Need to make something easy without a ton of mess? As a busy mommy – I’m always on the lookout for easy lunch and dinner ideas.
This Pot Roast is not only delicious – but it is incredibly easy to make! I personally don’t eat meat so this tends to be something I make when we have company. I made recently (see pic above) and fed 7 adults with leftovers.
Below is my version of this recipe. I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 – 4lb Pot Roast
- 1 – Packet of Hidden Valley Ranch mix (dry)
- 1 – Packet of low sodium Au Jus mix (dry)
- 1 – Jar of Pepperoncini peppers (12-15 oz of mild or spicy peppers depending on your preference and crowd)
- 1 – Small bag of mini carrots (12 oz) – use rainbow carrots if available
- 1 – Small bag of Fingerling potatoes (18-24 oz)
- 1 – Small bag of frozen pearl onions
- 1 – 1 small stick (8 tbsp) of unsalted butter
- Black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
Plug in your Slow Cooker and set on low.
Unwrap your Pot Roast and put into the Slow Cooker.
Pour the Ranch and Au Jus packets over the meat.
Pour the ENTIRE jar of Pepperoncini peppers (with juice) over the meat.
Cut the stick of butter into 4 pieces and add to Slow Cooker around the meat.
Add half the bag of pearl onions to Slow Cooker. If you aren’t a pear onion fan, you can also dice a small yellow onion. I’ve used yellow onion many times and it always turns out wonderful!
Next add your mini carrots. Most of the small bags of organic mini carrots are pre-washed, so you can add them right into the Slow Cooker without any other prep 🙂
Wash and scrub the potatoes. Cut in half and add to the Slow Cooker. I added about 2/3 of the bag – although you can add more or less as you see fit.
Fresh cracked black pepper can be used once this is ready to serve. No additional salt is needed. No additional liquid is needed. Follow the steps above and you’re all set!
Cook on low for 8 hours until the meat is falling apart and the veggies are super tender. This is almost like a stew when it’s done.
I LOVE this recipe because it feeds a good size crowd or makes fantastic leftovers for the week! It is great with egg noodles, rice, or mashed potatoes (if you skip the fingerling potatoes). I suggest serving it with big green salad and some crusty bread. You can also garnish with some chopped parley for a little extra color and freshness.
It takes very little prep and you basically dump everything into the Slow Cooker and let magic happen while you get on with your day. The house will smell great, the food will be flavorful and tender, and you will look like a star! 🙂
Enjoy!
xoxo
When do you need to pack your hospital bag? Great question! Personally, I like to over prepare – so when you’re about 4-6 weeks from your due date – it is a good idea to have your bag ready to go.
For my first pregnancy, we had a bit of a surprise when my son was born 5.5 weeks early. My doctor told me not to worry, that everything looked great, and that everything looked to be on time. I had a feeling that our son was going to come early and I was right. Talk about trusting my gut 😉 My water broke after a full day of work – and off we rushed to the hospital. That being said – my daughter stayed in until after my due date. That was a BIG surprise after having a preemie! lol!
Each pregnancy and each baby is very different. Being prepared is key so you don’t add extra stress to an already BIG life moment. One way to relieve some stress is definitely having your bag packed and ready to go.
No – you don’t want to overpack, but you also want the right things for this big event! I did a lot of research before having both of my kiddos – and have put together a list of items that I personally found most helpful. Use it to pack your own hospital bag – or as a guide while you add your own special items 🙂
FOR MOMMY:
Dry Shampoo – A great way to refresh your hair after being in labor! It’s amazing for everyone – especially moms! Spray your roots with some dry shampoo to absorb the oil and give it new life. It’s usually located by the hairspray and shampoo at your local drugstore. AMAZING way to give your hair a little love after giving birth! Especially when you’re going to want a photo with your new little bundle 🙂
Lip Balm – Pick one that is hydrating, healing, and NOT a strong flavor. Your lips get dry while you are in labor, and you are only allowed ice chips for a good amount of that time. Having something without a strong flavor to keep your lips from cracking is key.
Non Skid Socks – Comfy way to keep your feet warm, all while not having to worry about slipping on the slippery hospital floor. Yoga/pilates socks work really well for this as well.
PJs & Robe– I packed 2 sets of PJs. The first was an affordable soft cotton button down PJ set from Target. It came with a matching robe which was perfect for my needs. They were not maternity but I did size up for comfort. Having a button down top meant easy access for nursing and the elastic waist meant comfort by my tummy. The second was a maternity night gown that I used throughout my 2nd and 3rd trimester. I used both and it was nice to have 2 clean options in my bag.
Toiletries – My rule of thumb for toiletries is purchase smaller sizes or brands you like. Keep them gentle in terms of formula and don’t pick a strong flavor/scent. It’s nice to keep things organic and extremely gentle for you and baby. You will be healing from childbirth, and getting lots of skin to skin time with your new bundle, so using gentle products in best. The quick list of toiletries includes:
- Travel case for your toiletries so they pack nice and easy
- Toothbrush and toothbrush cover for you and your significant other
- Toothpaste (I personally LOVE Toms of Maine)
- Floss (I’m obsessive about it – lol)
- Travel size shampoo/conditioner
- Body wash
- Dry shampoo (also listed above)
- Lip balm (also listed above)
- Brush
- Face lotion
- Body/hand lotion (Gold Bond with Aloe is wonderful and a fave)
- Hair binders and clips to keep hair out of your face
Breast Pads – Your milk will most likely start coming in. These will help keep you/clothes clean as you may leak. I brought disposable ones to the hospital and used washable pads once I got home.
Earplugs and Eye Mask – Pack these for you and your partner if you have trouble sleeping in noisy places. The eye mask helps a lot as you’ll want to get lots of rest between feedings – which will include sleeping while it is light out.
Entertainment – Labor can be long, so packing some things to keep you busy and distracted is a good idea. Some ideas include:
- Magazines – A variety to page through
- An ipad (with charger) and laptop with shows, movies and music you enjoy
- A good book, Kindle or other reading device
- Snacks – pack some snacks for you and those who will be with you at the hospital. I packed red vines for my husband, almond m&ms for my mom, Pringles for my dad, and Goldfish crackers for me. I also packed some granola bars to share. Not the most healthy snacks in the world, but I wanted something fun and yummy for the hours we were all spending at the hospital. Coconut water or sports drinks with electrolytes are also a good thing to pack if you want something other than water.
- A puzzle book or other activity to help pass the time
- Cards (you might not play but others might enjoy it in the waiting area)
Labor Gown – You don’t need to bring one as the hospital will provide one. That being said – I brought a black cute one because I liked it better! 😉
Pillow – Yes the hospital has them but I wanted my own! lol!
Birth Plan – If you have one, pack it! I’ll be posting something separate on creating your birth plan so keep an eye out.
Nursing Tank Top – Some may tell you to pack a nursing bra…I disagree. I preferred nursing tank tops at first because my milk was still coming in and I had no idea what size nursing bra to get. A nursing tank top is flexible, comfortable, and you can get maternity ones so they fit over your post baby belly.
Going Home Outfit – Pack something comfortable to get home in. Maternity jeans, sweats, yoga pants or whatever you are most comfy and happy in. Your maternity clothes will fit nicely right after giving birth as you still have a belly after having baby (totally normal).
Underwear – Pick something loose, comfy and inexpensive. I purchased a pack of 100% cotton underwear in a loose size that were wonderful since I had to use pads with ice after birth. I didn’t want to ruin any of my nice underwear -and the extra space was needed. It sounds strange but trust me – it you plan to push baby out – the ice pads are lovely and help a lot! If you are planning to have a c-section, you may still want to have some loose underwear for comfort around/below your midsection.
FOR BIRTHING PARTNER:
Toiletries – The list above should include most items for both of you. They may also want their own preferred hair products or special items. Make sure they pack their own in advance if that is the case.
Spare Clothes – PJs and an extra set of clothes for the hospital room. They will want something clean to change into at some point.
Camera and Charger – To help capture the big moments. Talk about what that includes (or what to avoid) before you’re in labor so nothing gets missed or overlooked. Best not to assume they know.
Phone and Charger – You may have apps, Smartphone with camera, etc. that you need in the hospital. It’s also nice to send updates to out of town family/friends on how mommy and baby are doing.
FOR BABY:
Infant Car Seat – You can’t take baby home without it! Make sure to have this installed in your car within a couple weeks of your due date. If you don’t have a car, you still need a car seat so make sure to have one with you 🙂
Going Home Outfit – Something snuggly and loose for baby to wear on the way home. I would recommend something that has legs (not a gown) to ensure the car seat buckle fits, has long sleeves that fold over their hands so they don’t scratch their face or get cold, and comes with a little hat to stay warm. It’s also good to stay away from outfits that have an elastic waistband as they will have a sensitive midsection where their bellybutton will be healing. A one piece is best – trust me.
Blanket – Bring something to cover their bottom half while in the car seat to stay cozy. Newborns don’t have a lot of body fat yet so pack according to the weather to keep baby safe, warm, comfortable and happy. For example, light blanket if it’s hot out and warm blanket (and snowsuit) if it’s crazy cold out.
Diapers – I wanted to leave this off of my list but think it’s worth noting. The hospital had diapers ready for both my kiddos after they were born. For my son, they had preemie diapers on hand. For my daughter, they had size 1 (she was big). I don’t like to recommend bringing diapers since you don’t know what size to get before they are born – and diapers are expensive! If you want to pack a couple sizes, go ahead. Personally, I would use what the hospital has in the correct size once baby is born. From there, your birthing partner, a friend or family member can pop by the drugstore or grocery store to grab the right size before you head home with baby.
NOTE: If you have other kids and/or pet(s) at home, be sure to write out a schedule with what they eat, nap times, walk times, emergency phone numbers, any medications they need to take (with amounts and directions) and any other critical information that your sitter may need. Talk to your babysitter, grandparents, friends or whoever if going to help you well in advance so they know the plan and have time to ask questions. You do not want to wait until you’re having contractions or when your water breaks to figure this out. I personally typed up a thorough document with my sons full schedule (naps, feeding times, bedtime routine, favorite toys, etc.) as well as details on when to walk and feed our dogs. The document was then given to our best friends and my parents so they were prepared to jump in and help when we needed to go to the hospital to deliver our daughter. I also had a spare printed copy waiting at our house in case they forgot their copy. Trust me – it didn’t take that long to put together and was well worth it to have that extra peace of mind! 🙂
I know it’s a long list…but I hope you find it helpful! Use what you like, make your own list, add your special items to this one, and feel prepared!
xoxo
Being pregnant is something to celebrate. If you are looking for a way to document your pregnancy, consider baby bump photos. If it’s your first pregnancy, it’s an especially exciting time of firsts for you.
If you have other children, get them involved and include them in your baby bump photos. It’s a fun way to remember your bump, while sharing the moment with your partner (and your other children). It can also be hard on other children when there is so much focus on the pregnancy and new baby. This is a great way to help them bond before baby even arrives. Include them and let them get excited! 🙂
Below are some tips to have a successful baby bump photo session:
- Research photographers in your area who have experience doing baby bump photo sessions
- Book your session for month 7 or 8 to ensure you have a nice big baby bump
- Gather your favorite sample photos of other peoples baby bumps to give your photographer direction
- Order props for your photo session (lace, flowing fabric, girl or boy signs, baby toys, etc.)
- Put together outfits for you and anyone else you plan to take photos with (husband, partner, children)
- Talk to your photographer and decide where your session will take place (inside a studio, at the beach, etc.)
- Have fun! You don’t need to keep or print them all. Try out different shots and decide what you like when you review the proofs 🙂
I’ve included some of my own baby bump photos (from both pregnancies) to give you some ideas.
Getting ready for childbirth can be tough. You want everything to go according to plan…but it’s hard to have a plan when you don’t know what to expect.
My advice, look for things you DO have control over! These 6 things are what I did before I had my kiddos. Take my 6 or make your own 🙂
- Get your nails done. Pick a clear polish, a light pink/neutral color, or get them buffed. This is crucial because it’ll be a while before you get them done again…and they will grow out. If they are clear or buffed – they’ll look nicer longer.
- Get your hair done. Cut it and if you color it – pick something closer to your roots. Again, it’ll be a while before you’ll have the time and energy to venture out to get your hair done.
- Purchase your favorite cosmetics. It’s always good to have an extra of your favorite foundation, eyeliner, and other staples. You’ll be focused on this new and amazing little person for the first couple months – while getting little to no sleep. It’s nice to have your favorite lip gloss or other cosmetic on hand to make you feel a little pampered!
- Pick out something comfy! Have your favorite t-shirt, PJs robe and sweats handy. You’ll want these in the hospital and when you get home with baby. You’ll most likely live in these for the first 8 weeks. It’s ok – comfort is key when you aren’t getting much sleep 😉
- Keep your favorite maternity clothes out. It takes time for your body to de-puff and slim down again. Don’t stress. Select your favorite maternity jeans and a couple other items and keep them on hand until you can fit into some of your pre-prego clothes.
- Get a prenatal massage. Pamper your aching body as you get closer to having your new baby. Call around and find a spa that has massage therapists who specialize in prenatal massage. Give them a heads up on how far along you are in your pregnancy, and anything else they should know in advance. It’ll help them prepare and make the whole experience better. It is so worth it and a wonderful way to pamper yourself before giving birth!
Be good to yourself and enjoy these last moments of quiet before baby arrives. If this is not your first baby, you should still take a little time to do these things for yourself – you deserve it! When I was pregnant with my daughter, I was chasing a toddler around the house! It was great exercise but also exhausting! lol! It was wonderful to get my nails done – especially when the pedicure came with a foot rub! Talk about a treat for aching preggo feet! 😉
Soon to come is a post listing the things to pack in your hospital bag! Keep an eye out for this post and many more soon!
xoxo
If you plan on finding out the gender of your baby, prior to birth, a reveal party is a fun way to share the news with friends and family. You can also do the reveal privately and share with a video or photos. There are many ways to reveal the big news, from cakes to balloons!
For my first pregnancy, we decided to do a reveal cake. It was amazing and so much fun!
When Daniel (hubby) and I were at the doctors office, they asked if we wanted to know the gender. We asked them not to tell us, but to put the gender in an envelope. We gave that envelope to a cake maker and asked them to make us a cake with pink or blue frosting inside, based on the results in the envelope. We had a party with friends and family and asked everyone to go to the left if they thought we were having a girl, and to the right if they thought we were having a boy. We cut the cake and taped the whole thing! As you can see from the photo, we had a baby boy 🙂
You don’t have to go to a baker to accomplish this. For a more cost effective way – you can also give the envelope to a sibling or friend to bake the cake for you. You can have them do a sheet cake, round cake, or even cupcakes! The main objective is to have pink or blue frosting inside – so it “reveals” the gender when you cut (or bite) into it.
Another fun way to do a gender reveal is using balloons. For my second pregnancy we decided to do balloons. I wanted each kiddo to have a unique memory captured on video to share with them someday. This is another great and very cost effective way to share the news.
For this, you need a big box with a lid to hold the balloons. I had a large moving box in the garage – so that is what we used 🙂
Give the envelope to someone at a party store (or in my case – Walgreens) and ask them to fill several pink or blue balloons – based on what is in the envelope. Have them tape the balloon strings to the inside bottom of the box and close the lid. Make sure they know NOT to tell you what is inside. You can pay for the balloons and helium based on the number they used – you do not need to know the color.
Next, wrap the box in baby paper and decorate as you like. The image above is the exact box that we used. 🙂
When you open the box with your friends and family, the balloons will pop out in pink or blue for all to see! As you can see from this image – we had a girl the second time around.
Another fun idea is to get a piñata in the shape of a pacifier, question mark, rubber duck, baby buggy, etc. and then fill it with all pink or all blue (or both if you are having twins and happen to have both genders)! Some are even pull string to keep it easy. Surprise everyone when the color(s) pour out!
Whatever you do for your reveal – have fun and do it in your own special way! 🙂 Enjoy!
xoxo
Healthy dinner is closer than you think! Portobello mushroom cap pizzas are a favorite in our house. They are easy to make, fun, delicious, and healthy!
Ingredients:
- 4 Portobello mushroom caps – largest you can find (adjust amount if you need more or less for your family)
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
- A variety of veggies for the toppings (bell peppers, garlic, tomato, etc.)
- Cooking spray
- 1 jar of pizza sauce
To get things rolling, preheat the over to 375.
Wash the portobello mushrooms well, and pull out the stems so you have a nice empty cap ready to fill.
Line a cooking sheet with foil and lightly coat with olive oil spray.
Put mushroom caps on baking sheet and bake for about 5 min or so while you prepare the toppings.
My favorite part about this recipe is that you can use whatever veggies you have in the house and need to use up! In this case, I used red bell pepper, zucchini, yellow squash, fresh basil, garlic, cherry tomatoes, and jalapeño (on the ones for me and hubby). Chop your veggies into little pieces. Remember, this is not a full size pizza so they do need to be chopped small to fit onto the mushroom caps. Set the veggies/toppings aside.
Using oven mitts, pull the pan out of the oven and get ready to top your mushroom caps!
I use a jar of low sodium, no sugar added, organic pizza sauce from the grocery store and it works great! Put your pizza sauce of choice into each cap. Top the sauce with shredded mozzarella. Lastly, top with your chopped veggies and pop back into the over for about 15 min.
Pull out and serve with fresh salad, fruit, or whatever you want as a side dish. They are great with a little red pepper flake on top as well (for those who like a little extra spice).
Thats it! Talk about easy! Hope you try it out and please let me know what you think!
Enjoy! 🙂 xoxo
Ok folks – I’ve been pretty excited to share this recipe. It’s healthy, easy and family friendly! Flourless pancakes – woohoo!
I’ve broken it down into easy to follow steps below 🙂
Step 1: Gather ingredients – 1 ripe banana, 2 eggs, and pumpkin pie spice. I use a couple shakes of pumpkin pie spice but you can also use cinnamon and nutmeg if you have those on hand. A touch of vanilla extract is a fun and yummy way to change these up as well! You can get creative with flavors.
Step 2: Put everything in the blender and mix until smooth (30 seconds or so).
Step 3: Heat pan on medium and spray with coconut oil (or preferred oil spray).
Step 4: Pour pancake mix and let cook for about 2 min on the first side. Flip and let cook for about 1 min on the other side. They cook fast so keep an eye on them.
Step 5: ENJOY!
We eat them without anything on top most of the time – but we have used agave instead of syrup and it’s delicious!
I hope you try these out soon! It’s a great way to use up ripe bananas – and a deliciously easy breakfast for any day of the week!
xoxo
Lets face it – mommy style sucks for the first couple of months (or more) after pushing out a baby. Yes, there are cute options out there. That doesn’t really matter when all you want to do is curl up and cry in your maternity clothes since they are the only thing that actually fits.
Like most moms out there, I struggled with my postpartum body. I wasn’t happy about the weight gain and was desperate to get rid of it. When you’re pregnant, the bump and weight gain don’t matter as much (as long as you’re being healthy and listening to your doctor).
For many, myself included, I loved accentuating my pregnant belly with tight tops and little belts. As soon as that baby came out, I no longer looked pregnant, I looked fat. While I was pregnant with my first, not one person told me the big secret – that you still look pregnant after giving birth! No, you don’t look full term anymore – but yes – you still have a belly with added fat, fluids and all that fun stuff to get rid of. Fun times! 😉 If I’m the first person to tell you that – I’m both sorry – and happy that you now know! Better to have a heads up in my opinion! lol!
For me, the first 4 months were the hardest. What I learned was to be patient with myself and to take on each day as an opportunity to make great decisions for my body and my baby.
At 6 weeks I got the ok from my OBGYN to start exercising. I was SO excited but also crazy exhausted. Having a newborn meant round the clock feedings, little sleep, and very little time and energy to even shower. My exercise at that point was nice long walks with the stroller between feedings and naps. It wasn’t major cardio, but it felt good and was the right way for me to get back into the swing of things.
At 10 weeks I was ready to really jump start my body. These are some tips to get you back into shape 🙂
- Get outside! Walk, hike, jog!
- Find a short but effective workout to get your blood pumping. After I had my son, my go to was T25! After my daughter, it was Jillian Michaels Bodyshred. Both sets are a series of DVDs and each workout is only 25 – 30 min long. BIG win when you don’t have a lot of time between naps, nursing, laundry, etc.
- Sign up for mommy bootcamp. Bring your baby with you, meet other moms, and push yourself to work out.
- Find a post baby DVD to help tighten your belly. My go to is Tracy Anderson Method: Post – Pregnancy Workout.
- Get workout pants that make you feel confident. My go to workout capris are the Spanx Convertible Knee Pant. After both pregnancies, they really helped me feel less self conscious when I was working out.
- Interval training. I ran on a treadmill and dropped weight pretty quickly using interval training. You can look up how to use interval training on a treadmill for more information. It burned fat fast and I felt great!
- Protein and LOTS of water are key. I don’t eat meat, but I do eat eggs and protein shakes which have been great since both as easy to prepare when in a hurry – which lets face it – is often with a new baby! My go to is Jay Robb Pina Colada Whey Protein.
Hope this helps! I know how hard it is to trim down post baby. You can do it – don’t give up! 🙂 xoxo
Prenatal yoga is a wonderful way to stay in shape, keep stress down, and prepare for childbirth. Lets be real…pregnancy is the most amazing experience in the world and kind of a pain all at once. To keep me on my toes – my pregnancy with my son was completely different than with my daughter. But I truly loved being pregnant with both my children 🙂 Feeling that little life kick inside me, the hiccups tickling my insides, the way my baby grew each week. On the flip-side, there were times when I was overtired, had lower back pain, headaches, swollen feat, cravings, and nausea.
Yoga helped me cope with the normal aches and pains of pregnancy. You are not alone – those of us who have carried a child know that it can be challenging at times – to say the least! Yoga also helped me learn breathing techniques and various positions for childbirth that I didn’t know existed. As your hips shift, you should consider how stretching may help you stay limber and more centered.
There are many options to help you practice yoga throughout your pregnancy:
- Yoga DVDs
- Yoga on YouTube
- Yoga OnDemand
- Yoga Studios
- Private Yoga Lessons
If you’re new to yoga, start slow. I never did yoga before I was pregnant. I always preferred faster paced workouts like Pilates, Kickboxing, and circuit training. I decided to use a yoga DVD to get started – and I really enjoyed it! I was still working full time during both pregnancies, so going to a yoga studio was not very convenient with my home and work schedule. That made the yoga DVDs a favorite for me. Not to mention – I could do yoga in my living room in sweats and crazy messy hair – without feeling judged 😉
There are some fantastic yoga DVDs online that are affordable and easy to follow. Look into each option and find the right one for you. The bonus – moms love to write reviews! I read a ton of reviews before investing in a yoga DVD – and it was based on reading the reviews and experiences of other moms! BIG help!
Enjoy the process, take a little time to stretch and breath deep each day, and remember that a healthy mommy is important too 🙂
Namaste lovelies!
xoxo
Dressing your body post baby can be frustrating but also fun. It all comes down to finding things that flatter your new figure.
I am definitely not 100% back to normal. My boobs are still huge (and they expand as I get closer to pumping or nursing). My butt has some extra cushion and my tummy isn’t as tight as it once was.
No matter…enter the Little Black Dress (LBD). Every woman needs a couple of LBDs that look and feel great for work, weddings, cocktails, date night etc.
My husband and I just got back from a friend’s wedding. It was our first trip away from baby (I cried the entire way to the airport), and I wasn’t sure what to bring to this formal event. Weddings are a wonderful place to see people you care about and take photos…but after having a baby all I wanted was to look and feel good.
This photo was taken on my way out the door to the wedding. I chose a black strapless dress with a shrug and a flower belt. I felt great in this outfit – which is the whole point when you need to dress up after having a baby. You want – and NEED – to feel good when you are going out on the town. I personally tried on 10 different dresses before settling on this.
A couple reasons I chose this outfit:
- Black is slimming!!!
- The high low hem makes my legs look longer and slimmer
- The cinched elastic waist works well with a belt making me look smaller
- There is no zipper which makes for maximum comfort
- The bustline is high and has elastic so my ever growing milk machines (boobs) fit all night long
- The slight pattern is flattering and simple
- The black sweater/shrug makes for slimmer arms and comfort for dinner, dancing and photos
Some of the reasons listed above are tips that should help you pick out a LBD. Again, black is slimming and works well for almost any event from date night to the office. Be careful with zippers because they can get uncomfortable as you fill up with milk. Elastic is great at the waist and bust. Use a belt to make your waist look smaller! It’s a great trick and really works well.
My biggest tip for finding the right LBD is COMFORT! Don’t pick something that you’ll fidget in. If you feel good, you’ll look good. If you fidget and feel uncomfortable, it’ll show.
Halters are another great way to dress your post baby bod. They help support your bust, create a nice silhouette, and I personally think they are pretty comfortable. Depending on the halter, you should be able to sport a strapless bra or a bra with a neck strap to help keep “the girls” under control.
If you’re looking for more of an everyday way to dress your bod while you lose the baby weight (which is a process – so don’t stress out) – tunics are a big win! Personally, I used my maternity jeans and black pants for the first couple months while my body started to lose weight. Black pants are slimming, and jeans are comfy.
Tunics are a big win because there are so many options out there (casual, comfy, dressy, fun) and they aren’t clingy which helps to keep from feeling self conscious. Some tunics are best with jeans or black pants – but others are long enough to wear with leggings or tights so it’s almost like a dress. Personally – I like options and to get the most bang for my buck…so if I can use different colored pants or leggings/tights with the same top for different looks – it’s a BIG win!
Having some flowy tops on hand in a couple of styles will help you feel more confident as you settle into mommy hood and allow your body to recover. I’ve included these photos to help you style yourself post baby.
Lastly – SPANX! I can’t tell you how much I love I have for my SPANX pants and leggings. OMG! I have them in a black pencil pant, in a jeggings style pant, and faux leather leggings. They are all fantastic and I use them all the time. I even have some workout pants from SPANX that have a skirt up top to hide my bum, pull in the tummy, and make me feel good enough to run errands or get my sweat on! Woot!
Comfort is key – but don’t forget – you can still look good 😉
I hope this helps! More later lovelies! xo