Pregnancy tips

So as every pregnant woman experiences, there are alot of things I learned while being pregnant...some from other mothers and some from my own pregnant needs. Recently several of our friends have told us they were expecting (babies seem to come in waves as did weddings.....oh happy days!) and it has gotten me thinking about all the things I learned while being pregnant. So I decided to write them all down because otherwise I'll forget these by the time I'm pregnant again (which is hopefully not anytime soon!).

* Take pictures of your ever expanding belly. I did not do this and really wished I had because it would be so neat to see where you came from and at which weeks/months you grew the most. I think you could really start this at any time in your pregnancy. So don't be reluctant because you're already half way done. Better late than never!
* Buy some pants in a size (or two) larger than your pre-pregnancy size as your belly grows, but before buying any maternity pants. That way you will have some non pregnancy pants to wear after giving birth. I know for me I was desperately ready to be out of maternity clothes, but I'm still not in all of my pre-pregnancy size pants. My friend and coworker, Libby, gave me this great advice!
* Invest in a Bella Band, or equivalent, for basically the same reasons as above. A Bella Band is kinda like a giant stretchy headband that fits around your waist. It allows you to wear your regular pants while pregnant and not have to zip them up. This hasn't been something I've been extremely inclined to wear after having Sadie b/c I just wanted to be completely done with any maternity clothing, but it was nice at the early stages of my pregnancy.
* Morning sickness...ugh! I was fortunate to not ever actually vomit, but man did I want to alot of the time. I pretty much felt a car-sick-like feeling for much of my first trimester and into my second. I think this really got better around week 16. Several things were semi-helpful. I ate lots of hard candy and chewed gum until my mouth was raw from the acid (I guess) in Lifesavers. This helped some, if only as a temporary distraction. I tried the "real" ginger-ale...do not do this! It is completely disgusting and a waste of money and time trying to find the stuff. I ate little snacks all day to ensure that I never got to the starving state when my nausea seemsed to be at its worst. Drink LOTS of water....this really was the one thing that continuously helped...to just stay as hydrated as possible.
* My favorite maternity clothing stores: Gap Maternity and Target. Target has a small but very affordable and cute maternity section. They have new things frequently. So one can stock up on alot of good pieces by frequenting the store. Gap Maternity was my fave. Technically you are supposed to be the same size as you were pre-pregnancy. This is true for pretty much everyone, except me that is! I went up a couple of sizes I think b/c I gained so much weight!!! Oh well. Gap Maternity is trendy, has the best maternity jeans, and they have GREAT sales. I was lucky enough to have a brand new Gap Maternity store very close, but if you do not....their website is a good one to add to your favorite links. You can order as much as you want and only pay $7 shipping. When I was pregnant, you could return anything you bought online to ANY Gap store, maternity or not. I have recently found out that this is no longer the case, but they allow you to return any items for free through the mail...go figure! So still a pretty sweet deal because it's nice to be able to buy a couple of sizes in case you are worried something won't fit. Than you can return the items that don't fit at no cost to you!

Books:
* What to Expect When You're Expecting is a good resource for keeping up with your pregnancy as you go and understanding what stage the baby is at. We actually had this out on the night my water broke because we didn't know for sure if that was what was happening. :)
* Baby Bargains is a VERY informative book. This book analyzes everything you will "need" for a new baby and gives you recommendations for the best products. Do not be decieved by the name. It has reviews of products from every price range and a recommendation for every price range. So if you are wanting to spend $150 on a crib and your sister is wanting to spend $1050 on a crib, there is a recommendation for both of you. We used this book a TON!
* A Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy is a fun, humorous book for understanding pregnancy. It discusses things you would discuss with your girlfriends such as clothing choices or gaining weight. A very fun book.

Whew! I had no idea this post would get so long! It seems when you are pregnant that everyone wants to give you advice. So hopefully these tips are some not so specific things that will help in the early stages of pregnancy. I may post again soon regarding more tips for later in pregnancy. My biggest recommendation is to just ENJOY it! It is such a wonderful time and everyone loves a pregnant woman! So savor every moment. These are all things I've learned...take them or leave them or add to them if you are a mother by posting a comment!

Love to all and happy nesting to those pg friends of ours!