We’re always impressed by the ingenuity of other mothers. Check out these mom-made products, aimed at the whole 9 month’s worth of pregnancy problems.

	Belly Bands. Stretch your maternity wardrobe with these clever accessories. Belly Bands are a cross between a belt and a cami, designed without straps. Pull one on to keep your expanding belly under wraps and you can wear pre-pregnancy clothes longer. Available in an array of colors and patterns making it easy to hide those unsightly maternity waist panels. $22 at babybeminematernity.com.
	The Baby Name Bible. Picking a name for your new little person is a big decision. With over 600 pages of names, this is one of the most comprehensive name books we’ve seen. Use the book to help generate ideas for your list of favorites, then check the rankings on the Baby Name Wizard. You’ll be well on your way to discovering the perfect identity. $10 at amazon.com.
	Belly Ups. We admit it, maternity wear has come a long way, but our biggest complaint still remains — maternity pants won’t stay up! Created by one aggravated mama, Belly Ups are mini suspenders that attach from bra to waistband to keep pants in place. $13 at babyisastar.com.
	Lighten My Labor Comfort Collection. When your nearing the end of your 9 months, you’ll want to make sure you snag this fabulous set with products designed by an OB/Gyn nurse to carry you through each of the phases (early, active and transition) of labor. $62 at lightenmylabor.com.
	Post-[bump] Tee. You probably relished your adorable bump during pregnancy, but the post-baby bump is a little harder to love. Make light of it and give yourself some extra slim-down time with this fun tee from [bump] maternity. $38 at bumpbabies.com.

– Bettijo B. Hirschi

Red, puffy eyes and dark circles — it looks like you’ve had quite a night on the town; only you haven’t. A few midnight trips to the nursery or a sleepless toddler can have the same effect on a mother’s complexion. Sure, your little one has put a new twinkle in your eye, but they’ve also given you a whole new host of worries and robbed you of too much sleep, and it’s beginning to show.

Okay, so it may not be all junior’s fault. Those dark circles, the result of engorged blood vessels around your eyes, can also be blamed on genetics and poor circulation. But no matter the cause, here are five ways to perk up your peepers. read more

There are hosts of checklists out there for what to pack in your diaper bag. Most of these lists are so elaborate that we’d honestly like to see the bag that is supposed to hold it all (not to mention we definitely wouldn’t want to be the ones who had to heft that bag. Yet we all could use a few good hints, so here’s a well-pruned checklist for packing the perfect diaper bag based on our real-life mom experience.

We’ve broken our perfect diaper bag contents down into three main categories: For the Bottom, For the Kid, For the Mom. Next we divided items between the essentials and a few optional extras that you may need only some of the time. read more

Because my son, Kyle, is almost two, there is an upcoming battle hanging over my head like a storm cloud. An unpleasant thought lurking at the back of my mind. A white elephant in every room. Well, it’s probably a brown elephant:

The prospect of potty training.

The whole idea of potty training Kyle is something I have danced around and denied for months. Then when I found out I was pregnant again, I thought, “Hey, what a great time to start potty training!” It seemed like a brilliant idea since if we got it over with well in advance of our new baby’s birth, we’d only have one kid in diapers. So I bought a potty and a couple of books (Potty Train Your Child in Just One Day was laughably ridiculous and Diaper Free Before Three seemed to appeal to my academic nature) and started formulating a plan. Kyle was only 16 months old at the time but my plan was to have the potty around for him to get used to and gradually work on the whole thing so that it would be relatively painless for all involved. read more

With Springtime just around the corner, here are some of our favorite things to make life a little more sunny.

	Crack & Grow Flowers. Hidden inside these sweet little egglings is a flower garden with no green thumb required — just crack the top off, water and place in a sunny spot. $9 at uncommongoods.com
	Twinkle-Kids Flower Hair Snaps. We are head over heels for these adorable felt hair clips. Simply precious and just dripping with style… can’t think of anything more Spring. $12 at twinkle-kids.com.
	Tweak’ms Sunglasses. These kid’s shades are more then cute, they’re made from an ultra-flexible plastic with a unique hinge system so there are no small screws, meaning your tot can tug, twist and bend to his heart’s delight without breaking. $7 at tweakmssunglasses.com.
	Egg Bird Feeder. Hang this sleek feeder on the porch and you and your little one are sure to meet lots of feathered friends this Spring. $125 at dwr.com
	Gap Graphic Flip Flops. The perfect pair of flip flops for your little surfer boy. $10 at gap.com
	Women’s Smocked Empire Dress. Wouldn’t this sundress be fabulous for that week-long Carribean cruise? (Hey, we can dream!) Back in reality, it’s just right for a playdate in the park or a trip to the zoo. $37 at oldnavy.com

– Bettijo B. Hirschi

A critical step in skincare, exfoliation boosts skin’s natural rejuvenation by sloughing away dead, dry skin. To keep skin glowing, you should exfoliate from head-to-toe about three times a week.

There is an army of skin-buffing concoctions out there, but why not indulge yourself with these handmade scrubs that you can whip up at home in minutes. read more