Pregnancy Gift Guide

1. Blue Sky Ginger Ale (any of the ginger ales by this brand were delicious.  Hansens was too sweet and heavy for me.)
2. Sea Band Wristbands.  I had horrible nausea and this helped slightly.  It was the only way I could get out of the house in the first trimester.
3. Maternity Jeans. My favorite were Jbrand.  Don't forget that you buy your prepregnancy size!
4. Johnson's Mother & Baby Care book or something like it.  This one was particularly great because of all the images.
5. Red Raspberry Leaf Tea.  You can get this at most grocery stores or you can buy it bulk online.
6. Pregnancy Body Pillow.  I didn't use one but I wish I had.  The pillows gathered around my body never felt quite right.
7. Prenatal Massage.  Check out your area for a place.  I received my prenatal massages from Rowan (from the TLC doula group) in the Houston area.
8. Lush Bath bombs.
9. Bringing up Bebe book.  I thought this was a fun read.  I definitely used some of the things I read in it too.  I also really enjoyd reading midwifery books, such as Baby Catcher.
10. Prenatal yoga DVD or prenatal yoga classes.

**I also think hiring a doula, taking a birthing class and taking a breastfeeding class is really great during this time as well.  Kathleen Wilson was our doula in the Woodlands/Houston area.  We also took Bradley classes by Dorin Jordan.  It's great to have such a wonderful support system for your birth and I believe wholeheartedly in all the things we did to prepare.  BUT nothing prepares you fully for how it will feel to birth and that is where the doula stepped in for us.  It was amazing to have Kathleen with us the whole time.  What ever you decide Happy Birthing!