things I am enjoying: the pampering

I suppose this is a perk with first-time pregnancy, not subsequent ones. I mean any pregnant mama should be pampered but realistically it is harder when you already have children under foot. It is for this reason I am enjoying the kindness and pampering that comes my way as my baby belly grows. In this post I need to give some HUGE gratitude to the kindness that has been given to me. I’ll do them in order of succession.

1. Mama Mio Supermama Kit courtesy of Mama Mio and Celebrity Baby Scoop

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I won this luxurious gift in a giveaway early last year, many months before my husband and I were going to conceive. We planned to try in the fall so these products sat on my bath shelf as an awaited promise to me that they would be opened after I got my BFP (big fast positive). It is funny that I also bought some other products and was gifted a few so have not touched them yet. I am waiting for my belly to get huge before I start these goodies.

2. Aromandina Radiare Mommy Body Oil courtesy of Aromandina and Natural Baby Pros

I won this product as I was entering my second trimester. The scent is calming and I love it. My husband uses it on my belly at night in a sweet little ritual we do where he also talks to me and the baby. This goes beyond the use of lavender to calm the mind in motherhood. I also now follow Cristina, the aromatherapist, on twitter because she has good products and tweets nice tips.

3. How to Massage Your Pregnant Partner DVD courtesy of Relax! Productions and Baby Dickey

Here is a big lesson, if you enter a contest and win, be sure to accept your prize. I was the 3rd name drawn after the first two winners never responded to their prize notification e-mails. My husband was really excited for this DVD to be “trained’ in properly massaging me. For the most part he was right on with a number of concepts but he has learned a lot and likes the DVD. The first part shows a real massage with no explanation and then the next section goes into detail about what was first demonstrated. So if you you get this don’t be discouraged by terms used and thinking it goes too fast, there is no introduction letting you know how the DVD works. The funniest part about it is that now he wants to get more bolsters to support my body during massage… the yoga instructor in me finds this adorable. He really has learned something.

4. Prenatal Massage courtesy of Elixir Massage and SPA WEEK

This is the first thing I have been given without winning it. I was asked to participate in this campaign to help promote Spa Week ahead of the April 12th -18th event. If you don’t know about Spa Week it is a campaign where spas nationwide participate by offering select spa services for a reduced rate as part of this promotion. Today I will be enjoying one of the regularly priced $85 massages that will be available for $50 as part Spa Week. Here is the homepage but the directory of participating spas and services offered will not be posted until 15 March. I will shoot some video. I have not been asked to review the service but enjoy it and let others know about it. The funny part that brings all this pampering goodness full circle is that this spa uses Mama Mio products.

I am really excited for my massage today. The only thing is that I feel like a fraud since I have no aches yet. Doing all the yoga and exercise I have been doing has been serving my body well. I am going to enjoy the service though.