Becoming a parent changes you dramatically. Whether you realize it right away or wake up one day with the new understanding that the old you is no more, it certainly happens. That is not to say that your personality changes, (though you may think it does with dramatic changes in hormone levels in your body right after the delivery) but your priorities re-organize, your schedule changes and your daily activities revolve around new things.

Some of us realize we became a mom or about to become one the moment we see the positive pregnancy test. Some when we see our belly grow, or feel the baby kick. Some of us need more time to grasp this life changing role, we will be taking on for the rest of our lives.

What made you realize you are a mom? Share your mom realization experience!

It is entirely up to you to decide when to share the news about your pregnancy with your employer. Though you should consider how visible your bump is if you decide to keep the news to yourself a while longer. It is never comfortable to share news everyone already guest about. So take a good look in the mirror when making the choice.

Something to consider is the type of work you do. If it may affect your pregnancy, you may need to inform your employer about your pregnancy right away. You may also need to either refrain from your job or parts of it, or change your activity.

If you work with hazardous materials such as paint fumes, some cleaning products, cigarettes and/or secondhand smoke, carbon monoxide, leaded water or paint, mercury and/or products containing benzene or formaldehyde, it will be best for you to inform your employer and avoid the above toxins, especially during first trimester.

Also, if you are an X ray technician, nurses, doctors or other healthcare workers, work at a laboratory, clean homes or offices, a hairdresser or hold a factory job, speak to your healthcare provider about the possible risks (radiation, chemicals and fumes, exposure to viruses, lead and other risks) and how they can be avoided or minimized.

If your pregnancy affects your health, you will find it very difficult, sometimes even impossible to keep it from your employer, especially if you miss work a lot because of morning sickness or other symptoms. Sometimes it is best to share your news in order to let your employer know you are not missing work with no real excuse.

You know your employer and work environment best to make the decision when to share your news. If you are not sure, you can consult your healthcare provider or your significant other for advice. Remember, once you share the news, you cannot undo it. At the same time, you may have an easier time in the work environment after your pregnancy is made known.

When you are expecting and are anxious to meet your baby, nine months may seem like a long time. But time flies between work, doctor visits and preparing for both the actual pregnancy and the arrival of your newborn.

Here are a few things to put on your to do list:

• It goes without saying that once you find out you are pregnant, you need to find an OBGYN or a Midwife to be your caregiver throughout the pregnancy. If you are not sure which is best suited for you, this is the time to learn the differences and make your educated choice.

• You will not need Maternity clothes right away, but when the time comes, don’t resist it. The weight gain is normal and healthy (unless otherwise noted by your caregiver) and there is no reason not to embrace and celebrate it. The beautiful curves of pregnancy can be enhanced with the right fit maternity clothes and make you feel and look better about the changes your body is going through.

• During your first prenatal visit, you will be asked about your work environment to determine if it is safe for you and your baby to continue what you do during your pregnancy, or if you need to make adjustments at work. This is for the health and safety of both you and your unborn baby.

• Deciding when to tell your employer about your pregnancy is up to you. There is no law requiring you to share your news at a specific point in the development of your pregnancy. Telling your employer can result in a sympathetic attitude, leading to better terms or more leniencies toward your situation. At the same time, your employer may not be so understanding. Make your decision based on your situation at work.

• You may want to consider seeking a Photographer to commemorate this special time in your life. It is usually best to have your maternal photo shoot between the fifth and seventh month of pregnancy, when you look and feel best. Earlier than those months, you may not be showing, and later, you may feel too heavy to do anything like this.

• Learn about Maternity leave in your state. It may look like you have lots of time before you will need to know the facts about maternity leave, but time flies and it is always smart to do your research in advance. This way, if you are not eligible for maternity leave, you’ll be prepared and make the necessary arrangements.

Revise your list to reflect the things you would like to get accomplished before your life will change completely…and for the better!

Boy, girl — or big surprise? Should you find out? For some people, it is not at all a question. For others, it may be a bit of a challenge to decide if they want to know the sex of the baby in advance. It is a personal preference and should be left for you and your partner to decide, not decided for you.

Some parents to be want to know the gender as soon as the ultrasound and baby’s position allows the technician to take a peak, if not sooner. These parents may be curious, excited, or have a number of other reasons why they want to know the sex of their baby in advance.

Other parents prefer to wait till the birth to find out. They may feel it is more appropriate or special this way, or may have had a bad experience with an incorrect ultrasound read in the past, and do not want to give it another go and get the wrong gender colors.

The reason why you choose to know your baby’s gender in advance or wait till the birth is less important than you being happy with whatever it is you have decided. Remember, if you chose not to know, you can change your mind later, but if you chose to find out ahead of time, you can not turn back the wheel.

If you are still on the fence, ask yourself if you are the curious type. Can you wait till the birth to find out or do you just ‘have to know already’? Do you wish to prepare for your baby in advance and are gender specific clothing and baby room décor important to you? Even if the answer is yes and yes, you can always get neutral basics and add to them after the birth.

Benefits of finding out:
• Some women say they feel a deeper bond with the baby once they know the sex and can imagine holding their little boy or girl.
• It may be easier to prepare an older sibling for the arrival of a new little brother or sister.
• You can start / continue thinking of baby names, looking only at one gender.
• You can pick out a gender-specific nursery theme or baby clothes.

Benefits of waiting:
• You and your family will have a delightful surprise on the day you give birth.
• Your desire to know whether your baby is a boy or a girl might motivate you during the toughest parts of labor.
• You’ll be following in the tradition of your parents, your parents’ parents, etc.
• There will be no mistakes — what you see is what you get!

Pregnancy is an exciting time in every woman’s life, especially the first time around when everything is new and you are going through it for the first time. At the same time, it can be a confusing time with many questions such as, can I continue the exercise? How many cups of coffee can I have a day? What should I eat? And many other questions and concerns.

Make a list of all your questions for your first visit at your OBGYN or Midwife so you get the information you are seeking. In the meantime, you can get a book, research the net, or speak to friends and family about any question you may have.

The basics of nutrition during pregnancy include:

Make sure there is enough calcium in your diet. Low-fat or nonfat milk, processed cheeses, and yogurt, even tofu, sardines, canned salmon and dark-green leafy vegetables are all great sources of calcium. You need to make sure you intake enough calcium because it is vital for the development of your baby’s bones and teeth. If your diet is not rich in calcium, the fetus will draw calcium from your bones, putting you at risk for osteoporosis later in life. You need a minimum of 1,000 mg a day.

Your body needs more fluids during your pregnancy. Increase your fluid intake and try to resort to water more than anything else. Water also cools your body, moves nutrients and waste, prevents constipation, and provides a cushion for your baby. Drink at least eight 8-ounce cups of fluid a day. One cup of caffeinated drink a day will not hurt your baby, but try to decrease your soda and coffee intake to a minimum.

Caffeinated drinks can dehydrate you, so be aware and choose your drink accordingly. You will know if you are hydrated enough by the color of your urine. Light yellow – hydrated; dark yellow – need more fluids in your body.

Foods to avoid during pregnancy include soft cheeses, such as Brie, Camembert, blue, and feta. These cheeses may harbor Listeria monocytogenes bacteria, which can lead to dangerous form of food poisoning called listeriosis. Hard, processed, cream, and cottage cheeses are safe to eat. Also avoid raw or undercooked meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs, as well as unpasteurized milk and juice. All can cause food-borne illness.

If you are still confused or have any questions, speak to your healthcare provider about your diet and any changes you may need to make for a healthy pregnancy.

If you are actively trying to conceive, you may want to consider avoiding some activities in advance to help increase your chances. Once you are pregnant, there are also activities to avoid for the health and safety of both you and your baby. While you have not met your baby yet and may not feel like a mother, this is the time to start acting like one and caring for your expected child.

So what are some activities you should avoid during those 40 weeks?

Some Amusement Park rides are not safe for expecting moms. These rides are usually marked clearly with warning signs for you. Water slides should also be avoided since a forceful landing or sudden start or stop could be harmful for your baby.

Soaking in hot tubs / Jacuzzis or sitting in a sauna can be dangerous to your developing baby because overheating has been linked to birth defects.

Gymnastics in a no no! because it puts you at risk of falling and there is an increased chance of trauma to your abdomen.

Bicycling should be avoided while pregnant, unless you are an experienced rider, in which case you may be able to continue throughout your first trimester. Talk to your OBGYN for more information regarding this issue.

Horseback riding is a bad idea even if you are an experienced rider. The risk of falling is just not worth it.

Scuba diving is an absolute forbidden activity now that you are expecting. As you surface, air bubbles can form in your bloodstream, which can be very dangerous for both you and your growing baby.

If you are not a runner, now is not the time to take it up. From your second trimester on, the risk of falling increases and you should run with caution. As with all forms of exercise, avoid becoming overheated, and drink plenty of water.

These are just a few activities to avoid while pregnant. Speak to your healthcare provider for more specific information regarding activities you should avoid and the ones that put you or your baby at risk. Stay safe and avoid strenuous activities that could cause injury or involve serious risks. Remember, even if you do not “feel pregnant”, you are carrying your child and are about to become a mother.

After 40 weeks (give or take) of carrying and nurturing your baby inside your womb, doctor visits, parenting classes, a baby shower, research and advice, some may think you should be ready for the arrival of your newborn. But how can you be ready to perform a roll you never had any practice in?

Talking to friends and family, taking parenting classes at your hospital, and researching for blogs and books, are all ways to get yourself ready for the arrival of your offspring. But there is nothing like first hand experience, which you will get once your baby arrives. Ready or not, you will find that you deal with what life and your newly expanded family hands you.

So what should you expect when your newborn arrives? The level of emotions you will feel is personal. You may bond with your baby immediately or it may take a little longer. Either way, take into account the temporary ups and downs you may experience if you suffer from baby blues. Feeling overwhelmed, no matter how prepared you may believe you are for this baby, is natural and normal. After all, your life as you know it has changed and you are now a mother.

You can expect little sleep and not very much time for yourself in the beginning. But this will change with time. As your baby grows, he will learn to sleep through the night and you will feel more comfortable to take some time for yourself.

If you plan to breastfeed, you may experience an adjustment period where your body will learn how much milk to produce for the needs of your newborn. Until that happens, you may be leaking (so get pads for your nursing bras). Also you may experience engorgement, nipple pain and other discomforts that will disappear with time and experience. While you are still in the hospital, ask to see a lactation consultant to learn about breast feeding tips and make sure your baby latches on correctly.

Having a baby is demanding, can be exhausting, sometimes nerve wracking and above all, a big responsibility. But at the end of the day, raising your newborn is the most rewarding job you can have. You will melt when your baby starts to smile and find tremendous joy seeing him accomplish milestones and learn new things.

Give it time. You will feel more comfortable in your new roll with experience, and your baby’s growth and development will be an indicator to the fabulous job you are doing.

Postpartum depression is a serious illness, that can last for months after childbirth, miscarriage and stillbirth. Symptoms of postpartum depression include deep sadness, feelings of hopelessness, loss of appetite, sleep problems, extreme fatigue, difficulty to concentrate and even fatal thoughts. You may also find yourself unable to care for your newborn.

Unlike baby blues, which many women experience in the first couple of weeks after childbirth, postpartum depression can last for months. With baby blues, you may have trouble sleeping and feel moody, teary, and overwhelmed, but you will likely have these feelings along with being happy about your baby.

In rare cases, a severe form of depression called postpartum psychosis may develop after childbirth. Symptoms of postpartum psychosis may include strange behavior and hearing things that are not there. A women suffering postpartum psychosis may harm herself or her baby or others and needs immediate treatment.

It’s very important to get treatment for depression. The sooner you get treated, the sooner you’ll feel better and enjoy your baby.

In the United States, Canada, and a growing list of other countries, a baby shower is an event to celebrate the expected birth of a new baby by presenting gifts to the parents to be at a party. Traditionally, a baby shower is held only for the mother-to-be, and is attended by women only. This is because the original intent was for women to share wisdom and lessons on the art of becoming a mother.

Traditionally, baby showers were given only for the family’s first child, but over time, it has become more common to hold them for subsequent children as well.

Deciding whether you should have a baby shower is personal as well as cultural. Some cultures celebrate the birth of a child only after the delivery for various reasons such as religion, belief and/or superstition. Others may choose not to have a shower due to a previous miscarriage or other unfortunate experiences.

Many moms to be and their family and friends see the baby shower as a celebration of the new life coming to the world. It is also a great excuse to get everyone together…

Whatever you choose for yourself and your baby, weather you have a shower or not, if it is a small gathering or an elaborate event, get someone to either throw it for you (you have enough on your plate with your baby coming) or help!