissected the rats to get the results. To keep the results from being skewed by naturally horny rats, scientists routinely used baby rats, who hadn’t yet developed the propensity to be horny yet.

Rascilly Rabits! – The rabbit test has made it into many pop culture references. The phrase, “the rabbit died” came to imply pregnancy. However, this test was short lived because the rabbit usually died if the woman was pregnant or not. They just couldn’t live with urine in their blood. Doh!

But the rabbits, rats, and frogs tests couldn’t distinguish between another common hormone, luteinizing hormone (LH) and the pregnancy-related hormone hCG unless the hCG level was very high The tests were expensive, and took days to run. And you can imagine, there were plenty of false positives. Not good!

The 1960s – Scientists first got into looking into antibodies when they swished hCG from the lab with anti-hCG antibodies and a urine sample from the woman. If the cells clustered in a certain way, the woman was pregnant. No animals were used and it didn’t take long to discover, only a few hours, but it required a lot of very expensive lab work. Not very practical or cost effective for the common woman. The process involved immunoassays. Immunoassays were cheaper, and slightly more sensitive, but it still mixed up with hCGs, and led to plenty of false positives.

The 1970s – In the early 1970s, scientists at the National Institute of Health, discovered a special antibody that targeted only hCG, that also was not found the hormone LH. Eureka! We found it! With that last innovation done, the consumer market was allowed to flourish!

It took a little while, but in 1978, women’s magazines began advertising the first in-home pregnancy tests! They cost just ten dollars and included a vial of purified water, an eye dropper, a test tube stand with a mirror at the bottom that let users observe what was going on in the tube with the mixture of solutions which also included some sheep’s blood. The test was 97% accurate for positive results, and 80% accurate for for negative results.

The 1980s – Researchers got to work and created simple one-step tests.

The 1990s – We saw the use of enzyme indicators, which were quicker, easier and more accurate.

Today – Now we have digital screens and early testing capabilities which can detect pregnancy two weeks after the first missed period. With some tests, pregnancy can be detected after 8 days of ovulation and you can get results within minutes!

There you have it! The history of the pregnancy test.

Thanks for the i09 for research sources.

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Fashion shows’ pregnant celebrity hosts

Posted on January 6, 2015

A few years ago, we blogged about how female film stars were losing out on film projects once producers discovered they were pregnant. That’s why it was refreshing to catch a broadcast of Project Runway’s All-Star featuring a very pregnant Alyssa Milano as a host on the latest season of that show. She hosted it last year as well.

The franchise is quite pregnant lady friendly as creator and original host Heidi Klum was also very pregnant during one past season of the general Project Runway fashion designer contest show.

We also noticed that another Bellyitch Bumpwatch alum Vanessa Simmons started her gig on Project Runway Threads (the version for child-designers) right after giving birth to her daughter Ava Marie

last February.

It must be a thing with fashion shows because Kristin Cavallari starred in season one of the E! show The Fabulist while she was expecting her second child.

It’s all good news for the future of working pregnant moms in the industry. Well at least on the small screen.

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12 Secrets to Maintaining your Relationship after Baby

Posted on January 6, 2015

While it’s no secret to any couple past the honeymoon stage that marriage requires work in order to be successful, it can come as a surprise to new parents just how much raising children changes the dynamic of a marriage. Keeping the ever-elusive “spark” alive after babies come along can be one of the biggest challenges that a married couple faces, but it’s absolutely possible. These 12 pointers can help you maintain the great relationship you have, even when the demands of parenthood begin to weigh on you both.

Put in the Effort – It may seem simple on the surface, but just remembering to put some effort towards maintaining your marriage when you’re exhausted, mired in the world of potty training or just trying to keep up with a demanding family schedule can be a challenge. Just like anything else worth having, a marriage does require at least some effort from both parties to continue running smoothly.
Try to Focus on the Good Things – Becoming fixated on the frustrating aspects of your marriage is easy, but it’s also poisonous. Trying to keep the things you love most about your partner and your lives together at the forefront of your mind will require some dedication, but it can have very positive results in the long run.
Compliments, Compliments – There are a thousand things you love about your spouse, but the hectic pace of everyday life can make remembering to appreciate those things difficult. Making a point of complimenting your spouse each day shows appreciation for them and can be the balm that frazzled nerves need during high-stress moments.
Avoid Taking Stress Out On Your Spouse – Letting off steam is normal, but it can become problematic when you’re expressing your frustration with an unrelated situation by attacking your spouse. It’s easy to take stress out on those closest to you, but it’s difficult to repair the damage that type of behavior can have on your relationship.
Make Time for One Another – Time probably isn’t something that you have very much of, which makes it all the more significant when you set a sliver of your precious free time aside to spend with your spouse.
Remember That Your Partner is Not a Mind-Reader – You may have a running list of things that need to be done in your head, but you shouldn’t expect your partner to be able to read that list. You have to communicate your needs and expectations to your spouse if you expect them to be met, so don’t fall into the trap of expecting them to just know what you need without direction.
Don’t Be Too Proud to Apologize – Flying off the handle is easy when you’re in the pressure cooker that is raising children on a tight schedule. When you’ve had time to cool off, however, don’t let your pride stand in the way of a much-warranted apology, especially if you’ve realized that your reaction wasn’t necessary.
Assume the Best – When you’re stressed, tired and in sore need of a break, it’s easy to assume the worst as you’re trying to decipher the inscrutable actions of your spouse. Rather than believing the worst-case scenario is just around the corner, try to assume the best intentions were the motivation behind any behavior you don’t understand.
Small Gestures Go a Long Way – A sweet greeting card snagged from the rack at the market, a favorite food prepared for dinner and other small gestures like these can add up in big ways, especially when they’re the bright spot in a challenging day. Remembering to do these things amidst the hustle and bustle of daily life isn’t always easy, but it’s almost always worth the effort.
Seek Spontaneity – Look for every opportunity to do something lighthearted and unexpected, even when you can only grab a few moments in which to do so. Just because your impromptu road trip days have come to an end doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice every shred of spontaneity in your marriage.
Remember That You’re Playing on the Same Team – When little grievances add up to big problems, you can easily lose sight of the fact that you and your spouse are on the same team and are pursuing a common goal. Rather than seeing your spouse as the opposition, try to shift your perspective.
Be Adults Together – In a sea of diapers, cartoons and juice boxes, there isn’t always room for a grown-up discussion that doesn’t center around the practical aspects of running a household. Just spending a kid-free hour of television time together before bed can create interesting talking points. Every couple has their own shared favorite pastimes, but it’s important to spend time together being adults, not just oversized kid-wranglers.

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Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds welcomed first child early

Posted on January 6, 2015

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds welcomed their first child right before the New Year, Page Six reports.

Reportedly, she was not due for several weeks and the baby arrived early but reps for the couple report mom and baby are doing well.

This is the first child for the couple that married in 2012. Lively announced the news in a cute and chic way on her website Preserve in October.

Congrats!

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The BEST coat alternative for a pregnant woman

Posted on January 6, 2015

When you are pregnant, you may not want to invest in a larger coat and or you just may not be comfortable and feel stifled constrained in one. You already have this extra girth and a coat sometimes can be just too hot and too much. A cape is a wonderful alternative. In the cooler months, you can layer your clothing underneath to keep you warm and use the cape over to shield you from the winds and elements.

Capes rock, mamas! And when she was pregnant with her second child,Jessica Simpson was great at pairing her cape coat with fab leopard skin accessories, Jackie-O shades and chic boots!

Consider getting a cape today!

cape coats

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Will Tamera Mowry-Housley’s second pregnancy announcement change how you see sponsored content by celebrities in social media?

Posted on January 5, 2015

Congratulations to one half of our favorite sets of celebrity twins, Tamera Mowry-Housley, who announced yesterday on her Instagram and Facebook accounts that she is expecting her second child with husband FOX News correspondent Adam Housley.

The couple are parents to 2-year old Aden. The new arrival, when born, will have mom’s twin, actress Tia Mowry Hardrict, for an aunty and her son with actor Cory Hardrict, 3-year old Cree Taylor for a cousin.

Mowry-Housley had been a spokesperson for the pregnancy testing brand Clear Blue since 2013 . She also mentioned the company in the share:

“We are thrilled to announce we are #ClearblueConfirmed! Can’t wait to meet baby #2! Love Clearblue’s pregnancy test with Smart Countdown. It helped me get through the wait to get my result by counting down with me. #spon,”

She likely is beyond 3 months and took the test a while ago and is only dong the announcement now for the promo opp.

I was noticing some of the negative reaction in social media and in comments section to the announcement over the fact that she included the words “#spon” in the post and used the moment to also promote the brand.

John Legend‘s controversial wife, model Chrissy Teigen, even threw in some shade

I wrote a couple years ago in March 2013 on my poli-tech blog about how the United States Federal Trade Commission had updated its regulations back then to require celebrities, bloggers and other social media personalities to indicate clearly and explicitly when they are getting paid in product or money to promote a product.

The purpose, of course, is the interest of transparency and full disclosure so audiences are aware they are being influenced by someone paid to advance a brand.

Tamera Mowry-Housley’s Pregnancy in 9 photos

As a blogger, I have railed for years against the fact that I see so many celebrities promote products daily that they are getting paid to social share but who fail to abide by the rules. Yet, there seemed to be a focus on bloggers, vloggers and other rising social media influencers to be compliant. Meanwhile, celebrities were violating the rules routinely and there seemed to be no interest in cracking down on them.

Technically, the brands are responsible more making sure celebs themselves do not break the guidelines and they, along with the celebrity, are responsible for any fines or repercussions of the violation.

As BabyCenter.com pointed out, Mowry-Housley was using her clutch to hide her bump at an industry event last month.

Now, given some of the negative reaction to Mowry-Housley’s announcement, with some people calling the share “tacky”, it’s easy to see why many choose to just omit the fact they were paid to promote a product or service.

Consumers, apparently, don’t take too well to paid promotions at all and will be less likely to trust the word of the person promoting the product if they feel there was compensation for it. They don’t find it as genuine. Perhaps it’s the same reason why people get up to use the bathroom during commercials but cannot avoid brands strategically placed on TV shows. Overt v. Subconscious.

It also probably has to do with the fact that people gravitate to blogs, online communities and social media to get the “real” experience and find dialogue. They probably find the exchanges there more trustworthy and honest than from scripted prose. It’s the same reason why people prefer reality TV or non-fiction television shows over scripted ones perhaps.

BUMP WATCH: Tamera Mowry-Housley’s Maternity Portrait

In any event, all of the ruckus will die down eventually and people will get over it.

Congrats to the family!

I am eager, however, to see if this announcement and the reaction to it will lead more celebrities and brands to continue to take the risk of an FTC fine by just not following the rules as they are already are.

….Or will it open up more audiences’ eyes to realize that they see thousands of product placements in tweets and IG shares daily and have been obliviously taking it all in and fine with it all the time.

Note they only got bothered when it was in their faces.

So it seems people don’t mind being “influenced” so long as they’re not told they are. So interesting. And with more news outlets picking up the announcement, ClearBlue is getting exposure beyond Mowry-Housley’s millions of followers.

Your thoughts? Do you see nothing wrong with using social media to promote a brand during your pregnancy announcement? Or do you think it shouldn’t be used for personal shares?

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