New research casts doubt, but most new moms beg to differ.

By Denise Mann

WebMD Feature

Bena Blakeslee, a mother of two in Westchester, N.Y., remembers her brush with “pregnancy brain.”

At an airport while pregnant, she frantically paced a parking lot, searching for her Jeep. After an hour, she called her husband to tell him that their car had been stolen. But then she realized that she had just gone to the wrong parking lot.

That wasn’t her only memory glitch. “I also went to the wrong airport twice on the same trip, and another time, I was sitting at the wrong gate and completely missed my flight,” Blakeslee says.

Many pregnant women and mothers can relate. Those bouts of forgetfulness go by many names, including:

• pregnancy brain

• mommy brain

• pregnancy amnesia

• momnesia

But a recent study questions whether pregnancy brain exists. Who is right — the moms or the researchers? And how can you handle fuzzy memory during pregnancy? Here are answers.

Pregnancy Brain Is Real

“If you read pregnancy manuals and listen to pregnant mothers – yes, there is such a thing as pregnancy brain or momnesia, and there is also evidence from research showing deficits in memory,” says Helen Christensen, PhD, of The Australian National University.

But “the evidence from our study shows that the capacity of the brain is unaltered in pregnancy,” Christensen tells WebMD in an email.

That is, a pregnant woman’s brain is unchanged, though she may not be as razor sharp as she once was.

Reasons for Pregnancy Brain

Blakeslee’s forgetfulness is understandable. Like many moms, her life swirls like a tornado. She constantly handles the needs and wants of her two young kids, a torrent of other household tasks and chores — and she rarely, if ever, gets a good night’s sleep.

Under these circumstances, it is 100% normal to have memory lapses or be forgetful, Christenson says.

Jane Martin, assistant professor of psychiatry and director of the Neuropsychological Testing and Evaluation Center at New York’s Mount Sinai Medical Center, agrees.

“When you are not getting enough sleep and are multitasking, nobody’s memory is good,” Martin says. “You are not cognitively sharp when you haven’t slept well.”

Hormones and Pregnancy Brain

Surging hormone levels and new priorities may explain why pregnancy brain happens.

“There are 15 to 40 times more progesterone and estrogen marinating the brain during pregnancy, and these hormones affect all kinds of neurons in the brain,” says Louann Brizendine, MD, director of the Women’s Mood and Hormone Clinic at the University of California, San Francisco and author of several books, including the Male Brain.

“By the time the woman delivers, there are huge surges of oxytocin that cause the uterus to contract and the body to produce milk — and they also affect the brain circuits.”

And pregnancy also shuffles what gets your attention. “You only have so many shelves in your brain so the top three are filled with baby stuff,” Brizendine says.

Your IQ doesn’t change, but your priorities sure do.

Hormones may also affect spatial memory — which includes remembering where things are — in pregnant women and new moms, a recent British study shows.

You know that “glow” that many pregnant women seem to have? Well, unfortunately the increased oils production that is partially responsible for the glow is also responsible for the acne that many women get during pregnancy.

Breaking out in acne during pregnancy is a fairly common occurrence, and even more so if you’re already prone to breakouts. Changes in hormones and hormone levels during pregnancy result in the skin producing more oils, and thus more acne. During pregnancy, acne can break out not only on the face, but also on the body. Fortunately, there are some things that you can try to use to deal with breaking out in acne during your pregnancy.

Tips For Minimizing Acne

1. Clean Skin

One of the most simple but also the most effective ways to deal with breaking out in acne during pregnancy is to keep your skin clean. Use an oil-free facial cleanser, like Farmaesthetics Fine Herbal Cleanser or Lavender Milk, and avoid soaps that contain oils or other irritating substances. After you clean your skin, rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water to remove any soap residue that might be left over.

2. No Touching

It is important to keep in mind that touching your acne will only make it worse. As tempting as it might be to pop them or pick at them, this can cause the bacteria to spread, and thus create even more acne. In addition, picking at them can create acne scars.

3. Stress Management

During pregnancy, stress management is extremely important, not only in terms of your overall health, but in terms of your acne breakouts. Adding Lavender oil to your bath, or spritzing a Lavender mist on your face can be very calming. Get regular exercise (subject to your doctor’s approval, of course) and get plenty of sleep. And, of course, massage therapy has actually been proven in numerous studies to reduce the level of stress hormones in your body… in addition to helping with back pain, headaches, sciatic pain and sleep problems.

4. Eat healthy!

A healthy diet and regular exercise can help control acne. Regular daily exercise can help to increase blood flow to the skin, and will help it to be more tone and healthier.

5. Use Safe Medications

Finally, you should be very cautious when using acne medications during pregnancy. Over-the-counter Acne treatments that include benzoyl peroxide have been tested as safe to use while pregnant. There are also many natural skin-care products that may be safe for both you and baby. We recommend both the Farmaesthetics and Mama Mio brands for safe, effective skin care. Stay away from any acne medications that contain Tetracycline, Salicylic Acid (a common ingredient in over-the-counter acne treatments), Tretinon (sold under the brand name Retin-A), and Isotrentinoin (sold under the brand name Accutane).

With some extra care and a little patience, you may find that you can avoid or reduce breaking out in acne during pregnancy… and still “glow”!

We are almost two-months into the New Year and how are those resolutions coming along? If this new year brings a new baby, chances are your list is longer than most. New Year’s resolutions tend to get a bit over complicated when it comes to baby planning. When many people simply opt to budget their money better, expecting parents have to financially plan for the new baby. While others choose to stay in touch with friends and family a little bit more this coming year, expecting parents don’t have the free time to do so. It’s just a different ball game when it comes to the new year for soon-to-be new parents, especially when it comes to nesting.

What Is Nesting

Nesting is best described as preparing your ‘nest’ in arrival for the baby. According to whattoexpect.com, this “nesting” phase typically comes around week 38 when an increase in adrenaline courses through the expecting mom’s system. While many moms enjoy this time during their pregnancy, many might fight it stressful especially if you are just coming off a hectic holiday schedule.

The truth is, while many almost-parents feel the need to rush around the last few weeks pre-baby, this is a critical time where mom needs to really take care of her body, dad needs to get as much sleep as possible, and all the “to-do’s” might have to simply wait. (Or at least be prioritized.)

Here are some quick tips to help tackle that New Year’s baby-to-do list, while still keeping mom healthy, dad happy, and still enjoying the quiet time before the baby comes.

Write it all down

According to Parents.com (and probably any mom reading this) pregnant women tend to get a little forgetful during their pregnancy, whcih can complicate any task especially whenit comes to nesting. Make a list of everything that needs to be done before baby comes so you can categorize thing as need versus want. For example, does the guest room really need to be painted before the baby comes, or can it wait until after? If it can wait, or has nothing to do with the baby, remove it from this list and save it for another list.

Assign tasks and ask for help – Ask dad or other relatives to handle things like painting or moving heavy objects and take ownership of simpler things like washing all the baby clothes or preparing meals ahead of time.
Include a timeline – If you find your list is incredibly long of valid baby to-do’s, then depending on how much time you have remaining, only do X amount of things each day or week. When your list of 20 is broken down by two small tasks each day, it will seem less stressful and possibly become more enjoyable.

Take a breath

As long as there are diapers, clean clothes, and warm place to sleep, the rest can wait. Honestly, it can all wait.
It’s so easy to forget how life is going to change once that baby comes around, so it’s best to really relax those last few weeks instead of rushing to check things off a baby-do list. At Becoming Mom Spa +Ultrasound, we understand how stressful pregnancy can become, which is why we do what we do. While the new year always brings out the to-do in all of us, we encourage our expecting moms to honestly sit back, relax, and simple enjoy these last few weeks before the baby comes. If you ever need help relaxing, you know where to find us.

Pregnancy comes with a great reward at the end, but getting to that joyous conclusion can seem like a lifetime. As the body changes to accommodate the growing baby, common aches and pains like to tag right along with the growing belly.

But, as the baby grows, so does the discomfort. According to Babycenter.com, the growing uterus and hormonal changes are a huge cause for an aching back during pregnancy. But, that’s not all that causes the pain. According to WebMD, back pain during pregnancy can also be attributed to:

Weight Gain
Posture changes
Muscle separation
Stress

As the mom enters the second or third trimester, chances are she has experienced some moderate-to-severe middle or lower back pain. (In fact, two-thirds of all pregnant women experience back pain during their pregnancy). Luckily, there are easy, at-home massage tricks that can help alleviate some of this pain and discomfort.

The Power of Pre-Natal Massage

While there are many ways to alleviate pregnancy-associated back pain (acupuncture, exercise, stretching, etc.) one common method is through the power of pre-natal massage. Aside from helping with sore muscles and an aching back, Americanpregnancy.org sites pre-natal massage as a great fix to:

Reduced back pain
Reduced joint pain
Improved circulation
Reduced edema
Reduced muscle tension and headaches
Reduced stress and anxiety
Improved oxygenation of soft tissues and muscles
Better sleep

It’s amazing the benefits of massage. Now, let’s get started!

Prenatal Massage at Home

As the partner, husband, or friend to the mom, there are a few things that need to happen prior to the massage taking place. Before beginning the massage, make sure mom is in the right position(s):
Place a pillow between mom’s legs, lie on your left side, and place a pillow under your head. If the bed is too soft, use the floor for added support.

You can also sit in a semi-reclined postion, such as a reclining chair, and place a small pillow or folded blanked under your right hip. This will reduce pressure to your circulatory system. As with anything, there are precautions that need to be minded. Remember, prenatal massage is different than a regular massage because the way a mom’s body works and moves during pregnancy is different than its regular state. Please follow these simple massage guidelines to ensure the safety of mom and baby. (If you have any questions, please contact a professional at Becoming Mom Spa + Ultrasound.)

Precautions include:

Avoid any essential or massage oils. Many are deemed unsafe after the first trimester and should be avoided throughout the pregnancy.

Stay clear of pressure points and uterine ligaments (do not place any pressure on the abdomen).

Drink plenty of water before and after the massage.

Discontinue if there is any pain or discomfort and always call your doctor if you think you are in labor or if something is wrong.

Once mom is in position, and you have reviewed the precautions, it is time to start the massage. Here are the top three pregnancy-associated pains and the massage technique best to remedy them:

Back Pain

Begin at the nape of the neck and continue gently massaging down to the hips. Then continue moving back up the neck on the opposite side of the spine and incorporate both sides of the spine into the massage technique. Stay clear of the spine itself.

Buttocks Strain

Assist in reducing strain on the buttocks by massaging a soft fist gently into the bone (at the base of the spine) and avoid moving down far enough to involve touching the tailbone.

Tired/SwollenLegs

Use small circular motions and begin where the foot meets the calf. Slowly work your way up to the thigh and finish where the thigh meets buttocks. Always work from the foot up and avoid massaging the inner thigh to help relieve swelling in the legs.

Becoming Mom Spa + Ultrasound is Here for You
While it is easy to imitate these massage techniques at home, having the assistance of a hired professional is always best. At Becoming Mom Spa for example, we have staffed our team with the best professionals in the industry, targeted at caring for women during their pregnancy and even beyond.

Having a 3D/4D and now HD Ultrasound during your pregnancy is one of the most exciting moments of the journey. Words cannot describe the joy a new mom feels when she sees her baby’s face for the first time. Years ago, women had to wait 40 long weeks for that incredible moment. Now, we are able to offer remarkable images of your baby developing and a way for parents to experience the excitement of seeing detailed images of the baby throughout the journey!

There are many factors that effect what kinds of pictures you will get — Most of these factors are outside of our control (remember they still are in the womb!). The sonographer might move you around to try and obtain different angles but the position of the baby, fluid level, and the density of the tissue we scan though all impact the picture quality. Here are some things we ask our clients to consider before having a 3D/4D/HD ultrasound and ways to help get the best pictures possible:

1. Know who is scanning you!

Believe it or not, in many states (including Ohio) you do NOT have to have ANY medical training to perform ultrasounds. When choosing an elective facility be sure to ask what type of education and training the technicians receive. Becoming Mom is the only elective Cincinnati area Ultrasound facility that employs sonographers who have gone through an independent and accredited multi-year program in medical ultrasound and also have extensive experience in OB/GYN scanning. This allows us to provide you with both peace of mind and reliable imaging.

Ask if the person performing your ultrasound is RDMS Certified (Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer) … a nurse or someone that has been trained for a few weeks to take baby pictures is NOT the same thing and has not received the extensive training required to know what it is they are looking at on an ultrasound!

2. When to do an ultrasound

This is a very common question and there are a few different things to consider when picking a time to do an ultrasound.

Gender can be accurately determined after 16 weeks. At this time you can see more of your baby and the amazing development already underway. We often get asked if we are able to determine gender prior to 16 weeks. We recently conducted a trial to test our accuracy prior to 16 weeks, and while we were right more than we were wrong we did not feel that the rate of accuracy was high enough for our standards. So many important decisions, feelings and plans will be made based on baby’s gender. We want to feel confident in baby’s development and the images we obtain before telling you to go and buy pink and blue.

Between 24-26 weeks facial features are becoming more defined. If you are having multiples this is also a good time to capture 3D pictures of the babies.

If you are only going to have one elective ultrasound, between 27-32 weeks is the BEST TIME. The baby has had time to build up body fat, but still has room to move around.

Between 33-37 weeks is also a great time, if baby will cooperate. Because the baby is getting larger and may start to drop… getting the desired facial pictures becomes a little more challenging.

3. Drink plenty of fluids

Drink plenty of water in the DAYS leading up to your ultrasound. This simple tasks is one of the most important factors in determining the quality of pictures you will receive. Drinking water will increase the quality and clarity of your amniotic fluid which is like the “window” to view baby. The clearer the “window” the clearer the pictures. Because we are looking for clarity, water truly is the best option. It is important to note we are relying on amniotic fluid vs. hydration. It can take days for the water you drink to turn into amniotic fluid. You do not need a full bladder for these scans so use the restroom often and drink up!

4. Eat before your appointment

Try to have something light to eat (sandwich, salad, small bowl of pasta, etc.) about 45 minutes to an hour before your appointment. This will get the baby a little more active.

5. Have a glass of fruit juice

Drinking a glass of orange juice, apple juice, etc. will also help get the baby more active. Juice works better than soda. The caffeine in the soda does get the baby active, but has a negative affect on fluid levels. Natural sugars in juice create a longer active period, which is ideal. Try to have a glass about 30 minutes before your appointment.

6. Wear loose clothing

You will need to have your pants slightly below your hips during the ultrasound. Make sure they are comfortable at that position, since ultrasounds can take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes.

Most importantly enjoy this special experience!

At Becoming Mom Spa + Ultrasound, we form personal relationships with all our moms, and many (if not all) we are lucky to know from their first pregnancy and have had the privilege to watch their families grow. All of our services – from massage to waxing to ultrasounds – are designed with the pregnant mom in mind. We cater all of our services to creating an environment that is not only enjoyable, but also safe for both mom and baby. Pregnancy is a wonderful experience and we are happy to share in this incredibly journey with so many of our customers who end up becoming family or even a part of our team.

With that being said, we would like to take the time to share some of our products and services, specials, and just give our readers an overview of Becoming Mom Spa in general.

Products/Services

If you take a look at all the spa services we have, it can all be a little overwhelming. We love to give our guests options, but sometimes it’s nice to have a little direction when it comes to choosing your service or package.

Spa Services

We get this question a lot: “What can I expect when I come in for my appointment?” We think it’s best to summarize it like this: No matter what service you book – whether it’s a waxing session or ultrasound – it will feel like a day at the spa. All of our services (and not just the traditional spa services like pedicures or massages) are designed to give the guest the experience of a spa day. So, what can you expect when you walk through our doors? You can expect to have our utmost attention, a relaxing experience, and the service you’d expect from an elegant spa.

Here are the primary services we offer to expecting moms:

Nail care – manicures and pedicures
Massage – Preconception (trying to conceive) prenatal (during pregnancy), postpartum (after delivery), swedish and deep tissue, and couples massages.
Waxing – Full leg, bikini, brazilian, facial (eyebrow, lip and chin), arm, and underarm. Learn more about pregnancy and waxing by reading our latest blog.
Skin care – Facials, and eye treatments.
Farmaesthetics and Enhancer Treatments

Our products are designed to help mom with all those common pregnancy symptoms, such as headaches, swelling, nausea, etc. All of our products are pregnancy safe, meaning they are natural and safe for both mom and baby. Many of our skin care products are also available for sale so you can continue your spa experience at home . These unique and pregnancy safe products are included in some of our Enhancer Treatments.

These specially designed treatments are a great compliment to any service. Some of our most popular treatment enhancers include:

Eye Know You’re Tired Treatment – Promotes circulation and decreases puffiness and discoloration under the eyes. The hydrating benefit of Basq’s Cucumber Eye Serumproduct also addresses fine lines and crow’s feet.
Goodbye Stretch Marks – After delivery, let us massage your belly with an application of our potent Goodbye Stretch Marks serum from Mama Mio and say goodbye to any stretch marks you may have received during pregnancy.
Headache Relief Therapy – We’ll use essential oils and stone therapy to relieve your symptoms naturally. Barefoot and Swollen – If you’re suffering from uncomfortable swelling in your hands, feet or legs, we can apply a special solution during your treatment that will work to reduce puffiness. Can also help with leg cramping and carpal tunnel.
Breathe Easy Cold & Congestion Relief – Congestion is so common during pregnancy. We’ll use essential oils, stone therapy, and specific massage techniques to relieve your symptoms naturally.
Ecofin Moisture Treatment Hands or Feet – Eco-fin is a natural, petroleum-free alternative to paraffin. A rich blend of palm, soy, jojoba, and organic coconut oils, plus shea butter, vitamin E, and essential oils moisturizes and leaves the skin soft and supple.

You can learn more about these and our spa packages by clicking here.

Services not to Expect

While our list of things we do is quite long, you will notice there are a few things you will find unavailable as they are deemed unsafe for pregnancy. For example, we do not offer any sort of nail service with gel or acrylic due to the harmful acetone. We also stay away from hair services offering dyes and bleaching for the same reason. This is all designed to keep both mom and baby safe.

Ultrasound

One of the most unique experiences you can have during pregnancy and one of the main reasons our guests come to us is for our ultrasounds. Where else can you go where an ultrasound can feel like a luxurious spa day? At Becoming Mom Spa + Ultrasound, we make your ultrasound just as special as it needs to be… and a bit more! We encourage you to invite your friends, family, or even neighbors to join in the wonder as you meet your little one for the first (or even second and third) time! Our packages are perfect for a mom’s day out, or as a couples date day. We offer 2D, 3D, and HD options, and each give you that spa experience we discussed earlier.

Some of our popular packages include:

Just Can’t Wait 2D Gender Determination
Simply Sweet- 3D/4D/HD Ultrasound
Twice as Nice 3D/4D/HD Ultrasound
Watch Me Grow (3 Ultrasounds)
The Spoiled Mama!- Ultrasound and Spa Package
Sweet Beginnings – Ultrasound and Spa Package
Learn more about these packages and other ultrasound options here. Instant Gift Certificates Our gift certificates can be purchased for any of the services or packages we offer, as well as in general dollar amounts so mom can choose. Gift Certificates are available for purchase at our spa or online at www.becomingmom.com. It’s as easy as click, pay, and share. The gift certificate can be instantly emailed to the recipient or printed to be given at a later time. It’s quick, easy, and super convenient.

Enjoy the Journey

At Becoming Mom Spa + Ultrasound, our tagline is simply, Enjoy the Journey. We strive to be a place where expecting moms can love their pregnancy just a little bit more, and hopefully enjoy the journey just a little bit more. We are beyond grateful for our customers and guests and hope to continuously be a place where pregnancy can be as beautiful on the outside as it is on the inside.

By now I trust you have watched our Pregnant Flash Mob to benefit the March of Dimes.

Our mission was to raise money to help the March of Dimes fight birth defect,s but one of the people that came to watch the mob ended up dying later that evening and donating some of his organs to directly help babies with birth defects! His mother and one of our lead singers, Andria Fluke (first to sing), wanted me to tell you his story.

Josh was only 29. He was a very good friend and co-worker of Andria’s who was also a Big Brother for Big Brothers and Sisters. When we did our casting call, Andria agreed to do it with Josh’s encouragement even though this was completely out of her comfort zone. Josh was one of the selective few that she shared this secret with since it was to be a surprise because he so appreciated this type of thing. Josh came with Andria’s family to Kings Island on Saturday to proudly watch her perform and spent the day and evening with her family and friends.

Later that night, Josh had an apparent heart attack possibly brought on by Diabetes while at Andria’s house and passed away. Though the cause is still unknown, Andria and Josh’s mom felt that this story was important to share not only because it could raise awareness for diabetes, of the Big Brothers and Sisters Program and organ donation, but because of how strange fate can be. Had Andria not done the flash mob, he mostly likely would have been home alone instead of with people that loved him in his last moments.

Josh’s family donated his heart valves to babies with heart defects, his skin to burn victims, and other organs to help those in need…. in an ironic and sad, but also inspiring twist to what we set out to do that day.

You never now what life is going to bring… so enjoy each day, and when someone encourages you to get out of your comfort zone… do it! There’s always the chance that you were meant to do that thing for reasons you can’t imagine at the time

Massage therapy can help facilitate the conception process both physically by breaking up adhesions and increasing pelvic blood supply, and emotionally by reducing stress… whether you are trying naturally or in conjunction with appropriate medical treatment.

In fact, a study published in “General Medicine” shows the pregnancy rate for women treated with these massage techniques prior to their next IVF transfer to be 63% higher than the national average for IVF success.

Can stress really cause infertility?

Studies show that stress does indeed have a negative effect on the ability to conceive and the ability to avoid a miscarraige. Couples having difficulty conceiving are affected by stress month after month, more often than not leading to anxiety and depression. According to Dr. Alice Domar, Director of the Women’s Health Project at the Mind/Body Institute at Harvard Medical school, women trying unsuccessfully to become pregnant actually have levels of stress equivalent to women with cancer, HIV and heart disease! Stress alters immune function, the regulation of the reproductive hormones produced by the pituitary gland, and interferes with the body’s ability to produce healthy eggs. Male fertility is also affected by stress, resulting in abnormal sperm structure, reduction in sperm counts and decreased sperm motility.

It appears that couples having difficulty conceiving are trapped in a vicious cycle: stress affects fertility and infertility causes stress.

The “Relaxation Response”

Dr. Herbert Benson, Harvard Medical Institute, defined the “relaxation response” as “a physical state of deep rest that interrupts the body’s physical and emotional responses to stress, allowing it to return to a calm, relaxed state.” With the relaxation response there is a measurable decrease in heart rate, blood pressure, breathing rate, stress hormone levels and muscle tension. His research shows that this response is controlled by the hypothalamus. Since the hypothalamus is also responsible for all aspects of reproduction, we can assume that the relaxation response would have a positive affect on fertility.

So….can stress reduction increase the chances of conception?

Yes! In fact, a study published in “Fertility and Sterility” looked at 184 women who had been trying to get pregnant for 1-2 years. 55% of women in the study who received massages and other relaxation techniques became pregnant within 6 months while only 20% of the control group, who received no intervention, became pregnant.

How can Becoming Mom help?

At Becoming Mom, we believe that the body, when under extreme stress, physiologically shuts down and concludes that it is a bad time for pregnancy. In fact a recent study published in “Health Daily News” showed that pregnant women with high cortisol levels (ie. Stressed out) during the first three weeks after conception are nearly three times as likely to miscarry. Our Preconception Massage is designed to bring the body back to a relaxed and healthy state so that conception chances are optimal.

In addition to specialized massage techniques to eliminate restrictions and any adhesions, we incorporate aromatherapy essential oils and reflexology. Aromatherapy can aid in regulating women’s fertility cycles and can also be beneficial for its relaxing and stress reducing properties.

It can be hard enough to figure out the perfect gift for the woman in your life… but trying to do it for a woman with swollen feet, an achy back and who’s full of raging hormones, can be downright treacherous. So, we want to help…

SHE’S JUST FOUND OUT

You’re both excited and scared at the same time. Now is the time you want to learn everything you can about the new human being about to enter your life. Some possible gifts:

– Books: Whether it’s “Your Pregnancy Week by Week”, “Feed the Belly”, or “Belly Laughs” by the hilarious Jenny McCarthy, books can help her feel more in control of what’s happening to her body and what to expect

– Gender Determination: If she’s at least 10 weeks, you can buy her the IntelliGender home test kit. If she’s at least 16 weeks, a Gift Certificate for an Ultrasound will literally let you see for yourselves.

– Help with the early “fun” stuff: Whether it’s morning sickness or heartburn, it can really put a damper on the excitement. But the good news is there are products like B Natal loaded with B6 for morning sickness and Pregnancy Heartburn Comfort tablets that can help.

SHE’S STARTING TO ACHE ALL OVER

She’s finally past the yucky sick feeling, and now her ankles are swelling, her back is sore and there are things happening to her no one ever told her about. Now is the time to pamper her:

Pregnancy Massage: A Pregnancy Massage by a Prenatal Certified Massage Therapist can work wonders on all the aches and pains she is dealing with. And, it can even help her have a shorter/easier labor… now that’s a gift she will appreciate!

Pedicure: A Pedicure is perfectly safe during pregnancy if done by someone familiar with how to care for pregnant women… and the right kind of pedicure will help with Achiness and Swelling as well. Our seasonal pedicure is the Hot Chocolate Pedicure which will also make her warm and toasty.

Facial: On top of everything else, her face is breaking out like it hasn’t since she was 15! She needs skin products that are safe for her and her baby… and that target the specific issues she’s having. The Get That Glow Facial is a perfect choice… or for even more pampering she will love the Naturally Nurturing Hot Stone Facial.

Not sure what Spa Services she would enjoy? Get her the “Pregnant Gets What Pregnant Wants” Package and she can pick any 3-5 services. How can you go wrong?

SHE’S COUNTING DOWN THE DAYS

3D/4D Ultrasound — What better gift than the ability to see her baby for the first time… even before he/she is born?

Belly Cast/Sculpting — Whether you buy an at-home kit or have it professionally sculpted, this is a way to preserve her beautiful pregnant form long after baby is born. Makes a beautiful addition to the nursery decor.

BABY’S HERE!

Getting Back to Normal – The baby’s here, but now everything is out of alignment! Our Postpartum and Baby Blues Massages can help! We also have Belly Bandits that will help get her waistline back so much sooner!

Designer Diaper Bag — It’s not just a necessity, it’s a fashion statement. At Becoming Mom, we carry a wide variety of beautiful bags. Let her pick or buy her a gift certificate and pamper her with some retail therapy.

Help with Fussy Baby — Whether is a HappiTummi wrap for baby or a Moby Wrap for Mom there are lots of products that make those early days SO much easier.

STILL NOT SURE? STOP BY BECOMING MOM OR GIVE US A CALL AND WE’LL BE HAPPY TO HELP YOU FIND THE PERFECT GIFT.

Happy Holidays!

The most common question we get asked at Becoming Mom is “When’s the best time to have my ultrasound?”.

Like many questions in life, the answer is “it depends”.

Here’s what it depends on:

If you are at least 16 weeks, and are primarily interested in gender determination, we suggest a 2D Ultrasound.

Our medical sonographers can almost always tell you what you are having at this stage. But they won’t guess! If they’re not sure, they’ll tell you to come back for FREE! Same is true if baby’s legs are crossed or we otherwise can’t see.

If you want to also see your baby’s features and to see whether baby looks like mom or dad you probably want a 3D Package

And we suggest you come in after 23 weeks when the baby is more developed. As far as the “best” time, that really depends on what you want to see and how many times you plan to come in.

Here are some guidelines and some examples of what you can expect:

• 23-26 weeks: Baby’s facial features are starting to be defined and you can see more of the baby at once. If you plan to come in more than once, this a good time for the first time.

• 27-32 weeks: This is a good time for your second 3D ultrasound or if you’re only going to come in for one session during your pregnancy. Baby’s facial features are more defined and he/she still has room to move around. However, because baby is getting larger, you won’t see quite as much of him/her at once as you would earlier.

• 33-36 weeks: A great time for beautiful facial shots IF baby “cooperates”. Please be aware that increased crowding in the womb does make it more challenging to get specific pictures.

If you’re having twins, keep two things in mind: one twin is usually easier to see than the other and there is even more crowding in the womb. So, we suggest coming in at the earlier part of each of the above windows. We also suggest the longer session. We don’t charge extra, but we do split the time between the babies.

Hope that helps… but, as always, if you have questions, just give us a call!