With my little bump getting bigger and bigger, this week was all about my new pregnancy body and how to live with it. But let’s start with the symptoms I should have had this week:

The symptoms I am supposed to have in week 15 (and how I am really feeling)

• Minor risk of miscarriage: Not really a symptom but certainly worth mentioning! At the end of the first trimester, the risk of miscarriage decreases dramatically. Apparently, most miscarriages are diagnosed before the end of the first trimester. Then, after 16 weeks, the risk falls to about 1%, says TheBump. Good news and time to celebrate!
• Increasing libido: Well, actually, I can’t really tell – my husband was on a business trip this week… But, hey, good to know😉
• Regain of energy: With the beginning of the second trimester, my energy is supposed to return. Hmm, yes and no. I think I am still a bit tired from last week, which was really exhausting. Luca is finally feeling better and so am I. So, yes, I certainly have more energy – but also tons and tons of things to catch up on as I couldn’t do much last week.

Little Miss M
At the end of this week, little Miss M will be about 11cm – about the size of an apple This week is an important week for her as she starts to interact with her environment. Her sense of touch starts to develop and she is, for example, playing with the umbilical cord. Caressing my belly can now calm her down and reassure her. Apparently, another sense slowly but surely develops as well: her taste. Whenever I eat Nutella (or anything sweet, but it would mostly be Nutella😉 ), Miss M is licking her little lips as well. You could basically say that, when I am diving my spoon in the Nutella pot, it is mostly for the pleasure of my little baby girl. Hey, and which mum would not want her baby to be happy?! Little Miss M can even already get hiccups. But it’s too early to feel it. Our little girl is still not opening her eyes yet. But she can already sense light. Finally, it is important to mention that, if you had no Panorama test done and don’t know the gender of your baby yet, you might now be able to discover it when you get an ultrasound.

This week’s topic

Time to go shopping
Every pregnant woman is supposed to love her growing belly. Just like every mum is supposed to be in love with her baby from the first minute she sees it. Well, truth is that there are days when I love this little bump that starts preventing me from putting on some of my pre-pregnancy clothes. I feel happy and proud. I want everyone to see it. But there are also days when I just feel uncomfortable and, let’s face it, fat. There are days when I hate looking at me in the mirror. When I spend ages in front of my wardrobe, try everything on, throw everything on the floor, get nasty (usually with my husband – I am SORRY, I love you), tell my husband that I feel ugly and fat, and get the usual “NO! you look more beautiful than ever!” (you’re doing a great job, chéri, even though I know that this is what every man is supposed to say in these cases…). To be honest, in the last weeks, I experienced more days when I felt fat than days when I liked this growing belly. It just doesn’t look like a pregnancy belly yet. More like a pie gut… Of course, I know that this will change. Soon, there will be a very nice baby bump that everyone can identify as such. But for now, I just feel ‘a bit lost’ in my body sometimes. I don’t really fit in my normal clothes anymore. They make me feel (and look!) uncomfortable… like a sausage in too tight casing… But most pregnancy clothes look odd on me as well for the moment. They are way too big. Even the smallest sizes.

So, my mission during the last week(s) was to work on accepting and loving my changing body – and to find clothes that would help me do just that.

I think that it is crucial to do this during the first months of pregnancy. Take the time to get to know this new body. Cause, already now, there are days when I miss “my body” – and this will probably be the case during the next five, six months as well. (Even though it sounds stupid to say that “I miss my body”. The body I have now is still my body. It is still me. It just changes a bit. I just look different. Not better. Not worse. Just different.)

So, one day, when I was feeling a bit frustrated, my husband sent me on a shopping trip. Alone. Without little L. Without him. Just myself. And you know what? It worked.

I first went to Zara. Because I didn’t know where to start to be honest. And because I have not really found a lot of stores with maternity clothes in Dubai so far, except for Destination Maternity and some items in bigger stores such as H&M. At this point I would like to make a shoutout to all cool Dubai mums working in fashion: Dubai seems to be in need of shops that sell trendy maternity clothes! Maybe a market gap?! Of course, you can order them online. There are many online stores such as Asos and Isabella Oliver that ship to Dubai. But I would love to be able to try these clothes on before purchasing them. Buying clothes when you’re pregnant is not the same than when you’re not. You suddenly don’t know your body that well anymore. You don’t know what will fit and what will make you feel uncomfortable. Some materials, some stretchy fabrics just don’t look very flattering anymore. All of that makes online shopping quite difficult. And the fact that you need to ship it over from the UK or US or any other country doesn’t make it easier… A friend of mine told me about BlushAndBloom.com yesterday. They are based in Dubai, sell beautiful maternity brands, offer free UAE delivery (if you spend a min of AED 250) and seem to offer the possibility to come and see the products in their fitting room in Arabian Ranches (on appointment). So far, I had no time to try them out but might do so soon But this is about it. I might have overseen some cool shops (this is quite possible to be honest). If so, please let me know! I would love to discover new shops that sell trendy maternity clothes here in Dubai (maybe even made in the UAE??).

But back to my shopping trip. I had the chance to be advised by an absolutely nice sales consultant in a Zara store. She showed me some beautiful, wide tops that didn’t look like a tent on me and some comfortable pants with elastic band – perfect for the first pregnancy months.

She also gave me some tips on how to accommodate my growing bump without buying maternity clothes just yet:

Expand your normal pants by looping a hairband around the button, through the buttonhole and back.

Buy some normal shirts with a large cut and add an elastic belt.

Easy but effective😉

I also bought one first maternity dress at Destination Maternity. It might still be a bit big on me but I like it as it really shows my belly and makes it look bigger – like a real baby bump😉

Bottom line? Take the time to get to know your changing body and to accept it. To love it. To love your new “you”. Do some shopping. Take the time to find clothes that make you feel good and beautiful. Take this time for yourself. And your baby. It is so important to feel good about your growing bump. After all, your body changes for the most beautiful of all reasons.

 

Great products to make that belly look good
Another important thing is to take care of this growing baby bump. I have to say that I am a bit picky when it comes to the skin care I put on my body during pregnancy. I usually stick to two, three products that I know are safe to use. Cause some products can pass the skin barrier and be absorbed into our bodies and into the bloodstream (even though most over-the-counter products are safe). They can affect your growing baby and, some ingredients can even be harmful (the same is true for nursing mums). When I have doubts, I usually ask my gynecologist, beautician or a store consultant. You’ll also find some useful info on the Internet (see e.g. Babycenter)

Of course, all products that are especially conceived for mothers to be are safe😉 One of my favorite brands during pregnancy is Clarins (I have also worked for them at one point and can only underline how great their products are). I have used their Strech Mark Minimizer when I was pregnant with little L (no stretch marks at all!!) and plan to do so during this pregnancy as well. It is fragrance-free (a real plus for me), easy to apply and leaves no oily film on the skin. I use it every morning after my wake-up shower.

Recently, I have discovered a new brand I found quite intriguing: Shiffa Dubai Skincare. I always try to use local brands and I really like the fact that Shiffa offers organic treatments for face and body, developed by a doctor. They have a pregnancy body oil that comes highly recommended. So, I tried it out😉 I usually don’t like oils. Simply because I don’t like the fact that you need to wait before you can put your clothes on (who has time for that in the morning???). But I have to say that this body oil penetrates quite quickly and has a very pleasant chamomile aroma. It feels a bit more luxurious and gives me this special “me-moment” as opposed to the Clarins Strech Mark Minimizer that I already know.

I think I will alternate between the two. Will let you know in some months how my belly looks😉

 

Must haves for Miss M
I imagine, life will be a little bit hectic with two little ones😉 So, I want to make sure that, when little Miss M will sleep, she will take looong naps (unlike her brother who was taking 30-minute power naps until he was about eight months hehe). Of course, you cannot plan things like that. BUT you can make sure your baby has everything she needs to sleep well. Recently, I have discovered The Sleepyhead Deluxe Baby Pod, which you can but inside your baby’s cod but also use around your home. It’s even great for travelling! Not only does it look super comfy, it will also help Miss M feel safe and secure during the transition period from the bassinet to the cod, which will be a little bit big for her at the beginning. We have used the Cocoonababy Nest from Red Castle for Luca for exactly the same reasons and he loved it. The Cocoonababy is great as well and I would definitely recommend it. However, it is a little bit less practical to take around the house.

But back to the Sleepyhead pod. It exists in two sizes (0-8 and 8-36 months), combats flat head syndrome and can even be used for tummy time. Its filling materials have anti-dustmite, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties and its removable covers (with different designs from Sweden) are waterproof and protect the mattress pad from absorbing liquids (and I can tell you that this is a big plus!!).

You can order directly from their webshop or, even easier, from BabySouk.com, one of my favourite online stores in Dubai (with next-day delivery service – we like!). Prize: AED 699 for the  newborns model, Cover: AED 249
Instagram: sleepyheadofsweden

xxx

Tani (and her changing body)