5 Qs with Alison

How would you describe your pregnant style?
In some ways, because you are really quite limited in your options, pregnancy makes getting dressed in the morning easier! First off, comfort becomes priority one (especially with your second!). I’m a structure-loving girl where blazers, tight jeans, fitted shirts and nipped-in waists are usually my go-to. Clearly that doesn’t work when you have a bowling ball in your belly. So I become this boho-babe during pregnancy, opting for flowy styles and more casual fabrics and silhouettes. Oh, except for the fact that it’s a blast to wear tight dresses when you’re pregnant, because then everyone knows you’re pregnant and not fat, and you don’t have to worry about sucking in or stopping your meal short for fear of breaking through your spanx! Heaven! I still stick to a neutral color palette though, and heavy up on accessories for excitement.

Have you had any challenges learning to dress your body during this pregnancy?
First trimester, second baby is the worst, because your belly pops out at like 5 weeks (at least for me) and hangs there like you ate 12 big macs for almost 8 weeks. So you just have to awkwardly ignore the fact that your friends (and strangers!) are eyeing it oddly in conversation. It’s especially hard to wear a moo moo when you’re boiling hot underneath due to raging pregnancy hormones. So you work to cover it up those early months with loose-fitting but sleeveless numbers. But the bump coming out sooner in its full glory has certainly been nicer this time around as I already had the stretchy dresses and go-to basics waiting in my closet. This time I complimented them with an over-abundance of jumpers though, as I love the idea of not having to put on a top and a bottom!

So far, what has surprised you most during your pregnancy?
How two pregnancies can be so different! Although the second trimester has certainly mirrored my first this go-round, I was walking-on-air in that mother-earth pregnancy bliss with my daughter. With my impending son, I was often sick, taking to drinking slurpees to settle my stomach and my heatwaves. I had more aversions by far than the first time around, which made my diet consist of nachos and bagels with cream cheese. And I was EXHAUSTED. Mid-day meetings were a struggle and those 8:30 pm bedtimes with my daughter inched their way towards 7:45 pm. And even that was a struggle to keep my eyes open.

What are you most looking forward to sharing with your baby?
I can’t wait for my daughter to have a sibling. She thrives so much around other kids, and I think she is going to be such a sweet older sister (eventually). I had four siblings growing up so the idea of siblings is super important for me, and I can’t wait to see them grow up together. My daughter is also a Daddy’s girl, so I’m hopeful to have a little one that is a Mama’s Boy!

What’s your top 5 registry essentials?
1. Fisher Price Rock ‘N Play: It was the ONLY thing that she would sleep in for the first 12 weeks of her life, and she never got acid reflux or a flat head!

2. Nose Frida: Boogers be gone!! This thing was much more effective than that silly tube for removing the green monsters, and giving babies the freedom to breathe.

3. Burp Cloths Gallore: I used these incessantly — I could never seem to have enough. And, believe it or not, never got thrown up on directly on my shirt as a result. My husband was a different story.

4. Maxi Cosi Car Seat: We are a very mobile family so we were always on-the-go. We had the lightest car seat, and it clipped into my stroller (the Joolz) so easily. I felt like super woman in my ability to tote her around as it was only seven pounds.

5. Bugaboo Stroller: It is so, so so important to have an amazing stroller in this city, just as it is to have a great car seat. I balked at the price of these puppies before my first baby, but when your realize the use you get out of it, you’ll never fret the expense. Now, what to do with a brand new baby and a toddler!! Anyone??

Alison is wearing:
Rachel Pally dress (similar style)
Svelte Metals Lancaster Ring
Svelte Metals Drake Lobe Cuff Earring
Sigerson Morrison Sandals

Photography by Belle Augusta for Well Rounded NY.

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