Holiday Expectations

The holidays can be a great time to get together with family and friends but it can also be a very stressful time, especially for the expecting mother. What others forget is that pregnancy affects women in different ways. Family members must remember that they need to be supportive and do what they can do to reduce the stress in the expecting mothers life.

Barbara P. Homeier, MD has an article that can be found online at Kids Health. It is entitled 10 Things that Might Surprise You About Being Pregnant. These ten things include the following (make sure to check out the article for more information):

Altered States

• The Nesting Instinct (organize, clean, decorate)
  
• Inability to Concentrate
  
• Mood Swings

Unexpected Effects of Pregnancy

• Bra Size (Breast Fairy)
  
• Skin
• Hair and Nails (Grow Faster)
  
• Shoe Size
• Joint Mobility
• Varicose Veins, Hemorrhoids, and Constipation

Birth Day Surprises

• Things That Will Come Out of Your Body

With all of these changes it is important for family, friends and especially the husband to be supportive.