One of the first things a mother will usually experience is morning sickness. While the name may lead you to believe this nauseous feeling can only happen in the morning, it can in fact be present at any time of the day.



While there are many home remedies people swear by, there is no one tried and true cure. One thing that can lessen the symptoms of morning sickness is a healthy, well balanced diet, and exercise. While exercising may be the last thing you want to do when sick in the bathroom, it can actually do many good things for both mommy and baby through the duration of the pregnancy.

Eating healthfully and getting all the proper

nutrients will also be essential for a happy pregnancy; your doctor can recommend the proper diet to follow with baby in mind. Oftentimes women use the old adage "eating for two" but this can in fact be a bad rule to follow. It's especially important during pregnancy to watch the weight gain. It is recommended that a pregnant woman gain somewhere between 25-40lbs. If mommy is eating healthy, baby can get all the nutrients it needs to grow and develop out of normal portion sizes.

In the second to fourth months of pregnancy a common occurrence is an elevated mood and activity level. The hormones associated with pregnancy have stabilized and the body has gotten used to being pregnant; many women never feel better than at this time of their

pregnancy. This can be cause for concern as some women may tend to overdo it; it's important to monitor your activity level carefully and speak with the doctor about anything specific to avoid. One idea to burn the excess energy is to join a pregnancy workout class; not only will it help mommy and baby stay healthy, but it will also burn the excess energy.

It's also important to not worry about asking too many questions of the doctor. A woman can never know too much about the changes occurring in her body. Another idea is to pick up a pregnancy book from the library or bookstore. This will give mom the opportunity to learn all she can about what to expect in the coming months, and will provide a reference down the road if a question should pop up. A few cardinal rules for a healthy pregnancy are: get a lot of water, eat healthfully, exercise moderately, and be happy!