LilSugar

Lil's Favorite Five: What Mamas Wore After Giving Birth

LilSugar — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 06:00:00 -0800

Mamas-to-be can have a bit of a conundrum over things to pack for their trip to the hospital. One pregnant lilsugar reader posed the question of what to wear after her baby's born and our community of moms had no shortage of advice from sticking to the hospital gown to tanks and granny panties. I've rounded up my favorite five tips and garments in this slideshow! Check out the options!

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Jennie Garth Gives LilSugar the Exclusive Scoop - Part Two

babysugar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 07:00:52 -0800

In case you missed it, Jennie Garth took some time out of her schedule to chat with LilSugar about her life as a mommy of three. She answered our four lil questions and then some. Not surprising, she shot straight from the hip and revealed that she is a down-to-earth kind of lady who is keeping a good head on her shoulders while teaching her daughters to do the same. Here are some of the questions the cute mom answered for us:

In light of all of the reality TV shows following families and your stint on Dancing With the Stars, would you ever want your children to be in the spotlight on a TV show or actors on their own show?

I hope not. I would never discourage them from what they want to do but hope that they aim a little higher. Being an actor is not a bad profession by any means but the easy way out, it seems right now, is to do a reality show so I'm hoping Luca - she wants to be an actress I think but she doesn't want to tell me - that they study and learn a craft and become really, really good at it.

Which one of your characteristics do you wish your children would inherit from you?

I can do anything. I can change the oil in the car. Honestly, if it put my mind to it, I can do anything and I hope that they have that. I don't want them to just call the repair man. I want them to try to fix something first. I hope they get a hands on, get it done, I can do anything mentality.

Have you let your kids watch your old 90210 days or the renewed show?

No, no, no. Absolutely not.

Have they seen any of your work?

They've seen a couple of things. They've seen some of my work. They watched What I Like About You sometimes, but even that one was a little too risque at times. But, they come along to a lot of the charitable things I do.

To see what the hot mama has to say about being pregnant again and how she and Peter bring the sexy back, just read more.

Speaking of, how did you get involved with Smiles Across America (SAA)?

As a mother, I sort of saw an opportunity. There's inadequate dental heath care and children are not being taught by their parents to take care of their teeth. SAA goes into schools and teaches kids how to take care of their teeth and they provide them with services.

Who is your role model in motherhood?

I really rely on my girlfriends a lot. We do it together - bounce ideas off of each other. They pick me up when I'm at my lowest point and feel like a terrible mom. We talk about stuff and it helps me to continue on. I just sometimes need a pep talk.

Were you a lover of pregnancy or were you dying to get it over with?

I loved it! I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Will you do it again?

I hope so! I don't know. It depends on my husband being in town.

How do you and Peter bring the sexy back to your marriage with three kids and both of you working?

We do a lot of texting and a lot of flirting by texting and making each other laugh a lot. A good sense of humor keeps each other laughing.

How has the whole Twilight craze affected your family life? Are the girls into it? Do they have crushes on Rob?

They're younger. They don't really care that much. Plus, we really instill in them that they're not goo goo crazy over actors. We try to keep them in a realistic mode. They're a little young... but I'm crazy coo coo for vampires! But, what I do and what I teach my kids to do are two different things.

Amen to that!

10 Ways TV Shows Bared or Covered Pregnant Bellies

LilSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:30:06 -0800

Try as they might, it is not easy for a celeb to hide pregnancy after the 20 week mark. Actresses may show off their bumps to much fanfare offscreen, but on-screen it depends on the storyline. While some television writers are willing to make a character pregnant, others use creative means to hide their stars' growing midsections or joke about weight gain. Ellen Pompeo will be disguising her belly as Meredith on the upcoming season of Grey's Anatomy and that inspired us to take a look at how other shows handled pregnancy.

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Kourtney Kardashian Already Prepping Her Belly Bandit

LilSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:00:05 -0800

Kourtney Kardashian isn't due until December, but she's already planning how she will get her body back and lose the 30 pounds she's gained during pregnancy. Life & Style reports the tiny reality star is already a fan of the Belly Bandit, a beloved "abdominal compression binder" designed to shrink the stomach after delivery. In fact, Kourtney, who has kept up her exercise regime throughout her pregnancy, is even lending her name to a forthcoming limited edition Belly Bandit.

She told the magazine:

All my friends with kids swear by it and say it’s the product that will get me back to pre-baby shape...It may be hard to do abdominal exercises right after I have the baby, so I’m depending on Belly Bandit to help give me the abdominal and back support I need so I’m ready to exercise as soon as my doctor gives me the okay.

Many pregnant women think that once they give birth, their tummy will snap back into place, so I appreciate Kourtney understands she might need a secret shaper for a while. BabySugar wore her Belly Bandit religiously for the suggested six-week minimum after she gave birth (and looked fabulous!) and can't stop raving about it. Did the Belly Bandit make your postpartum supplies list?

Sisterly Secrets Between the Obama Girls

babysugar — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:00:00 -0700

"Sasha, I'm telling you... it's just water!" If there's one confidant a girl can depend on, it's usually her sister. Malia (left) and Sasha Obama attended the "Fiesta Latina" on the South Lawn of the White House where Salsa and Spanish music were the tunes of choice. While we weren't actually privy to the darlings' conversation, we can only imagine what the two were whispering about in the dark. Known for her astute observations, Malia may have decided to announce that she too, wanted an adult wine glass full of sparkling water.

Tell us what you think these two cute gals are talking about in the photo.

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Baby Fat: Did You Decide Not to Know Your Pregnancy Weight?

LilSugar — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:30:52 -0700

Pregnancy is a natural process that usually packs on the pounds. Some ladies eat for two and aren't surprised when the scale tips in a not so favorable direction while others retain water, which accounts for some of their excess weight. Depending on how much of a tracker the expectant woman is, she may choose to monitor her growing figure down to the ounce or decide to opt out of the entire process.

A fit friend recently told me she enjoyed her nine months with child by instructing the nurses who weighed her in not to disclose the numbers. Not realizing this was an option, I inquired about it at my last doctor's appointment. The staff said it isn't uncommon for a healthy mom-to-be to not want to know and they are happy to oblige her request by having her step on the scale with her back to the weights.

They're Pregnant How Long?

LilSugar — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:30:05 -0700

Forty weeks of pregnancy can seem like a breeze, or a lifetime, depending on how you look at it. Enhanced cleavage, luxurious locks and having a seat on the bus can make an expectant mama wish for a few more weeks of gestation. Swollen ankles, stretch marks and the inability to eat her favorite foods may make a mom-to-be beg for an early arrival. Take our quiz and see just how long other mammals keep their buns in the oven to help appreciate the length of a human pregnancy.

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Kidoodle: Jackson Pollack-Inspired Tees

LilSugar — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 05:00:22 -0700

It's time to let the inner Picasso out! Arts and crafts projects don't have to be limited to a pad of paper or a piece of pottery. When your lil one's artistic genius is calling, put them to work on a canvas they can really showcase around town - a t-shirt.

At an event held by The Children's Place last week, I was reminded just how much fun it can be to give a preschooler some puffy paint, glitter, and decorations to embellish a shirt. While companies like Ralph Lauren sell kits ($50) to create a wearable masterpiece, the process can easily be re-created at home for a fraction of the price. To see what you need for this project, read more.

Buy a plain, inexpensive t-shirt in your child's favorite color, such as these for $3.50.
Provide an assortment of painting tools, such as fabric paint tubes for writing and drawing, puff paints for creating a three-dimensional effect on the shirts, and fabric markers for coloring in areas.
Depending on the age of the kids involved, provide googly eyes and plastic shapes that can be pressed into the puff paints for some added interest on the shirt.
Let the kids have at the shirts and then leave them to dry for at least 24 hours.

Minui HandySitt Is a Pretty Sweet Seat

babysugar — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 12:00:55 -0700

Detest the idea of a high chair nestled in the corner of a dining room? Or maybe a toddler has outgrown the starter seat, but still has a tough time reaching the table? The Minui Handysitt ($149) can solve both of those problems. In search of a new high chair, I was stoked when I was asked to test the swanky Danish designed invention. Aside from the attractive modern appeal, the nifty gadget is easily stored it in a flat compact space, pops on any chair with a back and quickly adjusts to suit the child's height. The flat back keeps tots bellied up to the table in perfect posture and allows them to join the conversation and look down on their food instead of grazing it from eye level. To see what I liked about the seat and to see what I would change, read more.

Perfect for my 2-year-old daughter, the seat made her feel like she was an integral part of our dinner conversation. And, due to the height boost, the dining table stayed a bit cleaner and my floor a tad less messy. In addition to the housekeeping aspect, I adore the sleek design of the mini seat. It can be stored flat, making it easy to store almost anywhere - even a suitcase! A simple push and click makes it tush ready. While the Minui HandySitt is a dream for my daughter, my son didn't fare so well in it. A feisty lil guy, he likes to throw his weight back and sideways with full force. Though the chair claims to work for 6-month-old babies to five year olds, I believe we'll have to wait a few more months for my wee man to sit in the lap of luxury. Depending on the child's development, I presume one could use it sooner than six months while others (like mine) may have to wait until their first birthday! And for restaurateurs, this may be just what the manager ordered. These novel seats can hang up on a bar or lay flat under a hostess stand making large space killing high chairs a thing of the past. Confident in their product, the company offers guaranteed satisfaction: "If you don’t love it, we’ll refund your purchase, pay for return shipping and send you $10 to put towards a different high chair. No questions asked, promise." Check out the video and tell me if you're sold.

Parents to Be Prosecuted For Accidental Co-Sleeping Deaths?

LilSugar — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 15:32:32 -0700

Lawmakers discuss a wake-up call for co-sleeping parents. Prosecutors around the country are weighing the possibility of charging parents who accidentally "roll-over" their tots while drunk or high with child-neglect. According to the Wall Street Journal, an Oregon district attorney "has drawn a fairly hard line on bed-sharing death cases: He will prosecute them when they involve alcohol or drugs."

An Indiana father was charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in death and faces up to 50 years in jail after smothering his son when the man fell sleep on a sofa after using methamphetamine and smoking marijuana. Fifty-four percent of lilsugar readers said that though studies showed a marked increase in infant suffocation tied to bed sharing, it didn't change their minds about the practice. Do you think there should be legal consequences for moms and dads who accidentally injure their children while co-sleeping under the influence?