Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy |

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What were you unprepared for? What did no one tell you to expect? How did you cope with those twists and turns? What cures did you find for common ailments, such as morning sickness?

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Even though I knew intellectually that my pelvis would widen and “separate” to prepare for the birth, it never occurred to me that this would mean I'd outgrow all of my pants. I bought maternity clothing at 18 weeks and by 22 weeks my pants were tight; by 28 weeks I couldn't wear any of them (and some of the shirts were riding up too -- but that's because many maternity lines only really work through the second trimester, which isn't always readily advertised). I hadn't budgeted for extra clothing, so not knowing really threw me for a loop.

I'm an emotional person to begin with, and I had some panic attacks throughout my pregnancy. They generally happened if I was already upset about something (whether it was reasonable or not!), but there was no predicting when things would get out of control. I carried Bach's Rescue Remedy everywhere with me (I kept it in my knitting bag, but a bottle would fit in the smallest of handbags). Half a dropper-full under my tongue and I was able to think a little more clearly and calm down enough to breathe properly. My midwife approved this, but you might want to check with your healthcare provider. -A

You hear about the pregnancy cravings, and think, “My, how charming that sounds!” Well, the reality for me was more akin to the clamoring of a nicotine withdrawal. One morning I woke up at about 2:30 a.m. with such an overpowering urge to eat strawberries that I started crying. My husband – bless him! – actually got out of bed and went to the market for me. (Of course, I straight away fell back asleep and didn’t wake up until the morning…) You can believe he didn’t fall for that the second pregnancy.

I didn’t have symptoms of “morning” sickness (and who named it “morning” sickness?! – “constant” sickness would be a far more accurate term) during my first pregnancy, but got them very badly on my second. I actually tried a homeopathic remedy I picked up at the local natural foods market (little white pills that dissolved readily under my tongue) – perhaps it was a placebo effect, but it did seem to take the edge off, at least for an hour or so. Peanut butter crackers also worked (temporary) wonders. - Tommy's Mommy

Everybody knows that with pregnancy comes stretch marks, but when I got to the third trimester without any I thought I was off the hook. Surprise! They appeared overnight at 36 weeks on the dot. Quel drag. -Mom-to-be

In all the advice people love to share no one ever warned me about the importance of good shoes. The shoes I normally wore became unbearable. Dont hesitate to buy a good pair of shoes . Personaly I avoid wearing them at all if I can. ~silentwatcher

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