Destination Maternity

Fashion's Night Out is about more than shopping and good deals — it's a night filled with celebs and designers everywhere you turn. We caught up with mom of two and champion athlete Laila Ali at Destination Maternity, where she was hosting the store's Fashion's Night Out celebration. She shared her personal style and health tips, played pregnancy trivia games, and helped give away swag — all while dazzling us with her beauty and her incredible sense of humor.

Laila also posed for pictures on the red carpet and next to her one-of-a-kind celebrity embellished maternity jeans for "Celebrities 4 Maternity Denim" — an online auction to benefit the March of Dimes.

LilSugar: You look fantastic and your daughter Sydney just turned 5 months old. What have you been doing to get back in shape?
Laila Ali: I'm sucking it in and putting on my Spanx! (laughs) I've just been trying to eat right and work out. I also did a Facebook challenge on my Facebook page — the Get Fit Challenge — and I said, "Who wants to lose weight with me?" So I was like the poster girl for my challenge and so it made me do it. I have 10 more pounds to go!

LS: Tell us about your new television show, Everyday Health.
LA: It's an inspirational show, airing every Saturday on ABC affiliate stations. It's great! We're profiling everyday Americans that are doing extraordinary things, are overcoming or facing an illness, and they're paying it forward by inspiring and educating others to do the same. It's a feel-good show from the same executive producer that brought The Biggest Loser. I'm really proud and I know it's going to do well.

LS: You're a retired triple Super Middleweight Champion, but your dad wasn't too thrilled with your decision to become a boxer. What would you say to your daughter Sydney if she ever decided to follow in your footsteps?
LA: Hopefully that won't happen to me. (laughs) I don't want that!

LS: You know you're a mother when _____.
LA: I knew I was "mom material" because I was always mothering my friends. They were like "We're glad you're having a baby so now you can stop mothering us." They call me "mama bear." I was always taking care of everybody.

LS: I wish someone had told me ____ about motherhood.
LA: That I was never going to get to sleep again!

LS: The best trick my mama taught me is _______.
LA: She didn't teach me enough. (laughs) I don't know any tricks!

LS: Helicopter mom or free-range kids?
LA: Hoovering? Yes. I hate to say it but yes, probably too much. I'm going to be the mom that the girlfriends hate. (laughs)

The biggest shopping night of the year saw thousands of eager fashionistas parading in and out of stores taking advantage of the ultimate shopping extravaganza.

Laila Ali, new mom and champion of health and beauty, was a gracious host to mamas-to-be in attendance at the 2011 Fashion's Night Out celebration held at Destination Maternity's flagship store on Madison Avenue in NYC. She talked candidly about motherhood, shared health and beauty tips, and posed for pictures and signed autographs for fans.

To celebrate FNO, Destination Maternity teamed up with fashionable Hollywood moms — including Heidi Klum, Naomi Watts, Jewel, Busy Philipps, and Ali — to create one-of-a-kind embellished maternity jeans for "Celebrities 4 Maternity Denim," an online auction from Aug. 25 to Sept. 22 to benefit the March of Dimes.

Nicole Sullivan, who also partnered with Destination Maternity to create a unique pair of decorated maternity jeans, made a surprise appearance at the event — with her eldest son, Dashel Pierce, by her side.

Many a couture garment made an appearance at Fashion's Night Out, but Heidi Klum talked overalls at the Destination Maternity event. The model and mom of four (Leni, 6, Henry, 4, Johan, 3, and Lou, 11 months) kicked off the store's Fall shopping season by unveiling her Lavish and Loved lines. I had the opportunity to chat with the Project Runway host and fashion designer as she walked on the pink carpet.

BabySugar: Was it any harder getting back into shape after giving birth to Lou than Leni?
Heidi Klum: I don’t think it has anything to do with baby one up to baby four. You know, you get older and I think that has more to do with it getting harder. I’m 37 now and it’s definitely harder at 37 than when I was 31.

BabySugar: Did you go for a certain look with your last pregnancy?
HK: I wore a lot of different things when I was pregnant. Whatever I could get my hands on to be honest. I tried to fit into my non-maternity clothes for the longest time until I realized that’s just impossible. And then I thought, I’m going to be cool and go into all these different stores, but to be honest, it’s just really hard to find cool things.

BabySugar: What aspects of your maternity wardrobe did you try to incorporate into the Lavish and Loved lines?
HK: When I started designing — sure some things just look better (in black) and it’s just really slimming — it’s easy to mix and match your things and it just always works with anything and everything. But then you get bored so I created some things you can put on when you are bored of your basic things. I brought in some cool prints. Basically the same things you wear when you’re not pregnant that you can wear when you are pregnant.

To see what Heidi had to say about her favorite maternity wardrobe item, and balancing work and family, read more

Expectant mamas will soon be able to dress their babies in "wonderful world of Disney" apparel before they even exit the womb. Affordable maternity retailer Motherhood Maternity just gave us a sneak peek at its exclusive new collaboration with Disney. The collection, which will be available in stores and online beginning Aug. 12, will include t-shirts and sleepwear featuring Mickey and Minnie Mouse, as well as Winnie the Pooh, and will expand into onesies for newborns soon after (including holiday-themed pieces just in time for Christmas). This marks the first time The Mouse has offered a line for moms-to-be — too bad the collection wasn't around when former Mouseketeers Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears were expecting! Do you like the line or think the famous characters are more appropriate on children's clothing?

Shopping for a nursing bra should be as thrilling as a trip to Victoria's Secret! The "uniboob" contraptions of the past have been replaced by comfortable, cute and easy-to-use undergarments that are as fashionable as they are functional making the task of choosing a bra easier than ever. We recently sat down with some experienced sales help at Destination Maternity to discuss what expectant mamas should look for in a nursing bra. While the experts recommend getting fitted in person, there are a few simple steps that can be taken at home if you choose to place your orders online. Before packing your hospital bag, check out these tips.

• Don't wait until the last minute. Get fitted for a nursing bra approximately two weeks before your due date. This alleviates the need to send a clueless relative to the store to guess what size and style bra you need.
• Support is key. Look for bras with enough support to keep your girls from bouncing around too much.
• Avoid the bulge. Breasts should not bulge out of the top or sides of the bra, even at their largest, most engorged state.
• Make room for the pad. The bra should have enough room to hold your breast and a nursing pad comfortably.

To see the rest of the tips, and a step-by-step video guide to getting the proper measurements, read more