Top 10 Things I learned...

while pregnant (in no particular order):
1. Stay active/ work out!  It helps labor go more smoothly (if that's possible) and you bounce back faster after the babe has left the building!  I think all around, it helps with everything pre and post pregnancy.

2. Rub your belly with oils or body butter (or both) every morning after you shower and every night before bed.  I used Burt's Bees 'Mama Bee' belly balm (below) and loved it (and no stretch marks!), probably went through 4 or 5 tins!  Thank you Runge for giving me my first one!

3. Stay away from onions and garlic if you have heart burn or acid reflux!  There are probably other foods that will bug you, you will just have to figure them out as you go and everyone is different!

4. Carry a large container of TUMS with you at ALL times!  Trust me!  I never thought I would take stock in Tums and I never ate them before I was pregnant and haven't had once since, but holy smokes were they a lifesaver while I was pregnant!  

5. Eat healthy, small meals throughout the day... this worked well for me because I felt like I was always hungry!  You should do this even when you aren't pregnant, but at least you get 300 more calories when you are ;) (I know, it's not very many... unfortunately you aren't really eating for two!)!   

6. Buy a couple pairs of maternity pants that will go with everything, I found cute ones for pretty cheap on 'DestinationMaternity.com' in their sale department (I was all about not spending much green on maternity clothes).  Another good find was Topshop (store is in NYC, but they have a website, just make sure you change it to US so you don't pay pounds ;) ), they now have a maternity line that is actually cute and doesn't scream maternity!  I really just tried to buy regular clothes that I can still wear now.  Always check Target too, I got a lot of great basic tops that were nice and long that I still wear... they also have some cute maternity clothing for good prices.  One last place... Forever 21 started their maternity line towards the end of my pregnancy so I didn't buy any of it, but that seems to be the way to go, trendy and cheap!

7. Join 'babycenter.com', it's so great and informative... you can plug in your due date and it will send you updates every week about how your little bun is growing and the changes you will be experiencing.  I loved it, and still use it, it was nice to know that things that were happening to me were normal!  I have learned a lot from babycenter, it's a great tool while you're pregnant!  There is also 'TheBump.com' and a few other sites, but I got/get the most from babycenter.

8. I would say take at least one class at the hospital, whether it's the childbirth class or breastfeeding, as they say, knowledge is power (I know, cheese!), but for real, Jacob thinks it was a waste of time and money, but I disagree, I think it helped prepare me some for the whole labor process... there are a lot of things that people don't tell you about labor, so it was nice to get some facts!

9. Put your feet up every chance you get!  Especially towards the end of your pregnancy... I had a tall box under my desk at work so I could have my feet up during the day and I would put them on chairs in meetings.  At first I thought it was silly, but it really helped and everyone at work was so nice and understanding about it... it seems like you can get away with anything while you're pregnant!  I miss that ;)!

10.  Read these books, "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" and "Baby 411".  I started reading "Healthy Sleep Habits" in the last few months of my pregnancy (which I recommend reading it some before the baby arrives), it's not the most exciting book (I know, sorry), but it makes a lot of sense and helped us get Iz on a sleep schedule pretty quick.  Thanks to Kellie and Katrina for telling me it was a must read!!

I got this book from my bestie right before Iz was born (literally), it was like a sign, Runge texted me on Sunday saying she sent me something and that I had to get it before I could go into labor, so on my way to the hospital, I picked up Jacob from our house and the mail man pulled up to our car right as we were pulling away with the package!  Best surprise ever!  It's a great book to reference because it's divided up by subjects, which makes it easy to find what you're looking for a lot faster and it's an easy read, I love it!!  Thanks Runge :)!

I hope this helps my fellow pregnant friends!!  There are so many things that happen to your body while you are pregnant and after labor, but everyone is different and handles things differently, so you will have to see what works best for you!  Much love!  L.