A Guide To Your Pregnancy

The first step of your pregnancy, after seeing the little positive stick should
to have it confirmed. Call immediately to have a pregnancy test done with your
local doctor, you may be in luck and get in that same day or have to wait about
a week or two. Patience will become your best friend during this time or your
worst enemy, waiting can become a very hard thing when you want to know for
sure whether you are or aren't pregnant. More than likely you'll get a phone
call a few days later to confirm it.

Set up an appointment to see your OB/GYN or midwife as soon as possible,
chances are you'll be meeting his/her staff before you ever meet them. This is
the first appointment where your doctor/midwife will want to know all your
medical history. If you've been pregnant, what types of sicknesses run in your
family, etc. If you can, try making sure you know all of this ahead of time,
maybe even have it all down on paper so when he/she asks you are prepared.
During the days or weeks leading up to this meeting you may have concerns,
write them down and ask them. Believe it or not doctors are there to help you,
and they've been asked every question you can possibly think of. Before leaving
your doctor may even give you a bag full of goodies all about being pregnant.
Read these, they may prove beneficial and not to mention they've got coupons.
Your doctor will either give you another appointment or have you set one up
before leaving. There are some great books out there if you are really worried
about what will happen next or how birth is going to be, check them out at your
local library.

Make sure that you get your prenatal vitamins, they are very important during
pregnancy. If for some reason you can't take them, talk with your doctor he/she
may be able to prescribe a lower dosage or something else. You'll get your first
ultrasound, also known as US around week 20, this is normally when you find out
what sex the baby is. However some doctors like to call it safe and give you an
ultrasound around 10-12 weeks just to make sure the baby is in the proper
location and all is going well. You will also be asked to take an orange drink
that you must drink in five minutes. You'll wait around for an hour to three
hours, at which point your blood gets drawn and you can go home. The test
determines if you have or have a chance of getting gestational diabetes.

At first your appointments will be about 4 weeks apart until you hit the 36
week and at that point it'll be two weeks later and a week later after that
until the baby is born. By now you should be preparing to have the baby. Yes,
I'm sure you'll have some anxiety towards the end of your pregnancy. You've
went this far, it's time you see your reward.

Concerns During Pregnancy

There is nothing more stressful than to have something go wrong during
pregnancy. It doesn't matter if it is your first time being pregnant or your
fourth. There are many things to be concerned about during your pregnancy and
it is easier when you know what they are.

Vaginal bleeding - This may also known as spotting, but make sure that is what
is going on. There is a difference between actively bleeding and spotting.
Spotting is lightly bleeding kind of like your period, the blood can be red,
pink or even brown. If you are bleeding actively with any pain call your
doctor, if you can't get a hold of him go immediately to the emergency room.
Bleeding can be a number of things from implantation, ectopic pregnancy, labor,
infection or even miscarriage. Always let your doctor know, so everything can be
ruled out, you'll feel better too.

Stomach pain or cramping - During the pregnancy it may be hard to decipher the
difference between a growing pain and an actual stomach pain/cramping. However,
if you do get a pain of any sort rest. After a few minutes if it doesn't
subside, call your doctor and describe the pain to him. Don't worry about it if
you find out you only had gas or were having Braxton hicks contractions, at
least you know everything is okay with pregnancy.

Gush of liquid - This could mean you are in labor and that your water broke,
however if it isn't close to the time of birth it can be something else. Call
your doctor immediately and head for the emergency room.

Dehydration - While you are pregnant it is easy to become dehydrated,
especially if you have morning sickness or just don't drink those 8 glasses of
water. If you find yourself pale, dry mouth or dizzy, you could be dehydrated
and should be seen by a doctor. Dehydration can cause premature labor and/or
distress on the pregnancy.

Painful urination - Could be a urinary tract infection, also known as UTI. This
can be easily treated with medication or by drinking lots of fluids and
cranberry juice. A urinary tract infection isn't something to be embarrassed
about, it is very common amongst pregnant women. The growing belly pushes
against your ureters and makes it harder for it to flow through. Which of
course can cause infection. Another way to find out if you have it is if you
have a foul odor when you pee.

Pregnancies can be scary enough, there's no reason to add to it. If you are
ever in doubt or have a concern talk with your doctor. It is common that first
time moms are worried about many pains that they feel. Never fear calling
because you are afraid of waking the doctor up or because you feel silly. Being
silly might just save the baby. While you are worrying, you are only causing
stress on you and the baby, find out what's wrong and relieve your anxiety.

Fun Ways to Announce Your Pregnancy

Whether you just found out you're pregnant or you've known for a few months,
announcing your pregnancy to family and friends can be a lot of fun. Some may
want to wait until a certain time during their pregnancy, while others want to
call everyone immediately after finding out themselves.

Telling The Father

Have a romantic dinner for two with candle lights, it may be your last time for
a while, between morning sickness and raising your little one. Serve up baby
carrots, baby back ribs and anything else you can think as baby. At the end,
pour apple juice instead of wine and hand him a present. Inside you can have a
tiny baby bib that says, "I heart My Daddy" or a pair of baby booties.

If you can't tell the father right away because he's away on business, or
deployed try sending him a care package. Inside the box place a few baby items,
everything in blue and pink and a baby naming book in the center. Place a note
on top of the book with, "I need a name soon, I'll be here by June." Or
whenever the baby is due.

You can also see how long it takes him to figure it out. Go to the dollar store
and pick up a bunch of small baby items, a bib, rattle, bottle, booties, etc.
For a week, leave an item laying around the house where he is bound to find
them. At the end of the week if he hasn't figured it out yet, prepare the big
gift. Have a large teddy bear sitting at the dinner table in the seat beside
him, make sure there is a bib wrapped around him and maybe a sign that says Hi
Daddy.

Telling Family and Friends

Show up to a family gathering wearing a shirt that announces your state. These
days there are a ton of shirts out there with clever sayings, "Baby on Board,"
"A Bun in the Oven," or something related to the pregnancy. The moment you walk
in or take off your jacket everyone will figure it out without you ever having
to say a word. Now, get ready for the tears and excitement. You'll be answering
a ton of questions.

If you already have children you may want to call the grandparents up and tell
them that the next Christmas they may want to add one more to the list.

If this is the first grandchild, you may want to get a bracelet link for your
mom that reads, "#1 Grandma" or grandparent t-shirts. This will not only be a
great present for them but something they will cherish and love forever.

No matter when you spread the news it can be a lot of fun, just think creative
and let the pieces fall. You may even want to try catching all of it on video,
so think ahead and prepare for the BIG moment, and I'm not meaning the birth.

Staying Fit During Your Pregnancy

Keeping fit during your pregnancy is great for you, not only will it help you
keep your body toned but it also can help when it comes time to push that baby
out. Every pregnant woman wants to be able to go back to her pre-pregnancy
weight after the baby is born, but the only way to do that is to make sure you
can. By excising or working out every day you are making sure you don't add fat
to your body. During labor it'll be much easier to push the baby if you've been
strengthening your leg and stomach muscles. Who knows, it may even make labor a
little bit shorter. Isn't that what we all want?

Plus when you are tired and just feeling a little blue, just by exercising you
actually increase your energy.

Here are a few quick things you can do to stay fit during pregnancy, without
really having to break out a sweat. I'm sure by now you've heard of yoga, this
is a very good thing for you to practice, especially if you haven't always been
in the best of shape. Not to worry, there are beginning levels here, you don't
have to jump into the human pretzel right away. Try purchasing a set of small
weights that you can use throughout the house, like hand weights or wrist
weights that can use while walking. Instead of just laying on the couch while
you rest you can be lifting small weights.

Get a chair and try doing a couple crunches, 5 to 10 in the beginning to make
sure you don't pull anything. Don't worry you can always add to it as the weeks
go on.

Try running, walking or jogging outside. Not only will this boost up your
energy but it'll also help get your spirits up, especially if you've been
inside all day. Remember, if you are going for a walk to always bring a drink
with you. You don't want to dehydrate out there. Always make sure that you are
wearing comfortable shoes, before you leave the house. If you didn't always
run, ask your doctor if you can. Sometimes a doctor may suggest you walk around
the block at first and increase it from there, if you didn't always do it before
you were pregnant.

If you can you may want to try going for a swim or try bicycling. However, if
you find that you are accident prone you may want to stay away from the bike. A
bike accident is something that can easily happen, even when you've always road
a bike. Swimming can help you relax and stay cool. Take a dip in the pool near
you, they may even have a swim class for pregnant women in your area. This
would be a great way to meet other moms.

Whenever you are doing exercises, make sure you aren't overdoing it. If you
believe you could be stop immediately and take a break. You never want to do
anything that'll harm the pregnancy.

Eating Right During Your Pregnancy

You already know it is important to eat a well-balanced diet, but it is even
more important when you are pregnant. Keep in mind now you are eating for two.
Whatever you eat, the baby eats as well. In fact the baby actually takes your
nourishments so you must eat enough for both of you. The healthier you eat the
better it is for the pregnancy and you.

Never miss a meal while you are pregnant, especially breakfast. Breakfast is
the most important meal of the day and your baby has probably been waiting
since he/she woke up in the middle of the night. You may learn that if you wait
so long before eating you start to feel sick, this is your body telling you to
eat. Do it!

Make sure you are getting enough of the food you need daily. It takes 4-6
servings of dairy a day for a healthy pregnancy, this can include some cheeses,
milk, yogurt. This provides the baby with calcium which it'll need to develop
healthy growing bones. Adding extra calcium to your diet wouldn't hurt you
either, especially your teeth and bones.

Don't forget about your fruit and vegetable servings. Lots of green is always a
good choice, so are sweet potatoes. Not only will you be giving your body what
it needs but you'll start to have more energy. Try laying off the sweets for a
week and replace them with healthier items and see how alive you feel.

Foods to Avoid

Not all foods are safe during your pregnancy, there are a few things you should
avoid eating:

* unpasteurized products - brie

* Certain fish - exotic, shark, swordfish, anything high in mercury

* Raw eggs

* Undercooked meats - lunch meats. If you are buying a deli sandwich you can
ask for them to eat the meat up a little.

* Caffeine - soda, chocolate. If you find this difficult you can wean yourself
off, but the less caffeine in your system the better it is for the baby.

If you are ever unsure of the foods you can eat you can ask your doctor for a
list of items to avoid during pregnancy. They'll be more than happy to share
this with you.

You may also learn that your stomach won't handle certain foods that it would
before. Some of those foods may include foods that contain grease, fast foods,
meat, and certain foods that have a strong odor.

Eating healthy doesn't mean you have to cut out all the fun in your life, you
can still treat yourself from time to time. Go out and get a frozen yogurt or a
smoothie.

While you are making sure you get enough to eat throughout the day, that
doesn't mean neglect your fluid intake. You'll need lots of water and juices
from here on out. The baby will thank you later. Who knows, you may discover
that you really enjoy eating healthier and continue it even after the pregnancy.

Morning Sickness During Pregnancy

Morning sickness can be one of your first signs that you are pregnant. This
doesn't always mean that you'll get sick only in the morning. This can happen,
morning, noon or night. It will normally occur in the first trimester or your
pregnancy and end by the second, this isn't the case in all pregnancies though.
Some women will continue with it until the very end of term.

Nausea can happen immediately or you may get lucky and have no morning sickness
at all. No one is for certain what causes morning sickness, it is a change in
the body that happens during pregnancy. Many women seem to get sick after
taking the prenatal pill, try taking it later in the day. Your doctor may even
advise you to take some other form of vitamin instead of the pill. Always find
out first with your doctor before taking anything new or taking yourself off
medication, even prenatal pills.

There are a few ways to minimize the sickness, but they don't work for
everyone. Try keeping crackers on hand, I prefer saltines for some reason. Try
drinking some ginger ale, it calms the stomach down. Dry cereal is another good
thing to eat, your stomach may just be a little bit hungry and trying to tell
you. Remember to take small portions, this way you know if it is all going to
come up or not. Sleeping is another good way to avoid it, however it will wake
you up. Keep yourself hydrated, not only can this make your sickness come but
you can become dehydrated and need to go to the emergency room if you aren't
careful.

Smells is another thing that seems to cause morning sickness. Imagine walking
into a restaurant and the first thing you smell is grease. Yes, this can easily
set it off. Bad smells and even certain tastes, get the feel for your body
during the pregnancy and figure out just what sets it off. Knowing how to avoid
it, can make a world of difference.

A few reasons you should go to your doctor would be if you begin losing weight
because you are constantly sick. If you become dehydrated, faint, look pale,
confused or throw up more than four times in a day. Your doctor may be able to
prescribe something that will stop it.

Try slowing down a bit, sometimes your body is just exhausted from all the
errands you are running and it tries to give you a break. Listen to your body,
take a nap, relax and watch a television show: take some time off. If you are
looking for remedies for your morning sickness, you may try buying some
pregnancy pops. Or if you'd prefer to stay away from the sweets you can wear a
bracelet designed to stop morning sickness, they are just like the motion
sickness bracelets. They don't work for everyone but they could work for you.

Stress Free Holidays During Your Pregnancy

Holidays can already be a stressful time, and mix that with pregnancy and
hormones and you can be asking for trouble. I'm not meaning for just the
pregnant woman either, anyone and everyone in her path. Women already feel the
pressure of having that perfect holiday for her family, which is probably why
she decides to do 100 things at a time...stressing herself out in the end.
However, she doesn't have to have a stressful holiday. There are five ways to
make your holidays something to remember.

Mark the Dates

Go out and buy yourself a calendar for the holidays. Post it up on the wall and
start marking dates. You won't need to stress out because you won't be double
booking yourself. This can also help you in preplanning, mark the day you
should send out the holiday cards or buy certain items.

Choosing Your Activities

During the holiday season you are sure to be invited to a couple of parties. It
isn't necessary to attend every one of them. Decide which ones you'll enjoy the
most, maybe two or three and explain to the rest you'll miss going but need
some rest.

Choose Where You'll Go

Whether you want to stay home for the holidays with your own family or go
across country to be with the entire family the decision should be yours. Don't
feel guilty telling them you won't be making it this year, explain you need rest
and traveling isn't very helpful. You may even want to extend an invitation for
the family to come to your house instead.

Designating Jobs

If you've decided to have the holidays at your house you can still have a good
time. Don't forget that asking for help is okay. No one expects you to do it
all on your own. Do you really have to cook the ham, bake the potatoes, make a
cake, clean the house and set up the tree all by yourself? Designate others to
help, they'll feel happy you've given them something to do instead of sit
around waiting while they watch you do it all.

Shopping Time

Shopping during the holiday season can be a nightmare that you don't need to
attempt while pregnant. It's safer to just stay home during some of those
sales. Instead you may want to try shopping online, not only will you be home
but you can relax. The only thing you'll need is a credit card and let your
fingers do the work. You can even do all your holiday shopping early and have
it delivered right to your front door. All you need to do is wrap it up and
hide it in the closet.

Remember the holiday season is all about making memories that'll last. You may
be pregnant but you don't have to sit at home the whole time stressed out,
instead you can actually enjoy yourself with these helpful tips. Don't forget
to take a little time off to do something just for you, after all you deserve
it.

All Hands on Baby

Everyone wants to touch the baby, especially during the pregnancy but no one
every asks. If you haven't noticed yet, the minute you start to show a tummy
everyone else will gladly show you. The tummy becomes this magnet for hands and
everyone wants to handle it. It doesn't matter if you are walking around in a
store, sitting down in a restaurant or walking on your own street, someone is
bound to start rubbing all over it.

You aren't the only one that is being driven nuts by this either, take a look
at your husband. Sure he seems like a trooper but deep inside he's probably
ready to put someone's lights out. Talk with your husband and see how he feels.
Even if you don't mind, he might not like other men's hands on you. He may not
care if it is a female touching your body but he can mind about a man. Think
about how you would feel if you saw some woman rubbing her hands all over your
husband's chest. Maybe the two of you can come to an agreement, after all do
you have to let everyone touch the baby?

Your belly, clothed or not is a personal space, sure there is someone intruding
inside you but that person in welcome. But to actually touch someone else's
belly one should ask before they do it and respect your answer. If you don't
want them to touch it, tell them. While some women don't mind all the
attention, there are other women that don't want their belly's touched, let
alone them to be showing for the whole world to see. Maybe they've gained 10
pounds and feel conscious enough about it, or they could be a very private
person.

Children may also want to touch the belly, normally it is because they know
someone that has had a baby and they were able to do it. If you don't like it,
let them know. If you don't mind, you may want to place their hand on your
belly. Children tend to get excited and actually smack the belly when they are
trying to reach for it.

Forget about the rubbing the belly for a moment, be careful that you don't get
the person that likes to poke at it. That hurts more than anything and half the
time they don't get it. Try explaining to them as nicely as you can that it
hurts. They may only be doing it because they want to see the baby move and
when you jump they just think it is part of the pregnancy reaction. They may
think twice before doing it again to you or anyone else.

If nothing else seems to work and you've been polite in letting people know
that your belly is off limits, feel free to sick your husband on them or start
swatting. You've already given fair warning. Don't feel bad if you smack a
person that lifts up your shirt in broad daylight either. This is a normal
reaction and people should really think twice before doing it. They wouldn't do
it if you weren't pregnant.

Planning a Baby Shower

Baby showers are a lot of fun, especially for pregnant mom-to-be. Not only is
this something for the baby, but now she doesn't have to go out and buy. Before
you throw a baby shower for someone there are a few things you should do to
prepare. The first thing is figure out if this will be a surprise shower or
not. There are benefits to both, the first one being if she knows she can help
you with a list of people that she would like to be there. However, if it is a
surprise she'll be touched that you cared enough to throw her a baby shower,
but be careful you don't want to give her too much of surprise and put her in
labor.

Making the Guest List

When it comes to making the guest list things can get a little tricky. Find out
if there is anyone that would be upset if they weren't invited. Never leave out
close family or friends, at least give them the option of showing up.

Games

Planning games for a shower can be a bit difficult when you have so many fun
games and have a few gifts to pass out as prizes. Baby shower games are a lot
of fun, here is a quick list.

Mommy's belly - The mom-to-be stand in the center of the room and each guests
get to decide how big her belly is using a string or a toilet paper sheets.
Find out who guessed the closest.

Guess the nursery rhyme - Give each guest a sheet of nursery rhymes and have
them guess the nursery rhyme or finish it. This will help everyone remember
them and see who reads those bedtime stories.

Did you say Baby Game? - Each guest is giving small clothespins to wear around
their neck on a necklace or on their shirt. Every time someone says "Baby" if
someone catches them they get to take one pin. At the end of the party the
guest with the most pins wins a prize.

Memory - Using a plastic tin of some sort place a bunch of baby items in it
such as, bib, thermometer, baby spoon, diaper rash creme, etc. Anything you'd
use on a baby. Let each guest get a chance to look in the bin for a few seconds
and take it away. Once everyone is finished have them write down everything that
was in the box. The person with the most correct answers wins.

Baby Food Tasting - Have a variety of baby food in jars, take off the outside
wrapper and place a number at the bottom of the jar, on a separate piece of
paper write the name of each jar. Each guest is dished out a spoonful of baby
food to try. Have them write down what they think each one is. The one with the
most correct answers wins a prize.

Have a great baby shower and don't forget to bring a gift.

Pregnancy's Beautiful Stretch Marks

The minute you find out you are pregnant you know things are
going to be changing, from your waist size to those little stretch marks that
pop up. Stretch marks are exactly that, red or purple marks left in your skin
because it has stretched. The most common areas for it to appear is the
buttocks, thighs, stomach, breasts and even arms. 90 percent of all pregnant
women will get them, whether they get a lot or a few depends on the body and
how they are preventing them.

There are a ton of lotions out there that claim to help prevent stretch marks,
such as scar serum, cocoa butter or Maderma. Make sure your skin is always
moist, this helps in stretching the skin and not tearing it. There are new
discoveries every day, ask your doctor what he/she recommends. Try them out
yourself first and see if they work for you. This isn't something you just put
on one time during your pregnancy, you'll have to make this a daily effort in
order for it to work. That's where most women fail, they just stop doing it.

During your pregnancy try to eat healthy and stay in shape. This can help to
keep off any access weight. The recommended weight gain for the average, 25-35
healthy pregnancy is 25-35 pounds. Make sure you drink plenty of water, staying
hydrated helps keep the skin healthy. The moment your skin dries out you can
begin getting stretch marks.

If you've had one or more children your chances of getting more stretch marks
will increase. Your skin has already been stretched out and you are about to do
it again. Large babies and multiple babies can increase your chances of getting
stretch marks too. Begin using preventing creams and lotions with vitamins A
and E in them, as soon as you find out your are pregnant and try to lessen your
chances of getting them.

After the pregnancy if you have any stretch marks you may still have a few
stretch marks, even after all the care you took. These do fade over time, so
don't worry about the way you look. If they are unbearable to you and you've
waited a while, you can choose to have a tummy tuck or laser removal. Make an
appointment with a dermatologist to see what he/she has to tell you. You may
discover that you can live with them after all.

Besides caring for your skin daily and eating right, there isn't much you can
do to prevent these beautiful pregnancy marks, however this doesn't mean you
don't have to try. Take comfort in knowing that half the woman you know that
have been pregnant probably have a mark or two, they may even have a little
road map. Think about it as you've just been initiated into the gang of
motherhood. No woman should ever feel ashamed of her stretch marks, they may
not be the prettiest thing in the world but they do represent one thing: your
child. Remember that the next time you are getting disgusted by them.

Preparing the kids for Pregnancy

The moment you find out your pregnant you want to tell everyone, including your
kids. The way you tell your child depends on their age, an older child will
understand what it means when you tell them you are pregnant or that they are
going to be a brother or sister soon. However, a toddler is a little bit harder
to explain this too.

Think about your child's personality when it comes time to tell them. You know
your child best. They may enjoy being sent little clues like you did with
daddy, or they may just want you to tell them straight out. You could get lucky
and have them walk in the room while you are announcing it. This happened to me
when I was expecting child number four. I had just walked out of the bathroom
waving the wand in the air to show my husband. I had no clue that my kids had
walked into the room until I heard them screeching I was pregnant. Oops.

Their Reactions

Don't be shocked if at first your child acts distant, many children will
respond to the news in their own way. One of your children may even start to
pretend to be pregnant right along with you, mimicking everything you do. While
another child may tell you they don't want you to bring home a new baby. These
are all common reactions to the news, the way you handle it will determine the
outcome.

If your child seems reluctant to want another child in the home you may want to
find out why. The only way to find out what's bugging him/her is to ask. Maybe
they are just scared that you are going to stop loving them, or that everyone
will forget about him/her when the baby is born.

Showing them They are Important too

A good way to do this is to make sure they get something the moment the baby is
born, some have had the doctors give the sibling their own baby doll when their
sibling was born. Try reading children's books with them to show them that
it'll be a good thing. Dad can always spend some one on one time with them.

Involving Your Child in the Pregnancy

This is their baby too, have your children accompany you to a few of the doctor
visits. Let them hear the heartbeat of their little sister or brother. Watch
their faces light up when they see the baby for the first time on the screen.
There are many ways you can involve them, you can encourage them to help you
decide on a name. Try letting them feel the baby kick for the first time by
placing their hand on your swollen belly.

It's easy to prepare the siblings for your new arrival as long as you involve
them in the pregnancy along the way. They'll be happy to be part of it and feel
more of a connection to the baby when he/she is born.

Breastfeeding While Pregnant

Being pregnant doesn't mean you have to stop breastfeeding your child. Long ago
doctors believed it actually took nutrients away from the baby inside you,
however that is not the case. Even today we have people that believe this and
they will argue with you the entire time. Only you can decide if you should
stop breastfeeding your toddler or not. Don't let someone else make that
decision for you.

Reasons to Stop

A few reasons you might want to stop breastfeeding may be if you are feeling
constantly drained of energy. Or maybe your child has started to bite.
Sometimes your milk will just dry up, this is your body's way of telling you
that it has had enough and to take a break. Mastitis could play a big role in
making you stop immediately as well. Mastitis is an infection in the breast
when it isn't expressed enough and gets engorged.

Stopping or Weaning

If you do plan on stopping because you are pregnant, make sure it is for the
right reasons. If your child has reached a certain age, it might be best. But
never just yank it away from them. Your child could wonder why it is being
taken away. Wonder if they had done something or become discouraged about the
new baby coming. Some children decide to wean themselves, which is a big help
to you and you won't feel so guilty about it. You can choose to do it cold
turkey, or slowly wean him/her off. Cold turkey can have some bad results. Try
limiting his/her feeding times to certain hours and gradually as time passes
take away more. Your child will quickly stop on his/her own and it won't be a
traumatic event.

Continuing to Feed If you do plan on continuing to breastfeed while you are
pregnant, talk with your doctor about it. Not all the time will the doctor
agree with your decision. Sometimes he/she may see something in your health
that you don't. Listen carefully and find out if it is a health reason or
simply his/her own belief. If it is the doctors belief, you can always seek out
one that agrees with you. Being pregnant is hard enough at times, knowing you
have someone in your corner will only relieve the stress. Don't be surprised if
your family and friends want to say something about it and they will probably
give you all kind of advice on how to stop and what they've read. Nicely
explain to them it is your decision and you'll do what you think is best for
your children. Try finding a support group in your area so you have someone to
vent to or talk about these issues. Check out if there is a La Leche League
near you or online that you can join.

Remember that as long as you take proper care of yourself and your body, you'll
be able to safely breastfeed while pregnant.

Wives Tales and Pregnancy

It's all great to hear advice during your pregnancy, especially unwelcome 
advice. I'm sure you've been told by one person or another how to live. Am I 
right? It only gets worse the further along in your pregnancy you are. Someone 
will want to tell you that you shouldn't bend, or walk a certain way, not to 
pick up a baby in case you hurt the one in your stomach or put yourself in 
labor. As the pregnancy gets closer to the due date you'll be told many 
different home remedies of how to put yourself in labor. Got a headache? 
Someone can tell you exactly what to drink to get rid of it without any 
medication, remember it is important to ask a doctor before trying to take 
something you've never tried before doing it. But the most fun I have during 
the course of the 9-10 months stretch is hearing all the wives tales, also 
known as myths.

I'm pretty sure you aren't going to even care at this point what sex the baby
is, all you want is for the morning sickness to stop. You may even be counting
down the days until the first trimester is over. Chances are if you morning
sickness someone is bound to tell you what sex of the baby is. One wives tale
is if you are having severe morning sickness is a sign you are having a girl.

Here's a wives tale that is a lot of fun and you can test it on everyone in
your household. Take a thin piece of string or your hair, slide your ring down
it, hold it above your belly and let the ring dangle above it. If the rings
spins in a circle it is a boy, but if it goes from one side to the other, it is
a girl. Once you've tried it out on your tummy, get someone in your house and do
it above their hand. Does the ring spin in a circle above your husband's hand?
Hmm, is it really and old wives tale or is there really something to it?

Many women claim to suffer from bouts of heartburn during the pregnancy,
according to the old wives tell this would mean your baby will be born with a
head full of hair.

Right before the end of your first trimester your doctor will listen to your
baby's heart rate, this is to make sure the baby is doing alright. The wives
tale goes, if the heart rate is high it is a girl and a low one is a boy.

Ever have someone tell you that you are carrying high or low and wonder what
that really means? Basically if you are carrying your baby low it is closer to
your abdomen, a high baby is closer to your chest. Look at yourself in the
mirror. How is your baby sitting? The old tale says that if you are carrying
high it is a girl, carrying low is a boy.

Wives tales can be a lot of fun but keep in mind these aren't fact. Don't go
preparing your child's room just because one of these told you, you were going
to have a girl.

Halloween Pregnancy Ideas

The minute you begin your pregnancy everything is changing, your body, your
clothes sizes, even your looks. But that doesn't mean you have to skip out on
your favorite holidays, like Halloween. Being pregnant doesn't mean you can't
dress up. Whether you are buying your costume or making them yourself, you can
have fun. There are many costumes you can buy for couples or just for yourself.
The Pregnancy couple may want to go as a baker and an oven, or an egg and bacon
bit. Both outfits are really cute and creative, you can even make them at home
if you chose too.

If you want to get really creative you can make your own costumes, here are a
few costumes that you can make just using your belly and normal clothes are:

The eyeball -- This is something my husband created, all you need is a little
facial paint and black clothes. This is something even a person that can't draw
can have a little bit of fun with. Wear all black clothes on Halloween and paint
your belly white, make the center of the eye whatever color you desire and don't
forget the red veins. Make it scary or cute, whatever fits your desire. Have a
bit of fun and show off that tummy by keeping the shirt up or wear a shirt that
shows your tummy. My husband got a kick out of this one and was so excited that
he got to do the artwork.

If you want to dress up completely but not stand out, try going as a human
pumpkin. Wear a tiny green cap or make one out of felt and all orange, if you
can cut a slit in your shirt for your belly to stick out. Now, paint it orange
and decorate your pumpkin.

A pea is another simple costume you can make and stay warm. Go find some green
jeans or sweats and a green sweatshirt. Keep the shirt up or cut a hole in it
to make your little pod stick out and paint it all green.

If you aren't feeling up to having a full body costume, you could always just
paint the belly and proudly show it off. After all, how often will you be
pregnant? Think of anything that is round: basketball, volleyball, soccer ball,
a bowling ball, etc

Don't forget witches were mothers too, so if you've always dressed as a witch
for Halloween you don't have to stop the tradition. This year go as a pregnant
witch or maybe a witch holding a pumpkin. Use that belly!

A Bun in the oven- Get a medium or small box, cut it out so that you can wear
it over your shoulders. Make room for your head to slide through. Decorate it
with paints like an oven. Cut open the front of the box so that it will open
and close. On the outside of the box write, "Bun in the Oven." Paint your belly
a light beige for all to see the little baby bun.

Picking a Name Before Your Pregnancy Ends

Choosing a name is one of the most important things you'll have to decide on
during your pregnancy. Pick a name that your child is going to love, not
something he/she will hate or be made fun of. There are a lot of things to
consider when naming your child.

Origin

The origin of a name can help you pick out what name you like best, this also
adds a piece of history to your child. Giving your son/daughter an Italian name
because their great grandfather originally came over from Sicily will mean a lot
to the family. Not to mention your child will always know they're Italian. This
doesn't mean you can only choose names that go with your heritage, there may be
a name out there that belongs to your child that isn't.

The Sound of the Name:

Names can be hard to pronounce sometimes, not just for other people but for
your child as well. Don't choose a name you have a hard enough time saying,
imagine how hard it'll be for your own child to learn. The spelling can also be
a cause for concern. Your child must learn how to spell his/her name, you don't
want a name that has over 20 letters long. Do you think you'd be able to learn
to spell that in kindergarten? Think about your child first, sure the name
might sound great but make sure it isn't something that is going to be really
hard. This doesn't mean don't choose a name that is unique, that is what makes
your child stand out. But make sure that is what you really want.

Meaning

Meaning can be another factor when choosing a name, learn what that name means
before you pick it. You might want something that means something dear to you.
My daughter's name means pure hope, I thought it was a lovely gesture and it
sounded beautiful. Think about choosing a positive meaning for your child, this
is the first thing that will be associated with him/her the moment he/she is
born.

Gender names

Gender naming is another important issue. Think about if the name sounds like a
boy's name or a girl's name. There are names that can go either way such as Sam,
Erin or Angel.

Nicknames

When picking out a name, don't forget that your child may end up being called
by a nickname because of the name you have chosen. If this is something you
don't want, try picking a name that can't be shortened. But don't be surprised
if it happens anyways. If you don't mind, try picking out a name that'll have a
nickname you enjoy.

Last but certainly not least, remember children can be cruel think about the
initials your child will have. You don't want something that it's initials mean
something else. You want your child to be proud of his/her name. Not everyone is
going to like the name you have chosen for your child, but as long as it is
something you like, your child will like it too.

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