Neha Leela Ruch’s Pregnancy Style

Name: Neha Leela Ruch

Neighborhood: Flatiron

Occupation: Mother & Founder, Mother Untitled

How would you describe your pregnancy style? Low key and feminine. I really enjoyed growing this belly in the summer because it meant lots of breezy dresses, very few of which were actually traditionally maternity. Now that it’s cooling down and we’re in the last weeks of the pregnancy, I’m wearing a rotation of neutral longer sweater dresses or knits.

What is one pregnancy ritual you’ve built into your routine? With my first, I had the time to be really conscious of growing a human and taking good care of myself with yoga and massages. This time around, exercise has mostly consisted of trailing after my toddler, but I have been really committed to acupuncture with Sarah Coles-McKeown from Bloom Acupuncture to heal the aches, relax my body and take the time to reflect on where we are as a family while I lay in the room letting the needles do their thing.

What’s your favorite pregnancy product that you cannot live without? My Mama Mio Tummy Rub butter. I go through an excessive number of these tubs over the course of 40 weeks, but slathering it on after a shower feels so luxe. Knock on wood, I made it through the first, and hopefully the second, pregnancy without stretch marks.

What will you miss most about being pregnant once the baby arrives? Quality time with Bodie. The last two and a half plus years with my first baby have felt so novel and fun as I had the space in my life to watch and help him grow. The emotions at the end of this pregnancy are very real about how that time will inevitably shift when his sister joins our world.

What’s one piece of pregnancy advice every mama to be needs to know? Just like in parenting, the tough moments or stages do pass. I had a much more challenging pregnancy this time around with more fatigue in the early weeks, a bout of shingles as I rounded into trimester two and sciatica in the last trimester. But on the other side of that, at 37 weeks, I’m feeling energized and excited in the sprint phase of preparing our family, our physical space and Mother Untitled for the transition.

What’s your top 5 registry essentials?

1. Keekaroo Peanut Changer. I’m the annoying friend that gifts off registry for this one because it spares you so much laundry. It’s a chic rubber changing pad that you can just wipe down after the inevitable diaper explosions instead of washing covers.

2. Nook Pebble Light Crib Mattress. These, along with the wraps if you choose to just cover another mattress, have a very smart way of promoting breathability and oxygen and fending of germs. It gave me a lot of peace of mind as a first time mother.

3. Petit Bateau Onesies. The palette, the quality and the softness are worth the price point. They’re also durable, which means the baby girl inherited all of Bodie’s pieces.

4. Miracle Swaddles. I was useless at figuring out how to use our muslin blankets to stay secure and snug. I love the fabric and colors on these and they are idiot-proof in wrapping up the baby.

5. Pehr Baskets. You just can’t have enough baskets and these washable, subtly patterned ones are my favorite. In the beginning they’re good for little diaper changing or nursing stations all over the house but they quickly evolve into a chic way to keep all the little toys contained.

Neha is wearing:

Ulla Johnson Fantine Dress in Blush

Red Valentino cream knit sweater & JBrand Maternity Jeans

Theory Adrellana Ribbed Wool-Blend Dress, similar here.

Photography by Jessica Lorren and styling by Liz Yingst.