Handy hints for early pregnancy, add yours here :-)

[feb80]

This morning I felt rather pleased with myself for improvising with a hairband to make a waist expander for my jeans. Looped it over the button and through the button hole to provide a precious extra inch or so! Am only 7+5 weeks but clothes already feeling a bit tight so it was a great relief.

It made me wonder if there are any things like this you've discovered that will make all our lives that little bit easier?!

Ha I used to do this when I was preggers!!

Best advice I was given was to go to as many plays/films/concerts (whatever floats your boat) as you can while pregnant, as once the baby's here you won't have the necessary time or energy!

Rich tea biscuits, dry crackers and lemonade all very good for morning sickness ime. Also, carry boiled sweets with you - good if you get a wave of nausea while you are out of the house, or worse - on public transport.

Don't eat that cake/chocolate/other nutritionally worthless slice of yumminess.

You'll regret it when 5 months after the birth you STILL have 2 stone to shift

for morning sickness - cup of boiled water with a little lemon and mashed (grated) fresh root ginger (about a teaspoon full) and sweeten if required - it was the ONLY thing that stopped me feeling sick.

Lean forwards ono your knees when you pee to empty your bladder fully.

Sleep when you can - your body is going through lots of changes so if you feel knackered at 8pm, go to bed then. Makes a world of difference to how you feel in those early knackering days.

Plays/films/gigs etc - best kept for the second trimester (when you're not falling asleep at 8) - but definitely get out and about and do as much as you possibly can.

And if morning sickness permits, keep trying to do some light exercise and have a healthy balanced diet.

I would say...

• Do NOT google...it will only scare the crap out of you

• If you have some spare cash, a scan at 10/11 weeks is enormous fun, the baby looks like a small person and jumps around like crazy!

• Bump bands from the NCT website are a great way to make your clothes last longer.

Oh, and dont fall asleep on the toilet at work, and end up with tile marks all over your face....

Good luck everyone!

LOL @ tile marks on face!! Bless you!

*Angel Dopplers are great for listening to your baby's heartbeat before you feel much movement.

*Leggings are So much more comfortable than jeans, for me from day 1!

*First timers (like me) be prepared for all sorts of niggles that nobody tells you about pre-pregnancy.

*As miserable as you feel when sickness is in full swing, and as much as i felt like everyone was lying to me- it DOES pass... Eventually!!

Good luck! xx