Things You May Not Expect When You’re Expecting

Pregnancy. At first it seems a little romantic, glamorous even. A new life is budding inside your body! Magazines are flooded with images of beautiful, glowing pregnant celebrities in the latest maternity fashions. Books are written that tell you what’s happening inside your body week by week. It’s all very exciting.

But there are a few things that aren’t so glamorous about this time of your life. Things that may even surprise you. Embarrass you, even! Let’s take an honest look at a few of these, shall we?

Hair, hair everywhere

It’s common for pregnant women to experience thick, lush hair growth. That can be a plus if we’re talking about the hair on your head. Not so much for body hair! I find that during pregnancy the hair on my legs grows more slowly, meaning I can skip days shaving. Which is nice. The trouble is, the hair seems to migrate to … umm, other areas of the body. Not so nice!

Libido surges… but I’m already pregnant!

Some women experience a big libido boost during their pregnancies. With my last 2 babies I was shocked by this. It seems odd that nature would give you this little surge of interest when you’re already pregnant, but it happens. Chalk it up to extra blood flow in the business areas as well as high estrogen levels and splurge on some some maternity lingerie like the Passion Spice line. Things will get challenging in this department after baby’s arrival so enjoy it while it lasts!

Stinky bits

The combination of carrying around extra weight along with enough hormones to stun a horse can cause you to sweat more. Especially if you’re pregnant in the summertime, expect to have to bathe (and change your undies!) more than once a day to deal with the funk. Avoid fragranced personal care products unless they’re all  natural (some essential oils are perfectly safe during pregnancy, check a good aromatherapy book).

Sneeze pee

While I’ve been fortunate enough to avoid this lovely little phenomenon, it’s so common I had to mention it! By your third trimester, your bladder is more or less squashed flat as a pancake by the expanding uterus and weight of the baby. Fortunately this one will go away (usually) after delivery.

My, how big your ____ are!

The other day a newly pregnant friend asked me if she could buy some of my maternity clothing once I’m finished with them.  I haven’t had my baby yet, but I’ve already outgrown some of the maternity clothing I wore in my second trimester. I took some of the items to my friend and as she looked through them she had a hard time believing that she could ever fit into them. It’s surprising how much your breasts and belly grow during pregnancy. In the beginning when you’re eager to start “showing”, you have no idea how much your body will change by delivery! No matter how careful you are to eat right and stay active, you’ll likely gain more weight than you anticipated. Embrace your new curves and splurge on comfortable and pretty lingerie, especially some of the new sexy nursing bras that will carry you through your early months breastfeeding your baby.

Pregnancy is a little crazy, but it’s a special time and doesn’t last forever. Enjoy it – your new baby will be worth it!

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Perfect Skin with Clarisonic

Clarisonic Classic. Healthy skin and free shippingSince having been diagnosed with cancer, trying so many different medications, and getting older, my skin has turned into a hot mess. I have tried a lot of different skin care alternatives, cleansers, potions, and lotions before discovering that I can have perfect skin with Clarisonic.

Clarisonic Sonic Skin Care Cleansing Systems are patented sonic frequency cleansers that use more the 300 movements per second to gently, yet thoroughly remove 6x more makeup and 2x more dirt and oil than cleansing with your hands alone.

Left: without cleansing   After: Left-cleaned with Clarisonic Right-cleaned manually

 Benefits Of Cleansing With Sonic:

  • Removes 6x more makeup than manual cleansing.
  • Leaves skin feeling and looking smoother.
  • Removes impurities that keep creams and serums from working their best.
  • Gentle enough to use twice a day.
  • Reduces oily areas, dry skin patches and blemishes.
  • Minimizes the appearance of visible pores.
  • Water proof.
  • Safe for all skin-types.
  • Also good for use on the neck, decollete and other areas of the body needing extra care.

I have had my Clarisonic for a little of a year now and I have to say that I won’t use anything else to clean my face. I have never had any breakouts, it is not harsh on my sensitive skin, and in my opinions, it has cleared up a lot of issues that I hated about my skin as a woman in my mid-thirties.

Cleaner skin is the first step toward healthier skin. Healthier skin is smoother, more radiant and more beautiful!

What do you use to keep your face and skin looking perfect?

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Top 5 Summer Style Sins For Women Over 40

With the warm weather here you’re probably feeling relaxed and casual and it’s easy to get sloppy and let your summer style slide.  Are YOU guilty of any of these top 5 Summer Style Sins?  Let the Glam Gals guide you to a comfortable yet chic summer wardrobe.

1.Capri pants with socks and running shoes.

Capris are a cute sassy way to show off your lower legs. While they do tend to make your leg look a little shorter because they stop at the calf,  they can be balanced out by wearing a lovely kitten heel sandal or low wedge in the same color as your capris.  Beware of wearing capris with socks and running shoes! This is a lethal combination that makes you look short, fat and frumpy. If you need practicality and comfort, then try a cushioned flip-flop with your capris or wear shorts instead with running shoes for sporty look.

2.Crazy Crocs.

Comfortable, fun, but keep your crocks at home. Crocks were originally garden shoes and we think that’s where they need to stay. Wear them around the garden, the pool, the seaside or cottage, but don’t wear them out grocery shopping or to a movie or anywhere else. These brightly colored, rubber shoes are a fad and scream childish. Do you really want to look like a kid when you are a grown woman?

3.Nude hose with sandals.

If you want to wear open toed shoes and are tempted to wear even the sheerest of hose with them, stop right there. Remember, nothing look tackier than this fashion faux pas. Many women are hesitant to use self-tanners because they are worried about having orange legs, but let us assure you that they have come a long way and give a subtle and beautiful result.

4.Short Shorts.

Who wears short shorts? Not women over 40 unless you’ve been digging things out of your teenage daughter’s closet to wear.  Short shorts (especially cut off jean shorts) that let it all hang out are tacky and cheap outside of your own backyard. Save them for sun tanning and try an above the knee cotton skirt or walking short for going out.

5.Visible Pockets.

One of the freshest looks for summer is a pair of crisp white pants. But beware if those pants come with big visible pockets. That’s all anyone will notice! When shopping for a pair of new white pants, take note if the pockets are taking center stage.  If you must buy new white pants made of lightweight or sheer fabric  make sure to take the time to have the pockets taken out by a professional seamstress for a much cleaner look.

Women over forty can look stylish and sexy even during the warm and casual summer season by avoiding these top five 5 summer style sins.

©2009, Boland-Tyler Productions.  You may reprint this article so long as the text and byline are reprinted intact, without changes and with a live link in the byline.

Deborah Boland and JoJami Tyler (The Glam Gals) are Image and Style Experts specializing in helping women over 40 look and feel fabulous. They are the authors of the book, The Glam Plan-12 Simple Steps to Take You from Frumpy to Fabulous, and Tweak Your Chic-Mother of the Bride, as well as coaches for their Tweak Your Chic™ image makeover program. For more style tips visit http://www.fabulousafter40.com and sign up for their bi-weekly newsletter.

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