One trick that I’ve used during all three of my pregnancies is a belly band. If you haven’t heard of it, you are missing out! It looks like the bottom half of a tank top, but it’s super stretchy and has a bit of grip on it. Basically, you put on your regular pants, zip them as far as they’ll go, and then pull the band down to cover it. The grip holds the pants in place and keeps them from sagging!

It’s a comfortable fix that doesn’t leave you pulling at your pants all day. Plus, it saves you a little more time before you have to buy maternity jeans or pants! Always a win for me

These belly bands hold up really well. In the beginning,  you can start out folding it in half (over itself) while your bump is still smallish. As you grow, you can wear it as a single layer. If you do eventually need to purchase maternity jeans, make sure to check out my affordable picks in this post.

The belly band pays for itself and saves you from having to buy a bunch of maternity clothes, I’d highly recommend it!

The post How to Avoid Buying Maternity Pants appeared first on She Knows Chic.

Ain’t it funny how life changes
You wake up, ain’t nothing the same and life changes
You can’t stop it, just hop on the train and
You never know what’s gonna happen
You make your plans and you hear god laughing
Life changes, and I wouldn’t change it for the world, the world, oh no

THAT is the story of my life right now. In the midst of selling our old house, moving in with our parents for a few months, and waiting for our new house to be finished, we got a surprise that took the cake. We are having baby #3!! Charlotte is barely 1 and we are at such a busy time in our lives, but that didn’t matter to God.

My initial reaction was fear. I immediately started worrying about being able to handle a third child (even though we’d always planned to have 3 or 4) so soon. I’d have to take a maternity leave after moving into a more expensive house. If this was our last baby, I’d wanted to space it out and savor my last pregnancy. It all seemed like too much, but Mike grabbed my shoulders and looked me in the eyes and told me, “This is a good thing.”

Although in that moment I was scared and overwhelmed, he reminded me what a blessing this was and how this was just all part of the plan. I’m thankful I’m married to a man who can calm me when I’m overwhelmed and who is positive and encouraging. He’s really the best.

So, I’m nowhere closing to having it all together, but at least I’ve got my attitude straightened out. And I’m choosing to be thankful and count my blessings. After the shock wore off, excitement set in. We are having another girl, and the two girls will be close in age and *hopefully* best friends. Even when things don’t go how you’d plan, they always work out for the best. You might not see it right away, but you will eventually be thankful things happened the way they did.

Thanks for getting a little more personal with me today <3

The post Life Changes & a Big Surprise! appeared first on She Knows Chic.

1. A good nursing bra.

We all know how hard it can be to find a good bra that offers comfort and support, and when you’re a nursing mom your selection gets even smaller. So, it’s that much more important to find a bra you love, and then buy a few of it!

My favorite bra has been this one from Motherhood Maternity, and I’ve worn in through nursing both of my children. It has a good amount of lining, is comfortable, and gives good coverage and support. Here are a couple more I own and would recommend:

2. A nursing tank that goes under anything.

I know it’s easy enough to just pull up a regular tank top, but it definitely isn’t comfortable! That’s why you need a nursing tank. I love them because your stomach is still covered when you’re nursing, and it’s really easy to “get everything out” and put it away!

I usually end up wearing tank tops under most of my blouses anyways, so it makes sense to have a nursing tank too.

3. Comfy nursing pajamas.

Whether you’re a brand-new mama or 6 months in, I believe a nursing nightgown (or two) is completely worth it! When you’re getting up a few times a night to nurse your little one, it’s nice to have easy access and then be able to get back to bed quickly.

I’ve found a bunch of pretty patterned pajamas that will help make a nursing nightgown a little more fun

4. A button down shirt/dress for easy access.

This is probably my #1 tip for any nursing mama, and that is to wear button down clothing as much as possible! It’s so easy to just unbutton a little, unsnap your nursing tank, and feed your baby.

There are so many beautiful button-down blouses and cute shirt dresses, that a nursing mama doesn’t need to sacrifice style!

5. A hands-free pumping bra.

Chances are if you’re a nursing mama, you’re also a pumping mama! I’ve gone back to work after having both of my children, and pumped.  Now don’t get me started on whether or not I “like” pumping (I really don’t, but of course I’m doing it) but I have found that making a small investment in a pumping bra has really been worth it. Whether I’m pumping at work, at home, or in the car, my hands are completely free! It’s been so nice to not sit and hold the bottles for 15 minutes while I pump, and I love being more efficient.

But let me warn you, a pumping bra isn’t the sexiest thing you’ll ever wear I just put mine on, over my regular bra after I’ve clipped it down. It’s easy!

6. A lightweight blanket to cover up.

I am proud to be a breastfeeding mama and don’t feel the need to hide myself when I’m nursing. If I’m at home I don’t think twice about covering up, but if I’m out in public I do like a certain level of privacy.

These Aden + Anis linen blankets have been my absolute favorite. They are really big, so it’s easy to drape it over my shoulder and my baby while I nurse. They also keep me covered while I put everything away. The blankets are a lightweight muslin, so my baby girl can breathe just fine.  I love the fabric and they’re perfect for summertime!

Now that Charlotte is 1, I don’t nurse her in public very often, but these Aden + Anis blankets are now the ones she loves to cuddle and sleep with.

I hope you find these tips useful, and good luck on your breastfeeding journey! It’s tough but so worth it. Let me know in the comments below if there’s anything else you’d like to see!

The post 6 Things Every Nursing Mama Needs appeared first on She Knows Chic.

Back when my husband and I were dating, we did fancy dinners for our first few Valentine’s Days together. After a few years it got old- fighting the long wait times and as we had more responsibilities with work and eventually a family, it just took a lot of time. We still love to have special dates and dinners, just not necessarily on a holiday. We started making special dinners for each other and staying in. And honestly, that’s so much more fun! You can buy a fancy bottle of wine and just relax. Now that we have two kids who are also the loves of our lives, we like to include them on the day of love. Now our Valentine’s Day dinners have become family dinners and we’re okay with that.

As our dinners evolved, so did my Valentine’s Day style. I’m much more casual and looking to be comfortable, which is why I love so many of these tees. And they really can be worn outside of the actual holiday, because who doesn’t love love?

I’ve broken them down into categories, making it easier for you to shop for exactly what you need!

*click each picture to shop*

Ladies

These tees are so cute and fun, and you can wear them on repeat even after the holiday!

Men

It’s a little harder to get a guy to wear a Valentine’s Day tee (at least with my husband!) but here are a few options for the guy in your life:

Kids

Dressing up my little ones brings me so much joy and everything it just SO cute when it’s small! Here are a few unisex ideas, keep scrolling for boy and girl options.

Girls

Boys

The post Valentine’s Day Tees for the Whole Family appeared first on She Knows Chic.

So on that note, I’m not going to set crazy, extravagant goals (at least in my personal life), but instead make some resolutions that will improve my daily life over time.

Here are my 3 simple goals for 2018:

1. Be on social media less and less. And then even less!

These days it is getting harder and harder to get away from technology. Especially running my blog, I end up on social media often. It’s all part of the game, and I absolutely LOVE connecting with other women like myself.

However, I believe that it’s important for myself to set limits and disconnect often. As a working mom (and really, a mom in general), time is at a premium these days and it’s so precious! I have to choose wisely what I fill it with. I might not grow my Instagram the fastest but that’s okay with me! At least I’ll have my sanity and be living my life

2. Make the effort to schedule more dates with my friends.

Have you seen that funny ecard pin that says, “Sorry for being a bad friend, I’ve been busy being an awesome mom!”?? That sums me up! Being a mother consumes all of you, and it’s difficult to remember to check in with girlfriends, let alone actually schedule time to get together! Not to mention my husband, family, work, blog… you get the idea. These days we’re all so busy!

So, my second goal for 2018 is to schedule more time with my girlfriends. I always have the best time, and laughing and having girl-talk recharges me! It’s nice to take time to remember the person I was before I became a mom, and make sure she gets attention too

3. Stay centered during times of stress.

We have a lot of things coming down the pipeline this year and we are so excited, but all of these changes really do scare me. It’s all stuff I want to happen, but I know it will require more of my time, energy, and most of all- patience!

If I know one thing about myself, it’s that when I’m tired and worn down everything seems a lot tougher. I say seems because it isn’t always that way, but my outlook isn’t as positive when I’m worn down. So my goal is to take care of myself and prepare for those stressful moments. I know they’re coming, but I can be ready for them!

There you have it- these are my simple goals for the New Year and I’ll work on them little by little. What is a goal or resolution you have for the new year, or are you the type that doesn’t make any?

The post My 3 Simple Goals for 2018 appeared first on She Knows Chic.