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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! I tried both the Brief as well as the Belly Band. Both were great and so supportive.

I loved that the brief was comfortable, didn’t ride up (or fall down, a problem I have been having with my regular underwear!), and fit perfectly around my belly and waist. The Belly Band is perfect to wear for layered looks. All of the Belevation products are made with a unique, seamless, four-way stretch microfiber construction with moisture wicking, breathable mesh that is extremely comfortable. 

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. Enjoy!"

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.

January 2011.  Even South Carolina is looking like a frozen tundra this week.  So, under the circumstances, a bad economy and iced-over roads, the occasion is perfect to dig-into your Netflix account and tour the world for nine dollars a month. 

Who can forget Julia Roberts depicting the true story of Erin Brockovich uncovering information about toxic dumping in her town? Haven't seen it? Well, change that up when the kiddies get to bed tonight.

Another wonderful Mom-Flick that will pull at your heartstrings is the true story of two 9-11 widows who each gave birth shortly after losing their husbands. Through their common tragic circumstances, depicted in the film Beyond Belief, Susan Retik and Patti Quigley made an instant connection with one another.

Needing to get beyond their grieving, they find the strength together to embark on a spiritual bike ride from Ground Zero, home to Boston. Conceived as fundraiser for Afghan widows, this beautiful film chronicals their travel to Afghanistan and the two womens realization that we are all connected. Their goal lives on through the organization they founded, Beyond the 11th.

Speaking about fundraisers, another personal favorite is the 2003 British success Calendar Girls, also a true story about a bunch of old girls who go bare to raise money for a couch in the local hospitals cancer wing.  To date, they have raised more than two million British Lbs. for Leukemia research, leaving the role of a determined woman not to be underestimated. How's that for Mom inspiration on a snowy day?

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.

July 21st 2010  -  Guidelines back vaginal births after C-sections by Denise Grady- New York Times The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has issued a new set of medical guidelines meant to make it easier for women to find doctors and hospitals that will allow vaginal birth after Cesarean, or VBAC (pronounced vee-back). In 1985, only 6.6 percent of women with prior Cesareans were giving birth normally, but by 1996 the rate had risen to 28%.  In 1999 though, this trend was dramatically reversed when the Obstetrician's group issued a warning that surgical and anesthesia teams were required to be present in case an emergency C-section was necessary.

Word spread, particularly in smaller hospitals (due to the extra costs involved in having a team of Docs just waiting around) and VBAC'S were again strongly discouraged. In March of this year, the National Institutes of Health gathered a team of experts to examine this issue.  The panel re-affirmed that vaginal birth was safe for many woman with past Cesareans, and they urged the OBGYN'S to reassess their guidelines. The main worry is the risk of uterine rupture during labor, which can severely harm both mother and child, and would require immediate surgery.

Like earlier guidelines, the new theory says that vaginal birth is safe for most women after C-section providing that the cut in their uterus was low and horizontal.  (It should be noted that 60-80% of women that attempt VBAC succeed.) Personally, I'd tell women to do whatever feels right for you. When my own son was 2.5 weeks late, and the OB told me he was over 9 lbs and his head hadn't dropped,  I told them to make me an appointment.  And not to be induced, but for a C-section. Ironically, my young doctor had done his post-doctoral study project on reducing C-sections.  And then he met me.  I smiled through the event, and haven't regretted it since.

Belevation Support Garments were featured in the 2010 Charlotte Parent Baby Guide.  Included in a collection of  "Itsy Bits and Pieces",  the Belevation Support Brief was shown with a group of products that make things easier for mom and babies.

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.

On March 24th, 2009 Belevation staff traveled to New York's 5th Avenue to the top floor of The American Girl Store, where Big City Moms holds their annual "Biggest Baby Shower Ever" event.

An expatriate New Yorker, this Belevation staffer enjoyed the thrill of hundreds of pregnant woman all in one room for this exciting event. It was a great opportunity to get feedback from so many sophisticated expectant mothers all at once, as well as viewing other exciting products new to the maternity marketplace.

Among the many terrific people I met that evening were Vivian Chiang, co-founder of Orbit Stroller and the wonderful ladies from Keeping Babies Safe. Check out more about the Big City Moms Biggest Baby Showers Ever events. We <3 it! 

Belevation, LLC is pleased to announce the launch of their new collection of maternity support products available for direct on-line sales. Just what expectant moms have been asking for, Belevation™ products combine the most advanced technologies in seamless garment design with the best in ‘smart fiber’ engineering. Comfort-driven seamless knitting which has been utilized in active wear and undergarments, provided a perfect fit for maternity apparel.

Available in a Mid-thigh PettiPant, a Brief and Support Band, Belevation Maternity garments are designed with a symmetrical, highly engineered support panel extending through the lumbar region and under the belly. The breathable four-way stretch fabric used throughout provides a gentle lift and smoothing control.

Conceived by a Mom and Pop team in South Carolina, this unique line of Belevation mother-to-be products surpasses all other support garments currently on the market due to its sophisticated feature-rich construction. 

More than just another bellyband holding up pre-pregnancy jeans, Belevation was created as an under-layer, imparting the ultimate in comfort and support where it is needed most.

Richly embellished with a jacquard design on the breathable tummy pouch, and an embroidered logo, Belevation garments are outstanding due to their state-of-the-art features.  It is these carefully crafted details that set Belevation apart from other similar products made overseas with lightweight fabrics that offer little real support.

It was the gracious assistance of numerous pregnant volunteer models and product testers, that made the creation of Belevation products possible, and the response has been truly overwhelming!

“ I love the product so much! I wear them daily!” Whitney, Charlotte, NC “I have enjoyed the support band. I wish I had one for my prior two pregnancies. Great for exercising.” Carrie, Fort Mill, SC “Wearing your Belevation Boyshort I was able to sit on the floor with my toddler and read five books, when usually I can only read one before my back starts aching.  I have worn it everyday since I received it because it has made such a difference.” Joy, Torrance, CA "I definitely feel a difference at the end of a long day after I’ve worn my Belevation – less back pain” LeeAna, Charlotte, NC

Produced with pride in the USA, Belevation products will add much needed comfort for expectant mothers.

Seamless knitting from Circular Knit Services, Belevation's parent co. was featured in the November 2007 issue of Apparel Magazine. With involvement in textile and apparel development for more than two decades, Belevation staffers were well-equipted to design a terrific line of Seamless Maternity Support Garments.

Apparel Magazine is the leading resource for global apparel executives and has been serving the industry  for over 40 years.   Circular Knit Services was featured in the monthly Concept to Spec column, written by Jordan Spear, Apparel's Editor in Chief.