At a loss as to what to get for your pregnant wife, sister, friend, aunt or coworker? Here's a list of must-have items that will make great gifts for someone who is expecting.
Gifts for a Newly Pregnant Mom
Books
What to Expect When You're Expecting: 4th Edition - This pregnancy bible is a New York Times bestseller and includes everything from fertility information to delivery and workplace issues. The 2008 edition has been rewritten and even has a section for dads!
The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy(Or Everything Your Doctor Won't Tell You) - Written by former Playboy Playmate of the Month Vicky Iovine, this guide tells you like it is, just like a girlfriend would. A beginning ("So, what Makes You Think You're Pregnant") to end ("Postpartum Dementia") pregnancy book written with humor and candor.
Your Pregnancy Week by Week, 6th Edition - My favorite pregnancy book because it's organized by week. Some weeks show a drawing of the baby at its actual size (until it gets to big to fit on the page!), and there are also sections about changes happening in you and the baby, and weekly tips. Also discussed is what might be happening at your doctor or care provider appointments. It's hard not to go forward in the book in anticipation of future developments!
The Complete Organic Pregnancy - For the natural-living mom. This book helps moms eat, clean, and live green, both during and after pregnancy.
Not much worked for me as far as morning sickness (more like all-day sickness!) other than sleep and some bland or starchy food, but these are some things that do work for some women.
Motion Sickness Bands - These are made for sea sickness, but they do help some women with morning sickness.
Preggie Pop Drops - Drops made especially to ease the discomfort of morning sickness.
Gin Gins - Ginger candy that helps with nausea in some newly pregnant moms.
Gifts that Moms Might Need (or Want) Around the Second Trimester and Later
Ingrid and Isabel Everyday Maternity Band
- When I was newly pregnant and just growing out of my pants but not
big enough for maternity pants, I bought a couple of Bella bands. It
fits over your unbuttoned or unzipped pants and lets you wear your
regular jeans for a little longer. It looks more like a t-shirt over
your pants than an elasticy fabric band.
Snoogle Maternity Full Body Pillow - I could not live without this pillow from about four months on. In fact, I ended up buying two because the first one got so beaten up by my sleeping with it every night (and during my many naps!).
Pregnancy Belly Cast Kit - A belly casting kit that let's you make a plaster cast of your pregnancy belly. You can have a form for posterity and it only takes 30 minutes!
My husband treated me to a prenatal massage every month from about three to nine months, and it really wasn't enough! Check the web or yellow pages or ask someone for a referral to a licensed prenatal massage therapist. There are special precautions that need to be taken for the health of you and your baby.
Prenatal Yoga DVD
Prenatal Yoga With Shiva Rea - This is the yoga tape I used for my entire pregnancy. She shows you how to adjust the poses for all three trimesters. Her voice is soothing and it's not a super intense yoga workout, just something to get you calm and loose.
Yoga Zone - Postures for Pregnancy - Yogi Alan Finger leads you in a relaxing 35-minute prenatal yoga session that focuses on breathing and posture.
Greta is a slacker mom masquerading as a type-A mom. She is the owner
of Wooster Square Publishing Services in New Haven, Connecticut, where
she lives with the coolest little boy and the most patient husband in
the world.
Photo of gift, copyright Zeeshan Qureshion stock.xchng
Photo of hand, copyright Tenzin Sengeon stock.xchng Photo of pregnant woman, copyright Benjamin Earwickeron stock.xchng Photo of river rocks, copyright channahon stock.xchng
Mom Stages 
- This pregnancy bible is a New York Times bestseller and includes everything from fertility information to delivery and workplace issues. The 2008 edition has been rewritten and even has a section for dads! 
(Or Everything Your Doctor Won't Tell You) - Written by former Playboy Playmate of the Month Vicky Iovine, this guide tells you like it is, just like a girlfriend would. A beginning ("So, what Makes You Think You're Pregnant") to end ("Postpartum Dementia") pregnancy book written with humor and candor. 
- My favorite pregnancy book because it's organized by week. Some weeks show a drawing of the baby at its actual size (until it gets to big to fit on the page!), and there are also sections about changes happening in you and the baby, and weekly tips. Also discussed is what might be happening at your doctor or care provider appointments. It's hard not to go forward in the book in anticipation of future developments!
A baby name book. There are so many of these and I really don't have a favorite, but probably any one of them would do. Some interesting sounding examples are 
, 
, and 
. Or there's always the more staid 
- Drops made especially to ease the discomfort of morning sickness. 
- I could not live without this pillow from about four months on. In fact, I ended up buying two because the first one got so beaten up by my sleeping with it every night (and during my many naps!).
- A belly casting kit that let's you make a plaster cast of your pregnancy belly. You can have a form for posterity and it only takes 30 minutes!
- for the fitness buff in your life. 
- For the mainstream mom.
My husband treated me to a prenatal massage every month from about three to nine months, and it really wasn't enough! Check the web or yellow pages or ask someone for a referral to a licensed prenatal massage therapist. There are special precautions that need to be taken for the health of you and your baby.
- This is the yoga tape I used for my entire pregnancy. She shows you how to adjust the poses for all three trimesters. Her voice is soothing and it's not a super intense yoga workout, just something to get you calm and loose.
- Yogi Alan Finger leads you in a relaxing 35-minute prenatal yoga session that focuses on breathing and posture.
Thanks for the info I'll add it.
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