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10 Ways to Consolidate Kids’ Clothing Needs

Posted on August 13, 2014

Isn’t it amazing how our kids keep growing and growing? It’s often hard to keep up with their clothing needs. There are often so many sales and so many cute items that it’s truly hard not to over buy. You know the kids are going to get three to six months of use out of these clothes so why buy them more than they really need. Plus, in this economy we all need to find ways to save a buck where we can. Check out 10 ways to condense your kids clothing needs.

Take inventory: Go through the clothes that you already have for your child and see which items fit and which items don’t. Take the items that they have out grown to a resale shop or donate them to a worthy cause.
Assess how your child dresses: Don’t buy a bunch of dresses if you have a tomboy who doesn’t like to wear dresses. This may seem like common sense, but for some reason people love to buy pretty dresses and then they hang in the closet with the tags on them. Or they are worn once for that special occasion and that’s it.
Buy separates: Instead of buying a bunch of dresses you need to buy separates so that you can mix and match tops and skirts. You can also wear the tops with jeans or other pants. A dress is one outfit, but if you buy three skirts and three tops that can be mixed and matched then you can get nine outfits out of those items.
Buy basic colors: When buying pants or skirts think about buying basic colors, black, blue and brown. Those will go with a lot of different things you may already own. The more combinations that you can make the better off you will be.
Don’t buy outfits: Stores are great about putting together outfits, like pink and green striped leggings with a matching pink and green top. This is a one trick pony. You might be able to wear the top with jeans, but otherwise you can wear the pants with that one top and that’s it. Plus it’s such a bold color choice that you don’t want to repeat it in the same week.

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Debbie Matenopoulos shares healthy Greek recipes on Dr. Oz

Posted on August 12, 2014

Home and Family‘s Debbie Matenopoulos is still working hard even while incubating her first child with husband, Jon Falcone.

The TV personality has not slowed down and in between her TV hosting duties on the Hallmark Channel TV show, she has been actively promoting her new book “It’s all Greek to Me” on TV and during a traveling book tour.

Recently, the actress shared one of her mom’s healthy recipes on Dr. Oz. During the segment, Matenopoulos explained how Greek food allowed her to eat more volume and still lose weight, compared to her New York city diet which involved less food, but also less wholesome options that had her gaining weight, getting limp hair and bad skin.

Debbie Matenopoulos – Dr. Oz July 29 2014 from Peter Capozzi on Vimeo.

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I tried out some of the recipes from the former The View panelist’s new book and found them super yummy and filling!!

Get this book:

While stalking her social media accounts, I found that she had shared some super cute pics of herself with The Bachelor host Chris Harrison and another one with her holding up some super cute tiny Nike tennis shoes, a gift someone gave to her baby.

Cute!

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Study: Stress during pregnancy leads to Premature Birth

Posted on August 12, 2014

Research from the University of Lethbridge has suggested that high stress levels during pregnancy might lead to premature births in future generations. This could help explain the high number of premature births that some regions have. The study is not suggesting that the stress to premature pregnancy effect is immediate, but rather that it means the daughters of stressed women will have a higher risk of a shortened pregnancy.

The hypothesis has been drawn up after researchers observed the birthing behavior of rats. When the rats were put in stressful situations during the late stages of pregnancy, they gave birth at the normal time. However, the offspring of the stressed rats had shorter pregnancies and therefore a higher number of their own babies were born before what would be considered a normal gestation period was up.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) up to 15 million babies are born prematurely every year. This is approximately one in every 10. Scientists have seen that chemical exposure may influence this, but are now beginning to understand that stress also plays a large role.

Gerlinde Metz, professor of neuroscience, explains that once the “footprint” of stress can be better understood, the risk of pre-term birth can be accessed in future generations. This allows for prediction of shorter pregnancies and intervention should it be required in order to keep mother and baby safe.

According to Metz, stress can alter genes. Stressed out pregnant ladies can pass on these altered genes to their daughters. This is why in the rat experiments it was the daughters of the stressed mother rats who showed shorter pregnancies. The research suggests that the same could be true in humans, and this might explain why in some areas of the world, more pre-term births are seen than others

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Mourning Robin Williams & Lessons from recent high profile suicides

Posted on August 12, 2014

Today, the entertainment world and audiences worldwide mourn the tragic death of veteran comedian and actor Robin Williams who reportedly ended his own life after battling a history of drug abuse and depression. As many across the web reminisce of their favorite flick or performance by the Mrs. Doubtfire, Patch Adams, Good Morning, Vietnam!, Mork & Mindy and Goodwill Hunting actor, I thought I’d repost some words of encouragement and outreach for those out there who may be suffering with depression ,currently.

If there is one thing that can be learned from other recent suicides of Disney star Lee Thompson last summer, designer L’Wren Scott this March and blogger Karyn Washington a month later, it is that depression and mental illness have no one look. Those suffering may wear a mask or normalsy or a smile , while suffering silently. Depression can be concealed, and can be happening to those near and dear to us, right under our noses.

You never know what demon or issues people are dealing with, so check in on your friends, family and neighbors once in a while.

Look for Warning Signs. Help Someone

So it’s a good time to remind ourselves to reach out to those personally around us if we notice mood and behavior changes, letting their appearance go, dropping out of school or hobbies, avoiding friends, not sleeping well, or a big change in mood, reach out. Let them know someone cares and you are there for them.

This is true especially, as in the case with Karyn, if there has been a life altering episode, or another situation that leads to extreme emotional stress. Heed to warning signs that someone may be suffering with depression.

If you have had suicidal thoughts, Please Stay.

If you are reading this, and you have had suicidal thoughts, and are dealing with so much sadness, loneliness or other anxiety that you feel you cannot cope any longer with the pain, please remember that “this too shall pass.”

“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us,” Alexander Graham Bell famously said.

An unknown author quipped, “Nobody trips over mountains. It is the small pebble that causes you to stumble. Pass all the pebbles in your path and you will find you have crossed the mountain.”

It may be really hard to come to grip with the grande scheme of life and your perspective may be skewed right now because of how you are feeling, but trust me when I say, there is a light and hope and happiness waiting for you on earth.

Find someone to talk to and if you don’t feel you can open up with some there is always the National suicide prevention hotline for US residents (Internationally for others) where you can get help and guidance, and perhaps a referral to some place where you can get personal, confidential counseling at no cost too.

There is good and beauty everywhere.

Try to concentrate on the positive things about yourself and your life. Make plans this weekend to get away and have some fun. Splurge on a manicure or facial. Enjoy the weather and if it’s raining, check out some movies you’ve never seen. There are so many out there you haven’t watched.

You cannot end it all now. (smile)

Live for another day. Survive this.

(((((hugs)))))

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10 ways to encourage independence in your child

Posted on August 11, 2014

Raising independent children is hard work, but it’s one of the most rewarding things you can do, for them and for you! Children who are able to solve their own problems and do things for themselves are happier and more relaxed about the world around them. They are less stressed about how everything is going to get done because they are in control of the situation. It takes time to teach kids how to be independent, so be patient with the process and expect a few messes along the way!

Set clear boundaries – Let children know what their boundaries are and what is expected of them. There should be no surprises in what they are allowed to do on their own and when they should ask for help. If there are questions, kids should talk to the grown-up in charge and discuss the situation with them.
Create structure and routine that encourages independence – Set kids up to be able to help themselves as much as possible. Put cups on lower shelves, keep drinks on the lowest shelf in the fridge, have children sort and put away their own laundry, let them pick out their own clothes and dress themselves in the mornings and create a snack shelf in the fridge with healthy options. The more they can do for themselves, the more that a sense of independence will be created for them.
Teach problem solving skills – If children have a problem, teach them the skills they need to solve it. A common problem children have is fighting among siblings. Instead of always stepping in, give them the option of resolving the conflict with each other on their own. Role-playing is a great way to introduce these skills without having all the emotion of a real conflict in the way.
Show empathy – It’s important for kids to know you care while they are figuring out how to solve a situation. Tell them that you care about what happens to them, but that you’d also like for them to be the one who figures out the solution. You won’t allow them to get physically hurt, but they do need to find a solution that they think will work.
Let them fail – It sounds harsh, but allow for mistakes. The best consequences are the ones that occur naturally. For example, forgetting your homework at home will mean you will suffer a consequence at school. It’s a learning experience, but one that is sure to help your child remember their homework next time! Let them spill the milk when trying to pour it into their glass, then show them how to clean it up and try again!
Let them do it themselves – Have children be responsible for their own belongings on a trip. They can pack a small backpack of toys and books to bring on a trip, be responsible for carrying it through the airport and onto the plane and make sure that all of their belongings get back into the backpack for the trip home.
Give choices – Let children think for themselves and give them reasonable choices about their day. If they need to be dressed up that day, allow them to choose the blue or the grey shirt. Have them help you decide which snacks to prepare, what project to work on, what homework they’d like to do first and other choices throughout the day.
Let them speak for themselves – When you are at a restaurant have your child order their own food or if you’re at a medical appointment have them speak to the receptionist, nurse and doctor. This gives them the opportunity to learn how to interact with people outside of their social groups and in professional settings.
Interject, but don’t intervene – When children are in the middle of figuring out a problem, but are struggling a bit, don’t solve the problem for them. It’s okay to offer suggestions and ideas if they are truly stuck, but it’s important that they use the thought process to get themselves out of the situation. Your children will probably surprise you by coming up with solutions that you may have not even thought of!
Practice how to practice – Practicing is a life-long skill that we all use on a daily basis. If your child takes up a musical instrument, but halfway through the year decides they no longer want to play it, use the experience as a practicing experience. They need to finish their commitment and should consider it practice for life. Make sure to explain that to them.

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Hilary Duff, JLo and Kim Kardashian rock Teen Choice Red Carpet

Posted on August 11, 2014

Some of our Bellytich Bumpwatch alums brought the curves and rocked the stage and red carpet to the FOX’s 2014 Teen Choice Awards last night, Sunday, August 10 at The Shrine Auditorium.

Mixed in with the other youthful faces of Young Hollywood were:

Hilary Duff who va-va-voomed in a Black Sachin+Babi top with vibrant red floral accents at the trim with a figure hugging high-waisted leather midi skirt and black Stuart Weitzmen pumps. Love the look, mama!

She’s got legs and she knows how to use them. Jennifer Lopez looked youthful and saucy in a gorge green House of Eli Saab lace and shea flare skirted dress from its Spring 2014 collection, with strappy sateen heels. Grrrrr!

Kim Kardashian did leather too and went with a long sleeved Balmain leather crop top, set of with a Balmain Zebra print high waisted pencil-skirt; and nude Balendciaga ankle wrap pumps. Sexy. Glad the black hair is back!

photo: Getty, Instagram,

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5 Essentials for your Fall weekend maternity wardrobe

Posted on August 11, 2014

Bellyitch Rewind

Weekends can bring a mix of events, outings, lounging, shopping or walking excursions outdoors during the fall and the pumpkin & farm season, in particular. It is important for the pregnant woman to arm herself with comfortable clothes that will keep her warm and still stylish all fall long. Here is a list of items that your weekend wear collection should include:

1. Camisoles– You can’t go wrong with purchasing a variety of camisoles in winter colors: red, black, grey, tan, brown and white. Get long sleeve jersey shirts to wear over top. Peel off layers as you get overheated and add more as you get chilly. Some come with a bra sewn in or with bosom support which would be great because often times you don’t want to go with a bra under all the layers.

2. Comfy stylish and great looking jeans – Opt for a straight leg or bootleg styles that give you room to wear tights or thermals underneath on cold days and for outdoor shopping trips or walks. You can do dark denim, distressed, boy cut, white, or even go with colored denim if you are so brave.

3. Long-sleeve Jersey Tops – The jersey material stretches and is forgiving. You can put tops made out of this material on easily and they feel great against your skin when worn over a top and under a jacket or sweater. Get them in a variety of colors.

4. A Chunky Knit sweater -Wearing a thick chunky belted sweater, sleeveless or with sleeves, is a great option when it’s not that cold outside and you may feel to overburdened and heavy in a coat. A chunky cardigan in navy blue should complement with much of your clothes.

5. A Dressy Dress – A maternity wrap dress or A line empire dress with bell sleeves is cayoooot in the fall and can be worn out to dinner, to a happy hour (in a smoke free place of course where you will be sipping on apple juice), the theater or even a semi-casual Holiday party.

For accessorizing, get maternity leggins or tights in dark brown, black, dark grey and tan, with argyle or other patterns to add a festive and quirky touch. Thick-heeled mary janes, ballet flats, slouch boots and Uggs boots would do for the feet. Caps, capes and pashminas, fun, chunky and quirky rings and chandellier earings will add fashion and flare to your weekend wear.

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Olivia Wilde Breastfeeding in Glamour

Posted on August 11, 2014

Actress Olivia Wilde is featured on the cover of the September issue of Glamour magazine and inside is photographed breastfeeding her infant son, Otis, who she gave birth to this April.

It’s all in celebration of World Breastfeeding Week.

With this image, Wilde joins a bevy of celebrity women who have been photographed for magazines or who have shared images of themselves Breastfeeding including: Gwen Stefani, Russian supermodel Natalia Vodianova, Gisele Bundchen, Angelina Jolie, P!nk, Lucy Lawless, Alanis Morisette, SalmaHayek and others.

We featured 7 high profile cases recently here: http://bellyitchblog.com/2014/06/breastfeeding-moms-social-media-photo.html?m=1

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10 ways to get your child to sleep in own bed thru night

Posted on August 10, 2014

Families who are transitioning away from co-sleeping or even those who are new to dealing with a child who won’t stay in his own bed after moving to a toddler bed that’s easy to escape are no stranger to the challenge that is mastering the full night’s sleep. There are as many reasons why kids won’t stay in their beds as there are kids themselves, and as many motivations for coming to find a parent after waking abruptly as there are sleepless nights. Finding a method that works for your family may require a bit of trial and error, but with a bit of dedication, you’ll find your child sleeping the night away in his own bed before you know it.

Find the Root of the Problem – The first step to getting your child to successfully spend the night in his own bed is to find out why he’s having trouble doing so in the first place. Some kids will get out of bed at night because they’re afraid of imaginary monsters, other because they’re simply awakened by something and aren’t able to self-soothe until they fall asleep again. To solve this particular problem, you’re going to need to uncover the root of it and work around what you discover.
Start a New Routine – Allowing a bit of wiggle room in your child’s bedroom routine can have a major impact on the success or failure of your ability to keep him in his bed at night, especially if he’s getting up because he’s having bad dreams or is afraid. Make room for a “monster check,” take the time to work a bedtime story into the routine, or allow him to wind down a bit by starting the routine earlier and working towards the goal of getting in bed with less pressure.
Encourage Self-Soothing – If part of your child’s established routine includes you spending time in his bed or in his room until he falls asleep, it may be time to rethink your strategy. After all, a child who’s dependent upon you in order to get to sleep will naturally come searching for you when he wakes up and can’t accomplish the task on his own. Start working on helping your child to fall asleep on his own and you may find that the bulk of your problem is already solved.
Keep Your Language Positive and Optimistic – When you talk to your child about staying in his bed, make sure that your language is upbeat and positive, rather than stern or overly authoritarian. Make spending a night in his bed sound like the major milestone it is, not something he must do because he’s afraid he’ll be punished or you’ll be disappointed.
Work Gradually Towards Your Goal– You may not be sleeping in a child free bed the night you start working towards that goal. You may not even be there a week from starting your routine. It’s important to keep the end game in mind, though, rather than focusing on immediate results. After all, you want a lasting solution, not one that’s temporary.
Get Kids Involved in the Process – Giving your child a bit of ownership over the situation by letting him pick out new sheets, select a special animal to sleep with or even have a bit of say in his bed time can go a long way when you’re trying to reach an understanding about sleep. Let your child know that you want him to be excited about this new chapter in his “big boy” life, and give him some control to reflect that status.
Make a Game of The Situation – If you set up a system of rewards for every successful night in bed or make each night seem like a fun, new challenge, you may find that you’re having better results than if you’re just trying to lay down the proverbial law to your struggling child.

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Heavily Pregnant Trapeze artist maternity portraits stun the Net

Posted on August 10, 2014

An New York City trapeze acrobat is causing a renewed discussion about the limits of participating in sports and other extreme activities while expecting.

Michelle Arvin, a Resident and teacher at Circus Warehouse, has delivered her baby since the professional photos of her performing in her 8th month of pregnancy made its way through social media.

The Queens, NY resident was due July 26 but went 2 weeks past her due date. Her friend and professional photographer, Rachael Shane, took the stunning pics.

“We did [the photos] because I wanted maternity pictures that weren’t your standard maternity pictures,” Arvin told the New York Daily News.

Arvin also told TODAY that she did not have to alter her normal routine much. She also divulged that the midwives who were scheduled to deliverer her baby told Arvin that she could keep up her routine as long as it felt good. She said going upside down actually felt good.

Some are cheering Arvin on but others like Dr. Jill Hechtman, director of Tampa Obstetrics in Florida, say Arvin’s decision to continue to teach & perform was risky.

Hechtman told Yahoo! News Arvin could have fallen or gotten “bumped by someone else” and risked having a placental abruption, which causes the placenta to separate from the uterine wall.

“She probably was a terrific trapeze artist before, but now she has to really overcompensate because of the differences in her weight distribution and balance,” Hechtman continued.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend that pregnant remain active and to stick to activities like walking, swimming, cycling and aerobics. ACOG notes the benefits of exercise while pregnant include increased energy and endurance, better sleep, and prevention of gestational diabetes. The group’s guidelines advise women to avoid activities that carry a high risk of falling like “gymnastics, water skiing, or horseback riding,” as well as contact sports.

But like with the marathoner, Olympic fencer, cross fitter and ballerina, these type of images will naturally be water cooler fodder.

Your thoughts?

photos: Rachael Shane

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