Relax - Recharge

15 Ways to Have a Great Pregnancy

By Kimberly Bonnell, Babytalk

Exercise and More

6. Resist radical haircuts.

"I had my shoulder-length hair cut very short while pregnant and I looked like I'd gained fifteen pounds in five minutes," says Kathy Suder, a mother of three in Fort Worth, TX. "Nature is already doing this makeover on you -- you don't need to add to the changes." Put the word out to your friends, husband, family, and hairstylist to talk you out of any over-the-top changes that you demand in a moment of hormonally induced dissatisfaction with your looks. (Small alterations, however, are great for a little lift.)

7. Watch your back.

It's time to gear up -- and we're not talking about strollers and pacifiers. You need tools to reduce pregnancy's physical toll on your back:

A footstool, placed wherever you spend a lot of time sitting, to ease the stress on your hip joints and lower back. Choose one that's five to ten inches high (or whatever is comfortable, depending on the height of your chair).

A body pillow, to make side sleeping more comfortable. Experts advise sleeping on your left side while pregnant to increase blood flow to the baby (sooner or later, side sleeping becomes the only comfortable way to rest anyway). Once you've tried the pillow, you won't be able to live without it. You can order a variety of body pillows, or a special maternity pillow that features two cushions for snug support from the front and the back, from The Company Store.

A tennis ball or two for a do-it-yourself back massage, recommended by Nyack, NY-based massage therapist Isadora Guggenheim: Put two or three tennis balls in a long sock, then sit in a hard-backed chair. Place the sock comfortably (in a vertical or horizontal position) behind you, so that when you wiggle your back, the balls massage tense areas.

8. Exercise now.

"Pregnancy is a perfect time to work out," says Julie Tupler, R.N., founder of Maternal Fitness, a New York City-based company that teaches workshops on exercise to help your body through the trials of pregnancy, labor, and delivery. "Abdominals stretch out and weaken during pregnancy, so it's important to strengthen your abs to help push the baby out, prevent back problems, and aid in your body's recovery from childbirth. Also, exercising helps keep your energy up and stress down." Since exercise will help you bounce back into shape more quickly following delivery, don't be afraid to be active while pregnant, but do check with your doctor before embarking on a regular regimen.

Seek out a specialized pregnancy-fitness class, book, or video; there are right and wrong ways to exercise during this time. Check out Tupler's book or video set, both under the title Maternal Fitness: Preparing for a Healthy Pregnancy, an Easier Labor, and a Quick Recovery.

9. Inhale the relaxation.

Aromatherapy is a somewhat abused notion today, but experts know that aromas stimulate the olfactory nerves, which in turn activate the emotional center in the brain. Since soothing, relaxing scents are what you need right now, look for lavender or vanilla candles, available at almost any drug- or department store.

10. Keep your style.

If bootleg pants and body-skimming jackets are your signature look, pregnancy needn't change that, says Jody Kozlow Gardner, cofounder of Belly Basics (makers of the Pregnancy Survival Kit) and coauthor of Pregnancy Chic. Number-one pregnancy-fashion advice: Don't try to hide the fact that you're pregnant. It's impossible. Hence the movement to more forthright but style-conscious maternity wear from retailers at all price points. Now you can find great maternity style from online retailers like OldNavy.com and Gap.com, as well as at boutique-style stores like A Pea in the Pod and Pumpkin Maternity.

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