Are you having trouble sleeping during your pregnancy? You are not alone! Many women complain of this especially in the third trimester. You toss and you turn trying to get in a comfortable position, which can be hard to do with your ever expanding belly! There are some common pregnancy culprits that could be hindering your sleep. Below are some ways to deal with those culprits and get some much needed rest!

Getting up a zillion times a night to go to the bathroom? Do not drink a lot of fluids before going to bed but be sure to drink plenty through out the day so you do not get dehydrated.... more

Once you discover that you may be pregnant and then confirm that fear, you may begin to feel very alone as you begin to deal with your unplanned pregnancy. Although you may feel isolated and alone, know that you are not and while it may feel like your world is coming to end, know that it is not. Unplanned pregnancies happen all the time to all different kinds of people. You will not be the first to experience and unplanned pregnancy and you will not be the last. You are strong! You can make it through this!

Having personally experienced two unplanned pregnancies, I know... more

Making the decision of whether to place your baby for adoption or to raise him or her is a huge decision that requires a lot of thought and time. It really is one of the biggest (if not the biggest) decisions you will ever have to make in your lifetime. It’s truly a decision that can not be made overnight. Undoubtedly, you will need time to cope and deal with the shock and the reality that you are indeed pregnant before you begin trying to make this decision.

While you are researching and educating yourself about your options, take care of yourself. Below is a list of simple things that... more

Back aches and swollen tired feet; just a few of the pains of pregnancy! Every woman (pregnant or not) needs a little pampering every now and then to soothe her aching body and refresh her spirit.

Below are a few ideas that you can treat yourself with. They are all inexpensive and can be done from the comfort of your own home!

1. Take care of those feet with a lavender foot soak. Fill a small plastic basin with warm water and add a few drops (about 5) of lavender essential oil. Stick your feet in and soak for about ten minutes. Studies show that a ten minute soak... more

Ugh, morning sickness – it’s the most dreaded part of pregnancy for some. It’s also one of the first symptoms some women may experience cluing them in that they are indeed pregnant. Morning sickness is absolutely no fun and for some (like me!) it’s not just morning sickness. You can have all day sickness that even lasts the entire pregnancy.

If you are experiencing the woes of morning sickness, below are a few tips that may help you cope.

Stay away from spicy foods and foods that tend to have a strong reaction in the stomach. Learn to read your body so that you... more

In my last post, I talked about whether or not you should notify your doctor that you are making an adoption plan. As I concluded in that post, it really is a personal decision.

But if you do ultimately decide that you wish to tell your doctor and other medical personnel that you wish to notify that you are making an adoption plan, it can be a bit of an intimidating conversation for some. Below are a few tips and suggestions on how you can... more

If you are making an adoption plan, you may be wondering if you should inform your doctor or health care provider about it. I don’t have a solid yes or no answer for you. I think it is personal choice and just depends on how secure you are in your decision and the plans you are making for the birth of your baby and your hospital stay.

Obviously, if the potential adoptive parents are attending doctors appointments with your or you plan for them to be in the labor and delivery room, then it probably makes more sense to tell your doctor that you are making an adoption... more

So, you have just taken the pregnancy test and it is screaming “positive” at you. You are probably feeling a myriad of different emotions and having a million different thoughts running through your head. You may not be sure what to do first, how to feel, etc.

You may be hesitant to tell many people that you are pregnant right away. You need time to absorb the shock you are probably feeling. But I do suggest telling someone right away. Choose a trusted friend or family member (or perhaps your baby’s father, depending on the situation and circumstances)... more

If you are pregnant, you may have noticed that you are experiencing some mood swings. One minute, you feel happy and content and then the next minute you are crying, possibly at a sappy commercial or maybe for no real apparent reason at all!

No you are not going crazy! Mood swings are normal during pregnancy because of the hormonal changes that your body is going through in addition to the stress and turmoil you are already feeling as you deal with an unplanned pregnancy and make decisions about both yours and yours baby future. Most women find that... more

I’m a planner by nature. I like to plan things out ahead of time so I can have some of idea of how things will flow. I think it’s inbred in my genes. My dad used to even plan the potty breaks in our vacation itineraries as a child! So it wasn’t surprising to me or to anyone who knew me very well that during my pregnancy with Charlie I would be planning how his birth would go.

Unfortunately, no amount of planning can prepare you for the unexpected. While pregnancies and giving birth occurs daily, no two pregnancies are the same. No matter how routine or normal... more