Tips on Staying Hydrated During the Holidays

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and The Coca-Cola Company. All opinions are mine alone. #HydrateYourDay #CollectiveBias

You guys, Christmas is less than two weeks away! Are you ready or do you feel like it’s almost time to start running around like a crazy person to get it all done. I’m feeling like I’ve done a pretty good job of pacing myself on all holiday preparations this year, but I know a bunch of things will come up last minute.

The one thing I always tell people is my number one health and fertility tip is to stay hydrated. This is especially important during the holidays. With the cooler temps and heaters that dry us out, along with never ending to-do lists and countless cookies, getting enough water is key. And I promise it doesn’t have to be hard!

Here are a few of my simple tips to make sure I get enough water every day…

Keep water bottles everywhere!

I have water bottles (smartwater® is our favorite!) stashed at my desk, in my purse, in the car, and anywhere else I might need one in a pinch. This is a great reminder to keep drinking water throughout the day and nice to know I’ll always have some on hand when I need it. Dave makes fun of me because I’m always surrounded by so many water bottles, from empty to full.

Drink at least 16 oz first thing in the morning.

This is one you might have to work your way up to, but once you get used to it you won’t be able to go without it. Cameron Diaz drinks an entire liter before doing anything else in the morning! If she can do that, I think we can do 16 ounces. I’m telling you, you will feel soooo good if you do this as soon as you get out of bed. Sometimes I have a water bottle beside my bed so I can do it before I even get up.

Pour your water in pretty glasses.

Whether you pour your smartwater® in a wine glass or a fun mason jar, I always find I drink more water when it’s in a nicer cup. It also encourages me when I’d rather be drinking something other than water and makes it feel like a special treat.

You can find smartwater® at your local Target store in the water aisle!

What’s your favorite tip to #HydrateYourDay? Let me know in the comments in case it’s something I can try!

♡ MALLORIE

Superfoods During Pregnancy | What to Expect

Eating healthy and making sure I'm giving baby all the proper nutrients was extremely important to me this pregnancy. I've always eaten really healthy, but what I eat seemed to carry so much more weight when I was pregnant with Iris. I like to think that watching what I ate did some good, my midwives even raved about how healthy my placenta and the umbilical cord looked when she was born!

What to Expect® When You're Expecting is now in a brand new 5th edition with a fresh perspective, up-to-the-minute information and advice, including information on a few of my favorite superfoods and whether they're healthy while pregnant. Most of them are a bit unknown and should be checked with your healthcare provider, but my midwives okayed most of them!

I didn't eat these superfoods in surplus though, usually just when I made my pregnancy smoothie, which includes flaxmeal and chia seeds. This is something that you have to go with your gut on and use in moderation during pregnancy, but since I ate so much of them when trying to conceive I felt good about eating them in small quantities while I was pregnant.

My little sister-in-law made the "you are so loved" canvas...isn't it cute? I'll be sharing more nursery pictures soon!

The book answers every imaginable question expecting parents could ask and offers solutions for every pregnancy and postpartum symptom. I'm loving the chapter on postpartum information right now and Dave's been watching me like a hawk for Baby Blues/Postpartum Depression, but I've been lucky and feeling really great so far.

Also, all medical coverage is completely updated, including everything expectant moms need to know about the Zika virus. As if pregnant women need anything else to worry about, now we have to avoid mosquito bites, which is next to impossible if your blood is as tasty (apparently) as mine! But, it's nice to know all the facts and all we can do is our best at steering clear of situations that might put us as risk.

Did you read What to Expect While You're Expecting when you were pregnant? If so, what information did you find most helpful?

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

♡ MALLORIE