Tatyanna Wright's Haute Mama

Mother's Day Gift Idea's From Elk

I just happen to be in Sydney, Australia right now and stumbled upon local designer Elk’s gorgeous wooden jewelry pieces at Orson & Blake in Woollahra. And might I say, right in time for Mother’s Day! 

If you think the necklaces look great in photos (pictured below from their latest collection in wood and resin), you won’t be disappointed when you wear the real thing – they’re stunning, beautifully hand crafted and incredibly well priced. And Elk ships internationally from their website. I particularly like their wooden necklaces, but anything from Elk quite frankly would make for the perfect Mother’s Day gift. I've also got my eye on their mercerized cotton tees.

Id’ have to say Elk are my new favourite designer. Based in Melbourne, Australia and designed by partners Adam and Marnie, Elk offers original contemporary jewelry, textiles and knitted apparel handmade from natural materials like wool, cashmere, wood and leather. 

Elk is aware of creating an environmental footprint and thus committed to working with small artesans whose traditional skills and techniques guarantee authentic and high quality production. Their wood collection is made from coconut or mango wood offset by a tree buy-back scheme. Elk strive to incorporate vegetable dyes and use vegetable tanning for their leather goods. For more information and to buy online, please visit: elkaccessories.com.au

Happy Valentines Day

Ah Valentines Day - Like every “holiday” it only comes around once a year, which is why we like to make such a fuss of it. But in house we have two small children, so its cuddles and loving all year round. And I like that way.

Of course as adults we need more than cuddles and hugs, we crave romance and a little indulgence now and again never hurt anyone. So this Valentines Day in the midst of this cold winter warm up to the radiant glow of these fabulous sexy new candles by pleasure enthusiasts LELO.

LELO's Massage Candles are made from all natural soy wax, shea butter and apricot kernel oil. The lightly scented wax melts into an exquisite pool of luxurious massage oil. The silky formula is specially designed to nourish and moisturize your skin with natural vitamin E, while the subtle fragrance excites your senses for the pleasures that lie ahead.

Their enticing collection consists of blends like BLACK PEPPER & POMEGRANATE, SNOW PEAR & CEDARWOOD, and VANILLA & CRÈME DE CACAO. Each candle burns up to 36 hours and retails for $29. 

If you’re seeking a last minute Valentines gift, this sensual candle might just do more for you than a few tricks. If you're in NYC, you can buy the candles at Babeland in Soho or the LES, or online at Lelo. Whatever you do, have a Happy Valentines Day.

Bring Sexy Back…

Or maybe it never left. You lucky pregnant thing! For some of us being pregnant can leave you feeling fat, tired and far from wanting to exhibit oneself ala a pregnant Demi Moore. What better excuse to rock something sexy than this Valentines Day. After all there’s a good chance you’re carrying your partners offspring in your belly and he/she might just want a little bit of sexy back.

Regardless of whom you might be getting sexy for – or not - Belabumbum maternity bras are sure to make you feel sumptuous and flirty, offering great support and beautiful trimmings for any time of the year.

They are particularly handy when it comes time to nurse. The maternity/breastfeeding bras offer generous leeway for expanding breasts in those early weeks when your milk is regulating. Easy to maneuver one handed the bras are under wire free and wash very well. 

Belabumbum also design lovely sleep bras and sleepwear in moisture wicking bamboo – a great choice for a nursing mama at bedtime, plus wonderful nursing camisoles, and a cute collection of baby clothes.

So who’s bringing sexy back now? 

Haute Mama thanks Belabumbum for providing us with the beautiful Lotus Nursing Bra, shown above.

A New Way To Give

It’s officially giving season - that time of year when we think about what others might like to receive as gifts. Giving comes in many ways – we buy presents for our children, loved ones and friends, and sometimes we donate. But what about you - Have you thought about how your family might give to you?

Here’s a new way to give and a fantastic alternative to traditional gift buying. We all love presents and children especially love to unwrap gifts but what about teaching our children about giving in a new way, or even setting up a gift registry account where friends and family can contribute to items that you really need or are saving up for…Something as big as a car or tuition or even a honeymoon?

That’s where Deposit A Gift comes in, the brainchild of founder Dana Ostomel, a marketer and branding expert, who started the company because she wanted to simplify and modernize gift giving. “Little has changed about registries since they were introduced in the early 1900s, but the way we live has changed significantly. People today need flexibility and cash gives them just that. There are no returns, no space constraints. People can spend the money where they want, when they want.”

How Deposit A Gift works: Users make gift registries just like people do with a traditional store registry, using a database of images or by clicking on a pre-made list. You can choose from cribs to music lessons to college funds—and everything in between. To view Registry Samples click here. Guests choose a gift to purchase, finding the right price point for their budget. They are not actually buying the present, but it feels more personal than sending a check. The money gets deposited into the recipient’s Deposit a Gift account. When users are ready to spend the money, they cash-out in the form of free direct deposit, check, or VISA gift card.

How long does it take: Sign-up and set-up can be done in minutes. DAG offers pre-made lists called ‘Rapid Registries’ so it is literally plug n’ play if you want it to be. Everything is editable, so if you prefer to customize, you can. There is also a graphic of the Rapid Registry menu in the drop box.

Deposit A Gift is a fantastic option to traditional giving for so many reasons; people feel awkward asking for money, and others are not accustomed to giving it. DAG is an excellent option for these economic times when people might prefer financial assistance but are embarrassed to ask. You could set up Santa registry for example to ensure relatives contribute to something you might not be able to afford this year or perhaps help out with school fees for the coming year.

The site is very user friendly and a great place for people to share their wants and dreams with their guests, who can help them achieve their goals. For more information be sure to visit DepositAGift.com

 

 

A Taut Tush Is Haute!

Okay, so I know tush refers to your backside but it goes so much better with taut than writing vagina! During pregnancy we’re reminded to practice kegels. But many of us have never consciously walked around or sat and squeezed for that matter unless you happened to be in a pre-natal yoga class. It's true kegels are probably the easiest form of exercise you can do since you can do them just about anywhere and anytime and without anyone knowing – but be honest, how often do you remember?

It’s a fact our brains shrink 5% when we’re with child, and with remembering to do everything else in our ever so busy lives, who can be blamed for forgetting to practice 100 kegels a day to maintain a taut vagina? Fear not haute mamas I’ve got just the thing.

Most women think of pleasure beads as, well, a device that offers pleasure. If you’d like your personal parts to be in tip top shape six weeks post birth you might want to reconsider what pleasure means to you. I use LELO LUNA Beads and for more reasons than you’d think. Firstly, they’ll remind you to practice kegels because you’ll see the discreet jewelry-esq box the Luna Beads come in sitting on your dresser. Then when you do use them, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with how easy they are to use (insert that is) and continue about your business – at home or wherever that might be. The point is, you’ll be working that special muscle more than you realize toning and firming it for an easier healing process post vaginal delivery.

LUNA beads work to strengthen the vaginal wall and PC muscles through more effective kegel exercising. This makes you more responsive to touch, improving muscular control and allowing for the most intense and stimulating orgasms in the future. They deliver a subtle, self movement-induced vibration creating a comfortable workout, revealing the pleasures that caring for your body will bring.

If you’re pregnant for the first time, trust me, you have no idea what vaginal trauma awaits you the first time you go to the bathroom, let alone the first time you have sex. After the birth of my first baby I also experienced leakage almost every time I laughed or sneezed. Not good. Fearing incontinence later in life I decided to implement the use of these little balls to give my otherwise overworked birth canal a fitness regime to get it back into shape. Can I just tell you how much this worked? Brand new would be an understatement. How about virgin! 

Thanks to the regular weekly use of the LUNA Beads for about a year before I conceived again, I healed significantly faster after the birth of my second baby. I was ready for sexual action sooner and no longer experience any form of incontinence. I attribute my vaginal muscle strength to the use of the LUNA Beads. While its not recommended you use any pleasure beads during pregnancy, I did use them during the last two weeks of my second pregnancy to give my vagina a little tune up. While this was fine for me, make sure you ask your doctor before considering using them.

Note: LUNA Beads are NOT safe for use during pregnancy. Please check with your doctor if you would like to consider using the beads during pregnancy. If you'd like to buy a set please click here.

  

Haute Mama Favourites Are 50% Off!

I'm celebrating my favourite items and offering 50% off on the things I love and think you should have.

Julia Failey 100% recycled silver charm & chain necklaces. Personalize your charm with your child's initial. Cindy Crawford and Kate Bosworth are fans. Discount applies to all Failey pieces in my online store only.

The P'kolino Clothes Tree is a favourite in our home, make it one in yours. Drape your little darlings school backpack, hats, scraves or pj's from this stylish little tree.

Organic cotton sheets by Q Collection Junior are a big favourite in my home and the best thing you can place your baby or toddler onto sleep. And now they're half off. Why not get two for the price of one?

Haute Mama Body Baby Care Set contains just the right items to keep you're tiny tots haute!

The Belly Blanket is an absolute must have item whether you're pregnant or not. It shields 99.9% of incoming radiation (~50dB) from sources specifically like lap tops! Having a hot lap is not Haute!

Discount also applies to all items in my Opensky shop. Enter code: FIFTYHAUTE at check out. Happy Shopping!

World Breastfeeding Week

August 1 - 7 commemorates World Breastfeeding Week, and to help kick off the celebration, partners Tatyanna Wright from Haute Mama Online and author Melissa MacDonald will offer a new article each day this week about breastfeeding. Melissa MacDonald is author of the best selling book, Breastfeeding: Real Mums Tell You How and has recently partnered with Haute Mama's Tatyanna Wright on several new and exciting projects. 

Here are our top five tips on what you really need to know to give yourself the best chance at a successful feeding relationship. 

1. Be informed - make sure that you feel really informed about breast and bottle feeding before giving birth. If possible take a breastfeeding class at your local hospital or  birthing centre or see a lactation consultant prior to the birth so you feel confident

2. Be prepared -  before the big day arrives make sure you have set up where you are going to feed and have bought everything you need so when you bring your baby home, you are ready to feed.  

3. Ask for help  -  ask the midwife, lactation consultant, mothercraft nurse, your mum, a friend anyone who has breastfed for help and take all the information on board, try what you want and you will soon find out what works best for you. 

4. Get the attachment correct- this is one of the fundamental things to get right. If you don’t have the correct attachment things can go wrong very quickly ie. cracked nipples. So make sure you ask someone to help with the initial attachment, don’t continue to feed unless the attachment is correct. It shouldn’t hurt too much. If it does, try attaching again. Ask for help at every feed until you feel comfortable doing it yourself

5. Learn to feed - don’t expect you and your baby will know what to do straight away. Everyone has to learn how to breastfeed and every baby feeds differently. So don’t feel bad if you don’t know what you are doing, you and your baby will learn together.

Tomorrow we'll offer five more top tips - from mothers to mothers. 

Haute Mama Organic Body Care

Haute Mama Organic Body Care is in stores and on shelves!

To celebrate the launch of Haute Mama Organic Body, we are offering a couple of specials. For the month of July, you can try almost all our products in two sets: Our baby care set includes organic jojoba oil, body wash, talc free body powder, and baby butt care.

Our mama care set includes organic belly butter, foot relief cream, teat treat, down there care (for post birth nether regions), and our cactus flower hydration mist. Both are significantly reduced for the next two weeks. Its an excellent way to try out almost all our products plus for the rest of July, you'll also get free shipping. Now that's haute. 

Items arrive in an organic cotton bag. For free shipping be sure to enter: JulyFreeShip at check out.

BELLY ARMOR – A radiation guard blanket for pregnancy & beyond

You know how your laptop gets warm on your lap? Well that's the radiation I'm talking about. So how can a blanket protect you from radiation? The answer is simple. Belly Armor is made with RadiaShield fabric, a lightweight armor like textile woven from 80% silver. The result is a high performance radiation guard blanket that's comfortable, very light and easy to take with you.
Belly Armor is recommended for use during pregnancy to protect you from everyday exposure to radiation - otherwise known as electromagnetic radiation field (EMF) from electronic devises - that omit from cell phones and laptops (as well as microwaves, PDA's and portable media devices).

A recent and very interesting study conducted by WHO (World Health Organization) states: "Tissue heating is the principal mechanism of interaction between radiofrequency energy and the human body. Electromagnetic fields of all frequencies represent one of the most common and fastest growing environmental influences, about which anxiety and speculation are spreading. All populations are now exposed to varying degrees of EMF (Electromagnetic Fields), and the levels will continue to increase as technology advances.”

Belly Armor blankets block between 90 and 99.9 percent of electromagnetic radiation. The idea behind Belly Armor is to neutralize environmental radiation before it reaches the fetus. However, I'm not pregnant (my baby is one and I have a six year old), but I use my blanket when I sit on the sofa at night and I'm on my laptop.

But I was online all the time pregnant looking at baby and pregnancy websites after website. I have started to bring it to work (yes, I do have an actual job in addition to my blog and website - I'm a TV producer and need to frequently be on my laptop looking at footage and writing scripts). I also bring the blanket with me when I travel. It can easily pack flat with my macbook in a lap top bag or tote. Its' uses don't stop there, I've been wrapping my head to protect my ear - which also gets hot when I talk on the ph. Okay, this I admit does look ridiculous so I've limited that use to the privacy of my home, and I try my hardest to wear my ear piece when I'm out on location and without my children who tend to grab the ear pierce. If my six year old son is using my laptop I place the blanket over his lap before he plays on it. My husband has also started using it at home on his lap - he'll need to get his own soon! You can literally feel the difference. You can also do your own cell phone test by simply wrapping the phone in the blanket - note your cell signal, then wait 30secs. The signal will go down or disappear. So I'm obviously not wrapping the phone to speak on it, but rather my head with the blanket.

Dr. Keith Black, a surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, says: “I think the safe practice is to use an earpiece so you keep the microwave antenna away from your brain.”

Other recent studies and research conducted over the past 25 years into low-level radiation exposure has shown indications of many potential health impacts, including: infertility (in men and women), birth defects and genetic disruptions, miscarriages, autism, childhood leukemia, and cancer.  Because the speculated health effects impact cell growth and DNA replication, pregnancy and early childhood represent the highest risks.

No I'm not a germaphobe nor do I go to extreme lengths to wrap myself and my children in silver chain mail to protect from EMF, but I've always thought there was something weird about food cooking so quickly in a microwave then cooling rock hard, or my lap, hand and head getting warm from talking on the phone and using my laptop. It’s commonsense.

In my opinion, you can never be too cautious when it comes to your own health and that of your children. In the 1950's cigarettes were once thought to be harmless and everybody enjoyed a smoke. Fifteen years on, evidence proved otherwise. I believe we're still the infancy stage with electronic devices, and as more studies are conducted linking cancer, and other mutations in the body to radiation, what harm can come from using a blanket that shields your body from potentially harmful long-term results.

This is an amazing product that I hope you find as useful as I do. If you’re interested in purchasing, please click here.

Green Picks For Mama, Baby & Child

Only Hearts Organic Panties
Lately I've been a little obsessed with finding the perfect sexy organic cotton undies that don't look like your daughters briefs. Finally I stumbled cross them at Only Hearts in Nolita. These lightweight organic jersey panties are also available in a thong with coordinating tanks and cardi wraps.

Apple Park Organic Plush Animals
Super cute and deliciously soft. You're child will love these stuffed animals. My one year daughter and I fell instantly inlove with the bunny. So soft, cuddly and toxin free which means you can rest assured knowing your child will be snuggling up with a toy that's easy on the her body and our planet. I think I'm going to have to sell these myself. 

Oh Plah!
With their full circle recycling program these bangels are an absoute must have item for baby. French for "Here You Go!" Oh Plah!™ is a bracelet for mom that baby or child can safely play with as a toy or teether. Constructed of medical grade thermoplastic- non-toxic, bacteria resistant, and free of lead, latex, PVC, BPA and phthalates. It's extremely durable yet flexible, standing up to frequent chewing without looking worn or damaged and easy to clean with with soap and water, and dries quickly so that it can be worn again right away. You can also use it as a nursing reminder (switch wrists to remember which side comes next) When you've outgrown your bracelet, Oh Plah! will pay to ship back your bangle to be recycled into a new product. Oh Plah! Is made in the USA. Click here to purchase.

Two
An new line of organic cotton tees. Mother of soon-to-be-two, Monica Patel offers clever graphics screen printed onto precious organic cotton. The line is called TWO which represents a variety of things! Mother and child and Two moms referring to her business partner. An amazing price point for organic cotton, these tees are sold at Half Pint Citizens in DUMBO.