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American Morning

Some Possible Solutions to Being Belly Up

Aired August 30, 2002 - 08:56   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: It says here in big capital letters that pregnant women should lay off lying on their bellies. We knew that, didn't we?
For those of you who are tired of being constantly belly up, CNN's Jeanne Moos has some possible solutions.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At first glance, it looks like any other lounge chair. But what you find suspended underneath could provokes a belly laugh.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My stomach feels good.

MOOS: The maternity chair makes lounging easier for pregnant woman to stomach.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The belly-hole is good.

MOOS: It features a canvas cover in case you want to lie on that on your back and a hole for your face so you don't kinks in your neck when you lie face down.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you can still read a magazine, or if you smoke...

MOOS: But no smoking while pregnant, and using the pouch made out of lycra.

Since pregnant friends weren't always available for product testing...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is my model, Sally.

MOOS: ... creator Shannon Nation gave birth to a dummy.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Something I could demo.

MOOS: Though others have been working on similar maternity beach chairs, Shannon managed to patent hers.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is my dream right here. I'm a hairdresser, I've been one for 22 years, and I didn't want to be cutting hair when I was 80.

MOOS: So in search of a retirement nest egg, Shannon has jumped on the belly bandwagon.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is about being proud of your belly. Not hiding it, wearing your husband's big, frumpy T-shirt.

MOOS: Liza Elliott's (ph) agency supplies models for photo layouts like these, bellies are bursting out in public. Model Julie Marquez (ph) may be seven months pregnant, but she still gets were whistles in midtown Manhattan.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is the free-belly skirt.

MOOS (on camera): Free belly?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

MOOS (voice-over): Who needs to free Willy when you can free belly. The skirt and shorts are big sellers Pumpkin Maternity, where the window display includes pickles. Apparently, anyone who has been pregnant knows..

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wearing things that were over my belly just made my belly itch.

MOOS: The free belly is meant to feel good.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Airy.

MOOS: Rather than be seen. Feeling good is the purpose of pregnancy massage. Here at Manhattan's Medical Massage Group, the tables are like a fancy version of the maternity beach chair.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This gives and gives and gives.

MOOS: There's also a sling to make sure the belly doesn't drop too far, entering the lower back.

(on camera): It feels good?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It feels amazing. I'm have a normal passage, and I'm able to get solid sleep here.

MOOS: Sorry for patting you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She can fall asleep here.

MOOS (voice-over): She could, but you can't. The maternity beach chair, what Shannon calls the downtime chair, is just a prototype at this point she's looking for a manufacturer. So no belly flopping yet.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: At the beach, I wanted to just dig a big hole.

For pregnant women, life is not a day at the beach.

Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York. (END VIDEOTAPE)

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