v 5 issue 21: Belly Up

Maternity essentials for the belly and beyond. This issue features some of our favorite new products for pre-post natal needs. Great shower gifts!

Cover by Samara Hutcheson










1 Beaming with adjustability, the Simple Wishes Hands Free Pumping Bustier understands the unique body shapes & sizes of women, and adapts accordingly in many different ways. Most importantly, it's smart design achieves a tight seal, so Mom is able to multi-task, or relax, during pumping sessions. Enter code: TOTTRENDS for 15% off all purchases.

2 Full of benefits for breastfeeding Moms, the Shower Hug gently wraps around the breasts during a shower to provide protection from soaps, relief from sharp sprays, and support during engorgement. The wrap is so handy, many Moms find the support useful out of the shower too. Enter code: Code TOTS09 for free shipping on purchases of $50 or more.

3 The labor intensive exercise of post-natal tummy wrapping has been transformed into a Cinch! The 360 degree support of this one piece wrap focuses on the tightening of the abdominal muscles, but never loses sight of comfort. A built in measuring guide helps to track progress & dual front panels shrink with you...so you only need to buy one size. Enter code: CinchIt for 15% off all purchases.

4 OG Mama has taken extra care to develop organic and clean products to ease the effects of stretching on growing maternal torsos. The Belly Polish, through gentle exfoliation, and the Moisture Oil, through a combination of oils and botanicals, ease the tightness of dry skin and decrease the effects of the inevitable stretching. Available @ trilliumorganics.com.

5 Share the sounds of lullabies with baby. The Lullabelly is a comfortable waist band equipped with a safe volume speaker. Just plug in an MP3 or CD player and play music for baby in the womb. Includes dual adapter and earphones, so Mom can listen too. Enter code: TTYFREESHIP for free shipping on purchases of $50 or more thru 1/15/10

6 Hair Care for Moms-to-be is truly pure at Nine Naturals. Free of parabens, phthalates, sulfates, DEA, and silicone, the Premium Natural Shampoo hydrates and softens hair into a brilliant shine through a list of ingredients you can actually pronounce. Enter code: NN15 at checkout through duematernity.com to receive 15% off Nine Naturals products!

7 Everyone needs a little humor...and Chicken and the Egg Maternity sure has a way of shifting a big belly into a big giggle. A wide selection of maternity tees are available in a whole slew of comedic declarations. Enter code: happy mom for 10% off the total purchase excluding shipping.

8 Refreshing & low in calories, Glow Mama is a lightly sweetened fruity drink packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Fantastic straight from the bottle, but even more gratifying when mixed into a delicious Mocktail. A perfect alternative to the no-no drinks of pregnancy.


Exploring Traditions - New and Old
When you're young, you follow the holiday traditions already set in place by your family. Some of these traditions your parents had came from their parents and grandparents, and so on. Did you ever stop to think about the traditions you grew up with and where they came from? I bet there's a story or two behind each one.

You may have heard the story where a young bride cut off the ends of her Christmas day ham before putting it in the oven. Her new husband asked her why she did this and she said she didn't know, she was following what her mother had always done. So she asked her mother why she did this and her mother didn't know as she was following the tradition passed down from her mother. When the new bride asked her grandmother, the elderly woman said she cut off the ends of the ham to make it fit in her small roasting pan.

Other traditions go back farther than that and are common in many households, like decorating a tree and putting stockings on the hearth. It's easy enough to find out where these traditions started. Less common are the more personal, such as what you eat on Christmas eve or Christmas day. These are the traditions with meaningful, personal stories attached that, when explored, tell you a lot about the history of your family. Investigate, ask questions, and document the answers you get so you can preserve your heritage for now and coming generations.

When you get married, you now have two families whose traditions you want to continue. It's not easy, as traditions run strong and yours might conflict with your spouse's, but you will find a way to compromise. It may be that you switch off each year - his Christmas day traditions and family one year, hers the next. Another idea is to take the best of each - her meal Christmas eve, and his of opening presents Christmas eve.

Lastly, when you have children, you will want to establish some new traditions of your own. Up to this point, you may have spent all your Christmases at your parents or in-laws house, but now you see the need to spend most of that time at home. Carry on old traditions with reading "The Night Before Christmas" and opening one present on Christmas eve, and add in your own; milk and cookies for Santa, setting the Santa trap, and your favorite egg dish for Christmas morning breakfast.

Who visits who and for how long is a common problem for families as the adults want to see their parents and siblings, but don't have enough time to visit everyone and still have some special time alone with their own kids. It's compounded when there are step-parents involved too.

There are several approaches such as taking turns with the visits. Your parents Christmas eve, home Christmas morning, his parents Christmas dinner. Or if they live far away, visit a different set every year. You can also ask them to visit you for the holidays. My family's solution was to have our own Christmas, then gather at my folk's house with my siblings and their families on the New Year's holiday and have a second Christmas. This allows everyone to spend time alone or with their spouse's family beforehand. And you'll never hear the kids complaining about having two Christmases!

It might be a struggle at first, but be creative and you'll find a way to work it out.


Showcase: Squeeze Hugs
Squeeze Hugs Children's Boutique - the most precious things are worth a squeeze! There is still time for some great Christmas gifts out there and right now, just about all apparel is on sale!

One of our best sellers is our Piggy Story Art Folio for your little artist! This velcro-secured fold n’ stow art case will keep your kids

steeped in creativity (and happily occupied) at home or on the road. Each organized ArtFolio comes complete with a drawing pad and 12 crayons – sure to inspire the most discerning petit artiste.



Go ahead, let them try to get dirty… Our play smocks have them covered! Our smocks are laminated and completely MACHINE WASHABLE – a mess-free miracle! Even the inside of the pockets are laminated. Our play smock /art apron has two large pockets that can hold all those 'makings of a mess!'



Our selection of baby and girls clothing is exceptional and we have something for everyone! Let her whirl and twirl with our Mim Pi Pink Glitter Black Tulle Skirt! This skirt is absolutely darling! Featuring black tulle with rainbow large circle sequins arranged around the elastic waist skirt.




We are equally as proud of our boys clothing selection! Choose from our favorite brands such as Appaman, Monster Republic, Gold Rush Outfitters and Wes & Willy!









Don't forget our wonderful selection of custom birthday shirts too! For both boy or girl, we have a vast selection of birthday shirts and outfits in any size and birthday number!


Enter code: TTW10 for an extra 10% off your entire purchase!