Free Baby Planner 101 Teleseminar to be held on 2/17 and 2/19

February 17, 2010

If you're interested in signing up for this free Baby Planner 101 teleseminar please email info@itsa-belly.com and let us know which date you'd like to attend. Future classes will be held if you miss these dates so please let us know if you'd like to be on our waiting list. Thanks for stopping by!

Baby Planner 101 Teleseminar on January 5th at 9:30 am PST

January 1, 2010

Due to an overwhelming request from the recent media exposure Itsabelly will be hosting a free Baby Planner 101 class via phone conference at 9:30 am PST on January 5th. If you 're interested in attending this class or would like to put your name down on our waiting list for the next available class please email: melissa@itsa-belly.com.

We'll be going over insider tips on how to become a baby planner, the options offered via Itsabelly Baby Planners and what type of training is available to you. All of this valuable information will be shared through an experienced baby planner's perspective.

Itsabelly offers the following resources to help get you started which we'll go over during the free Baby Planner 101 Class:

• Baby Planner in a Box (a comprehensive start-up guide on how to launch your own business)
• Baby Guidebook (supplemental materials to use with your clients)
• Guide to Going Green with Baby & Training on How to Create a Non-toxic Environment for New Families
• One on One Consultation on How to Launch Your Business
• Information on How to Become a Baby Planner with the Itsabelly Team
• What is the National Baby Planner Association (NBPA)? How do I benefit as a member?

Insider Tips on How to Become a Baby Planner, Free Class Now Offered

November 12, 2009

Due to the overwhelming response from people interested in becoming a Baby Planner since our Platinum Babies episode aired Itsabelly is now offering a free Baby Planner 101 class. Our founder, Melissa Moog will be able to share her personal insights, challenges and offer guidance to you directly through her Baby Planner 101 session. With over 3 years of experience in serving clients, having coached 100 entrepreneurs, creating the very first complete baby planning start-up guide titled "Baby Planner in a Box" (now in its 3rd publication) and establishing The National Baby Planner Association (NBPA), Melissa's valuable and honest advice will definitely help get you started in the right direction!

This class is only 30 mins long and usually held at 9:30 am PST during the weekdays. It will cover an overview of Baby Planning's history, what it truly takes to be successful and what it means to be a "certified" baby planner through NBPA. So, if you're interested in learning more and not sure where to start this class is for you. It will help you decide if you have the passion, appropriate skills and background to build a credible business from scratch.

If you're interested in taking the next available class please email us at: info@itsa-belly.com and specify that you want to take the Baby Planner 101 course. You will then be emailed a date, time and call-in information.

The Beginning of a New Journey into Pregnancy - My IVF Experience

September 30, 2009

By Melissa Moog, Founder/CEO of Itsabelly Baby Planners

As any woman knows pregnancy is a miracle - it is a gift from the heavens above - it is a mere blessing that we can produce life. Three years ago I gave birth to our beautiful daughter Isabella and I'll never forget the amazing transformation my body went through to grow a baby. Today, Isabella is the inspiration and joy in my life - she is also the reason Itsabelly exists. You can tell from my company's website and the work I do that pregnancy and babies are where my passions thrive. So, I only see it fitting to be able to share my story with you. I debated for a very long time about sharing my personal experiences with you regarding our journey into pregnancy because I wasn't sure if I wanted to go public with such an important decision in our life. In the end, I decided that it would be in my best interest to write about it hoping I could help other women (& significant others) who are going through a similar experience. If I can help just one person out there who is feeling the same emotion or just needs support I would feel writing about my journey has been worth it! In addition, for me writing is therapeutic and I have been known to keep a journal or two so putting words down comes easy.

Without writing a long novel, I wanted to share how Randy (my husband) and I came to the decision of going through In Vitro Fertilization. Last year in August, 2008 Randy was diagnosed with non hodgkin lymphoma - it was the most devastating situation either of us had to go through. Our hearts were filled with sadness and our eyes were filled with tears the day we found out. We were also trying to get pregnant at the time but now appreciate that it wasn't meant to be. For a week (it seemed like a year), we did not know how serious his cancer was as we waited for test results - it was pure torture having to wait, neither of us got much sleep that week. Now for the good news...fast forward to the present, Randy's cancer has now been in remission since December 2008 and he is in chemo maintenance treatment every quarter. So, we are extremely excited to be in a happy place. With Randy's cancer we had to choose an alternative method of getting pregnant since natural means were out due to chemo treatments affecting fertility. As if we didn't have enough to worry our pretty little heads about, right?

So, here we are after having many fertility consults including going through a failed Artificial Insemination in January. We have now figured out how we would pay for treatment which by the way costs about $15,000 (jaw dropping motion happens here) but fortunately Randy has excellent insurance which covers a large %. Hip, hip hooray! I'll be writing a post on just the cost of IVF alone. We feel extremely lucky to be able to barely afford it! On a side note, these past few weeks have wreaked havoc on my body as I had to take the pill for two weeks to regulate my ovaries - I haven't taken the pill in YEARS so the hormones were having a raging party, not fun!

Now on to bigger and better things especially sharp pointy objects! Tomorrow we begin our first injection of Lupron which will start us on the process of creating as many eggs as possible. My wonderful husband will do the honors of giving me my injections. Thank goodness! I will receive one injection in the early AM and another 12 hours later. Over the weekend I add two other shots for a total of four a day for a few weeks. Shots aren't my thing and I would guess it's not on the top of anyone's list to have to go through 2-4 sharp needles a day but this is our life. I must accept it. So, the first major step of my journey continues tomorrow. I welcome any comments, questions and especially positive vibes from all of our readers. Thank you for letting me share my personal experiences with you - you don't know it yet but you will help me through one of the most challenging times in my life and for that I'm truly grateful!

Stay tuned for more as I begin to journal my way through this IVF journey!

Announcing Our New Seal of Approval Launching at ABC Kids Expo! We're looking for the Best in Show.

September 5, 2009

Itsabelly's New Seal of Approval

Stay tuned for details on how your product can receive our seal...

Ready, Set...Ready Birth!

August 27, 2009

By Nicole Mabry, Itsabelly Atlanta Baby Planner

Recently, I had the pleasure of having a great conversation with childbirth educator, Barbara Negelow of Ready Birth. She’s a fascinating woman— a world traveler, a gardener, a motorcycler and a grandmother to eight. In addition to all of these traits, Barbara was recognized this year as a Nurse of Excellence by the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

After exchanging pleasantries about her recent trips to India and Turkey, we talked about Ready Birth, Barbara’s 25 year childbirth education business. Ready Birth is unique because Barbara provides private lessons only. Each course is 2-3 hours conducted in a one day session that is tailored to for each set of expectant parents. If you are a student of Ready Birth, you won’t find yourself in an impersonal classroom setting with ten other sets of parents with ten other sets of agendas for the day. Your childbirth class experience with Ready Birth will be all about you. The one on one setting allows parents-to-be to ask questions specific to their situation without fear of embarrassment or judgment.

Barbara provides support and education in a non-judgmental way and teaches couples any childbirth method that they would like to learn. In all of her years of teaching, she has never had a dissatisfied customer. In fact, she makes mention to her students that if they do not learn all that they need to in their session, then she will schedule a second session free of charge. It is her excellent teaching ability, wealth of knowledge and confidence that encourages her students to develop long term relationships with her and to call back years later when parenting questions arise.

As far as childbirth and parenting styles go, Barbara has seen and heard them all and supports parents in whatever styles they choose. Barbara reminds first time parents that not only is this their first experience with a child, but it is also the child’s first experience with parents. It’s all a learning process for parent and child.

If you are an expectant parent in the Atlanta area and are in need of personalized, one on one childbirth education classes, Ready Birth should be at the top of your consideration list. Special discounts will be given to Itsabelly Atlanta clients so don’t hesitate to call us today!