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You are the most Beautiful human being I have ever Laid my eyes on. How am I so lucky To be alive At the same time You exist?

Is it Fate? (via letters-from-alex)

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- Nayirrah Waheed

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I’m committing myself to living a healthier life.

Affirmation of the day. (via riffatmatinpoetry)

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(by @enjoythej0urney on instagram)

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You’ll need coffee shops and sunsets and road trips. Airplanes and passports and new songs and old songs, but people more than anything else. You will need other people and you will need to be that other person to someone else, a living breathing screaming invitation to believe better things.

Jamie Tworkowski  (via asking-jude)

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Skin Care — Pregnancy Tips for First Time Moms

Pregnancy is one of the most wonderful things that every woman could ever experience. Yet one of the troubles that many women are quite anxious about is how it may affect their physical appearance that they have maintained for such a long time. Being a mother of two, I must admit that at a certain point, I totally lost the feeling of being gorgeous while struggling with motherhood’s downside. I was worried about gaining weight and eventually getting those stretch marks after giving birth. I was even worried that my partner might lose his interest on me if that would happen. That seriously added more stress during my pregnancy. But hey, beautiful Moms, instead of feeling down, why not give it a try instead? There are still a lot of products that can help lessen the chances of getting those marks and ways of maintaining the beautiful tummy we have worked out on for quite long. Here are some of the tips I have learned on how to keep my skin looking good during and even after the pregnancy.

First of all, we have to understand how and why do we get those not-so-pleasant marks. When a woman is pregnant, she would experience rapid stretching of skin associated with rapid gaining of weight, that often starts on the 2nd trimester of the pregnancy. In some cases, stretch marks start to appear during the pregnancy but most often, it comes out after giving birth. The off-color hue may look very disturbing, but that is quite normal. Especially when the stretching that has happened to the skin was just recent. During this stage, the mother can start using some lotions especially made for pregnant women to avoid further forming of these marks. However, on my first pregnancy, I didn’t apply any lotion because aside from not having enough budget that time, I’ve heard many folks saying that the smaller your tummy is when you are pregnant, the lesser chances of getting those marks. Which I have proved right after giving birth to my 1st child. I didn’t get a single mark at all considering that I didn’t apply anything to my skin. So that proves that preventing those marks doesn’t only depend on the products that we use, but it also depends on the skin type of the person. My OB even said that if your parents and sisters do get these marks, then most likely, you are going to get them as well.

It was during my 2nd pregnancy when my anxiety occurs. My tummy was relatively big compared to the first time I got pregnant. And I started to feel like I needed the help of those products I see on advertisements. I have talked to so many girl friends who used different kinds of lotions, and at least 95 percent of them had led me to trying these products. The Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Massage Lotion for Stretch Marks, combined with the Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Tummy Butter.

   Apply the Palmer’s Massage Lotion at least twice a day. In my case, since I usually get up from bed at 8 in the morning, I apply it right after waking up. And apply it again after taking a bath in the afternoon before heading off to work. Slightly massage your tummy using the lotion, particularly in a circular motion. Apply it to other parts of your body that are also prone to marks like your bust, hips including the butt and the thighs as well.

 For best results, apply the Palmer’s Tummy Butter daily before bedtime. This cream is more of a concentrated treatment which is great for specific areas. You can still apply this even after pregnancy. We tend to scratch our tummy during night time without us being aware of it. Now, this product personally lessens the itchiness in my tummy not to mention it was also non-greasy.

In between these 2 wonderful treatments, you can also use some moisturizing soap during shower time to keep your skin smooth. Keeping your skin moisturized makes you less prone to marks. It is also good to use herbal or plant based natural soaps.

These effective products to avoid being prone to marks are quite useful, but there are still some natural ways that we can follow, though. Like one of the most common advice you’re gonna get from an OB is to try not to gain too much weight. It doesn’t mean you should lessen your food intake, for it is very normal for a pregnant woman to keep on starving, but you should be very careful with the kind of food that you eat. Doctors usually recommend women to gain weight only between 25 to 35 pounds during pregnancy. Not gaining much weight will obviously prevent skin from being too much stretched. Getting adequate sleep is also a big help to keep your skin healthier. Try to sleep between 6-8 hours daily, and take a nap every time you feel like wanting to have one. Especially those Moms who are still working during their pregnancy, they are usually more stressed out because of the job, so catching a good sleep is a must. Plus, keeping your skin hydrated reduces the risk of getting stretched marks. So Mommies, go drink up a lot more!!

However, it’s still best to open yourself up to the possibility of getting a different result. Those tips that were mentioned above work differently depending on the skin type or body condition of a person. But it doesn’t mean that, we beautiful moms, should stop trying.

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Seasoned Mom to New Mom

As a new parent there are things you won’t think of, this is what this list is for. The seasoned mother helping a new mom.

1. When your due date is near wash your sheets and blankets in Dreft. This way if you lie your baby on your bed they won’t get a rash from your detergent

2. Purchase a body pillow. The larger you become the more difficult it will become to sleep. Body pillows are great for propping up the belly.

3. Purchase overnight or large maxi pads. After birth for about a week or two you will bleed heavily. The hospital will provide you with pads but you will need more. Also during this time you are not allowed to use tampons.

4. Purchase a small container of baby formula. I support breast feeding 100% but some mothers have trouble (I did). If you find yourself in this position making the baby wait will only make you feel worse. Having a small container on hand is much easier for baby and mom.  

5. Pacifiers are very controversial. In the hospital your baby will be given a pacifier to soothe them. Don’t purchase 1 type of pacifier. Purchase a few different types because your baby may prefer one over the other.

6. When your due date is near go grocery shopping. There’s nothing worse than arriving home from the hospital and your fridge is empty. You will also have to eat a tremendous amount of food to maintain your breastmilk.

7. When researching breast pumps don’t forget to research breastmilk storage. The breast pump you select will typically have a storage system. I suggest purchasing that one, if you trust the pump why not the storage right?!

8. When purchasing baby wipes go for the sensitive wipes. You never know if baby will have sensitive skin. Better safe than sorry.

9. Do not purchase newborn clothing. Your baby will continue to grow but they will not get smaller. Instruct people to purchase bigger sized items to ensure baby will have clothing in the future. You can buy the smaller clothing that way you can make sure all those clothes are washed and put away before baby arrives.

10. Do NOT microwave baby bottles, baby formula/breast milk or anything to do with baby. Most labels will tell you the same thing. Go old school and boil water in a pot and warm baby’s bottle that way.

11. In the nursery you should have a comfy place for you. You will spend lots of time in that room, being comfortable is important after childbirth.

12. Don’t save projects for after baby arrives. You have no idea how your body will respond to childbirth and you will be extremely sleep deprived. Trust me it won’t get done.

13. Plan for baby’s first outing which will be the first shots. That happens after baby is a few days old. If you happen to have a c-section you won’t be able to drive so plan for someone to drive you to the baby’s doctor. Even if you have a vaginal birth having someone with you is a good idea.

14. Make time to pump. Pumping along with baby’s normal mealtime will allow you to prepare for returning to work. I suggest an electronic pump, your time is so valuable who wants to spend it pumping?!

15. If you have a difficult delivery or a c-section you may want to consider moving the crib into your room. That way you won’t have far to travel to get baby.

This is just a few of the things I didn’t think of prior to my first child. I will be adding to this list soon. If you have any suggestions or additions please feel free!!

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Staying Active During Pregnancy / The Facts / Baby Blog / Prenatal Working Out / Pregnancy Fitness / Health

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Good luck for your recovery and pregnancy! You can do this. Stay strong 💖

Thank you so much!  That means a lot, I always loved your blog.  I wish you the best, as well.  Stay safe, love.

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I've made a decision:

I'm going to keep the baby. Which means I'm going into recovery. I'm thinking I should probably limit my time on this blog because now I have a lot of preparation to do, but if you guys want, I'll keep posting. Just know that if I do, it's probably going to be lots of baby stuff and things having to do with recovery. So don't expect any unhealthy habits or low calorie posts/exercise posts or thinspo pictures to be posted or reblogged. Thank you to everyone who gave their advice. It helped a lot in my decision and I love every one of you for responding and helping me. I hope I've made the right choice and I appreciate it so much that you guys care. Lots of love, good luck, and all the respect and happiness in the world, -Hel's Little Traveler ❤

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And I think your own anxieties are getting to you about the cousin thing. I bet that people won't believe all that avout you having a baby just to compete. Either way, we support you for having to go through such a hard decision, and love you v much! (2/2)

Yes, I’m sure he won’t evict me but he doesn’t have to let me resign the lease next year. Though if I make sure it’s okay with my downstairs neighbor (she’s picky and she’s been living in the house for 40 years so she basically owns the place) then I’m sure that will be fine. Hopefully.

And I’m sure you’re right about the cousin thing. I have a feeling that my anxiety is playing a huge role in that aspect, but I still worry about it. I just got back in contact with everyone after 10 years of silence so I just don’t want to ruin it, I guess.

I am leaning more towards keeping it at this point. I talked to my best friend about it and she cheered me up about the whole thing so I guess that’s where I stand with the whole decision. Thank you so much for the words, I appreciate it very much ❤

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I feel like there's some kind of legal boundary that your landlord can't overstep. Like he/she can't control whether you have a child or not. If you feel like you're really not ready, maybe it's best to not have it. But on the other hand, especially since you said you've been wanting a kid, keep it. Kids obvi change your life, and a lot of time for the better. (1/2)

I'll answer on the second half ❤

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It's a life changer that's for sure. I grew up thinking I didn't want a child ever. When my bf and I got back together we talked about it and it changed my mind. We now have a beautiful baby whom has changed me in every way. It's a decision that had it happened a different way I would of decided something different. Yeah idk I like what one anon has already said. Go with that gut feeling when you first found out like right after seeing the positive pregnancy test.

Thank you, I am keeping that in mind. I know it's going to change my life and that scares me in a way because for the first time I really like how my life is right now. I can afford to pamper myself for the first time in years, I have a stable income, a stable home, and my fiancé also has a stable income. So I guess that means that I can handle adding something, but it'll take away a lot of personal things I enjoy for myself so that'll be hard...

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Don't have a child when you are mentally unwell, a child won't make it better. Wait until you are well and financially ready.

Thank you, this is a VERY good point, and one that I think about often. Because my mom was struggling mentally while I was growing up, with anxiety, depression, and an eating disorder. And her behaviors rubbed off on me, added with the fact that some of it was genetic. That’s what I’ve always been scared of concerning having kids…I don’t want to mess them up like my mom messed up my sister and I.

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The best advise I can give is to properly think things through, It might take a while. Yea its really something you've got to go through. Me myself has gone through a pregnancy scare and it was hard to make a decision. The best advise I can give is to properly think things through, It might take a while it might not. Because at the end its your decision that's most important. Idk if this helped but we are here for your support ♥

Thank you, I’ve had a couple scares before so I have thought about it but I never actually made a decision, hah. But I’m in a better place financially since then so that’s probably a yes, too

I really appreciate the support, it really does mean a lot to me. Thank you so much for the kind words.