MAMA-TO-BE MOLLY ON LOVE & PREGNANCY

If you're obsessed with vegan fashion (like us!), you may have heard of the stylist, blogger, and Instagram sensation known as FashionVeggie. Molly of FashionVeggie is always ahead of the trends, knowing exactly where to find the best in cruelty-free fashion. Her vegan fashion shopping guides to sales, product reviews of skincare, beauty, and fashion she's testing out, and care-free smile are why her fans just can't get enough of her. Now, she's about to embark on a new adventure: that of motherhood. Molly shares all the sweet details of dressing her "bump", finding balance, and raising a compassionate vegan family.

ON ANXIETY

Especially in the first trimester, and basically until I could feel my baby moving regularly inside my tummy, I often found myself fearful. Something that is not spoken about enough, in my opinion, is that 1 in 4 pregnancies do not make it to term. I think it is important to understand and normalize this fact, but somehow I let it take over my brain. I will admit, I am already a worrier by nature, and feeling out of control is something that makes me uncomfortable; it was probably a good experience for me, letting go of control.

A word of advice: if this sounds like you, I would recommend exercising self-discipline by staying off the online baby boards much as possible… They can be very triggering, and they absolutely will worsen your anxiety if you're prone to it—trust me!

ON BODY IMAGE + SENSATIONS

One challenge I have faced since around the 20-week mark has to do with my ever-changing, pregnant body. Yes, it’s really powerful and beautiful, what the female body is capable of! But no one quite prepares you for the magnitude of your new proportions, or the feelings that might come along with suddenly sporting a completely different-looking set of breasts than you're used to. I am 34 weeks along now and have finally fallen into a state of acceptance as far my new body goes. I now just feel that this is all part of this adventure called pregnancy. However, I want women to know that it's OK to allow yourself to feel things about this! It does not mean that you are shallow, just that you are human. It doesn't mean that you are ungrateful, just that you are acknowledging other emotions alongside your gratefulness.

Another thing no one quite prepares you for is how INSANELY FULL you will feel when you eat; for me, this started somewhere in my second trimester. Your stomach is full of baby, so when you try to fit a normal-sized meal in there as well, it kind of feels like you're about to explode. My advice is to a) pace yourself when eating, and b) if all else fails and you feel yourself getting crazily full, get up and wiggle around… Maybe it is a mental thing, but I swear it helps to “make room” for food! It's important not to just abandon your meal, because if you do, you’ll be ravenously hungry again in 30 minutes.

ON FASHION + BEAUTY

I have to admit, I’ve had quite a bit of fun figuring out what “works” for me when pregnant, aesthetically! Dressing your bump is fun— if sometimes weird— and pregnancy is a fantastic excuse to try all the new, safe beauty products your heart desires. Here is what I’ve found:

I prefer to “dress the bump” in more form-fitting clothing, as opposed to hiding it in baggier outfits. I think it is much more flattering, and hey, why not… You only get this “accessory” for a few months, so you might as well show it off!

If you are currently “trying” to become pregnant, you might want to take this opportunity to bring your hair color to a lower-maintenance hue. There is no solid evidence one way or another as far as the safety of getting your hair done while pregnant; regardless, you're not going to want to go get it done as often, you're going to be in money-saving mode, and once the baby is here, you likely won’t have time to get it done as consistently as you have in the past. If you have gotten your eyebrows micro-bladed, this might be a good time to get bangs. (Anyone notice that I got bangs pretty much the minute I found out I was pregnant?) Unless you JUST got your brows bladed before conception, chances are pretty good that you’ll be in need of a touch-up at some point during your pregnancy, and that’s apparently a big no-no due to the risk of infection. Plus, your skin likely won’t “take to” the ink the way it normally would. So, if you've ever been even slightly bang-curious, now is your moment!

Skincare! OK, so pregnancy is weird. You may have used a beauty product for years with zero issues or skin reactions, but when you're pregnant, BAM— one day you may wake up with a huge, angry rash covering your entire face, presumably because of your trusty moisturizer. Every person is different, but I can only speak to what has worked for me: Osea Malibu cleansers and serum, followed by an LXMI or Ursa Major (Golden Hour!) moisturizer for nighttime. Also, the products from Odacité have been working really well for me… What an amazing product line! My doctor has cleared all of the above to be safe for use during pregnancy, but of course, you’ll always want to check with your own healthcare expert. WATER!!! Drink water water water, until you feel like you might burst. I am still wearing my rings and high heels at 34 weeks because I am doing everything I can to avoid excessive puffiness. It helps with your skin, too— pregnancy can make your skin and lips really dry.

ON DOING WHAT'S RIGHT FOR YOU

One thing I quickly learned is that everyone has an opinion about the “right way” to do pregnancy and motherhood. From breastfeeding to epidurals to c-sections to co-sleeping to your child’s diet and everything in between… You need to do your own research and due diligence, and then decide what is right for you. Period.

ON LOOKING FORWARD

What I am looking forward to most about being a mom: raising a really KIND, DECENT, EMPATHETIC human being. That’s what I care about the most. [I'm having a boy and] I cannot wait to raise a man who respects women, is compassionate to animals and knows that there is strength in showing emotion. I cannot wait to see my husband in a fatherly role; as obsessed with him as I am currently, I think I will fall in love with him in a brand new way, and I’m really excited for that. I also just can’t wait to cuddle with my new tiny human–I am a cuddler!!

Molly T. of FashionVeggie is a vegan personal stylist and fashion blogger from Dallas, Texas.
You can find her @fashionveggie on Instagram or by visiting her website: https://www.fashionveggie.com/