A common misconception among pregnant women is that when you’re pregnant you are eating for two, so you can eat more. This simply is not true. Many women find they relax and tend to overeat during pregnancy. However, they find after giving birth that losing those extra pounds isn’t as easy as they thought it would be.

You can avoid gaining too much weight during your pregnancy if you eat smart. Here are some tips for how much you should eat during your pregnancy:

300 Calories
If you are at a normal weight for your age and height when you become pregnant, you should only add about 300 calories per day to your intake. Be wise in the choices you make about where these 300 additional calories will come from.  Try to avoid empty calories like cookies and cakes, they have no real nutritional value and are high in calories.

Fruits and Veggies
Remember to stock up on lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Grapes, apples and bananas are wonderful substitutes for chocolate.  Fresh raw veggies, like baby carrots, celery and cucumbers can replace junk food. Keep your refrigerator stocked with these healthy snacks and eat at least five servings per day.

Fiber
You can never get too much fiber in your diet when you are pregnant. Fiber helps prevent constipation, which many pregnant women deal with during pregnancy. Foods like bran, raisins and whole grains can help.

Protein
Most doctors suggest that about ten percent of your caloric intake should consist of protein-rich foods. Protein is important during pregnancy and has a double effect as some foods that are high in protein are good sources of iron as well.

Submitted by: Dana Irwin; St. Louis, MO
Rating: 10
Where to buy: www.babiesrus.com

Description: Fold up bed/playpen which can be used for naps or playtime. Has a changing table that attaches to the side and includes a bassinet for infants. Folds compactly into a travel case.

Review:  I could not live without this product! We use it all the time! It is a very nice pack ‘n play, more than your everyday pack ‘n play because it has an attachable changing table and a baby bassinet. Is a lot of money, but given the right situation, very worth it! Those looking to replace a crib with a pack ‘n play should consider this.  It is also a great thing to use if you have a multi level house, so you can have a bed and changing table on each level. The changing table is great as it is quite a bit higher than those that come with most pack ‘n plays. No more bending over to change dirty diapers! It also folds up very quickly and easily. And of course it is terrific for travelling.  We go out of town a lot and couldn’t bear to be without this item.  It is big enough so it can accommodate both infants and toddlers. Our daughters (4 months and 15 months) both use and love this. Great product! Yeah Graco, yet another good baby item!

 

Weary of the hassle of holiday shopping? Many shoppers line up for hours on end to get a deal on the hottest toy of the season, or newest fashion craze, then there are those who dread shopping and just put it off until the last minute, or give gift certificates to get out of shopping altogether.

Holiday shopping doesn’t have to be a hassle. It can be quickly executed without so much stress and anxiety, if you plan ahead. Try these tips to make your holiday shopping a breeze this year:

1. Set a budget in place. Do you know how much money you can afford to spend on gifts? If not, sit down right now and make that budget. This will be a huge time-saver in the end.

2. Make your list; check it twice. Create a list of who you need to buy gifts for this year. Start with family first, then add friends, co-workers, etc. How does this list look, compared with your budget? Too long? Pare it down. Despite what you think, you don’t have to buy as many gifts as you think you do. Trim your list until you have it down to a reasonable number.

3. What do they like? Now that you know who you will be buying gifts for, start thinking about what these people like. You may already have a good idea of what kinds of things they like. If not, do some snooping and find out. Make a shopping list of these things for each person.

4. Shop early.  If possible try to avoid the last minute rush and shop early.  Another good option is to go late at night.  Many department stores operate late hours during the holidays.  It’s a good time to leave the kids with your spouse and do the shopping on your own without worrying about the crowds or the kids needing to be fed or changed.

5. Shop online. Now that you know exactly what you need to buy, start by shopping online. You can find lots of good deals on auction and discount sites.  Many online shops such as Amazon.com give you the option of mailing out your gifts (gift wrap included) to relatives and friends, this could save you a lot of time wrapping presents and fighting the crowds at the post office. Shopping online could save you a lot more money than you’d think, and it will definitely save you the hassle of fighting those Christmas crowds!

Ingredients:

1 package cake style brownie mix
1/ teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 cup cream
1 package of cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1 bag M&Ms holiday edition

Directions:
 
In a large mixing bowl, cream the sugar and cream cheese until fluffy.  Add the egg, cream and vanilla extra.  Mix well and set aside.

Prepare the brownie mix according to instructions.  Like a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper and then school 2/3 of the batter into the pan.  Place ½ cup of the M&Ms over the brownie batter.  Then spoon the cream cheese mixture over the M&Ms and batter.  And finally scoop the remaining brownie mixture over that.  Using the tip of a knife swirl the mixture for a marbled effect.

Bake for approximately 45 minutes at 350F until baked through but still moist (do not overbake).  Cool before cutting into squares.

Every pregnant woman deals with a certain amount of stress. However, stress should be avoided at all costs during your pregnancy. Try this simple and quick pregnancy stress relief tips.

Stress Relief Tip #1: 15-minute foot soak.  If you’re tired and stressed from a long day, a nice, hot, 15-minute foot soak will ease the day’s tension like a charm. Your feet have many pressure points, so remember to get off your feet when you’re stressed. Add a little lavender or chamomile oil for a relaxing aromatherapy foot soak.

Stress Relief Tip #2: 30-minute massage
Make an appointment for a 30-minute massage at your local spa. You may not feel like it at first but push yourself to do it, a professional massage is not only relaxing but can physically work a lot of tension out of your body and relieve pregnancy aches and pains, particularly in the back area.  This is a really nice gift you can give yourself. After the baby is born, you probably won’t have time for many luxuries like this, so take advantage of it right now!

Stress Relief Tip #3: 30-minute manicure/pedicure
Another once-a-month stress reliever that is nice is a manicure and/or pedicure. Treat yourself to something nice. You deserve it. A manicure and pedicure might seem like an extravagance to some, but it will make you feel so much better.  Pregnancy is hard on the body and some of us don’t feel at our best, so nice hands and feet will make you feel sexy and pretty.

Stress Relief Tip #4: 30-minute afternoon nap - You may be experiencing extreme fatigue during your pregnancy. If so, don’t fight sleep. Get in a cat-nap during late morning or early afternoon. Whenever you feel fatigue setting in, stop and rest. The best relief for stress sometimes is just a good sleep.

By the same token try to get enough sleep at night.  A good way to avoid going to bed too late is to get into the habit of making yourself a nice relaxing herbal tea (chamomile and sleepy time are great) and get in bed to read a good book.  If you don’t like the thought of going to bed to early, think of it as just relaxing and catching up on some reading.  Before you know it you’ll be drifting off to sleep and ensuring you get some much needed rest.

Submitted by: Dana Irwin; St. Louis, MO
Rating: 9
Where to buy: www.babiesrus.com

Description: Baby stroller that includes infant car seat which can snap in and out of it.

Review: I really like this stroller! It is very lightweight and very efficient. It turns easily, rides easily, and has some of the best reviews from all that I’ve read. We have a small compact car, and it still fits in the trunk with no problem. It even has a handle bar that is adjustable to your height. The infant car seat is a necessity and it is great to be able to snap it right into the stroller without having to move or wake a sleeping baby. Storage on the bottom is good too.

Criticism:  The only slightly negative is that sometimes it takes two tries to fold up (could be my inaptitude) but it always goes closed!