I had my first child in September of 2006. Wow, all the frequent trips to the bathroom, the backaches, the cravings and the stretch marks..it was all worth it. If I would have known that having a child was so awesome I would have done it years ago. Kids are the best and mine is so precious. God has blessed me with the cutest and sweetest baby ever. Don't all mother's think their child is the cutest?

If you are new to Baton Rouge and pregnant,or even if you aren't new to our town... I've gotten together some information to make your pregnancy a little smoother. Instead of searching for that perfect photographer or trying to find a doula, I've done it all for you. I've tried to find all things "maternity" for you. I wish you all the best in your pregnancy!

MATERNITY CLOTHES

I remember the exact moment when I knew it was 'time' for maternity clothes. I think I shed a tear and so did my thighs. I started out at Wal-mart because I had no idea where to go. Occasionally, Wal-mart will have cute things but as the months went on...I found the best stores with the cutest clothes. These are all of the stores I shopped at while I was waiting for my little one to be born.

Destination Maternity- Before it was Destination Maternity, it was two separate stores "Mimi Maternity" and "Motherhood". They are both owned by the same company but Mimi is a little more upscale than Motherhood. Although, Mimi has awesome clothes "Motherhood" seems to be more affordable. This store is located off of Bluebonnet by the mall, near Best Buy.

Mamma Mia Boutique- This had to be my favorite store out of all of them. They know all about fashion. None of their clothes looked like maternity clothes. It's somewhat expensive but the clothes are so fashionable and stretchy that you can wear them way after you have your bambino. Mamma Mia is located off of Jefferson, behind CC's Coffee and next to D'Angelo's Pizza.

Mother's Best- I always enjoyed shopping at Mother's Best. The women who work there are always so nice and helpful. They have a small assortment of maternity clothes and a variety of baby clothes. If you are looking for anything Zutano, they are sure to have it. They also have great baby shower gifts. It's also located off of Jefferson, across the street from La Rouge Mart gas station.

Babys R Us- I didn't buy too many clothes from Babys R us but they do have a small amount of maternity clothes. I think they are priced perfect, there just isn't as much as Destination Maternity and Mamma Mia Boutique.

BABY FURNITURE-

Ah, the nursery. It's so funny because we stressed so much about the nursery before my son was born. We just "had" to have everything in order before he came. Well, it's funny because he didn't start staying in his room for a few months after. I think it's a "nesting" thing. I wanted everyone to be ready and in order for my little one.

Cullen's Baby Furniture- This is my favorite baby store. They have the cutest bed sets ever! I love all of the furniture they have to offer. Cullen's has everything you need and if they don't have it, they'll order it. They have strollers, cribs, cradles, clothes, diaper bags, decorations, bedding, car seats and so much more. Cullen's is located off of Florida, right next to Airline Hwy. You should check this place out!

Baby's R Us- You know, I think I went to every furniture store there was looking for the perfect set for my son. Cullen's and Baby's R us were the best. Baby's R us has great deals. They also have a great amount of bedding and furniture. Actually, you probably know that they have everything you can imagine. It's located right across from Cortana Mall.

DOULA'S

At first, I thought that Doula's were just to help with natural births but this isn't' the case. I actually had a Doula come in after my son was born to help me during the day. She came early in the morning and helped me through the day until I could recover from my c-section. This allowed me to get much needed rest and to heal from the surgery. They were so loving with my son. It's something that I'm so glad that I did!

Mother's Touch Doula- Mother's Touch Doula provides childbirth services and breastfeeding support. They have classes for Lamaze and hypnobirth. They offer doula services and birth tub rentals and much more.

Louisiana Childbirth Collective- This is a nonprofit organization serving the women of Louisiana providing affordable doula services, childbirth education, breastfeeding support and birth tub rentals.

Birth Help- This is also a company offering Doula services and help with breastfeeding.

BREASTFEEDING

La Leche League

PRENATAL IMAGING ULTRASOUND

You know, sometimes that ultrasound just isn't enough for a mother. I was so excited to find out that you could get a 4D ultrasound. I absolutely loved it. I got to see my little man in all his glory. Did you know that he actually looked like his 4D pictures? I was amazed because it showed his cute little chubby cheeks and that was the first thing I noticed when he was born.

First Glimpse- At First Glimpse, they have a certified Obstetrical Ulstrasonographer. The rooms are so relaxing and totally therapeutic. The rooms hold up to 6-8 people so you can invite the whole family. It usually takes thirty minutes to see your little one. They recommend that you be at least 26 weeks. The 4D package is only $149 and this includes the 4D session, DVD, CD-R, pictures and gender. First Glimpse is where I went to get my prenatal imaging done. They were extremely kind and I'm so glad I did it. They are also located off of Jefferson.

Angel Prints- This is another prenatal imaging company. I have not been to them but just wanted to let you know about it. They are located on Perkins in Baton Rouge.

BABY CLASSES

Woman's Hospital offers a variety of baby classes for you and your family. I encourage you to take advantage of these. They are not expensive and they offer a load of valuable information. I enjoyed going to a few of the woman's classes. It's a great way to meet other expecting mothers and make new friends. It's also a great way to calm your nerves and ask questions about some of the things you might be fearful about. All of the classes below are held at Woman's Hospital.

Doulas and Comfort Measures for Labor
Prenatal Yoga
Special Delivery
After Baby Comes
Baby Steps
Strong Mammas
Breastfeeding Basics
Breastfeeding Support Group
Labor of Love
Baby N You Orientation Tour
Great Expectations
A Baby is Coming, Sibling Preparation for Children 4 - 8 years
Basics of Breastfeeding
Here We Birth Again
Child Preparation for Teens

MATERNITY PICTURES 

The last thing I wanted to do while I was pregnant was get my picture taken. Hello Whale! I had friends and relatives convince me to get them done and I'm so glad I do. Even though I think I looked like a beach whale, I'm so glad I have something I can look back at, hey it kinda makes me feel skinny.

Anna-Karin's Photography- Anna-Karin is my photographer. I am not sure how I found her but she is amazing. She did all of my maternity pictures and did an awesome job. She does a great job and she's so fun to work with. She offers packages for you and your little one which I purchased. I think it's called the Baby Plan. This is you go to her to take your maternity pictures, then she comes to you for your babies six week pictures and so on. It's an awesome package.

AFTER YOUR LITTLE ONE COMES

BABY CLOTHES

Gymboree- If you haven't heard of Gymboree, let me be the first to tell you it's addicting. Once I learned about it, I was hooked. They have the cutest baby/kids clothes ever. They have different lines come out every two weeks on Tuesday. It's rather expensive but you can always find great deals on ebay. This store is located in the Mall of Louisiana.

Children's Place- This is another one of my favorites kid clothing stores. They always have cute clothes and great sales. They have a Children's Place in Cortana Mall, Towne Center and at the Tanger Outlet Mall.

The Refinery- This is a second hand store but it is so upscale. This is one of my favorite consignment stores. They offer all kinds of brands including: Gymboree, Gap, Janie & Jack, Ralph Lauren, Lipstik, Old Navy and more. All of their clothes are in great condition and most of them seem like new. This store is located off of

Crazy 8- This is not a store in Baton Rouge but it's one of my favorite online stores. It's a spin off of Gymboree. If I'm not mistaken I think Gymboree owns it. It's still the cutest clothes ever at an affordable price.

Old Navy- I always enjoy shopping at Old Navy. They offer a variety of well-priced clothes for your little one. There is an Old Navy off of Siegan and an Old Navy across from the Mall of Cortana.

Custom Glam Girl- This is another one of my favorite sites. It's really for adults but they have a section where you can get onsies personalized. My little one had a drawer full of personalized onsies. They were so cute.

Janie & Jack- There isn't a Janie & Jack in Baton Rouge, Louisiana but you can go to their website and see all of their upscale clothes. It's kind of expensive but their clothes are beautiful.

GETTING RID OF BABY WEIGHT

This is still a challenge for me. I've lost 30 pounds of the baby weight from Jenny Craig. Their food is awesome. I highly recommend it. All the people are extremely nice and encouraging. If you are ready to get the baby weight off, research around Baton Rouge and what it has to offer.

Jenny Craig

Stroller Fit- This is an awesome way to lose weight. You actually get to exercise with your children. I've never been but have thought about it a few times. It's a great way to get in shape and be around other mom's.

Woman's Wellness Center- I joined Woman's while I was pregnant. They offer basically anything you can think of. They have all sorts of classes, swimming pool, great equipment and a wonderful staff. They also have a daycare for your little one. My favorite part of Woman's is the spa. While I was pregnant I frequently got massages which helped with circulation and swelling. Membership is about $62 a month and it's located off of Coursey and Jefferson.

MAGAZINES

Baton Rouge Parents Magazine
Southern Families Magazine
Baton Rouge Expecting Baby
Hoo-Know

BABY HAIR SALON

My little one goes absolutely crazy when he gets his hair cut. He screams and cries. I'm not sure why. I think it's pretty scarey for him. I started taking him to Belle's & Beau's. They have cute little cars for them to sit in and they play cartoons on the tv. It's a cute little atmosphere. It's just different. The one thing I like about it is that i don't feel like I'm upsetting everyone when he screams. It's a hair place for kids and screaming IS allowed. Sharkey's & Snit Its are pretty new. I"m not sure if Snip Its is even open yet. I assure you I will be checking out both places when they open.

Sharkey's Cuts & Kids
Belle's And Beau's
Snip Its

POOL SAFETY

Do you have  a pool in your backyard? Do you have a little pond? If you are like me, I worry about these things. We use to have a pond in our backyard and this was a big concern for me. Now, you don't have to worry. There are a few companies that specialize in fencing/netting your pool or pond without having to get rid of both. These products are either placed over your pond like a net or the are fenced around the pool. This way it is safer and make you FEEL safer and you don't have to get rid of your pool.

Pool Safety Barriers
Protect A Child 

BACKYARD PLAYGROUND

Backyard Adventures of Louisiana offers all kind of cool and neat playground equipment for your child. They've got cool slide, swings and even a rock wall to purchase.

BABYSITTER

After having your little one, it's okay to feel a little overwhelmed. Believe me, this is normal. It's also okay to want to get out of the house and do a little something for yourself. It's a nessacity! I actually found a nanny after I let my doula go. She came in for about four hours a day while I ran errands. It was really nice.

Nanny's R Us- They specialize in and all your childcare needs. They offer live-out nannies, hotel babysitters, Sick emergency care, baby care specialist, tutors, mothers helpers, corporate children (I'm not sure what this is), party helpers, 24 hours care and housekeepers. (225) 275-3651

Superior Care Services- They offer full and part time nanny placement, emergecy and sick childcare, evening babysitters, hotel sitters, wedding childcare, post partum doulas, and special event and convention child daycare.

I hope I have given you enough information to make your Baton Rouge pregnancy easier and fun. Are you thinking about upgrading because of your little one? I would love to help you and your new family find the home of your dreams. If you are looking for a Baton Rouge Real Estate Agent, please give me a call!

Lindsay Pendleton
Baton Rouge Real Estate Agent
(225)362-0437
www.Forsalebylindsay.com