Unfortunately, we can only send out a few free samples every month or else we won’t be able to pay the electric bill. (It takes a lot of juice to make maternity panties.)

Just before Christmas, we sent out some samples to two favorite websites. For northern moms we selected – Baby Alert Canada, because we like blogger Lina Zussinos emphasis on helping readers save money. Here’s Lina on You Tube:

Read Lina’s review of Belevation’s Yoga Pant. Here’s what she had to say:

“I wore the pant to a prenatal yoga class, the other ladies quickly noticed my added support around my tummy and lower back, questioning where I had bought them. I wear the Belevation yoga pant all the time even when I’m not doing yoga! With having a small petite frame the added weight is giving my
back a hard time, but wearing the Belevation Yoga pant really helps.”

Look out Lululemon, Belevation has arrived in Canada at 1/2 the price of your bottoms. Belevation products are seamless and are designed for prenatal yoga.

We can’t forget our other review this week from Amber Stiles, a writer for AskMissA. Technorati describes Andrea Rodgers, MissA as a DC Socialite, with abundant impeccable taste and Southern charm who dishes out advice, reccomendations and her views.

A site where charity meets style, MissA has been building an empire with hundreds of writers in 20 US cities, highlighting topics of interest to women. Chick Power!

Belevation is pleased to be featured on AskMissA and is delighted that writer Amber Stiles ordered a bunch more Belevation briefs from our website after completing her review. Every girl knows that one pair of great Maternity panties
is never enough. Be sure to read Amber’s review and to use the MissA coupon code on the Belevation website check-out screen for 15% off on all products.

Belevation Maternity Support was reviewed by Jen Thomas from Mommies with Style on March 16th, 20011. It is a cool mom-resource site from the Philadelphia area with a lot of great coupons on there!

Here’s what she had to say about the products she tested :

“At 28 weeks pregnant with my third child, I am pretty big. Yet I am still active chasing my two boys around, working, and trying to stay fit at the gym and playing tennis.

However, lately, I have noticed how hard it is wearing my regular underwear and feeling a total lack of support. I happened to have some Belevation under- garments in my drawer that they were kind enough to send me to sample.

I gave them a try and was SO THRILLED with the comfort and support that I had throughout the day around my belly. I wish I had tried these undergarments sooner!

Belevation also offers a cute Boy Short and is coming out with a great-looking Yoga pant soon, too! Now that I have discovered and tried the Belevation undergarments, I will not go to the gym or play tennis without wearing one. It’s almost a necessity to keep me comfortable.

Every mother-to-be should have a pair or two of these great products to keep them feeling as comfortable as possible! Even better? Take $4.00 off your purchase using code MWS. Enjoy!”

With four feature films scheduled to release in 2011, Natalie will be able to rest on her laurels and hang out in sweat pants (her preferred pregnancy attire), taking it easy till her due date. For the rest of us it’s a different story.

Twenty five years ago, Working Mother Magazine launched their first best companies initiative. They challenged companies to address the unique needs of working mothers. “This years Working Mothers Best 100 Companies list sets the bar higher than ever with each company offering a menu of benefits including flextime, telecommuting, and temporary part-time work options.”

Impressive, but when surfing a bit more, I noticed Working Mother’s Best Companies for Hourly Workers. Sadly, only 12 US companies made that cut.

Working Mother’s Jennifer Owens said it all. “America runs on hourly workers.  We know that for too many of these women, a disheartening combination of rigid shift hours coupled with unpredictable scheduling can take a toll on family life.”

Pressure may be mounting for the nations retailers and other large employers of hourly workers to make changes though. This past April, Wal-Mart lost a landmark sex-discrimination suit originally filed in 2001.

More than 1 million women could be included in the largest class-action suit ever which claims that female workers were paid less than male colleagues and were given fewer promotions.

Since the suit was first introduced in 2001, Wal-Mart has attempted to improve its public image including efforts to appear more eco-friendly.  This week, the company announced their latest effort with First Lady Michelle Obama to “Make Foods Healthier and Foods More Affordable.”

Just think of the possibilities. Perhaps in time, the frazzled Wal-Mart Moms of America will morph into Natalie Portman look-alikes, each winning an Academy Award for the many roles they juggle throughout the week.

As for Natalie, she can look forward to receiving a package of Belevation Support Briefs in the mail. I hope she will be wearing them under her gown at the Oscars.

With content geared for expectant moms, and continuing for parents of preschool, elementary school, tweens and teens, Charlotte Parent is a one-stop resource for the NC region and beyond.

A free local publication, Charlotte Parent is a member of the Parenting Publications of America.  Without a doubt this fabulous publication and it’s sister organizations around the country should be applauded for the criticial support resources they provide for American families.

For more visit www.charlotteparent.com