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Just in time to ring in the New Year in style, I couldn't wait to preview our Facebook book give-away for February - Preggatinis, Mixology for the Mom-to-Be. Author, Natalie Bovis-Nelsen is a Los Angeles mixologist and is the spokesperson for several household-name spirits and wine companies, including Fre, a division of Sutter Wines. Published in 2009, Bovis-Nelsen's book has definitely made a big hit on the mommy scene, with it's fun cocktails and great photographs.

The recipes center around healthful fresh juices and herbs and are especially great for baby showers. Cleverly organized by trimester, there's something for everyone in this pocket size manual, with a few alcohol cocktails offered to keep things interesting for Dad.

Perfect for those expecting on this New Years Eve, if you still want to enjoy the festive holiday atmosphere and great if you're currently breast feeding too.

Many of Natalie's (aka The Liquid Muse) wonderful recipes can be found on the Fre Wine website. Too late to turn back now, 2012 is definitely right around the corner. So, how about enjoying a Merry Berry Basil Mojito? Natalie Bovis-Nelsen, author of Preggatinis, Mixology for the Mom-to-Be

This afternoon I spent some quiet time researching our Belevation mom-to-be give-away for December, The Baby Name Wizard by Laura Wattenberg. I first learned about Wattenberg's book and accompanying website while listening to an NPR program on baby naming.

Her impressive research and groundbreaking computer models examine name usage and popularity over the last hundred years in the 2005 book. Quoted in recent articles in both the New York Times and Time Magazine, Wattenberg, once a name-searching mom herself, said that people hunger to be different these days. 

A result of the internet, a 2010 survey on the pop-culture website Lil-Sugar indicated that 64% of new parents Google their baby name picks before making final choices. Makes sense to see what unknowns may be lurking on your child's "domain" prior to taking the leap.

If you are in a name shopping mode, it's important to enjoy the process, even though it is one of your life's most important decisions. With tools like Wattenberg's Baby Name Wizard, there are now amazing resources to help you with the search. While reading the Times article, I learned about Kick to Pick - a newly released iphone app that claims to let your child pick their own name. Also available for iPod Touches, the app " generates names while monitoring the baby's movements. Any kick detected will then stop the generator at the baby's chosen name, ready for the parents to accept their child's choice or dismiss the name and start their search again." Available for .99 cents, it's definitely a game-changer to think of your baby participating in picking their own name.

If you are interested in upholding more parental control, here's a simple method. You and hubby can make separate favorite lists from a baby name book, narrowing the search to a few alphabet letters that honor loved ones (deceased or alive depending on your tradition). Hopefully there will be at least one name in common on each of your lists. No matter how you do it, possibly combining several of these methods - have fun!

I don't know about you, but I believe in divine intervention.  It was that kind of moment, when Monique from Fort Bragg, NC wrote to me on our Belevation Facebook page. Several months ago, we decided to add a XL size to our line of Belevation Maternity garments.

We began making Support Bands and PettiPants in the new Plus, pre-pregnancy 16-18 size. Everything was going well, but two problems dragged out the process of adding the new size range. For one thing, my husband/our technical director - is a perfectionist. Months had gone by while he continued to perfect our seamless Belevation Support Brief.  

I began to wonder if we would ever be ready to add our new XL sizing? Finally, after much attention - perfecting the brief, it was time to find a fit model to give them a test run. And then that evening, out of the blue - I received a note from Monique.

"Are you going to add plus sizes ever" she asked? Monique is herself an army veteran, a military wife and the mother of six boys ranging in age from 21 to 1!  Twenty-four weeks pregnant with her seventh, Monique explained "that depending on if something runs large or small", she wears anywhere "from an 18-20 to a 22-24 (or 2x/3x)".

Unsure how our new Belevation XL size would measure-up, we sent a package to Monique, in Fort Bragg. One of the largest and busiest military complexes in the world, Bragg is home to almost 10 percent of the Army's active component forces. We were glad to help Monique and were hopeful that she would like what she received. An email arrived from her in my inbox around noon time the next day. "I received the package and I love them! I will say that its definitely NOT a 16-18. Its more like a 20-26 That is my normal size for most maternity clothes, and I fit in these just fine with room to grow the belly and no pinching etc. These are sooo comfortable! I am really impressed!"

Monique's feedback was an affirmation that our new Belevation XL size will be comfortable for a wide range of larger women.  I guess all that special attention to detail paid off. And our other problem, our X-large labels had gotten lost on their way to us and had to be remade. Well - finally they arrived today! With patience and a bit of divine intervention, all things are possible. Just ask Monique about patience, as she is soon to be the mother of her seventh boy! Please give our new Belevation Plus size a try. We definitely know you'll like it! 

While doing PR work for Belevation, I have been in contact with an amazing group of women! Amy Tara Koch, author of the 2010 Random House pregnancy book, Bump It Up is one of those special people.

A Chicago mother, Amy is a style expert and trend reporter at numerous media outlets including NBC, Vogue and USA Today - to name just a few. With adorable illustrations and a humorous style, Bump It Up found it's way to my list of books for Belevation's upcoming Facebook give-aways.

"A cheat sheet to chic" Amy's pregnancy primer "shows moms-to-be how a handful of basics can yield dozens of jaw-dropping maternity ensembles."

You can follow Amy on her Bump It Up Style Blog . While you are there, take note of her Aug 30th post Serving Up: An Extra Dose of Support for Bellies, Boobs and Backs.  We were excited to learn that for the 2nd & 3rd trimester, Amy highlighted Belevation's Brief and PettiPant as that extra dose of support!

Using "strategic layering", Amy's easy tips transform pregnancy from frumpy to elegant. They say "it's what's underneath that counts..." So, take advantage of Belevation's affordable pricing and everyday free shipping for a perfect 1st layer to support your growing belly. Thank you for the mention - Amy!

This week there's not only one, but there's two, Mom-Blog Belevation give-away's going on!  I've been surfing the mom-blogosphere like crazy and it's simply amazing. What a vast community of intelligent moms blogging from all around the USA!  In June, we ran a Band give-away on I Still Hate Pickles in Houston.

This month, we are heading north and south at the same time. (Mom Power!) Michelle from Georgia, seen on this beautiful southern front porch, writes The Not So-Secret Confessions of a 2nd Time Mom. I caught up with Michelle, a recent business school graduate, busy mother to 2yr. old Noah, and a blogger.

We mailed her a Belevation Support Band to try-out and here's what she had to say: "The Belevation band is great! It really offers a lot of support to my belly and back! I feel like I have awesome coverage and don't have to worry about my back or the bottom of my belly showing when I'm wearing it.

 Amy, a first time mom and accountant, who writes the Heard it from the Hills blog, from Illinois agreed to review our Yoga Culotte.  (*Please note Belevation has discontinued this item for now, sorry.)

"At 27 weeks, my baby bump is starting to put a strain on my petite frame. I was researching support products, when I received an email from Belevation regarding the launch of their new collection of maternity garments. I found the Belevation Yoga Culotte to be very comfortable and supportive. The blend of Nylon and Spandex Micro-Fiber allows the fabric to be lightweight and easily stretch and move with me, which is especially important to me while exercising, doing housework, and running errands.

I really like how the Belevation Yoga Culotte has an integrated Tummy Support Panel, to give me a gentle lift, while the tummy portion of the panel is super soft and stretchy to perfectly fit and expand around my growing belly. I think the Tummy Support Panel of the Belevation Culotte would provide me with some extra support post-pregnancy, too."

Amy's Belevation give-away on Heard it from the Hills ends on Sunday, August 7th at 11:59 PM, while Michelle's on The Not So-Secret Confessions of a 2nd Time Mom ends on Monday, August 8th also at 11:59. Check each site for guidelines and thanks for your interest in Belevation Maternity Support garments!

A couple of years ago, Cheers actor John Ratzenberger, came through our southern county on a national bus tour for his television show, Made in America, which ran on the Travel Channel from 2004 through 2008.

The following short film was shown to the audience, in the old court house in Rock Hill, South Carolina. With textile machines of our own that no longer hum with the sweet sound of productivity, the issue hit close to home.

All of Belevation's production, assembly and components are made entirely here in North and South Carolina. In today's globalized marketplace, that makes us rather unique. Life as a dinosaur, is not easy though. Mom and Pops have been driven out of our quaint downtown's.

Big box stores have conquered the turf in the hardware, drug and office supply markets (to name just a few) all across America. And when you pick up most of the products in those cavernous buildings, you will be hard-pressed to find much still made in the USA.

As we watch our national trade-deficit continue to balloon, there are those across American trying to reclaim our manufacturing and retail past, like John Ratzenberger and folks in Oregon, at this cool Portland based buy local group.

In the past month, Belevation's US made production has been featured by several of these organizations. On the terrific Still Made in USA website, Belevation Maternity can be found under both the active wear and lingerie categories.

Stephanie, the sites webmaster notes that "The loss of American manufacturing jobs has meant hardship for families and entire communities. Many (domestic companies )are barely hanging on, and unless consumers make an effort to support them, the choice to buy American-made will be gone."

Consider what opportunities you have in your daily life to support local businesses and buy American products. By doing so, you are making a huge, positive impact in your community for our collective future.

Earlier in the month of May we received this email from Nikki, a pregnant mom in California: "Hello! I am doing the Bay to Breakers race in San Francisco and am 20 weeks along. My back has begun to ache at times and I researched extensively the other support options and really want the Belevation Belly Band." We express shipped the Belevation Band to Nikki in time for the race, and asked her for product feedback. Here's what she had to say:

"I absolutely loved the Belevation Support Band. It was amazing! I planned on walking the 7.5 miles, since I really hadn't run since the very beginning of my pregnancy, but as I started walking, I was feeling so good, that I ended up running about 4.5 miles of it. I felt great, a bit sore afterwards, but a healthy sore. I can't tell you the difference that it made for me! I didn't even have any round ligament pain, or any lower back pain. My husband ran the whole thing and he then tried to find me to finish up with me, but apparently I was going so fast, that he completely missed me.

It was such an amazing feeling to feel good and run again! This is my 3rd pregnancy and I know how it CAN feel. I even ran into a friend I hadn't seen since high school (20 years ago!) and he said I looked exactly the same since he'd last seen me. Love that!!!! I have been talking Belevation up to my prenatal yoga group and they are all super interested. Thanks again for such an awesome product!"

Here's several links to helpful websites about running during pregnancy: Running During Pregnancy from BabyCenter.Com Running During Pregnancy from BabyFit.com Running Goals During Pregnancy From RunnersWorld.com Always listen to your body's signals, as Nikki did during her recent Bay to Breakers Race, so you don't push yourself too much. Check out our other maternity underwear and clothing.

During the past month I have read about several amazing advances in the area of prenatal medicine.  Results of a long awaited $22.5 million study on spina bifida surgery were published February 9th by The New England Journal of Medicine.

A neural tube disorder, spina bifida can be reduced by up to 75% with a diet rich in Vitamin B6, so don't skimp on your Vitamin B intake before or during pregnancy. About half the babies in the study were randomly selected for traditional surgery after birth, while the rest underwent the procedure as a fetus between 19 and 26 weeks of pregnancy.

Results showed that the group that had surgery in utero "were nearly two times as likely to walk without crutches at 30 months", said study co-author, Dr Scott Adzick, chief of pediatric surgery at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.  

Additionally, news came this week from Greece about the successful development of a prenatal blood test that could help women avoid the invasive procedures currently used to diagnose Down syndrome, a gene mutation that causes a form of mental retardation.

While currently used tests such as amniocentesis are only about 80% accurate and also carry a small risk of miscarriage, the new test (which is not expected to be available for a year or two), is believed to offer a 100% accuracy rate and can also be done earlier. Truly awesome.

What did you expect Uncle Sam?  You are just an Uncle and Moms rule!  On February 10th the Internal Revenue Service announced that breast pumps and other related supplies will now be tax deductible. This reverses a prior IRS ruling which deemed this costly equipment an unallowable medical expense.

New York Times parenting writer Lisa Belkin quotes her colleague David Kocieniewski in a January 24th column, Tax Codes and Baby Food. Kocieniewski asks why "dentures wearers and acne sufferers get tax breaks on their medically necessary supplies" and mom doesn't?

In a positive move which lead to the reversal an 88 page "Call to Action to Support Breast -Feeding" was issued by US surgeon general Regina Benjamin in mid-January. With an intro by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, this document highlights the common barriers to breast-feeding.

Definitely not always as simple as ye old wives make it out to be, it's critical for new moms to start off the experience in a positive way. Lactation Consultants can provide this help and are located in most major cities. To minimize Janet Jackson wardobe moments check out the fab mom-designed nursing tops at GlamourMom.com.

I saw them at Big City Moms Biggest Baby Shower and would definitely want to spend some of my tax deduction gains on their website. In related news, a provision of the health care bill passed by Congress in 2010 requires that work places with 50 or more employees must guarantee women the right to use a breast pump at work in a private setting.

In her April 9, 2010 Motherlode column, Lisa Belkin addresses these changes. Belkin highlights that this new ruling will close the gap on this issue for women who are hourly workers without private offices, and without ample time during the day to express their breast milk. Moms spend all day everyday taking care of everyone else.  It's about time these new Federal laws begin to take care of Mom.

The abundance of choices on the net these days for moms is nothing short of amazing. New to motherhood? Well, isolation is a thing of the past, thanks to the thousands of quality sites that have popped on the mom-web galaxy. Nowadays, all geographic areas have mom sites that highlight that locales upcoming events and resources.

Boston Mamas, founded in 2006 by Christine Koh, (a Beantown Mom with a Ph D in music and brain science),   "is a one-stop resource for families in the Boston area and beyond". On Boston Mamas you can find out what's happening weekly from Arlington to Wellesley, and everywhere in-between. The easy to navigate search engine helps users swap baby gear, find families with similar age kids or adhere to the shop locally movement.

New York has Big City Moms created in 2003 by a pair of truly amazing sisters, Risa Goldberg and Leslie Venokur, as well as a more recent entry The Pregnant New Yorker, founded last year by Janet Markovits, a prenatal massage therapist.

Here in the Carolinas there's Charlotte Parent, a part of the Parenting Publications of America (whose members include more than 100 parenting publications and websites around the US and in Canada). 

Then, there are the huge sites like Cafe Mom which claims to be the # 1 Internet site for moms and is a virtual empire of motherhood.  Users can join online groups on Cafe Mom based on your location, religion, hobbies or hundreds of other criteria that meet ones needs.  

Or start a new group around a particular topic of interest to you with just a few clicks. When discussing Internet sites for moms, how could we ever forget the trio of slick commercial sites The Knot, The Nest and The Bump .  To prepare you for any life cycle moment a twenty-something can think of, these three linked sister sites are a vast retail encyclopedia targeted toward those who are marrying, setting up a home or expecting the stork.

And lastly a new personal favorite of mine, Babble which recently voted for their 2nd annual 50 Top Mom Blogs. Entries are categorized by type : funniest, best design, most useful, best written etc.... Babble is the 2011 version of your mothers Good Housekeeping Magazine, except so much more. It's linkable, clickable and updated continually instead of in monthly installments which were outdated by the time they arrived at moms mail box or the supermarket check-out counter.

The diversity is extraordinary so there's something out there for everyone in this vast world of mom Internet resources. As mesmerizing as it is though, don't forget to get to the park after nap-time to discuss your finds with the real live moms sitting beside you on the bench.