It’s hard finding comfortable active wear when you’re pregnant. Sure, you could resort to wearing oversized shirts that don’t fit anywhere but over the growing bump or you could wear your regular clothes until they stretch no further and your belly pokes out from underneath your shirt every time you move. I’ll admit I’ve fallen victim to both fashion crimes in the past, but never again! Why? Because now I know that there is a company out there that makes active wear for pregnant women!

I was recently sent the Eamon Hoodie from Jakfish to review. I wasn’t sure what to expect at first and was pleasantly surprised when the package arrived. The Eamon Hoodie is made of a lightweight Polartec Power Stretch. It has a body hugging 4-way stretch that wicks away moisture, is highly breathable and is wind and abrasion resistant.

The hoodie is extremely comfortable. I have worn it both with and without other tops, and have been comfortable each and every time. I am currently 32 weeks pregnant and have a 17 month old as well, so it’s not often that I am sitting still. Despite the cold weather we have been having here in the Midwest, it’s also not often that I wear a long sleeved top. I’m always hot and it’s not uncommon to see me running around at home in a tank top. I feared that the Eamon hoodie would be too warm for me, but it wasn’t. In fact, I almost forgot that I was wearing something with long sleeves.

Some things that I love about the hoodie…
The side zips. They are so practical! I don’t need to open them all the way yet, but I have half zipped them to give me some more room to move. I love that the zippers stay in place. If I want it to be half zipped, it stays that way!
The hood. Let’s face it, it has been cold here in the Midwest and you need to have something on your head to stay warm. I’m not a big fan of wearing hats though, so the fitted hood works great for me!
It’s lightweight. You can wear it alone, with something underneath or something over it. I didn’t get sweaty or too hot, no matter how I wore it or what I did while wearing it.
It fit. Compared to some of the other options that are out, there it was nice to be able to wear a hoodie that didn’t expose parts of my belly when I lifted my arms and wasn’t so big that I felt like I was swimming in it. This top stretches and moves with me and I wasn’t constantly pulling and tugging on it like I do with some other tops that I have.

Overall, I am extremely happy with the hoodie. It’s great to wear no matter what you’re doing, whether that’s running around trying to catch up with a toddler, going for a walk outdoors or just taking it easy at home. Thank you to both MomActive and Jakfish the opportunity to do this review.

All Jakfish clothing is made in Vermont and is specifically designed to fit women throughout all the stages of pregnancy, while retaining all of the characteristics active people expect from performance clothing.  The clothing is made from Polartec® fabrics and in 2008, two Jakfish products won the Polartec APEX Award which is judged on innovation, design, style, workmanship, fit and functionality.

Enter to win a Jakfish Eamon Hoodie! Simply visit the Jakfish website and then come back here and let us know which item caught your eye!

Extra Entries: (leave a separate comment for each entry)

1. Subscribe to MomActive HERE

2. Fan MomActive on Facebook HERE

3. Tweet the following Tweet:

Pregnant? Enter to win the Eamon Hoodie from Jakfish @momactive http://bit.ly/clDTvv

or

I just entered to win a $106 Jakfish Eamon Hoodie from @momactive http://bit.ly/clDTvv

~Entries must be received by 12am EST March 12, 2010 ~

MomActive would like to thank Michaela of Mama Michie’s Musings for guest reviewing.  Michaela was compensated for this review via free product, the opinions stated above are hers based on her experience.  We wish her the best of health with her pregnancy!

Join me as I muse about my life as a wife, student and a SAHMama of a rambunctious toddler with another on the way. At Mama Michie’s Musings, you will find anything from teething to bugs, sleepless nights to stretch marks, reviews and giveaways and sometimes even more serious topics. It all depends on what’s on my mind and how much sleep I got the night before!

The month of January has come and gone.

The resolutions we ‘so call’ made are a distant memory.

Personally, I am not a fan of resolutions.

However, I do enjoy making goals – you know the type that give you the warm fuzzies inside, the pleasure of endorphins running amuck due to self gratification, a sense of fulfillment that, YES, I did accomplish this myself!

This is what I want to talk about.

This is where I want you involved.

This is our quest throughout the year!

Will you join me?  (if not…too bad, I will hunt you down and pester you like that annoying kid in the back of class that spat spit wads at the back of your head)

Welcome!

I am glad YOU have decided to come aboard the personal journey.

Really, it is simple.

I want to know what is it YOU want to accomplish this year.

Sure, we would all like to lose 10 pounds, get in shape, quit smoking – blah blah those are resolutions that we forget about once we get rid of that New Years Eve hangover.

I want YOU to be unique, creative – seek something deep down that YOU want to fulfill for YOU!

Catch my drift?

It is as easy as this….

Yours truly – this year’s personal journey is to work on my own mental stability.  I want to be more positive, less stressed, back to my easy going lackadaisical self.  You will have more of an understanding of where I am coming from next month as I go into some deep details.

Next up, the Mrs. aka my wife has made it her own personal journey to run in three half marathons this year.  She has never run in a marathon prior, nor is she an avid runner.  Her first half marathon was at the end of January, the PF Changs here in Arizona.  Of course it kicked her butt, but she kicked butt by finishing it and never stopping!  Her next stop will be San Diego!

These are the types of personal journeys I want to know about from YOU!  Will YOU join me?  Leave a comment with a means of contact below with what it is YOU want to accomplish this year.  Once a month I will follow up to see how YOU are coming along.  Yes, I will be your Cheerleader (just without the pompoms and short skirt)!  Remember this is for YOU!

Let’s get active….MomActive!

Peas Out!

~daddy b.

Michele Obama’s initiative to combat the childhood obesity epidemic launches today. The effort, pegged “Let’s Move“, will focus on “four key pillars”: Educating parents about nutrition and exercise, improving the quality of food in schools, making healthy foods more affordable and accessible for families and an increased focus on physical education.  Whether you agree on the extent to which she has used her own children in as an example or not, you have to admit that this is a good thing.  Our kids are growing up eating junk food, watching TV that encourages them to eat junk food , and they are also getting outside to play far less often than they did while you and I were growing up.  Drive down any street, anywhere in the country, and the number and variety of fast food joints, where half of the food options contain more fat and calories than most of us need in an entire day, is overwhelming.  I’m not a “Big Government” fan but I do think that convenience has become the norm and it will be interesting to see what impact this initiative will have.

I couldn’t help but laugh when reading the following excerpt from ABCnews.com:

To help parents, the first lady said she’s working with the Food and Drug Administration and major food manufacturers and retailers to make it easier for parents to identify healthier foods by placing nutrition labeling on the front of the package.

Did we not have that earlier last year with the Smart Choices Campaign, in which Froot Loops donned the fabulously attractive and trendy green Smart Choices check mark?  I wrote several fiery posts here and on momactive.com blasting the program and the greedy scoundrels behind it.  If you missed it you can read about it right HERE and HERE. The quacks behind this ridiculous marketing effort have since stopped labeling foods with the Smart Choices check mark because the guidelines were so laughable that the FDA announced that it was looking into the “scientific criteria” used to designate foods that manufacturers who participated (read PAID) to take part in the labeling program.  The uproar surrounding the whole thing created a massive PR disaster for all involved and served as a lesson putting the big corporations on notice that consumers aren’t as stupid as they’d like to think we are.  I would love to hear what Michele Obama thought about Smart Choices.

What Michele Obama is trying to do isn’t exactly new.  I grew up with the Kennedy era President’s Council on Physical Fitness (which was actually just a renaming of the President’s Council on Youth Fitness started by Eisenhowerin 1956).  Remember the test?  The one where you have to try to touch your toes and where they measure your arm fat with the calipers?  I remember very clearly that I outran every boy in my class but I didn’t like the arm fat thing…  In any case, “Let’s Move” is similar to past government efforts, but perhaps the effort to increase nutritional education and improve the availability and cost of healthier foods will achieve a reduction in our country’s obesity rates.  Those of you that watch the show on MomTv will remember our discussion last week about a study that showed people responded more positively, and as a result purchased a greater amount of healthier foods more often, when given access to a reduction in the cost of healthy food choices in addition to nutrition education, versus those who only received the nutritional information.

Will “Lets Move” make a difference?  Let’s us know what you think!

Last time the question was, “What play will you encourage this year?”

Ask yourself the following questions: Do you like what you see in the way that your children play? Were you surprised about any developments in 2009? Would you like to change anything in 2010?

This is a list that you should revisit throughout the year. Use it to get yourself back on track if you feel a loss of focus. Not everything will be smooth sailing this year, but creating this list will anchor your thoughts. It will remind you of where you want to be.

As you learn more about what is age appropriate play for your children, your thoughts will grow and change. It is OK to change your mind. Change is good but don’t let it derail you completely.

Set goals with these questions in mind:

1. Which toys did they play with the most?

2. Which toys did they really want but when they got them didn’t really like much anymore?

3. Were there any surprise hits with toys or activities this past year?

4. How do they respond to changing toys or activities you’ve introduced? keen—————reluctant

5. Is there enough time allocated to a) downtime?  b) one on one time? c) independent play?

6. What’s our ratio of active play to passive play?

7. What multiple sources do we get our play knowledge from?

This last one is a big one: What do you want to try this year?

Some healthy play habits to consider:

• eat meals together as a family

• family night

• board games

• playdough

• making crafts

• joining a mother and toddler class

• learning some songs

• making felt toys

• being more present in the moment

• learning about Waldorf or Montessori play

• start a nature group

• play outdoors

• watch less TV

• less time on the phone or computer

• learn a new language with your child

• visit more local places

• Investigate cultural activities

• Get to a museum,

• initiate more play dates,

• seek out new play ideas,

• less or more time on after school children activities

• Be inspired and act on play ideas

• listen and be supported by parenting podcasts,

• find time for unstructured play,

• sort the toys,

• donate and spring clean the toy box………

What is on your agenda this year for play with your children?

Recent Research shows that processed or junk food, such as fast food, sweets and chips contribute to depression. Data related to food and mood was collected from 3,486 men and women in the UK over 5 years. The processed food pattern of eating more sweets, fried food, high fat diary and refined grains was associated with a higher chance of being depressed. Compared to a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, fish and whole grains.

The study researchers offer some tips for optimal physical and mental health:

1. Have breakfast because breakfast eaters consume more fiber calcium and micronutrients and are healthier
2. Eat sweets on occasion, focus on a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and healthy snacks.
3. Snack on apple, cheese, carrot sticks and nuts, this was the choice of the folks with a better mood.
4. Read Food labels and limit high fat/sugar foods.
5. Limit salt intake, use spices and herbs to season your food.
6. Make eating together as a family a top priority, meal times are a time of nourishment both physically and emotionally.

Source:

Today we welcome Kelly Loubet from Childhoodclothing.com!

Sex… for some of us… that word alone is enough to make us blush. For others… it ain’t no thing chicken wing. The reality of it is… whether it’s with that special someone or all alone in the bath tub… sex is an important and healthy part of our lives.

Not only does sex sometimes provide partnership… sex does a body good in many ways! I had no idea that there were so many benefits beyond… well… stress relief for one. Stress relief is a benefit of healthy sex! I knew that… anyone that’s had “it’s been a crappy day” sex knows that! Let me list some of the more interesting ones I found. (Thanks Web M.D.!)

Sex boosts your immunity. Having sex a couple times a week increases the antibody Immunoglobin A, which helps you fight colds and infections! Who knew!?

Sex burns calories. I knew this… but it’s still fun! Did you know that 30 minutes of sex burns 85 calories or more? Get to it!

Sex boosts your self esteem. Great sex makes you feel like a rock star. If you already felt like you were amazing before… having sex only makes you feel better.

Sex eases pain. While having a sexual encounter… endorphins are flowing and the hormone oxytocin is released. Oxytocin is responsible for that warm, fuzzy, “nothing could ruin this moment” type feeling. You know.. that feeling you get after you… um… finish?

Sex helps you sleep better. That same oxytocin that’s released during the big “O” is also responsible for  making us feel sleepy. Healthy sleep habits promote weight loss and help to control blood pressure.

I was given the opportunity to test drive an amazing little product from Eden Fantasys recently. I was looking for something beyond the standard vibrating… uh… dildo? (I can’t believe I just said “dildo”) I wanted to try something new and fun! The lovely Nicole Ibarrondo, marketing extraordinaire, took some time to discuss with me what my * cough * needs were. Together, we decided on this little beauty: The Nea.

When I first opened the package, I was surprised to find an elegant black box. I’ll admit… I was expecting something trashy! The Nea is so far from trashy! Inside the jewelry like box was the Nea, a charger, an instruction booklet, and a sweet little travel bag. I travel a lot… I knew that I could get through airport security unembarrassed with my Nea. Yes… I have been stopped in possession of a less discreet item.

Holding it is almost like holding a computer mouse… only smaller. It’s contoured to hit all of your external hot spots. I find that the Nea is best used for direct clitoral contact. (I totally said that without blushing) The two buttons on the bottom control the speed of the vibration and the pulse modes. There are FIVE pulse modes and let me tell you that each one is well… perfect… no matter what your mood. Not only that… but the Nea is quiet! It’s nearly silent!

My favorite part about the Nea is the fact that it’s re-chargable. That’s right! No more stealing batteries from the T.V. remote just to get your kicks. I bet you want one now… Well Eden Fantasys is giving away a $25 gift certificate toward the purchase of your choice so check out Childhoodclothing.com to enter the giveaway!

Many of us chose to work out to lose weight as our New Year’s  Resolution. However, that darn scale is not moving in the direction we want it to… don’t let the scale win over. There are more ways to measure success that we can use to our advantage.

First, let’s use that tape measure. Sometimes, we’ll start losing inches before that number on the scale starts moving in the right direction. Keep track of those problem areas and enjoy those losses. In my case, hips and thighs are measurements I always track.

Another way to measure success is by measuring body fat percentage. There are numerous websites, like this one,  that help you calculate your body fat. Now, there are many ways to get to this number and many variables to make it change at any given minute. However, keeping track of body fat percentage can be rewarding.  As with that number on the scale, all I look for from this number is a downward trend.

Last but not least, take pictures. You decide who sees it.  Every week or month – you decide the frequency – I take pictures, front, side, back. Seeing your body change can be a great motivator to continue to exercise.

No matter what measuring tool you use keep your resolutions and goals in mind and keep plugging along.

No, no, no… not in the fun way. Don’t get all excited, folks. Now that I have your attention {hehehe} I want to encourage parents to have “the talk” with their children. I feel that too many parents are fooling themselves into thinking that talking with their children about sex is not appropriate at a young age. I beg to differ. Children as young as 10 and 11 years old are having sex. Yes, HAVING… not learning about… not asking about… not curious about… actually having it. There are children 11 and 12 years old who are mothers. No, I’m not kidding. Google it.

No matter how you go about introducing the topic or exactly what information you present to your child(ren), keep in mind three essential things:

1. Be honest.
   • There is nothing worse than purposefully giving your child incorrect information. You may as well not give them any information at all because in the long run, not only are you going to confuse them but you are going to destroy your own credibility.
2. Be thorough.
   • When your child has questions, don’t try to avoid answering them. You don’t have to go into graphic detail, but give them the facts… and don’t speak to them in a way that sends the message that you are uncomfortable with their questions. Children pick up on those simple cues and will be hesitant to bring it up again. You WANT them to be able to talk to you! This way, you are in control of the information they receive and are more able to discredit myths and inaccuracies they may have already heard.
3. Be clear.
   • You may not be able to control what your child does when they are out of your sight. As your children grow into adolescence, they may make decisions that you disapprove of. This should not keep you from being very clear about your expectations as well as your family’s belief system… but don’t stop there! Let them know why you feel the way you feel. Reason with them and give them an argument which validates your wishes.

The more open you are with your child, the higher the chances are that your child will be more open with you. Discuss inappropriate touching. Discuss the ways boys try to take advantage of girls. Discuss how much pressure locker-room talk can put on young boys. Discuss peer pressure and how to stand firm despite it. Discuss confidence and reputation. Open the lines of communication early and they will remain open. Talking to your child is one of the greatest gifts you can give them. You would be amazed at how much of a difference it makes in their lives just to hear you tell them definitively what is right and what is wrong – what is acceptable and what is not. They may shrug it off. They may seem to not want to hear it. But when it counts the most, your words will play in the back of their mind and could give them the strength they need at that critical point when they need to say, “NO!”