Pregnancy Spa Day at Spa Dew in Fort Lee,NJ

I have been overwhelmed at some parts of this pregnancy and was in desperate need of a full body massage and a facial. I have been to Massage Envy before for a massage but the service didn’t seem personalized; it’s more of a commercial service like the company if you get my drift. I also had a fabulous male massage therapist but he talked throughout the whole massage, so I didn’t get the relaxation I needed. Therefore, I goggled local spa’s that where small and would give me the proper time, relaxation and dealt with pregnant customers and I came across Spa Dew - Dew beauty& wellness in Fort Lee, NJ.
I called Spa Dew on Sunday around 5pm and I was surprised they were still open that late on a Sunday and I made an appointment for the following day for 12pm. I informed the receptionist, Joy that I wanted a facial, preferably a Microdermabrasion which is a treatment that uses micronized crystals to reduce fine lines, improve scarring, diminish hyper-pigmentation, and smooth rough skin. It leaves your skin softer and refreshed, revives your skin texture and adds a lasting glow to your appearance. This procedure is costly and at Spa Dew it’s is 80 min and cost $155. Joy, told me that they would have to look at my skin to get a better idea of what kind of facial I really needed and what treatment would be best. Also being that I was pregnant she needed to know how many months/weeks I was because they only will see you after you are in your second trimester due to the fact they don’t want to hurt the baby in anyway.

Lockers available

 I arrived to Spa Dew on Monday at around 11:57 am. When I first Stepped it was dim, with tranquil music on with great aroma, however, I was a bit skeptical because there was nobody at the desk so I
looked around for a bell, nothing, so I just ended up sitting down in one of the leather chairs they had. After, waiting 8 minutes one of the employees saw me sitting and came over and handed me a 1 page client info sheet to fill out. Once I finished another employee came and took me to the locker room, where you can put away your belongings in a locker ( No you don’t have to pay a quarter to lock it, it has a lock that you make up your own 4 number password put it in twice and your things are locked up). They had flip flops and a robe laid out for me to put on after I removed my clothing, (I was told to only leave my panties on).

They provide a Robe and Flip Flops

The massage therapist was the original woman that took me to the locker room, but I didn’t know until she was took me from the locker room to the massage room. The spa is owned and operated by Koreans and there was a little bit of a language barrier, but not a main concern for me especially if she was going to give me a great massage (fingers were crossed).
Being that I am pregnant I had to lie on my side the whole time. I was given a pillow for between my legs, which was a big help. I didn’t know what to expect besides some oil and a rub down. However, I got the Prenatal massage which is a Nurturing massage for mother-to-be after the first trimester, designed to assist with relieving pregnancy-related discomforts and benefits both mother and baby, along with warm stone treatment. OH MY, that was the best thing ever. I highly recommend you get that if you never have or wondering how it felt. The oil mixed with the warm stones being massaged onto your skin felt like heaven. I really wanted it to be longer than 50 min, but I was having a facial right after so stayed content with the 50 min session.
After my massage was over I was taken by the facial specialist to another room across the hall that facials are done in. They had about 2/3 room on each side the massage rooms on one side and facial rooms on the other.

Toothbrush, toothpaste, lotion and combs are available

I know how to say Hello in Korean so I greeted the facial therapist with “yeoboseyo” which is hello in Korean. She was surprised and smiled saying you know Korean, I let her know I only knew that word and another which wasn’t a nice word, she laughed as she laid me down on my back, making sure I was comfortable. The owner, whose name is Jasmine came in and asked if my massage was well and what kind of facial I wanted, I told her I wanted Microdermabrsion. Jasmine then took a min and looked at my skin and said the Vitamin facial would be much better for me. the Vitamin facial is an intensive treatment for sensitive, dry or environmentally stressed skin. High potency vitamin C stimulates the vital functions of the skin and revitalizes damaged cells. This formulated treatment repairs and restores by providing vitamins and antioxidants deeply into the dermis level. Leave with refreshed and renewed all over. This facial is about 75 min and cost about $125. It was relaxing as well. After she cleanses your face, she puts a mask on you that has to sit for about 30 min. After she removes the mask she goes over your skin again. I basically slept through the whole facial.


After you’re finished with your treatments and you go back into the locker room, they have brand new toothbrushes still in wrapper to brush your teeth with toothpaste that is also provided and it’s a brand we all know just FYI lol--- Colgate. I took full advantage of because my breath did feel kind of tart after all of that. They also have a hair dryer, lotion, comb, hair spray and bottled water available.
I must say my overall experience at Spa Dew was great, it was clean, staff was friendly and it is very personalized. I definitely recommend Spa Dew but only if you can afford it of course, and I know I will be going back again in the near future.

Cloth Diapers 101

Cloth diapers are back and are the come up with a lot of moms nowadays. When cloth diapers where first out they were a piece of cloth held together by pins, however, there is a new wave of cloth diapers with a totally new style. As a young mother, I used the cloth diapers as a burping cloth, but since the rise in $$$ in disposable diapers, I have been looking into using cloth diapers as diapers and not just burping clothes. Cloth diapers can be a very beneficial diapering option, hence the facts below;

Disposable diapers take up to 500 years to begin to decompose.  

There are chemicals and materials used in disposable diapers that have been deemed unsafe for sanitary products like tampons and pads (hint: gel stuff that disposable diapers have)

Cloth diapers save money, especially if you have more than one child.

They prevent thousands of unnecessary diapers from entering our landfills, lessening the carbon footprint on the earth.

Eliminate the need for repeat manufacturing processes to make, package and transport diapers to stores over and over again.

Limit the amount of raw materials and natural resources, such as crude oil and trees, needed to make your baby's diapers.

Reduce your household waste, using less energy for trash trucks to haul away your baby's diapers each week.

The new cloth diapers are adorable

They actually leak much less than disposables

Also you know exactly what’s going on your baby’s most gentle skin.  

The beauty of cloth diapers is the cost you can save for you,your household and they cater to the very specific needs of you, your child, family and/ or lifestyle.

From Birth to 2.5 years of age

$735.00
Cloth Diapers

                                $2,600                                           
Disposable Diapers

           VS 

                                 

                                                                    

The most amazing aspect of cloth diapering is saving money. Depending on your financial ability, you can invest a few hundred dollars on cloth diapers in comparison to the thousands of dollars you will spend from birth to the age of two and a half. With cloth diapers, you are investing money into a reusable product. Cloth diapers can be used to diaper multiple children over the course of time.

Types of Cloth Diapers

The most convenient type of cloth diapering is an All-In-One (AIO).  An All-In-One system mimics a disposable diaper. one piece diapering system has an inner absorbent layer attached to an outer waterproof layer has adjustable closures (either hook & loop or snaps) at the waist are just like disposable diapers except you wash them

 The least expensive system is the Flat Cloth Diapers. Flats are probably the type of cloth diapers are more old school and what most people picture when they hear the words "cloth diapers." Flats are large rectangles, usually made of a few layers of diaper gauze. They must be folded and fastened with diaper pins or Snappi's. Because they do not have a waterproof layer they must be covered with a separate cover, or wool or fleece diaper cover clothing, unless you choose to let your child go coverless. Flats wash and dry very quickly because they do not contain many layers of fabric. They are not the most absorbent choice of cloth diapers, but with diaper covers they are a low-cost cloth diapering system.

 Cover and Pre-Fold cloth diapers often considered to be a step up from flat diapers. Prefolds are rectangles of absorbent fabric, usually surged on all four sides, similar to flats, but with extra layers of material in the center section. Prefolds need to be folded, then fastened with diaper pins or a Snappi. Prefolds need to be covered with a separate cover, or wool or fleece diaper cover clothing unless your child is going coverless. Prefolds come in several sizes to fit from birth to potty learning and when paired with diaper covers are low-cost cloths diapering system. Prefold cloth diapers unfold in the wash for thorough cleaning and quick drying

There are more expensive cloth diapers, mostly Cloth diapers that offer an all natural option, like organic cotton, but besides that you saving a pretty good penny when purchasing cloth instead of disposable.

credits IG: @blackwomendoclothdiaper

Up Keep

When I thought of maintenance of Cloth diapers, I think of a whole lot of mess when cleaning off before washing and re-using. However, I have learned it is not as hard as I had imagined it.  When your baby poops and pees on cloth diapers, dispose of the poop by using a spatula, diaper sprayer, or the Dunk and Swish method (dunk the diaper in the toilet and swish it around until the fecal matter is removed). After ridding the cloth diaper of the waste, you then store the soiled diaper in a receptacle. Air should circulate through your soiled diapers until you wash them to reduce the smell.

Cloth Diapers Wash Do’s:

If soiled, proceed with dunk and swish method or  use the mini-shower to remove poop from diaper. Leave the diaper wet enough that it almost drips. Keeping the diaper wet until it is washed will help reduce stains.

Toss into a dry pail; wash every day or every other day.

Pre-wash your cloth diapers in order to get the initial waste out then do a main wash

Wash no more than 12 - 18 diapers at a time.

Use your washer's highest water level.

Pre-rinse with cold water and no detergent.

Use a regular hot water cycle and Tide (not Tide Free).

Dry diapers in the dryer or hang dry or a combination of both.

Don’ts:

Avoid using chlorine bleach on a regular basis. It will break down fibers and noticeably shorten the life of your diapers. In addition, it may irritate your baby's skin.  Some manufacturers, like bumGenius!, recommend using 1/4 cup bleach with your regular wash once a month.

No fabric softeners, which coat fabric and reduce absorbency. This includes 'baby' detergents such as Dreft.

Side Notes:

They are many child care centers or babysitters that do not do cloth diapers. Which means disposable diapers will be needed for use. However, if you are stern about only using cloth diapers depending on the state, there are laws that allow for cloth diaper usage with a doctor’s note. Also daycare facility cannot turn your child away regardless of the fact you rather cloth diapers.

Also there are extra resources that having lending programs for low income families as they do with disposable diapers.

Websites to visit:

https://www.facebook.com/Blackwomendoclothdiaper
www.alvababy.com
http://www.kellyscloset.com
http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com
www.abbyslane.com

Urban Moms Protein Recipe

Protein Breakfast 

Ingredients:

2-3 Eggs

Natural Organic Peanut Butter

2-3  Fresh Strawberries 

1/4 cup of 2% milk

Cooking Details:

Preheat frying pan, add a little olive oil so eggs won't stick.

Scramble egg whites in a bowl with a little bit of milk to make fluffy.

Pour mixture in frying pan.

Scramble egg white until done (5 min or less)

Remove from pan into desired bowl or plate. Let cool if desired.

Add 1-2 tablespoons of peanut butter on top of eggs.

Cut strawberries in halves and place on top of peanut butter.

Pregnancy Bump: Don't touch

Everyone loves to hear the magical news of someone being pregnant.

It is definitely a blessing to be able to carry another life. However, people also feel the need to want to touch a growing baby bump which is not always something expecting mother want.

This is my third pregnancy and with my other two pregnancies it was never a bother to me for people to touch my growing belly but now it urks me. I don't know if it's because I'm pregnant with twins and I'm super protective or because I'm older, but whatever it is it's a constant annoying especially when they do not ask.

My co-worker constantly touches my belly saying goo goo ga ga and I didn't know how to tell her nicely to stop and step away from the belly!

After asking around and figuring out how to nicely tell people to back away I wanted to share some helpful tips.

1. You have to keep in mind their intentions are good before you get nasty.

2. Stick to your guns no matter who it is touching your belly.

3. Many people do not ask and just reach out to touch, therefore, you can say things like "I would prefer that you don't, I feel very uncomfortable about people touching my belly."
Or you can kindly say "I would have preferred if you asked first."

4. Keep in mind, do not be rude sarcastic or nasty it's very ungracious and shows a lack of gratefulness.