Before & After

This I’m definitely going to do inshala!! It’s just too cute!

images via talia auden art

New brand alert: Egg2Cake

A fun stationary brand for mommies and mommies to be. The collection is witty and oh so funny. It brightens up any bad mommy day. The collection includes notepads, bookmarks, sticky notes and humorous door hangers ( They’re my favorite )

Check out the rest of the collection at Oleana Boutique

New Blog: Midwifery in kuwait

A great new blog promoting healthy, natural pregnancy in Kuwait. The author of the blog is a graduate Midwife currently trying to persuade authorities of State of Kuwait to establish Midwifery as a new branch in the health care system. She also provides prenatal courses, natural birth and breastfeeding consultations, as well as midwifery and doula services.

Follow her on Twitter and Facebook for up to date research, interesting articles and tips for natural pregnancy and child birth.

We wish you all the best Zuzana!

Breastfeeding Support Club

I first met Ms Shamah & Hiba at The White Expo. I was so excited to finally find a breastfeeding support group in Kuwait.

Follow them @BFSupportclub

New selection of pregnancy books at Oleana Boutique

A great selection of pregnancy and baby books available now at Oleana Boutique. We have also recieve more Annabel Karmel recipie books.

 

How to get motherhood off to a great start while still in the hospital

Breastfeed ASAP. Have your newborn “room in” with you rather than stay in the hospital nursery, and ask the nurses not to offer him anything in a bottle. Even if the baby doesn’t actually latch on, you can squeeze the yellowish colostrum—the precursor to real breast milk that’s packed with immune-boosting nutrients—directly into his mouth.  It might be hard at first but calm down and take it slow. Having a nursing pillow around helps a lot specially if you are new to breastfeeding.

Stall the visitors. Baby reception in Kuwait are huge but try holding it off for a few days or even for a few weeks. This will do wonders for you. It will also give you some a lone time for you and your husband to bond with your new baby. Because a newborn is usually alert and receptive immediately after birth, it’s the perfect time to bond, so look him in the eyes and talk to him. He knows your voice from being in your body and may find it soothing.

Dress your baby right A cute going-home outfit is irresistible, but remember that babies cannot regulate their body temperature until they’re about 6 months old. So dress your newborn carefully. Generally, he should wear the same amount of clothing as you, indoors or outdoors. Don’t over bundle him—sweating can cause him to become chilled. Layers are a good way to go.

Have a car seat ready. As much as we don’t want our baby out of our arms; having him in a car seat is crucial. I have seen numerous parents leave hospital with the mom sitting in the front and her 2 day old baby in her arms. This is something I cant stress enough on!! It is so important to put your baby in a car seat.

Car seat basics:

1. If your baby has too many clothes on, the harness may not fit properly. If it’s cold out, put your baby in the seat first, buckle him in, then place blankets on top.
2. The harness must be snug against the hips and shoulders.
3. The chest clip should be level with your baby’s armpits.
4. The seat must be installed at a 45-degree angle so that the baby is semi-reclining; his head must not flop forward.
5. Once the seat is installed, push on it—hard. It shouldn’t move more than an inch in any direction.

Baby shopping for the first time

When I was pregnant with my first son I didn’t start buying things until I was 7 months pregnant. It’s not that I wasn’t excited; I think I was just scared in cased I jinxed myself. As soon as I was 7 months pregnant and sure of the gender of our baby we went crazy! We had no clue how much was too much, everything looked so cute and adorable we just had to have it. Of course we didn’t even pause to think about the practicality of some of the clothing we were buying. After he was born we realized how much we bought that he didn’t need, nor did he ever wear  because he grow out of them so fast. A lot of the things we got were left with tags on them. They came in handy 3 years later when I had my second son lol.

A few shopping tips I learned from my first pregnancy :

• Don’t go into any baby store without a purpose because everything looks cute, and the sales lady knows your vulnerable, eventually  you will end up leaving with things you don’t really need.
• Make a list. I learned this the hard way. Go through check lists and talk to friends who have babies before writing a detailed list of everything that you are going to need.
• If you get overwhelmed in shops, browse online and take your time in the comfort of your home. The best thing about shopping online is that you can create a gift registry so your friends will know what you need and buy it for you
• Think of your day-to-day life and the weather conditions in your country. I once got Nodi a sheepskin stroller cover because it was just adorable and looked so cozy. I was secretly hoping that a miracle would happen and somehow it would start snowing in Kuwait lol.

What tips do you have for expectant mommies ?

image via zimbio

The ultimate guide to breastfeeding

I’m a huge advocate for breastfeeding. I think it is the most beautiful, natural thing a mother can do for her children. There are numerous studies that show the benefit of breastfeeding and how important it is for mother and baby alike. I have encountered a lot of women who either have a lot of wrong information or have seen a friend go through a tough time with breastfeeding to the point  that she doesn’t even want to try it herself. Breastfeeding takes time to get used to and not all women get it right the first time. You have to be patient and get informed.

Here is a great article from Fit Pregnancy called “The Ultimate Guide to Breastfeeding”

“one-stop resource for everything you need to know about breastfeeding–from buying that first nursing bra to deciding when to wean. You’ll find advice and information on how to get the proper latch, what to eat while breastfeeding, how to keep breastfeeding when you go back to work, and how to breastfeed and still have a life. You’ll find stories of women who’ve overcome nursing challenges and you’ll learn how to form your own breastfeeding support system. Wondering whether breastfeeding is a reliable form of birth control, or whether you can breastfeed after a breast-augmentation or breast-reduction surgery?”

You’ll find answers to these questions in the following link.

Will we ever see this in Kuwait?

Italian MP Licia Ronzulli takes her seven-week-old baby to work at the European parliament in order to draw attention on women’s rights.Her daughter slept soundly as her mother held her close to her in a baby sling.

I love baby slings!

Here is another political mommy trying to make a difference.

Images via Daily Mail

Bellyhood

This has to be one of the most adorable pregnancy diaries ever! It makes me want to get pregnant again lol.

As her belly grows, the book will grow, so check back to follow Johanna’s journey into bellyhood