Pregnancy Tips From Stacey Bendet

Alice + Olivia designer and friend, Stacey Bendet Eisner, dishes on her must-have pregnancy tips exclusively for Beauty Banter:


"So my dear friend Sarah has been asking me to do a beauty banter baby tips piece for just about a year now. (I can’t believe Eloise is turning 1!). I guess I sort of shocked the world (or my little world!) when I had a 9.5 lb baby. I was a vegetarian through my entire pregnancy and I gained somewhere between 22-25 pounds which was all pretty much lost between labor and 2 or 3 weeks of breast feeding!

I did keep to a very healthy vegetarian diet while I was pregnant and I did yoga every day and I drank tons and tons of water!!!

Here are some of my healthy mommy healthy baby tips:


EATING
You are NOT really eating for two!! You should never deprive yourself of what you need and you should make sure that everything you are eating is nutritious!! (Baby doesn’t need a big mac!) some women think pregnancy is the time to indulge, but indulging is not necessarily what is best for your baby. Your baby needs you to eat nutritious healthy meals and snacks. He or she really is what you eat!
Little Meals-this is the best advice I can give! Little meals throughout the day, or even snacks… it keeps your metabolism moving and it will make sure the baby is getting what It needs.
Apples---an apple a day keeps the doctor away! Apples are a great source of fiber when you are pregnant
Quinoa---I was addicted!! I seriously ate it every day. I usually am a big cereal person but I would have some variation of quinoa, mostly even plain at the end when strong flavors didn’t do it for me. Quinoa is high in fiber which helps regulate you when you are pregnant and it is also high in protein which is so important for the baby!
Steamed Vegetable Dumplings-I loved them! I used to have them for lunch, especially when I travelled to asia
Grapefruit---I wanted grapefruit juice all the time in my first trimester, I later learned grapefruits are very high in folic acid which is super important for brain development!

VITAMINS
Prenatal Vitamin---I recommend asking your doctor for one that is coated vitamin which makes swallowing and digesting easier. Don’t go generic brand. And you might have to try a couple to see what sits in your stomach best
SloFe-this is an iron supplement. Many woman are anemic or slightly anemic when pregnant which can cause fatigue which they think is just from being pregnant. Try taking iron for a couple of days and see if this helps!
Omega 3’s---present in mixed nuts, you can also take a fish oil supplement which your doctor might recommend along with your prenatal vitamins. I opted for the childrens gummy bear version which you can get at whole foods.

BODY
WiseWays Belly Balm - My 96lb body had a 9.5 lbs baby and didn’t get one stretch mark! I attribute it completely to WiseWays. It’s the most amazing belly balm. I used to put it everywhere that felt dry and it would instantly moisturize. I still put a little bit around my eyes at night when my skin feels dry!
I also used mother’s nature body oil every morning.
Ashtanga Yoga - I did yoga every morning. It not only helped keep my arms and legs toned but it also helped with the first trimester morning sickness. Your body needs a little jump start when you are pregnant. There are so many hormones and estrogen running through your body that a little exercise---yoga or even a long walk will get everything moving and flowing and make you feel a million times better! Yoga also really helps with preventing bloating and swelling which is very common in the final months.
California Baby-I used these shampoos and body oils while pregnant and I use them for eloise now. I tried to use organic hair and body products during and after pregnancy…

YOU
Take time for you! Whether it’s a yoga class, reading a book, or getting a massage! Here are some suggestions
Prenatal Massage—I recommend the medical massage group on east 75th street and also Leigh Withers- leighwithers@yahoo.com.
Acupuncture for Happy Baby---I love Adele Reising----adelereising.com---I went weekly at the end of my pregnancy. She works to relax you and welcome the baby into the world.
Ashtanga Yoga Class---Eddie Stern---ayny.org he is great with prenatal methods.
Pedicure---give your feet a break! They will be swollen and sore at the end. There is nothing better than a foot massage!
Baths---I loved taking warm baths. Some doctors recommend it but it helped me with aches in the final days."

Stacey and daughter Eloise