Belly Notes

There’s something in the air bringing us lots of baby girls this fall – not only did we congratulate Sarah Michelle Gellar on the birth of her baby girl Charlotte last week, Grey’s Anatomy co-stars Katherine Heigl and Ellen Pompeo, both have girls in their families now too!  Heigl and her husband adopted Nayleigh from Korea, while Ellen and husband Chris Ivery welcomed Stella Luna Pompeo Ivery on September 15th.  Perhaps there’s a playgroup planned for the Grey’s Anatomy set, whose producers have been rumored to be very supportive of the new moms, and giving them as much time as they need to bond with their new daughters – keeping us big fans of the show!

Check out these new articles and Barefoot & Pregnant. Have a story to share? Visit the community and contribute an article.

Making Photography a Priority in These Times: “I photographed Vanessa pregnant with their first, and then photographed the three of them once the baby came. The photographs were beautiful and they hang all over their house. Vanessa got pregnant with her second right in the midst of the recession when everything went to hell. “

Healthy Eating, Healthy Baby: “We are always looking for ways to create better health. This is especially heightened during pregnancy, when you are called to duty and motivated by the amazing miracle taking place within. “

Simply Sciatic-Quick Relief for a Pain in the Butt: “The sciatic pain that began in your second trimester as the occasional twinge may now be causing you serious agony in your lower back, buttocks and legs. But there’s no need to suffer in silence. Holler for a friend and show them this page.”

Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr. welcomed their first child, Charlotte Grace, this past Saturday.  We’re a fan of the classic name, now we just want to know if she’ll follow in her mother’s footsteps and use her first and middle name…congratulations to the family!

Like Eternal Maternal, we’re not sure how we feel about a doll that little girls can breastfeed.  Watch the demo of Bebe Gloton. We’re all for breastfeeding, and we think that we can learn a lot from our European friends (and not just about fashion!) – but, is having a doll that you can breastfeed taking it a little too far, or is it just the next step in the “natural” part of motherhood.

Somebody likes ‘em – dolls are going for $125 on eBay! What do YOU think?

Welcome to Montana Tessa Newsom, healthy baby daughter of Mayor Gavin Newsom and Jennifer Siebel Newsom.  Montana was born in San Francisco at 12:39 p.m. today. She is 20.5 inches long and weighs 7 lbs. 12 oz. Congratulations Newson Family!

Check out these new articles on Barefoot & Pregnant!

Fostering to Adopt: What It’s Really Like: “Maybe I am luckier than most parents waiting to adopt. My little girl, a beautiful and adventurous two-year-old, lives in my home already and has been since she came to us as a foster child at three months old.”

Buddha Belly Mask-Soothe Your Growing Belly: “Snacking fifteen times a day? You might as well feed your belly from the outside too. As your midsection stretches to places you never thought possible, make time to show your appreciation for your baby’s temporary home by liberally applying this delicious moisturizing mask made of avocado, honey and molasses to your belly.”

Try this Recipe From Julie: Oatmeal Pancakes

We recently blogged about Katherine’s baby shower for Grey’s Anatomy co-star Ellen Pompeo, but little did we know she’d be ready to have her very own shower soon!  Katherine and her husband Josh Kelley announced last week (on The Ellen DeGeneres Show) that they are adopting a 10-month old little girl, who they’ve named Nayleigh (which is a combination of her mother and sister, Nancy, Leigh).

Nayleigh’s birthday is just one day earlier than Katherine’s in November.  As any parent can attest, Heigl already has the right attitude, telling Ellen:

I realized just recently that I basically forfeited my birthday for the rest of my life.

Congratulations to Katherine and Josh!

Check out these new articles on Barefoot & Pregnant!

Skin Changes During Pregnancy: “Now that you are pregnant, you may begin to see many changes to your skin. You may see changes such as a sudden new glow on your face or pinkish, reddish streaks on your stomach.”

C You Later Acne: A Wake Up Call For Unruly Skin: “Even if you had perfect, blemish-free skin as a teenager, those pregnancy hormones can still do a number on your face. Fortunately, this fresh and fruity, Vitamin C-enriched astringent can zap even the most persistent pimples.”

Taking a Break: “One of the wonderful things about expecting a baby is that you are forced to slow down. You have a compelling reason to take care of yourself, because taking care of yourself is literally taking care of your baby.”

Nicole Richie and Joel Madden welcomed a baby boy early this morning:  Sparrow James Midnight Madden.  In an interview with US Magazine.  He was born in the early morning of 9/9/09 – a special birthday indeed. Sparrow joins 20-month old sister Harlow. Pamela Redmond Satran points out that bird names are very trendy right now, and the significance of both children having the “ow” ending and a more conventional middle name.  Congratulations to the family!

You probably don’t need a history lesson to know that the Labor Day we’re celebrating today, isn’t that Labor.  But still, we thought we’d share with you a round-up of our favorite ways to make Labor easier.  And this time, we mean both – work labor and having-a-baby labor.

What to Pack for the Hospital

Starting and Inducing Labor

Scared to Deliver

and for that *other* type of labor, we’ve got plenty as well!

A Real Maternity Leave

Ten Timely Tips for Pregnant Working Women

Making Money on Unpaid Maternity Leave

Whatever type of laboring your planning for this weekend, we hope you are enjoying the long weekend, and unofficial end of summer, surrounded by friends & family.