"Pregnancy press" roughly refers to anything pregnancy-related that can be found on the web or off of it. It's those stupid commercials Google keeps thowing your way, just because you gave in at one point, typed "pregnancy" in your search engine and ordered your first pregnancy jeans. Congratulations, now all your pop-up ads and all your small ads on the right hand side on Facebook will be replaced by this kind of thing, because EVERYONE knows that mums-to-be are a HUGE audience and an inexhaustible money-spending engine. Right?
Wrong.
Let me tell you something about spending money. Remember all those times when people told you that pregnancy and having a baby are expensive? They are, because mother/baby companies and corporations make it so. And some things no media will tell you, just because the only person gaining something from that knowledge will be -- well, you. Which I believe is the idea in the first place, non?
1. Anti-stretchmarks lotion.
Type this word in your search engine. Come on, I dare you. I double dare you! You will find tens of lotions, creams, oils etc. that all promise magical results... at a certain price. When I got pregnant, my doctor recommended me a fancy white and green tube with a radiant pregnant woman on the cover, which was 20EUR for 150ml! And I went for it, scared as I was. Only later did I find out that this little thing was DESIGNED to quench my fears while doing absolutely nothing about the issue I am buying it for. The truth is, nothing is better than organic. The fact that it doesn't feature a pregnant woman and promises to make it all alright on the package does not mean it doesn't work. Quite the contrary. Go for any organic, natural rich oil - lavendar, shea butter, argan oil, cocoa oil, sesame seed oil, heck, buy OLIVE OIL from a good spices store - it does wonders, it's healthy, it's great for your skin and it is not expensive. Plus you can always put it in your salad.
2. Pregnancy vitamins.
Doctors tend to skip a beat when they hear you haven't taken any so far. Truth is, everybody want what's best for her baby. BUT nothing really can substitute a healthy diet. Pregnancy vitamins have been proven to be too much sometimes, delivering huge amounts of stuff that are not normally found in your body the natural way, at least not in such big quantities. Unless your blood tests showed that you're seriously lacking some specific ones, nod when the doctor urgently prescribes them... and do not buy them. You're not doing something bad to your baby. You're actually postponing the time when it starts getting bombed by various UNNATURAL CHEMICAL solve-it-alls by a few months.
3. Maternity clothes.
They are rarely pretty, but they're ALWAYS expensive. Ever witnessed how the moment you enter H&M's "Maternity" section, prices go up up up and you wonder why those same pack of 3 panties were 9.99 just one floor down, and now when they have MAMA written on their inside they are 19.99?! They ARE exactly the same. It's just that moms-to-be tend to rush to maternity stores in search of clothes and they buy whatever out there says "MAMA" the loudest. When it comes to H&M, the "Basics" line works just as well, you just buy one or two sizes up. Seriously.
4. Baby equipment.
We all know that babies have been born since time began, right? And we know that there are people in our immediate surroundings and sometimes further who have already had them, right? Do you really think your precious darling will realise whether or not a bed or a lamp are brand new while it's a month old and lying on its back all day?! The only ones trying to convince you that it matters are the baby stores, who would go bancrupt if we all thought otherwise. What your little one needs is your touch, your feel, your love and your hands and your warmth, and it doesn't give a fuck about whether cradle and curtains match or if you painted the room in pink or blue or rainbow. So cut out the crap and invest in what's really important - in your calmness, well-being and in your reason.
The best advice I got lately, regarding the last stages of pregnancy? Instead of wildly trying to control everything that happens and predicting every little step along the way, relax. Pay attention to your partner. Make them happy. Make yourself happy. That's what's truly important.
Wrong.
Let me tell you something about spending money. Remember all those times when people told you that pregnancy and having a baby are expensive? They are, because mother/baby companies and corporations make it so. And some things no media will tell you, just because the only person gaining something from that knowledge will be -- well, you. Which I believe is the idea in the first place, non?
1. Anti-stretchmarks lotion.
Type this word in your search engine. Come on, I dare you. I double dare you! You will find tens of lotions, creams, oils etc. that all promise magical results... at a certain price. When I got pregnant, my doctor recommended me a fancy white and green tube with a radiant pregnant woman on the cover, which was 20EUR for 150ml! And I went for it, scared as I was. Only later did I find out that this little thing was DESIGNED to quench my fears while doing absolutely nothing about the issue I am buying it for. The truth is, nothing is better than organic. The fact that it doesn't feature a pregnant woman and promises to make it all alright on the package does not mean it doesn't work. Quite the contrary. Go for any organic, natural rich oil - lavendar, shea butter, argan oil, cocoa oil, sesame seed oil, heck, buy OLIVE OIL from a good spices store - it does wonders, it's healthy, it's great for your skin and it is not expensive. Plus you can always put it in your salad.
2. Pregnancy vitamins.
Doctors tend to skip a beat when they hear you haven't taken any so far. Truth is, everybody want what's best for her baby. BUT nothing really can substitute a healthy diet. Pregnancy vitamins have been proven to be too much sometimes, delivering huge amounts of stuff that are not normally found in your body the natural way, at least not in such big quantities. Unless your blood tests showed that you're seriously lacking some specific ones, nod when the doctor urgently prescribes them... and do not buy them. You're not doing something bad to your baby. You're actually postponing the time when it starts getting bombed by various UNNATURAL CHEMICAL solve-it-alls by a few months.
3. Maternity clothes.
They are rarely pretty, but they're ALWAYS expensive. Ever witnessed how the moment you enter H&M's "Maternity" section, prices go up up up and you wonder why those same pack of 3 panties were 9.99 just one floor down, and now when they have MAMA written on their inside they are 19.99?! They ARE exactly the same. It's just that moms-to-be tend to rush to maternity stores in search of clothes and they buy whatever out there says "MAMA" the loudest. When it comes to H&M, the "Basics" line works just as well, you just buy one or two sizes up. Seriously.
4. Baby equipment.
We all know that babies have been born since time began, right? And we know that there are people in our immediate surroundings and sometimes further who have already had them, right? Do you really think your precious darling will realise whether or not a bed or a lamp are brand new while it's a month old and lying on its back all day?! The only ones trying to convince you that it matters are the baby stores, who would go bancrupt if we all thought otherwise. What your little one needs is your touch, your feel, your love and your hands and your warmth, and it doesn't give a fuck about whether cradle and curtains match or if you painted the room in pink or blue or rainbow. So cut out the crap and invest in what's really important - in your calmness, well-being and in your reason.
The best advice I got lately, regarding the last stages of pregnancy? Instead of wildly trying to control everything that happens and predicting every little step along the way, relax. Pay attention to your partner. Make them happy. Make yourself happy. That's what's truly important.