Expressions: A Store for Women

When I was going through my third pregnancy, I was lucky enough to have many trips to Clarian North Medical Center in Carmel. At the time, the hospital had just opened, and I was in awe of all the little shops and the incredible food options in the atrium area – it was like a five-​star hotel! With a swelling belly (and feet!), I would hobble and waddle my way around, mostly walking past the Starbucks stand and over to the cafeteria to check out the chocolate cake.
But one store stuck out as being especially, well, special. Expressions: A Store for Women, is an adorable little shop filled with unique and wondrous items. Beautiful children’s books of course caught my eye, but so did the beautiful, feminine, and oh-​so-​soft nightgowns for new mommies, onesies for babies, and gifts and rare finds galore.
I immediately had my eye on a little outfit for baby that had sailboats all over it… a little hat, T-​shirt, pants and matching receiving blanket. Maybe it was the raging hormones, but I swear to you that I could’ve dropped down on the floor and napped on that blankie. I loved it that much. It brought tears to my eyes. (Yeah, definitely hormones).
Needless to say, I bought the entire outfit and blanket for our son’s «going-​home outfit.» He was adorable. Oh, and I bought a great foot lotion as well. Pregnant women love foot cream.
All this aside, I must point out the coolest thing about Expressions (besides their awesome selection of gifts): Every time I was in there, there were new moms speaking to nurses right in the store about breastfeeding concerns. Turns out this store is more about information sharing than the bottom line. Why? Expressions’ mission, as stated on its Web site: is to «provide expert information, superior products and terrific customer service to all women — and the people who love them.»
Certified lactation consultants are on staff to help women with all their questions … they’ll even fit you for the CORRECT bra size! Love it!
And, there’s a women’s oncology section where women going through cancer treatment can be fitted for breast forms, bras, wigs and hats.
All this, and there’s more. And it might be the best part. Really! (It’s hard to pick the best part!)
Get this: (from the Clarian Web site)
Expressions donates ALL PROCEEDS to Clarian’s Women’s Services, providing support for lactation and childbirth education, home visitation program, Luz de mi Vide (Light of My Life) and postpartum depression and perinatal bereavement programs.