Ultimate Guide to Surviving Pregnancy

Unfortunately pregnancy isn’t always the way it looks in the movies. That beautiful glow, perfect round belly, waking up feeling like you are going to take over the world… If only. At least it wasn’t that way for either one of my pregnancies. Especially with my second daughter. I was seriously a walking dead. If I was even walking at all. All of the horror stories you can hear about being pregnant, I probably have most of them covered. I have put together this guide to let other Moms know it probably isn’t going to be perfect. But that’s ok! Get used to it.

Morning Sickness-  It happens! There are many reasons why you get nausea and vomiting. And NO it doesn’t always happen in the morning. I threw up without fail, daily right around lunch time for at least 7 months. What I found worked the best is eating a little bit of food often. Never try to take on a whole meal. Ginger works great as well. My personal favorite was Lollies Preggie Pop Drops! They have a great flavor and really take of the ease of the nausea.

OBGYN- There are thousands of choices when it comes to finding the perfect care for you and your little peanut. Make sure you do a lot of research and find out what works best for you. I saw a midwife and it worked out great. Not every options works for everyone. If you meet with a provider and aren’t happy, switch! It will be a long 9 months if Momma ain’t happy.

Clothes- Your clothes will get tighter as your little baby grows. There are plenty of great choices and they keep getting better. I am too cheap to walk into a fancy maternity store and pay full price for clothing. I chose to shop on ebay, consignment shops and at Mom to Mom sales. Amazon has great Mom sales also. You can find a lot of brand new stuff for 1/3 of the price. It’s a short amount of time out of your life. Why spend so much?

Food- A girl’s best friend during pregnancy. The one time you can eat your heart out without feeling guilty. Well sort of. There are a ton of great foods you should eat and a few to avoid. Foods you should eat are whole grains, beans, salmon, eggs, berries and low fat yogurt.
Foods to avoid would be seafood high in mercury, raw, undercooked or contaminated seafood, undercooked meat, poultry and eggs, unpasteurized foods, unwashed fruits and vegetables and avoid excess caffeine.

Body- Never compare your body to someone else. You are who you are and you know your body better than anyone else. Your body is doing something great and you are bringing a life into this world. You go girl! Everyone’s body reacts differently to pregnancy. No two are alike. Just embrace it!

Exercise- Get walking! This will help ease the aches and pains of pregnancy. Get up and stretch first thing in the morning. Your body will be stretching for the next few months. Might as well not make it work so hard. If you normally run or workout often, keep going. Just liek everything else, it’s best to talk to your doctor first. Some pregnancies need special attention. There are a lot of awesome exercise DVD’s and books to check out! I loved yoga!

Stuff- If this is your first baby you will go baby crazy! Wanting everything to be perfect and matching. Your registry will probably be a foot long. Keep in mind that most of that stuff will probably go unused. It’s cute, but probably not functional. Use hand-me-downs, take stuff from relatives. Just like the maternity clothes, your little baby won’t be so little forever. They grow quickly! Save your money and stick to the basics! Here is a great list of what you REALLY need to register for when you are expecting your FIRST baby!

Work- Keep doing you! Only you know what your body can handle. Be sure to come up with a plan with your physician that works for both you and the baby. You never want to put yourself or your baby in danger of course. I was taken off work in my 7th month. My hips kept displacing and I wasn’t able to walk. No bueno!

Stock Piling Diapers- My best advice is to stockpile diapers and baby supplies now while you are able too and before you get too far along in your pregnancy. Also, be sure to gather as much free product and free product coupons as possible and stockpile diapers and other baby supplies. Read the rest of this great advice over at Stock Piling Moms!

Names- There are 274358374593 names to choose from. Pick a name that speaks to you. Don’t worry about what anyone else thinks. It’s your baby. You made it so it’s only fair you get to name it, right? I think so! Just keep in mind that your child will have to live with that name forever. You don’t want to pick something so cra cra that they will never get a job. Read books and do research on meanings. You got this!

Family/Friends- Your family will probably be in your face with advice, questions and everything else that they do. It’s normal. If there is ever a time you aren’t comfortable let them know. You don’t have to be hurtful, just communicate. And let them help! You are going to be tired. You are going to be cranky. Help will be your friend.

Showers- Have fun with them! I was also so stressed and overwhelmed I never really got to enjoy it. Don’t do that. It’s better to relax and enjoy. Everyone is there to celebrate you and the life you created.

Hair loss- If you want the answer right away – yes, postpartum hair loss is completely normal. So don’t worry – you’re not going bald. The hair loss is temporary and almost all mothers experience it, though some notice it more than others. Read more at Homelifeabroad

Boy or Girl?– If you want to have a little bit of fun and try to predict the sex of your baby, check out this awesome How to Know if it’s a “Boy or a Girl – Gender Prediction Infographic”.

And if you are feeling creative here is an awesome DIY Diaper Wreathe to Welcome Baby Home! Such a cute idea!