I’m thrilled to be back in New York for the summer, but after an excruciating 11-hour overnight flight home, I have four severely jetlagged babies and consequently, I am functioning at a very low level right now.  This will be a short posting. But a pregnant friend just asked me to recommend a stylish, denim maternity skirt and I discovered that my must-have Citizens of Humanity Maternity Denim Skirt is currently on sale at Nordstrom. I haven’t blogged about this skirt before, because it was very overpriced at USD $163. But it’s now 33% off and can now be yours for a much more reasonable USD $108.90 here.  This is a perfect maternity basic for winter with tights and boots or for summer with flip-flops or flat sandals.  It’s a 23″ skirt and reached my knee, which was an ideal length.  If you are significantly taller than 5′5″, be prepared for this to be a shorter skirt.  It runs small, be sure to go up one size so you have it throughout your pregnancy.  This skirt was also a crucial  postpartum basic–in fact, I wore it home from the hospital.

My god, it is so hot here in Jerusalem today.  My car thermometer read 95 degrees at 930am this morning. It is too hot to take the baby outside, so I have all of the boys stripped down to their diapers and have pulled out the water table and the garden hose for them to play with.  Luckily, the filthy garden hose somehow seems to provide hours of entertainment.

If you live somewhere almost as hot as this place, perhaps you are looking to add to your summer maternity wardrobe this week.  Blossom Mother and Child, the ultimate in high-end maternity fashion, launched its 40% off Summer Sale this week with much of its Spring/Summer 2009 line included in the sale.  Click here to browse the entire sale. Three of the items I purchased and raved about here in February are not only all part of the sale, but are also still available in a wide range of sizes. If you are only looking to buy one piece, go for the Maternity Safari Shirt at left, selling here for the reduced price of GBP 59 (USD $98).  Available in both blue and white, this 100% cotton shirt is perfect for the hot summer days ahead and is a key basic for your maternity wardrobe.  And, it is such a beautiful shirt, I am still wearing mine two months postpartum (the buttons at the neckline allow for easy nursing access).

The Silk Georgette Maternity Pleat Top is also part of the sale and is reduced to GBP 131 (USD $217) here (it was originally priced at GBP 219).  Still a bit of a splurge, this top is, however, guaranteed to have a prominent place in your non-maternity wardrobe.  I wore it often at the tail-end of my pregnancy, so it does work through the third trimester (I did need to wear a tank top underneath). But it is such a well-tailored top–there are small pleats at the empire waist rather than elastic–that it also manages to work well as a non-maternity tunic top.

Unbuttoned Maternity is offering 25% off sitewide for today (Monday) only.  Click here to shop the site and enter code “SUMMER25″ when you check out.  Sale items are also included in today’s discount.  This site is worth browsing through, they carry common, easy-to-find maternity brands like Maternal America, Olian and Momzee, but they also have a few items from FEM, T-Bags’ Maternity line, from NOM, from Storksak, and from J Brand Denim.  It isn’t the widest online selection out there, but you may get lucky.  They do have Serfontaine’s new Maternity Boyfriend Jean available here in all sizes for USD $196, about USD $147 with the discount.

I try very hard not to be swayed by celebrity maternity fashion, so I tend to ignore what most of the starlets are wearing during their pregnancies.  After all, those of us who are not Nicole Richie can’t fit into Balenciaga pants when we are with child, let alone afford them in the first place.  But I recently came across this photo of “Gossip Girl” actress Kelly Rutherford in a beautiful Paulina Maternity summer dress and I felt compelled to share it with you.  I LOVE “Gossip Girl.”  I feel I am entitled to such guilty, mindless pleasures while I am stranded here in the Middle Eastern desert and I have been known to check iTunes about 25 times a day on Tuesdays waiting for the new episode to appear so I can download it and watch.  It is going to be a very long summer without Serena, Blair, and Chuck.

But I simply had to blog about Kelly Rutherford’s breezy, white cotton maternity dress (Kelly plays Lily on “Gossip Girl”).  I am not simply admiring Kelly’s maternity fashion from afar, I do actually own this dress and bought it from Paulina Maternity at the tail end of my pregnancy thinking it would be perfect for those last few hot weeks.  It is called the “Never Ending Story” dress and it is absolutely lovely.  It is ideal for those hot summer days and evenings that stretch ahead of you in July and August.  The 3/4 sleeves may not be what you have in mind for a hit summer day, but they do do wonders for covering up pregnancy-induced upper arm fat.

I will tell you, this dress is perfect if you are really, truly, very pregnant.  And if you are very early on in your pregnancy, it can be cute as well.  It also works if you are still trying to camouflage your pregnancy or if you’ve just had a baby and are trying to disguise your new muffintop.  But note that it has no definition around the middle (no empire waist, no sash in the back) and if you are in that second-trimester stage where you just kind of look pudgy, this dress may not be your most flattering bet.  The Never Ending Story Dress is available here for USD $259 and is still available in all sizes.  Paulina Maternity’s line definitely runs small, order the next size up to make sure it fits.

Being pregnant and trying to stay on trend by continuing to wear skinny jeans is a serious fashion commitment.  Unless you are Nicole Richie, who does not seem to expand anywhere but her belly when she is pregnant, it is hard to pull on those skinnies in that third trimester.  If you are lucky enough to still be able to fit them over your swollen legs and pull them all the way up, comfort has to be very low on your priority list.  I own just about every pair of maternity skinnies out there and I’ll be honest, I had to give them all up toward the end.  Managing to get them on in the ninth month was virtually undoable and I certainly couldn’t walk around in them.

The more forgiving, straight-leg maternity jean seems to me a perfectly acceptable fashion compromise for the extremely pregnant woman and I just discovered that J Brand has released its straight-leg maternity jeans in a new color for Fall 2009.  They are now not only available in the very dark Indigo color, but also in this lighter color, Ocean.  Saks Fifth Avenue now has both colors for sale in all sizes here for USD $187.  Go crazy and invest in them both for the summer and for fall. J Brand makes very comfortable, well-designed maternity jeans (notwithstanding the inevitably uncomfortable maternity skinnies) with the elastic panels sewn into the existing waistband.  And, having a few different pairs of maternity jeans to pick from is a very good idea, especially since you’ll be wearing them long after you give birth.  If this is your first pregnancy, I can safely advise you that your pre-pregnancy jeans will be the “last frontier,” so to speak–meaning you won’t fit back into them until you have really lost all of your baby weight.

I have found J Brand maternity jeans to run small, so I would order one size up from your pre-pregnancy size.

Just a quick weekend note to let you know that my beloved Juicy Couture stretch maternity corduroys are reduced by 40% at Bellydance Maternity.  If it’s half as hot where you are as it is here in Jerusalem, I understand it might be difficult to think about buying corduroys right now. But they have them available in this great fawn color, a perfect basic for your fall maternity wardrobe.  And they are only USD $100, discounted from the usual retail price of USD $168. Sizes are limited so click here to buy now. I also highly recommend these as a postpartum option, so think about buying even if you are due to deliver at the end of the summer.  They are very fitted and run a bit small, so I suggest buying one size up if you want to wear them throughout your pregnancy.

In all my years of online maternity shopping, I never before received a notice of a sitewide online sale at Mama-la-Mode, the UK-based, high-end maternity boutique…until today.  Maybe it’s the bad economy, maybe it’s the weakening British pound, or maybe I am now somehow on the right email list.  It doesn’t matter–I am excited to use the 20% off sitewide promotion that is running from today through the weekend (June 15) when you type in code “SS09″ at checkout.  Mama-la-Mode does carry maternity clothing, but it also carries non-maternity clothing it deems pregnancy-appropriate.  Non-maternity clothing that can be worn by a pregnant woman in the earlier stages of her pregnancy also tends to be perfect for us postpartum women who are not quite fitting back into our pre-pregnancy wardrobes.  I blogged before about Mama-la-Mode’s exquisite beach cover-ups, exclusively designed for them by Lotus London. Well now those kaftans, as well as everything else on the site, is on sale.  This periwinkle Anais Poncho I purchased (and love now even more than when I blogged about it) is priced here (in periwinkle) and here (in aqua glass) at approximately USD $300 with the discount (reduced from USD $375).  This is a must-have if you have something to hide at the beach. but want to look chic while you are hiding it.

Mama-la-Mode also recently received a new collection of silk maxi dresses designed by Lotus London.  These are what I will be using my promotional discount for.  Normally priced at USD $285, they are reduced to USD $228 with the promotion.  Click here to view Mama-la-Mode’s entire Lotus London collection.

You can also find a nice selection of maternity jeans, as well as items from maternity designers such as Blossom, Michael Stars, and Amoralia.  Just make sure you know whether you are buying a maternity item or simply an item that Mama-la-Mode has deemed suitable for maternity.  You don’t want to mistakenly buy yourself an $1800 Temperley gown that is simply “pregnancy-friendly” when you are 32 weeks pregnant and can’t even pull a “pregnancy-friendly” piece of clothing on past your neck.

My apologies for the infrequent blogging last week. James’ nursery school director abruptly decided to cut the school year short by a few weeks (such things are acceptable here, you just have to go with it) and so as of last week, he has been home with me all day.  Being home all day with four boys under the age of two and a half does not allow for a lot of “me” time.  Suffice it to say, I did not even manage to shower every day last week, let alone update my blog.  James did participate in a very adorable “graduation” ceremony in which he performed the chicken dance. Here he is in his chicken costume, a yellow tutu.  Now, I know I often complain about complete strangers here in Israel offering me unsolicited advice, but the problem reached its pinnacle at James’ graduation ceremony.  At the graduation, one of the other parents decided it was appropriate to take me aside and explain to me that he thought James was a “troubled” child and that I was well-advised to purchase two sheep, have them slaughtered, and give the meat to the poor, all as a sacrifice in James’ name.  This way, he said, James will be protected from whatever was causing him to misbehave.  When I explained to this father that I felt James was simply an average, naughty two-and-a-half year old boy and under no circumstances would I be buying two sheep and having them slaughtered, he asked me if I was a vegetarian.  As if the only obvious reason I would not engage in an animal sacrifice ritual in my son’s name was because I was a vegetarian.  Twenty days and counting until my plane lands in New York City for the summer…

While I spend my days fielding parenting advice from strangers, I seem to spend my nights nursing…constantly.  And while I have experimented over the past 7 weeks with various nursing gowns, I keep returning to Bella Materna’s nursing gowns.
I’ve blogged about them before but if you haven’t bought one yet, do so now.  Bella Materna’s nursing gowns are simply the best out there–they provide enough support so you don’t have to wear a nursing bra underneath, they don’t stretch out (even after three pregnancies), they are made from this great nylon/lycra fabric that dries very fast, and they are even kind of flattering.  The Bella Materna nursing gown comes in a knee-length style here (USD $98) and a calf-length style ($118), although for some reason the calf-length style is called the “Sexy Lounge Dress” here on the website.  Don’t let the marketing ploy confuse you–it is basically the nursing gown in a longer style.  These are not inexpensive nursing gowns, but they are also perfect for maternity wear and they certainly do last.  As I type this, I am wearing one I bought in early 2006 when I found out I was pregnant with James.  It still fits perfectly and provides great support (most of my nursing wear from my first pregnancy did not last through my third one).  Make sure not to put them in the dryer though, I found that did contribute to stretching them out.

If you’ve ever shopped for children’s clothing in Europe, you’ve likely wandered into or at least heard of Polarn o Pyret.  The Swedish-based children’s clothing line designs adorable children’s clothing made from extremely high-quality cotton…and all for very reasonable prices.  Having just pulled out some of the Polarn o Pyret pieces I bought two summers ago while in Sweden, I was amazed what good shape they were in even after James and the twins had grown out of them.  Baby Leighton will soon be wearing them yet again (the poor child is fated for a life of hand-me-downs). They are best known for their classic striped clothing like the romper at left. I have several of these rompers–they make great, long-lasting pajamas and come in both baby and toddler sizes.
Anyway, Polarn o Pyret just launched a US-based online store where you can purchase the children’s clothing.  The new website has received a good bit of attention, but what much of the coverage has not mentioned is that Polarn o Pyret also sells maternity clothing.  Their maternity clothing, like the children’s line, is well-designed, of superior quality, and lasts a long time.  Not to mention the prices are quite good.  When I shopped at the store in Stockholm during my second pregnancy, I fell in love with their basics–T-shirts, tank tops, and little black dresses.  I still have all of the items I bought there and they have lasted through two pregnancies.  Check out their online maternity collection here–it is still small, but I am hoping for expansion as the maternity collection is discovered stateside. This little black halter-neck dress is selling here for USD $70 and a similarly designed tank top is selling here for USD $42–both have a halter neck but a built-in sports bra so pregnant ladies don’t have to worry about the whole maternity bra situation.  As with most things, the Swedes most definitely know what they are doing when it comes to superior design (IKEA anyone?)

I didn’t remind everybody about the Yummie Tummie online sample sale yesterday because I’ve come to the conclusion that their tops are not only uncomfortable, but also useless when it comes to concealing one’s postpartum tummy.  I agree that as far as shapewear goes, Yummie Tummie’s are nice looking and can be worn as layering pieces, rather than hidden underneath other garments.  Even the nursing tops look like regular camisoles.  And as far as a camisole goes, they offer as much support as a nursing bra, which is great.

But here is the problem–Yummie Tummie boasts that its tops are made from a dual fiber technology that takes five pounds off of your midsection and that the extra-long design gets rid of muffintops.  The nursing tops are supposed to “slim and smooth that new, stubborn mommy middle.” But the damned tops roll up if you actually have the least bit of a stomach.  This model wearing the top doesn’t seem to plagued in the least bit by a “new, stubborn mommy middle” and she looks perfectly comfortable in her Yummie Tummie top, while I am completely miserable in mine.  I’ve been trying to wear the tops underneath dresses and it’s impossible because ten minutes after I’ve gotten dressed, the tops have rolled up to my waist and actually make me look even pudgier than I am. It seems to me that you need to have a virtually flat stomach to prevent the tops from rolling up–which, let’s be honest, seems to contradict the purpose of wearing the top in the first place.  Yummie Tummie’s designers need to add some kind of grip to the bottom hem of the shirt to ensure that when a recently pregnant woman wear the top, it doesn’t end up in a bunch underneath her clothing.  I am very disappointed because I bought several of their nursing tops while I was still pregnant and they are not inexpensive at USD $82 each. I was hoping they’d allow me to fit into some of my pre-pregnancy clothing while still wearing a nursing bra–clearly not the case.  And now I am stuck with them, waiting for my belly to shrink enough that I can wear them without having to pop into a bathroom every few minutes and reach underneath my skirt to yank them down.  By the time that happens, I probably won’t even be nursing anymore.  Sorry to complain so much, but maybe this will help prevent some of you from making the investment in Yummie Tummie’s nursing tops only to find out that whole enticing promise to slim and smooth your mommy middle is a marketing ploy to get you to buy an $82 camisole that will make you look worse than if you weren’t wearing it in the first place.  Steer clear!