1st trimester: Week 9

Health

It's time to delegate any paint jobs to your partner or hire a professional. Getting a whiff of polyurethane won't hurt the fetus, but staying in a room filled with paint fumes is not recommended. Removing old paint applied before 1978 can harm neurological development.

Health Watch:

Safe Pregnancy Foods

Mom to Mom

Videotape or take a photo of your belly's progress every month so you can show it to your child when she's older. "It was astonishing to see the changes years later, and our daughter loved seeing how excited we were to be having her."--Tracy Heffernan, San Francisco

Your Time:

Shopping

Soon you'll be saying goodbye to button flies and hip-hugging slacks. But you can get a little more mileage out of them by expanding your waistbands with a button extender, which you can find at most sewing-supply stores.

Making Room:

The BabyTalk Financial Guide

Exercise

Nosh on carb-filled foods like whole grain breads and cereal an hour or two before you hit the gym so you're not hungry, and include water before, during, and after so you're properly hydrated.

Relationships

Now that you may be feeling much better physically, take advantage of your returning libido. Don't worry: The fetus is so well protected in his amniotic sac that no matter how enthusiastic you two might get, intercourse won't hurt the baby.