Yes, as bad as that pun is, it was totally intended! If you’re pregnant this Mother’s Day your “honey do” list should have a line item that reads: “Order Honeydew A Leg Up foot lotion for wife in time for Mother’s Day.”

Honeydew is a line of skin care products created specifically for expecting moms. The company steers clear of parabens, petrolatum, sulfates, synthetic colors, dyes and perfumes, doesn’t test on animals and uses ingredients such as natural botanicals. A Leg Up is a lightweight lotion that cools and detoxifies tired and swollen pregnancy feet. I don’t know about you, but when I’m pregnant my last trimester heralds the onset of swollen, achy feet on a daily basis. I wish A Leg Up had existed 12 years ago!

Honeydew’s A Leg Up is formulated with cucumber, aloe and mint. The lightweight lotion is absorbed quickly and the cooling sensation helps relieve your tired feet. All-natural plant extracts like cucumber, aloe leaf, macademia seed oil and horsetail help reduce swelling, encourage fluid drainage and stimulate circulation. I could use this on my non-pregnancy feet during the hot summer months - I get slightly uncomfortable, swollen ankles due to the heat and an especially salty meal the night before!

Elevating your feet helps but sometimes you need to throw in a little something to really get that circulation moving and the swelling down. You - or your
honey - can order A Leg Up for $22 from Honeydew’s site (currently out of stock) or from Nordstrom.com. - Emily H.

With all the hormone changes that occur when we are pregnant, our skin can go through some pretty drastic changes as well. Some pregnant women are blessed with the "glowing" skin, while others are blessed with acne like they had when they are teenagers. As a licensed master esthetician, I thought I would share some tips to help your skin look and feel its best while pregnant.

If you have acne:

• Avoid salicylic acid and retinoids. Salicylic acid is made from the same thing that aspirin is made of, that's why it's not safe to use. Retinol products can enter your bloodstream and may cause birth defects.


• Exfoliate the skin lightly at least once a week, but do not overdo it. You can make your skin raw and worse if you exfoliate too much. You can use dried oatmeal as an exfoliant, then add a little water or milk to it and make a paste to put on your face. The oatmeal mask will calm down the irritation and help soothe the skin.


• Use an oil free moisturizer.

For dry itchy skin and itchy bellies:

• Exfoliate to slough off the dead skin. You can use dried oatmeal as spoken of above, or try making your own sugar scrub using olive oil and sugar. The oil will help soothe the skin, and the sugar will help exfoliate.


• Bathe the itchy area in warm milk.


• Use an oatmeal mask to help calm and soothe extremely itchy areas.


• Use a lotion that contains Shea butter or coco butter for best results.


• Drink a lot of water.


• Try eating foods that are high in fatty acids.

To avoid pregnancy mask:

• Use sunscreen daily! Pregnancy mask is the darkening of the skin around the mouth area that is cause by hormones and sun expose. The only way to avoid this or stop it from getting darker is to use a good strong sunscreen. I recommend using a sunblock that contains physical sun blockers such as titanium dioxide or zinc oxide.

- Trisha

Though I didn't suffer from a severe case of acne while pregnant I did experience more than the occasional pimple. Whether mild or severe, who wants to deal with blemishes when you've got morning sickness and heartburn to worry about (and that's only the tip of the iceberg)?

Novena doesn't want you to worry about acne either. Their Organic Citrus Blemish Lotion helps prevent and treat breakouts due to stress and hormonal changes and does it without the use of harmful or toxic chemicals. The lotion has 94% organic ingredients, including aloe juice, witch hazel, green tea, lavender and Vitamin E, is 100% vegan and not tested on animals. And using it will absolutely, positively make your skin as fabulous as the woman's in the picture. (Okay, she's probably been Photoshopped and isn't even pregnant...)

Novena's Organic Citrus Blemish Lotion is a bit of an investment at $28, but right now you can receive 15% off using coupon code 11109 on Novena's website. Plus Novena has a 100% satisfaction guarantee policy: If you are not happy with the product you can return it for a full refund. For me great skin is always worth the investment, especially if it means one less thing to worry about while pregnant! - Emily H.

Maternity jeans have come a long way since I was pregnant with my first child in ’97, but there is still this crazy in-between stage where normal jeans no longer fit yet maternity jeans end up around your ankles. Making your own maternity pants is a good hack for that situation.

But then you have that post-pregnancy body with the same problem. I tried hair elastics and rubber bands but shied away from safety pins for fear of a wardrobe malfunction (i.e. getting poked in the belly). Thankfully, there's now an off-the-shelf solution, too: Apparently someone else had the same problem I did because it led her to design the Instant Button for Jeans.

The Instant Button for Jeans is your go-to fashion accessory for that temporary waistband problem. This removable button instantly and seamlessly alters your waistband up to one and a half sizes. How? You place the Instant Button in the desired location next to the original button and insert the post through the jeans. Then secure the Instant Button with the clutch fastener and fasten your jeans using the Instant Button for a tighter fit. That’s it!

The Instant Button for Jeans set includes two buttons (6 mm and 8 mm posts) in bronze or brushed silver to accommodate a variety of jeans, jean shorts, and jean skirts. This fabulous fashion accessory isn’t just for during and after pregnancy. It also helps solve the problem of that annoying gap between the body and the back of the waistband and comes in handy when you’ve lost a button on your favorite pair of denim. Genius! You can purchase a set of Instant Button for Jeans for $15 from InstantButtonforJeans.com. - Emily H.

Though I have long been a Eucerin fan when it comes to soothing my baby’s dry, sensitive skin, I am learning that may not be the best option for her. Looking for something more organic and natural, I found Sweet Beauty Baby Balm. After reading its list of ingredients I’m anxious to try it!

Sweet Beauty Baby Balm soothes your baby’s dry, irritated skin with organic cocoa butter, a variety of natural oils and butters, and gentle extracts. This balm helps moisturize the skin and prevent future dryness and irritation. Plus it penetrates quickly into the skin, which is perfect for little ones who won’t hold still!

The list of ingredients is impressive--and yummy. Along with chamomile, zinc oxide and Vitamin E T-50, you’ll find cocoa butter, sweet cherry oil and extracts of marshmallow and raspberry. You can use Sweet Beauty Baby Balm on everything from parched lips to irritated bottoms - and that goes for adults too! You can purchase a jar of Sweet Beauty Baby Balm for $17 from SweetBeautySpa.com. - Emily H.