Baby's Here but Your Body is Not...

The long awaited day finally is here...baby has arrived and everyone's excited. "But wait!" you cry. "Where's my body? My pre-baby body?!"

Many new mothers are caught by surprise by their post-baby figure. While it's a common hope that you will leave the hospital in your favorite pair of non-pregger blue jeans, a more realistic expectation is for your "belly" to be about the same as around five months pregnant.

Now, before you completely freak out, let's re-focus. The recovery of your pre-pregnancy figure is a NORMAL part of the process. We often tell expectant mothers to think of having a child, the maternity phase, as a twelve month process (at least!) The post-baby hurdle is often largely a psychological one. And we know it's not easy.

Here are a few helpful hints:

1. Set realistic expectations for after-baby self. It took a solid nine months for your figure to accommodate baby. It's going to take, at the least, a few weeks or months to rebound.

2. Don't compare your post-baby body to or envy your neighbors, co-workers or friends. That skinny girl down the street that wore her regular jeans only two weeks after giving birth is NOT the norm. She's lucky. Just like she was before she ever became pregnant. Easier said than done, we know.

2. Don't unpack the pre-baby clothes too quickly. Just like keeping them in your closet when you knew you needed to be wearing maternity clothes, putting them back in your closet too early will only frustrate you, not inspire you.

3. Try on your all your maternity clothes again after baby has arrived. Box up or give away the ones that are far too big or make you feel frumpy. Keep the pieces that fit nicely and feel good. Better to wear what flatters and fits. No one will know they are maternity unless you tell them.

4. Go ahead and buy a few NEW pieces of maternity clothes that fit you NOW and are comfortable and flattering. A good sales associate can help you find styles that work with your changing figure (hey, at least it's getting smaller this time). Consider these the foundation of your "transitional" wardrobe, but don't be afraid to keep wearing them long after baby. Many of our customers continue to shop with us for months after baby has arrived because the clothes fit better and that makes our girls feel better. Most good maternity clothes these days are easy to wear even if you've never been pregnant! (Trust us. We take them home all the time.)

5. Stay focused on the big picture. You have just received one of the greatest blessings in life, a baby. Make this time about baby and about feeling good, not about size and labels. Eat healthy, exercise as your doctor advises, and enjoy this amazing phase of life. It will all pass so quickly and you'll be glad you didn't waste any of it.

Shop Local USA

Happy Birthday, America!

Despite our gripes and moans and the current economic struggles, we are indeed blessed to enjoy the many privileges of being Americans. We pursue life, liberty and happiness with unfettered gusto. In particular, we appreciate the joy of family and friends and an active role in our community, both as citizens and as a business.

This week, independent businesses across the United States are celebrating these roles with an "Independents' Week" campaign, aiming to raise awareness of the role of small business as a backbone of the American economy and way of life.

"As we honor national heritage and liberty, we also celebrate our nation's local independent businesses who have given so many citizens opportunity and underpinned and underwritten community life and prosperity. It's also a time to consider the independent decision-making ability each of us possesses to choose the future of the place we make our home." (American Independent Business Alliance)

Please help support the local businesses in your own community. When you patronize local businesses, approximately $68 of every $100 spent stays in the local economy, compared to only $43 spent at a national chain. (Civic Economics Study, Sept. 2008) so, think local. Shop local.

_{CRAVINGS CUE: We are proud to be a member of Shop Local Raleigh. For more information on local businesses in our area, please visit: http://www.shoplocalraleigh.org/}