Pregnancy Ride-or-Die Products. Baby #3.

This baby boy #3 isn’t kidding - he means BUSINESS. My body knows what its doing this third time around and everything has happened so quickly - the bump, the swelling, the sore feet, back aches, dry skin and a whole bunch of other weird things. Not to make pregnancy sound rough - but there are definitely some interesting challenges to face and I’ve found some things that have helped ease some of the more difficult tasks! Rounding up some pregnancy-safe products and routines that have been working for me this time around and I hope they help you out, too, sister! Most of this stuff isn’t pregnancy-specific, so you don’t have to be bumpin’ to reap the benefits.

*Also, because I love you, I have a few discount codes at the bottom of this post that you can use if you decide to purchase any of these products - yay! Because I like to shop but I REALLY like to shop with promo codes ;)

Bath Time.
Follain Rose Bath Salts + Little Barn Apothecary Grapefruit & Honeysuckle Body Oil
You guys. I’ve found the most winning combination and I can’t stop this bath situation - I take one almost every night! During my last pregnancy, taking baths really helped me unwind at the end of the night and sleep better. This time around it’s already helping with my sore back and feet. I simply shimmy some of these bath salts into the running water and then add 5-10 pumps of this oil into the water as well. It’s literally the best scent of my life and the oil really helps your skin stay hydrated, especially when you get out of the bath.

Vitamin Time.
DoTERRA Life Long Vitality Supplements + Probiotic + Bone Nutrient Complex
I take the full dose recommended for these supplements every single day and it serves as a complete prenatal. I also take the Bone Nutrient Complex, the Probiotic AND I’m on an iron supplement (I’m always anemic during my pregnancies). It’s a lot of vitamins, but I just take them with breakfast and a glass of juice and get it done. I love that they are made from whole-food sources, so there’s no unnecessary synthetic ingredients padded in. I’ve learned so much since my last pregnancy about the types of vitamins that really resonate with my body, so this is one of the things I am most proud of using daily!

Clothes Time.
I wish I could just be naked. But that can’t really happen because this isn’t Papua New Gineua and my kids might get weirded out. But this time around I’ve been wearing some awesome Carly Jane hand-me-downs from my BFF Holly along with a slew of Target Knox Rose dresses (non-maternity). And I’ve been SO comfy! Especially since we’ve had an endless summer over here. Also, I went ahead and busted out all the Blanqi shapewear because I learned about this brand last time and seriously, it’s THE game changer. Helps lift my belly and keep the pressure off my special area and lower back. If you are pregnant, BUY THIS TANK. You will be forever changed.

Skincare Time.
On my Face:
I often switch up my skincare routine, but I’ve enjoyed cleansing with doTERRA Verage Cleanser, using the Indie Lee COQ-10 Toner, using the Pai Back to Life Serum and the Herbivore Botanicals Prism and Orchid face oils for moisture. These are all safe for pregnancy (I absolutely LOVE the doTERRA Yarrow/Pom oil for my face, but it’s not something that’s pregnancy-safe so I’ve taken a break from it until the baby arrives).

On my Belly:
I have stretch marks from my previous pregnancies, and from what I’ve read they’re just a genetic thing and there’s not TONS you can do about them. But I still try! This pregnancy I’ve been slathering my belly in the Earth Mama Belly Oil (used at night) + Earth Mama Belly Butter (used in the morning) + doTERRA Body Butter (used after showering and swimming) & Immortelle Anti-Aging Rollerball Blend (used to spot treat areas where I already have stretch marks, to help repair the skin). It might seem like a lot, but I really love all these products and the routine of using them really relaxes me and feels like self-care. So I love them all!

Discount Codes + Deals for YOU!

Follain (for skincare products)
15% off online: use code ref15_3i83z7

Blanqi (shapewear + maternity support)
*$20 off your first order when you use this link to shop!

DoTERRA (supplements + essential oils + some skincare)
*25% off your first AND every order by clicking here (for supplements I use daily)
***(also, I will send you a welcome package of samples and a custom gift for you when you purchase a $100+ wholesale membership starter kit!)

Earth Mama (skincare and other pregnancy-safe products)
*Spend $50 and get 20% off with code BYOBundle
*Also, THIS is a really great starter kit if you want to try out some of the Earth Mama pregnancy products!

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Other Items I’ve Been Using:

Comrad Compression Socks

Serenity Restful Complex

Nike Women's Flex

Z Supply Joggers

The Baby Name Wizard

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Lets talk about our pits.

Thanks to Earth Mama Organics for sponsoring this post. All opinions are my own.

Resurrect the word "Natural"!
I've been on a journey to find the perfect, natural deodorant. And when I say natural, I mean it in the purest sense of the word - natural. It's very confusing these days because "natural" is slapped on the front of any and every product as a sales tactic and I'll bet most people have become jaded to that word. Is it so much to ask for a truly natural deodorant that is free of chemicals, especially aluminum and artificial fragrances and other toxic fillers? Unfortunately these ingredients are sneakily added into products we use every day.  Don't believe me?

No #Fword
I dare you to pull out your current deodorant and take a look at the ingredient list. What do you see? A bunch of terms you can't pronounce? I'll bet you see the term "fragrance". It might say "artificial fragrance", "natural fragrance", "botanical fragrance" or "nature-identical fragrance", but it all means the same thing. Fragrance (aka "parfum") is often an ingredient in deodorant and an umbrella term that is used to hide the presence of thousands of chemicals - from parabens to phthalates to artificial preservatives like formaldehyde - say WHAT?! It's true. When the term is used, there's no way to know which chemicals are masquerading beneath that phrase. There is no further disclosure. My hope is that you don't see this word "fragrance" in your deodorant ingredient list, because to be blunt,  it's basically the F-word.

My Conviction.
My grandmother lost her life to lymphoma, a cancer that is rooted in the lymphatic system of the body. Lymph nodes are located throughout the body, with a cluster of them residing in the armpit region. Your lymph nodes are linked to the blood stream - do you hear what I'm saying here? I take it very seriously what I put on my body, but especially what I put in this part of my body, because I really wish I had my grandmother in my life today. It's not even a myth that chemicals lurk within our everyday lifestyle products and are linked to traumatic cancers and diseases. It's time to take responsibility for what we put on our bodies, friends! I want to be healthy, strong and AWESOME for when my grandchildren have their own littles. It's why I eat healthy. It's why I work out. It's why I care about the ingredients in my mascara and my moisturizer. And it's why I'm critical of what kind of deodorant I put on my body. I'm sure it's the heart of every mother to be present and healthy for their families. I've realized as a mama that the choices I make today (even the seemingly small ones like the kind of deodorant I swipe on) can make a significant impact on my future.

What's a girl to do?
This brings to me Earth Mama Organics' new line of deodorants. They are FREE of everything we discussed above, including propylene glycol, artificial fragrance, parabens and aluminum. They are specially formulated for all the phases of motherhood - pregnancy, breastfeeding and sensitive skin. Hallelujah. And there is even the option to purchase a mini kit of all 4, which I especially like, because they're super easy to toss into my purse and take on the go. I'll be honest, as with most natural deodorants, these are most effective if they're applied more than once a day, so I like to keep at least one mini with me in my purse, diaper bag and gym bag. When I reapply my lipstick or gloss after lunch, I do a quick swipe of my deodorant, too! The set contains Calming Lavender, Bright Citrus, GingerAid (my personal favorite) and Natural Non-Scented.

Organic = Happy Mama.
Not only are these deodorants free of all the garbage fillers and "the F-word" we talked about above, they are also certified organic with a fully-disclosed ingredient list. It's actually many extra steps and added cost to any company that goes through the process to become "certified organic", but I sure appreciate when I see this label on the products I purchase. Because let's just be real - I want to smell good. And I want to put good stuff on my body. End of story.

Many of you know that I've been in the process of transitioning my beauty routine over from conventional products to natural and organic ones. I am thrilled that so many companies, like Earth Mama Organics, are committed to creating products that are safe and nurturing, especially with focus on the different seasons of motherhood. We mamas have enough to think about - what we put on our pits shouldn't be rocket science.

Your skin soaks it all in. So toxic ingredients in deodorant? That's a hard no. Want to know why Earth Mama deodorants don't contain fragrance? Learn more: https://earthmamaorganics.com/blog/no-f-word-fragrance-in-personal-care-products/ Get the new organic deodorants here!

Shop the Deodorants:

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Rosy Cheeks, Warm Hearts.

It's that time of year! The most wonderful, and also, the time when the weather likes to bite as it says "top of the morning to ya!" We spent some time up in New York last week, and after a few hours playing outdoors in Central Park, our entire family's cheeks were blasted with a good wind-whipped chapping.

Add in some runny noses, because as we've already established, it's that time of year. #virusleavemyhousehold #itsalliwantforchristmas

Oh, and then factor in Daxton's teething predicament. This kid likes to cut teeth at least 2 at a time - which is exactly what he was up to while we traveled last week! I thought he was just mad at me for the excessively cold weather...

Needless to say, our family has had a lot of drippy noses and wet cheeks and wind-burned knuckles (southern kids don't know how to keep mittens on) - so what's a mama to do?

Baby Face Nose + Cheek Balm.
It's no surprise that we are into natural remedies over here - I've been on a journey to find natural and non-toxic solutions that actually work for my family (you can check out my Green Beauty Trials posts for more info about this journey.) I've tried a lot of products, especially over the past year. Which is why it was a no-brainer when we were sent this Earth Mama Organics Face, Nose & Cheek Balm - I slathered my kids (and husband!) with this stuff and I must say, we are hooked. I've gushed about my love for Earth Mama Angel Baby products before (remember this postpartum must-haves post?), and now that the company has rebranded as Earth Mama, there are several new high-performing products being added to the family of products, and I am stoked. This balm in particular is an an all-purpose remedy that is 100% organic and formulated without parabens, petroleum, preservatives or artificial fragrance. Instead it treats skin vulnerabilities with a rich calendula coconut balm, one that has been formulated specifically for use around a baby's mouth. It's so safe, technically you could eat this balm. It's probably Whole30 compliant ;)

Check out the cutest little video clip about this Face, Nose & Cheek balm! I want to take that little girl home with me ;)

NEW! Baby Face Organic Nose & Cheek Balm: Petroleum jelly has met its organic herbal multipurpose match. Babies and toddlers have to battle drool chap, dry chin and runny red noses, not to mention red, grumpy skin from colds and teething.

Also, I want to say something quickly about the new packaging - isn't it beautiful? The new logo and color scheme is sleek and warm and I just LOVE it - it suits the products better than the previous packaging and as someone who cares about packaging... I am amped about this new look and feel to the brand.

As for the balm - it has been in constant rotation in my household over the past few weeks. I want to share a few of my favorite ways to use this balm, not just on my baby, but on my toddler, my husband AND myself!

My Favorite Uses:
1.) BEFORE GOING OUTSIDE: Slather thickly across the cheeks, on the lower bridge of the nose, underneath the nose (if my wiggly children let me!) and over the curve of the chin. This balm acts like a protective layer while kiddos (or adults!) are outside in the elements, whether riding in the stroller or running around playing.

2.) BEFORE GOING OUTSIDE: Rub on the tops of hands (mine, as well!) - over the knuckles and fingers. Even if I'm wearing gloves, this seriously helps keep my hands from drying out and cracking. Bloody cracks in the hands just aren't cute.

3.) AFTER BATHTIME: I like to coat my kids' faces from the nostrils down in this balm. It insulates the skin and protects against dryness from the heat in the house and the bath. It seals the skin and promotes a restful evening of sleep.

4.) ON DIAPER DUTY: This balm even works as a natural diaper rash cream! After applying on my son's sore bottom and then checking it again just 1 diaper change later, his rash was cleared up! You really can't ask for more in a balm.

This multi-purpose balm is quickly becoming the swiss army knife in my medicine cabinet. In fact, the other day my husband asked me for some lip balm, and then immediately found the Face, Nose & Chin Balm and said, "Oh never mind, I got it."

I love having products in my home that are so safe and so high-performing that THIS mama doesn't have to work quite as hard to do everything for everyone. I also love the feeling of this product replacing several other products in one fell swoop - no need for dozens of babycare products when this one ticks so many boxes for our family needs. Plus, I really love snuggling my little babes just after we've applied this balm - watching them tumble around, goof off and play with their ruby, well-oiled cheeks gleaming, well I can't help but smile. It is, indeed, the most wonderful time of the year.

Shop My Favorites:

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Thank you for supporting brands that make this blog possible. Happy Christmas week to you, my friends!