The Brogue Hog

Morning sickness can be a hassle for pregnant women. Unfortunately, it is something they must deal with during pregnancy. The symptoms and severity of morning sickness varies from one person to another. Good news however to all suffering pregnant ladies, morning sickness seems to be a positive sign that your pregnancy is going on just fine; that is according to a study conducted by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Their research shows that women who experienced vomiting during the first trimester of pregnancy were less prone to miscarriage or premature delivery.

This of course does not lessen the agony of morning sickness. Below are some remedies and tips for pregnant women dealing with morning sickness.

-Stay away from warm areas. This is because heat aggravates nausea.

-Sleep well at night, make sure you get a lot of it and in the morning, get out of your bed slowly. Tiredness can also increase the discomfort so it also advisable for a pregnant woman to take short naps during the day.

-Eating cereals or crackers in the morning before getting up is also helpful.

-Keep fried, spicy and greasy food stuff away from your menu.

-Try eating anything salty before a meal.

-Eat protein-rich snacks frequently.

-Avoid skipping meals.

-Believe in your body. Eat what it craves for, as long as it is not junk of course.

-Get as much ginger as possible. Ginger alleviates all sorts of nausea so try drinking ginger tea or eat food items with ginger.

-Try other sorts of herbal and non-caffeinated teas. Lemon balm, raspberry leaf and chamomile are very much recommended.

-Drink clear fluids frequently to avoid dehydrating one’s self.

-Mixing 2-3 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in warm water and drinking it in the morning helps neutralize stomach acid.

-Eat small meals frequently during the day instead of feasting on three large meals a day.

-The baby inside the stomach also consumes sugar for energy. Eat fruits because the sugar in them are already half broken down. It would be easier to digest them and get the sugar in the blood supply. Oranges and grapes are good for this purpose.

-Nibble a lot. Nibbling on a cracker or candy will keep the heartburn at bay. The stomach normally produces higher amounts of gastric juices during pregnancy. Always have something for the stomach acids to work on.

-Pump up your dosage of vitamins B6 and B12, zinc, folic acid and iron. The body needs more of these during pregnancy. Sufficient amounts of these nutrients will lessen nausea caused by pregnancy.

-Try out acupressure massage. This can be done by a professional or, with proper training, the woman’s husband.

Pregnant women dealing with morning sickness can be very sensitive with odors. Here are some things they can try to avoid certain odors:

-While cooking, switch on the exhaust fan or open the windows.

-Preparing food using the microwave oven minimizes odors.

-Have a handkerchief always with you which has a few drops of essential oil. It is important that the essential oil does not cause nausea. Use this to cover the nose when a pregnant woman can’t avoid the odor aggravating her nausea.

Finally, do not fret so much about it. As long as there is continuous weight gain and there is no problem with dehydration, then there is nothing to be so worried about.

Note: This article may be freely reproduced as long as the AUTHOR’S resource box at the bottom of this article is included and all links must be Active/Linkable with no syntax changes.

For up to date links and information about Pregnancy, please go to http://www.PregnancyClue.com.

Are you concerned about your kids sitting around the house too much? Do they spend their day watching TV, playing video games or surfing the net? Are they turning into couch potatoes? As a parent you know how hard it is to get your child to do something good for their health. Heck, you probably haven’t been able to get them to eat carrots since they were toddlers, how are you supposed to convince them to go to the gym, or for a run. The key is finding an exercise that they enjoy, so they will continue to exercise and make it a lifetime habit. This is where the mini trampoline comes in.

Do you remember how much fun you had jumping on the bed as a kid? The Mini Trampoline, or Urban Rebounder lets your kids have the same fun experience without ruining your mattress or getting hurt from a fall off the bed.

The mini trampoline is one of the most versatile pieces of exercise equipment. You kids can jump on it in front of the television, or outside, and when it’s not in use, it easily fits in a closet or even under the bed.

Let’s look at some of the benefits of working out on the Mini Trampoline

• It’s a low impact form of exercise
• Burns more calories than jogging
• Improves circulation
• Gives you a great cardio workout
• Strengthens your legs and thighs
• Improves balance and coordination
• Its very portable

Above all, it is A LOT OF FUN!!!!.

Don’t think rebounding is just for kids. You’ll get a great workout out of this as well. The mini trampoline is perfect for your entire family and a great investment in your health and fitness as well. It helps you burn fat and calories fast, but also works great when it comes to strength training. Your biggest problem will be to get a turn to work out. (We suggest you wait until the kids are in school).

When you are shopping for a mini trampoline look for a model with six legs. It will be a lot more stable than some of the cheaper four legged models. If you’re just starting out and also as an extra safety precaution, look for a model with a stabilizer bar.

We suggest the Urban Rebounder at
Mini Trampoline-Urban rebounding

http://www.fitnessandkids.com/urban-rebounder.html. You’ll receive the complete kit including the stabilizer bar, carrying case and workout videos. Eveything you need to get you started.

Get bouncing today!

Denise Nero is the owner of Fitnessandkids.com Stop by and Subscribe to HealthyNews Ezine for more great exercise, diet tips, children’s health and fitness, freebies and learn more about the benefits for Rebounding! http://www.fitnessandkids.com/urban-rebounder.html

Pregnancy is a time of exciting change. Your body is changing and soon your family life will be joyously altered forever. Getting ready for a new baby is a busy time, but because there are so many things to prepare for, it’s easy to lose sight of some of the bigger issues you need to think about.

Get a Grip on Money

Pregnancy is one of the most expensive events in your life. Not only are you paying for medical costs, buying a new wardrobe for yourself, and purchasing all that baby equipment, but you’re also about to change the number of people in your family - something that has long-term financial consequences.

Parents need to prepare a pregnancy budget. Map out exactly what your pregnancy expenses are going to be so you can find a way to apportion those costs. Next, create a new parenthood budget. Include all of your household expenses, as well as all the costs a new baby is going to add. Compare it to the income you expect to have and also try to make a provision for some savings.

Trim the Edges

When you’re doing all this budgeting, it’s a great time to look for ways to cut back on certain expenses. Sign up now for free diaper and formula samples and coupons. Compare your health insurance plan with your partner’s to determine which offers the best family coverage. Consider opening a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) through your employer that will allow you to take money out of your paycheck pre-tax and spend it on medical expenses.

Plan for the Unexpected

Becoming a parent is a time of excitement, but it’s also a time of new responsibility. There are many things you can do while pregnant that will protect your family’s future. Contact an attorney and get a will made. Choose a guardian for your baby and make sure your will is very clear about your wishes. Your partner should consider purchasing life insurance, but it’s best for you to wait until after pregnancy to consider it for yourself since your premiums are likely to be higher if you apply during pregnancy.

Another thing many moms do not do is talk to their health care providers about C-sections. You’re probably planning on a vaginal birth and most likely you will have a happy, uneventful one. However, should you unexpectedly have a C-section, you may not have time to ask a lot of questions and gather a lot of information in advance. Ask about the type of incision that would be used, the type of anesthesia, and what the recovery period is like. You’ll also want to discuss who will be allowed in the operating room with you.

Get Your Home Ready

Getting the nursery together is an act of love and one you’ll enjoy doing. There’s more to getting your home ready than painting and setting up a crib though. This is a good time to have your home tested for environmental hazards such as radon, carbon monoxide, or lead paint. You’ll also want to learn about the safety standards for baby products, issued by the Juvenile Products Manufacturing Association (www.jpma.org), so that you can evaluate any secondhand baby equipment and check for recalls on products you might have received as gifts. You might also want to purchase a choke test cylinder, available at baby product stores, so that you can evaluate toys that might pose potential dangers.

Be a Busy Bee

The last couple of months of your pregnancy are a great time to get organized and do some things that will make your life easier once baby arrives. When you cook, double the recipes and freeze the extra. This will create a nice stockpile of frozen meals for when you come home from the hospital. Stock up on non-perishable pantry items that are easy to prepare as well. Lay in a supply of paper plates and cups so you won’t have to worry about dishes in those first hectic weeks.

Buy extra toilet paper, tissues, and self-care products. Get together a stack of take out menus and withdraw some cash so you won’t need to get to an ATM. Practice turning off the ringer on your phone and turning down the volume on your answering machine now.

This is also a great time to download free or low cost labor software for your partner’s Palm Pilot that will track your contractions. You may also want to set up a basic web page where you can upload baby photos once you get home from the hospital, so friends and family from everywhere can see the new arrival.

Consider Your Options

Think now about cord blood preservation and additional newborn testing. Cord blood preservation must be planned in advance, so you can pay the fee and receive the collection kit to take to the hospital. If you wait to decide until you go into labor, it’s too late. You should also research what newborn medical tests are required in your state to be done in the hospital and decide for yourself if you feel they are adequate. Some states screen for only four conditions, while others screen for up to 48. For information on how you can get complete testing done for under $100, visit www.SaveBabies.org.

Getting ready for a new baby can be stress-free if you take the time now to plan ahead.

Brette McWhorter Sember is a former attorney, mom of two and author of Your Practical Pregnancy Planner: Everything You Need to Know About the Financial and Legal Aspects of Preparing for Your New Baby (McGraw-Hill, 2005) and Your Plus-Size Pregnancy: The Ultimate Guide for the Full-Figured Expectant Mom (Barricade Books, 2005). Her web sites are http://www.BretteSember.com and http://www.YourPlusSizePregnancy.com.

This time, I would like to talk about a subject that is appropriate for every age group out there. Even we, parents, can benefit from this, we can develop success skills together with our children.

Sometimes you see people (of all ages) that are successful at everything they do. Whatever they touch, whatever they attempt, success is theirs. Others, who are also successful, have to struggle and work much harder to achieve success, and yet others, even though they are smart and hard workers, don’t achieve success. What is it that the “always successful” people have, that the others don’t?

I often have conversations with children about their goals and objectives, and often I hear young children say to me, “I am not very smart”, or “I don’t think that I can achieve this”. How did a young child get to this opinion of themselves, so early in life? A child that has low self esteem, stands the chance of failing. SELF CONFIDENCE! a “can do” approach - that’s what we want our children to develop, so that they succeed in life.

It’s a known saying, that whatever you think about yourself - is true. If you think that you can do - your are right. If you think that you can’t - you are right! I like to say that a person is only worth what he thinks he is worth. In other words, if you think that you can achieve success in a project, you will do your best, but if you don’t think you can, you will not even attempt it, and never find out if you would be successful at it or not.

So how do we instill a “can do” mentality in our children? This starts very early in life! Believe it or not, your baby, when trying to achieve his first achievements in life: turning over, smiling, sitting up, standing up, making the first steps, saying the first words, is already getting feedback from his environment, and especially from you. Throughout our child’s growing up years, we provide feedback about who they are, and what they are worth. We can’t help it, we teach them how we feel about these issues ourselves.

Most of us celebrate our baby’s first steps, provide encouragement and support. But after the first year or two, we need to remember to go on and keep encouraging and supporting. I’d like to shed some light on this issue, by giving an example: Ruth, who was a great mother, a unique and talented person, did not get support in her home. When she was growing up, her parents provided the best education to her brother, but did not bother to send Ruth to a good school and to college, because she was a girl, and she was supposed to get married and be supported by a husband. Ruth grew up, feeling inferior.

Like all parents, she could not help passing her attitude to her kids. But hers was a “loser’s” attitude. I know that Ruth was not aware of the affect of what she was doing on her children, but she always compared her children to other kids, or other people, who always did better. For example, “Look at Michael, he is so talented and smart, always gets the best grades”. “I wish I was a good a business person as Paul, he always manages his business wisely, but we are not that smart, and always make bad decisions and choices”. In a very subtle way, almost not noticeable, she would react in a very surprised way, when her children achieved excellence in school. Edith came home one day, with a award, for being the best reader in her class. Yes, Ruth celebrated it, of course! She was very happy for Edith. But at the same time, she acted somewhat surprised! “You? How wonderful! ” and Edith, as all smart children, also heard the subtle undertones, the unsaid words “I would never expect it!”. Edith grew up with the feeling that other people are better than her, and she is inferior.

If we want our children to be successful, we have to make sure we give them a very clear message: “You can do it”. With everything we do, we must expect them to succeed. Never give your child the feeling that you doubt his ability. That you doubt that he will succeed. Listen to the way you talk to your child, and catch every sentence that could be interpreted as doubt. ASSUME success. If your child stumbled, and did not achieve the maximum success in an assignment - offer support. Don’t criticize! Your child faces enough criticism in his everyday life, from peers, teachers…you want to offer support. Make sure your child knows that you are on his side, and most important - that you believe in him.

EXPECT SUCCESS! If you expect success, your child will learn to expect success too. Many parents (and teachers) are concerned about stressing a child out. So they don’t encourage him to succeed, they accept mediocrity. I don’t suggest putting stress on a child. I suggest encouraging a child to excel. Make clear to your child that it’s possible to excel, and that he can succeed. Don’t judge or criticize, just make it clear you know your child can succeed. If needed, assist your child and support.

COME FROM A PLACE OF POWER. This point is very hard to teach: come from a place of power, not from a place of a victim. Teach your child to take responsibility for the results. Your child can achieve success. The results depend on him. How do you teach that? Teaching a child that he is the one who determines what happens in his life, provides a feeling of control and power. Don’t do what Ruth did: “We have such a bad luck, every time we invest in the stock market - the stock market crashes”. This is a victim approach. If Ruth decided to take the risk of investing in the stock market, do her research and make her decisions, she needs to take responsibility and simply say: “I made a mistake, I need to learn from it”. Teach your child that it’s alright to make mistakes. Everybody makes mistakes. Mistakes are simply feedback for us to learn what works and what doesn’t. If your baby touched the stove and experienced the pain of burning his finger, provide comfort, and simply say “hot”. Your child will learn the lesson. If your child comes home from school disappointed, because something did not go his way, first provide support and comfort, then help him draw the conclusion: what is he going to do differently the next time?

PERSISTENCE. Teach your child persistence. Encourage your child not to give up. This is not easy, so the technique I suggest for this is story telling. Story telling has a similar affect to hypnosis on children. Find children’s books or stories about people who persisted, and achieved, despite adversity. These stories are very uplifting and motivating.

TECHNIQUES FOR SUCCESS:

1. Visualization. This is a technique that helps with motivation. It is a known fact that successful athletes visualize themselves going through their routine in a perfect way, before they actually perform in a competition. Teach your child how to visualize his success. Children have active and strong imagination, and it is easy for them to visualize. You can “talk your child through” a visualization. The best time to do this, is at the end of the day, when your child is ready to go to bed. You can plan the the next day, talk about the assignments and ask your child to tell you how it will feel to perform the assignments with great success. This way you encourage your child to visualize his success, and it will motivate and encourage him. Ask your child to describe what he needs to do to succeed in detail, this will encourage your child to plan ahead, and visualize the steps he has to go through, in order to achieve success. Get into the habit of doing that. You will help your child tremendously.

2. Affirmations. This is a technique that is used often for adults, too. It can be very helpful to your child. You can plan the affirmations and write them down. Affirmations can be very effective, and you can say them to your child. Take a few minutes each day, to sit and think what affirmations you want to use that day. Please don’t think that you cannot apply this technique to babies. Babies understand so much more than we know, you can definitely start using this technique at an early age. What is your child working on? “You are very smart, and you are getting smarter every day” is a good affirmation on any day. It has shown that affirmations are more effective if said 3 times. So you can make sure, that you say each affirmation 3 times. Say affirmations always in a positive way, in the present tense.

For example: “You are very strong and resilient”. When your child is learning to ride a bike, or play a sport, you can say to him: “You have a great coordination, and your coordination is getting better every day”. A very well know affirmation is “Every day, in every way, you are getting better, better and better”. Whatever your child is engaged with at the time, you can put together an affirmation that is appropriate, and say it to your child. If you can get the child to say it to himself, or to repeat it, that is even better. Affirmations are a great tool to increase self esteem.

For the last 26 years, Esther Andrews has studied, researched and practiced the ways to develop a child’s intelligence. She also served as the principal of the School for Gifted Education. As a result of this experience, she developed her own method and philosophy, that proved to be extremely successful with her own 2 highly gifted children. In her web site, http://www.all-gifed-children.com, she helps parents develop their child’s genius, and provide for their kids the opportunity to achieve their maximum potential.

Not an easy subject right? Before we begin, the important thing to remember is that you don’t want to terrify your kids about the world we live in, or make them feel nervous on a daily basis. In particular with younger ones, we all know children are prone to nightmares when their imaginations are active about any kind of predator.

This is important for you as a parent also. We ARE very fortunate in Australia that the rate of non-parental child abductions is low in comparison to other countries. In our eyes though a ‘low’ rate is still too many, and our aim is that NO children or their families will ever have to go through the unthinkable. Other well reported statistics on the rates of child sexual abuse are far too high though, so some of the tips we’ll cover here are pertinent to helping your children protect themselves in these situations as well.

Let’s start with what NOT to say.
Most of us have been brought up with the traditional ’stranger danger’ message. “Don’t go with a stranger” has been proven to be horribly ineffective in keeping kids safe. So first rule of thumb is leave the word ’stranger’ out of your vocabulary when discussing safety with your kids. Why’s this?

Research has shown that most children when asked who a stranger is, will say ’someone mean or ugly looking’. They simply won’t view a nice looking lady or a kind looking man as someone they should steer clear of. When you think about it, we too probably only avoid a ’strange’ looking character who tries to talk to us in the street. In terms of child sexual abuse, the majority of children are molested by someone the family knows, sometimes by an actual family member. So advising children that only strangers are capable of harming them will place your children off guard.

For older children (around ten yrs plus) it should be ok to give the real reasons as to why you are concerned about child abductions and the tragic outcomes of some of these. For younger children though, we see absolutely no need for them to understand that there are people in the world who take children to sexually abuse and sometimes murder them. It is far better, and more advisable to ’stretch the truth’ a little and tell them something like “there are people out there who don’t have children of their own, so they try and steal someone else’s child”. This, in our opinion, is far easier for a little child to comprehend, and while scary enough in thought for them to take heed of what you say, won’t create unnecessary terror in their little heads.

Some 65% of non-parental child abductions are committed by someone the child or the childs’ parents have actually met before, no matter how briefly. (We say non-parental because the rate of disgruntled non-custodial parents who kidnap their children are much higher than abductions from other people.) Think of some scenarios where you have had a friendly, albeit brief banter going with someone you don’t know. A tradesperson that has come to your home; someone you chatted with in line at the post office or in the general neighbourhood; a salesperson coming to your door. All your child needs is to witness is you having a chat or a laugh with someone seemingly ‘nice’, and the child no longer views them as a stranger if they happen to come across them again. If mum is out the front gardening and little Sally sees her chatting to someone walking past with their cute dog, Sally is far more likely to let this person chat to her if she is out in the front garden without mum a few days later - especially if they have that cute little dog with them! Remember, most paedophiles are incredibly child savvy and personable with children.

So What Do You Say?
The best approach is to teach young children not to talk to ANYONE if you, a teacher, carer or other parent is not by their side. This may not sit well with parent’s hoping to instill politeness into their kids, but it’s by far the safest move. If an adult or responsible carer is not by their side, there is no need for cordiality, and most adults today will understand that.

If your child is old enough to walk to and from school on their own, or travel down to the shops without you, they need to understand how to react in certain circumstances. For example:

No adult should ask a child for help or directions. Kids can be caught off guard if someone pulls over in a car while they’re walking along or riding their bike. If the person yells out for directions, let your child know it’s ok for them to not respond, or they can simply say ‘I’m sorry, I can’t talk to you - you need to go and ask an adult’. Make sure they know never to approach the car to engage in conversation.

Equally this age group may feel obliged if someone struggling with their shopping bags or having trouble lifting something into a car asks them for help. Adults should ask other adults for help - not children! Advise your child that if this ever happens to them, not to go over and help the person, but to say “I’ll just go and find an adult to help you”. If applicable your child should then go into a shop and speak to the shopkeeper only (again, not just a shopper), to advise them someone is wanting help outside.

Common Tactics of Abductors
We’ve already mentioned what your child should do if an adult approaches them for help, but there are many other well known ‘tricks’ used to lure children away from safety. The obvious one is an adult offering gifts or lollies, or suggesting the child come and look at some cute little kittens or puppies. Teach your kids (all ages) that these are common tricks, and if anyone ever tells them they have something great to show them, they should ignore the offer and go immediately to a trusted adult or to a group of other kids to tell them.

Another example is where an adult may say to a child “quickly, come with me, your mummy/daddy has been hurt and they want me to take you to them.” Let your kids know that if something has ever happened to you for real, you would only send a family member/teacher etc. to get them. Stress that, even though it might sound very plausible because the person seems to know family names, they should go and find a trusted adult who can check it out. Go over again with your kids that, although they may slightly know the person who is telling them to come with them, they shouldn’t feel bad about saying no, and getting assistance from someone they know well.

More Hypothetical Scenarios
God forbid your child has found themselves vulnerable in a dangerous situation, but should someone have managed to take your child, role play what the person may say to them to get them to ’shut up’. Obviously an abductor/molester will want to hush a screaming child and may say things like “stop screaming or I’ll hurt your mother/father etc”. Let your kids know that this will not happen! and they are to scream, kick, scratch and punch for all their might. Yelling out “He/She’s not my mum/dad!” or “I don’t know this person!” is also advised. If your child has on his/her AmberWatch, then the alarm alert will really help draw attention from passer’s by to the situation.

Even with sexual molestation cases, children are often told by the perpetrator to keep quiet about what has happened, or he will ‘hurt’ someone else in the family, or something equally as terrible. If your child knows in advance that this is yet another well known ‘trick’ to keep them quiet, they can focus on protecting themselves, without the added fear and guilt that they may be causing more harm to others.

Be Specific about ‘No Go’ areas of the Body.
For the average parent, statistics that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 7 boys will experience some kind of sexual molestation in their childhood, is heartbreaking. Make sure your children know that any part of their body that a swimming costume covers is a ‘No Go’ area for anybody other than a trusted family member. This also includes touching parts of an adults body. Make sure your child knows that any sexual advance towards them is against the law. This will give them the confidence to assert themselves if they know it’s a legal crime, rather than just something mum or dad don’t want.

Keep open communication with your children and encourage them to talk to you about anything without guilt. Remember, paedophiles often use the “our little secret” ruse.

On a final note, molesters are very good at detecting attention/affection starved kids. Address any work/home life balances before it’s too late, knowing the effort you put into your children today will sow the seeds for the next generation of emotionally healthy adults.

Jo-Anne Rowland is the director of AmberWatch Australia, http://www.amberwatchaustralia.com, the Australian distributor of the AmberWatch. Recently featured on CNN’s Youth Trend Report and currently taking the child protection world by storm, the AmberWatch is being heralded as a ‘first of it’s kind’ child prevention/protection product. The beautiful Teri Hatcher has just been announced as the international spokesperson. For information on the US parent company please visit http://www.amberwatchfoundation.com

The method know as 3d ultrasound scanning is that can be used during early pregnancy, it provides 3d images of the unborn baby. Most times these ultrasound images are rapidly collected and joined together to produce a “4d ultrasound”.

Three dimensional scans works similarly to the normal ultrasound scanning methods except that the ultrasound pulses can be sent from many directions. The ultrasound waves can be redirected back then captured to provide info to construct a 3-dimensional picture in much the same way as 3d pictures. 3d ultrasound was started by stephen smith and olaf von ramm at duke university.

It is important to understand that sonologists all over the world always pictured three-dimensional images of anatomy or pathology in their minds while carrying out 2d scans. However, until recently it was very difficult to do this type of reconstruction on on information using ultrasound. With the introduction of baby scans for the first time allowed us a peek into the thinking of a sonologist and allowing us to reconstruct the images on the ultrasound machine.

3d/4d ultrasound imaging should utilize ultrasound energy following the same limits as conventional 2d ultrasound to create the 3d images. While there is no information of harm due to 3d ultrasound, its use in none essential situations needs to be undertaken with an understanding of the risks that may exist.

Please also remember to save your new born childs cord blood by using a company such as cells4life.

Your best friend just called you and told you the good news - she is pregnant! After you get over the initial shock and excitement, your next move is probably to begin planning a shower for her. There are many things to think about when planning a shower for someone - the guest list, decorations, games, refreshments - the list goes on and on.

Although most everyone loves a surprise party, you want to consider asking the mom-to-be’s opinion when planning her shower. There may be certain people she would like to invite and certain things she wants (such as a certain theme for the shower). Plus, at this point in her pregnancy, the mom-to-be may be freaking out about the baby’s impending birth, so another surprise might not be what she needs a the moment.

Place

Find out a good date and time for the shower as well as where she would like to have it. The location of the shower may depend on the size of the guest list. If you are only inviting a few friends, you should volunteer to have it at your house if possible. Some people who have larger showers may need to find another location such as a church, a conference room at work, a restaurant (in a closed off area), or a country club. If you are having the shower during months with pretty weather, you might even consider having it outside, although you should always consider the comfort of the mom-to-be.

Guest List

The guest list for a shower is very important. You want to include all the important people in your friend’s life. A great way to decide on the list is to ask your friend to meet you somewhere nice for a relaxing lunch and while there, you can go over the list. Or, maybe treat her to having a pedicure and you can talk about it while you have your nails done. Just be sure to have her bring her address book so you can get the addresses you need. You should let her decide whether it is going to be a girl’s only shower or a shower for everyone. If she would like the father-to-be there, he may be more comfortable with other men around, so consider inviting her brothers, father, stepfather, uncles and any other men she would like to have there. Since she probably has a lot of her mind, try and help her think of people she would like to invite from places such as work, high school, college, or church.

Registry

The mom-to-be may already be registered somewhere, but if not, try to encourage her to do so. She can register online at many places such as Wal-Mart and Target, so she doesn’t even have to leave home to do it. This will give the guests a good idea of what she needs and prevent her from getting three strollers. Be sure to include her registry information in the invitations for guests.

Invitations

Once you get the guest list set, you will need to choose invitations. Again, these depend on the size of the shower. If you are only having a few people, you may want to purchase invitations at a local party store and hand address each envelope. However, if you are having a larger shower, you may want to order engraved invitations from somewhere that will do all the addressing for you. No matter what you decide, be sure to involve the mom-to-be in the process of choosing.

Itinerary

Once the invitations go out, you need to plan the actual shower. Again, consult the mom-to-be on this. Do you want to do a theme for the party decorations? If you know if it is going to be a boy or a girl, this is a great idea. If you don’t know what it is going to be, you can always go with a generic theme like Disney or Blues Clues. Some people like showers that include games and some do not, so you will need to ask her about this. You will also need to decide what type of food to serve. You may want to serve a full meal, appetizers or just cake and desserts. Again, take the mom-to-be into consideration. If she has been having awful heartburn, you may not want to serve spicy entrees. Also, some pregnant women develop gestational diabetes and may be on strict diets. And don’t forget drinks - do you want punch, soda, or tea?

Miscellaneous things to think about include keeping tabs on how many people plan to attend, photography (if you have a digital camera, this works great), assigning someone to write down gifts and names, and cleaning up afterwards. Don’t forget to figure out how the mom-to-be will get all her gifts home. If the father-to-be is there, he can load and unload stuff, but if not, you may want to assign someone to follow her home with the gifts or volunteer to bring them over later yourself.

There is a lot of planning to a baby shower, but in the end, your friend will enjoy it and love you for having one for her.

Jennifer Barnett is a successful party planner providing valuable tips and advice on planning a baby shower that is inexpensive, fun for the guests with baby shower games, and choosing the perfect baby shower gift. Her numerous articles offer moneysaving tips and valuable insight. Print her “Baby Shower Checklist” to help you plan and organize the upcoming event!