30 Healthy Pregnancy Secrets from "Dr. Mom"

Pregnant women are full of hope - and worry. Will my baby be OK? Will I? Moms-to-be are also hungry for ideas that can help them enjoy being pregnant, and to cope with problems that inevitably arise. Where better to turn to advice than to moms who also happen to be medical doctors. Here are 30 great ideas from Dr. Rallie McAllister, co-author of "The Mommy MD Guide to Pregnancy and Birth."

Coping with Cravings

Cravings are normal in pregnancy - not a sign that something is wrong. If you're craving something unhealthy, try to eat something healthy instead - for example, yogurt instead of ice cream.

But if you really must have that ice cream, eat it. Dr. Erika Schwartz, mother of two and women's health specialist in private practice in New York City

Easing Swelling

During pregnancy, I had swelling of my feet and fingers. Whenever I had the chance, I put my feet up, especially at night while watching TV. It's helpful to keep a foot stool nearby.

And while it sounds counter-intuitive, it helps to stay hydrated. Don't stop drinking if you're swelling. I drank a lot of water and an occasional caffeinated soda. Dr. Aline Tanios, mother of three and a pediatrician and hospitalist at Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock

Coping with Morning Sickness

During my first pregnancy, I had intense morning sickness. But I found one amazingly effective remedy: fresh ginger.

I took a thumbnail-size piece of fresh gingerroot, chopped it fine, and steeped it like you would tea in hot water, for two to three minutes. I'd sip that all day long and chew the ginger at the bottom of each mug. My nausea was decreased by about 50 percent. Nothing else, not even prescription drugs, was as effective. Dr. Ann Kulze, mother of four in Charlesto, SC, and the author of " Dr. Ann's 10-Step Diet: A Simple Plan for Permanent Weight Loss and Lifelong Vitality"

Noticing Odd Tastes and Smells

During my pregnancy, I wasn't sensitive to smells at home. But in the hospital, smelling the cleaning solutions, air fresheners, and antiseptic soaps made me queasy. To counteract the nausea-inducing smells, I carried a tube of eucalyptus ointment in my pocket, and I dabbed a bit under my nose whenever the need arose. The smell blocked the unpleasant odors around me, quelled my nausea, and had a calming effect. Dr. Rallie McAllister, mother of three sons in Lexington, Ky., and co-author of "The Mommy MD Guide to Pregnancy and Birth"

Fighting Fatigue

I was in my last year of medical residency during my third pregnancy. Standing on my feet was exhausting, so I made great use of our practice's rolling stools. I'd roll it in the hall between exam rooms instead of walking. Sometimes I'd ask other people to push!

When you're tired, don't walk if you can stand, don't stand if you can sit, don't sit if you can lie down, and sleep whenever you can. Dr. Rallie McAllister, mother of three sons in Lexington, Ky. and co-author of "The Mommy MD Guide to Pregnancy and Birth"

Preparing Pets for Baby

Our cat was our baby before our babies were born. We were concerned how the cat would react to the baby because she was already five years old when our daughter was born. We were right. When the baby came home, the cat was not very happy! Fortunately, we had bought a tent for our baby's crib to keep the cat out. Dr. Mary Mason, mother of a girl and a boy and an internist in St. Louis

Treating Back Pain

Late in one pregnancy, I had sciatica - pain in the lower back that runs down the leg. There's not much you can do for that when you're pregnant. I got a massage from a massage therapist who specialized in treating pregnant women. It helped temporarily. Better yet was the hour of relaxing and being pampered. Dr. Lezli Braswell, mother of a daughter and two sons and a family medicine physician in Columbus, Ga.

Breathing Easy

Shortness of breath can be a problem for pregnant women. My middle daughter was a long baby, and I carried her up high in my ribs. Toward the end I was so short of breath it felt like the wind was getting knocked out of me. I tried to walk as much as possible, not run, and I sat down to catch my breath a lot. Dr. Marra Francia, mother of three daughters and an ob-gyn in The Woodlands, Texas

Controlling Labor Pain

It's impossible to have a natural birth when you're on your back and tied up with IVs and monitors. Lying down is the wrong thing to do. My secret to making it through labor was walking. I walked until I didn't think I could walk anymore, and then I walked some more.

I kept going until I felt the baby starting to come out. I didn't want to deliver in the hallway, so I got into bed and pushed. Dr. Hana R. Solomon, mother of four and a pediatrician in Columbia, Mo.

Resting Up before Delivery

The afternoon before my water broke, I snuck in a pedicure. That was my last pedicure in a very long time, and I was so glad that I got it in just under the wire. Dr. Ashley Roman, mother of two daughters and a clinical assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at New York University School of Medicine

Sharing the Good News

I found out I was pregnant with my oldest daughter just before going out to dinner to celebrate my husband's birthday. I put the ultrasound photo into a frame that said "Daddy and Me" and hid it in my purse. When my husband asked if I wanted wine, I said, "I think you should open your last present first."

He knew what it was right away, and he ordered a martini. I got iced tea. Dr. Marra Francis, mother of three daughters and an ob-gyn in The Woodlands, Texas

Getting More Calcium

I'm lactose intolerant and have never been able to tolerate dairy products. And when it comes to swallowing those gigantic calcium pills, I'm a wimp. Fortunately, I found liquid calcium at a health food store. A couple of tablespoons a day gave me all the calcium I needed during pregnancy without upsetting my stomach. Dr. Rallie McAllister, mother of three sons in Lexington, Ky. and co-author of "The Mommy MD Guide to Pregnancy and Birth"

Meditating to Relax

Meditation is a huge part of my life. I have a fairly intense life. Sitting quietly in meditation allows my brain to rinse out like clothes in a washing machine. The chance to sit quietly and to learn to be an observer is a helpful skill in pregnancy - and in parenting. It helps you to be more receptive to what your kids say. Dr. Nancy Rappaport, mother of two daughters and a son and an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School

Decorating Your Nursery

When I was pregnant with twins, I painted a big picture of my older daughter and the twins holding balloons on the nursery wall. While I was painting it, my daughter walked into the room. She took off running, and I heard her yell, "Daddy, Mommy's painting on the wall!" Dr. Susan Wilder, mother of three daughters and a family physician in Scottsdale, Az.

Weaning Off the Bean

I drink about four cups of coffee a day. You can drink one or two cups daily during pregnancy, so during my pregnancies, I made a pot with half decaf coffee and half regular. That way, I could still drink four cups, but only two would be caffeinated. Dr. Gina Dado, mother of two daughters and an ob-gyn in Scottsdale, Az.

Picking a Pediatrician

It's good to ask friends for doctor recommendations. Since many of my friends are doctors, I was able to ask people who were both friends and doctors. It's great to ask doctors for referrals to other doctors. In addition to knowing their bedside manner, they also know how to evaluate the doctors' clinical skills.

If none of your friends are doctors, consider asking your own doctors for pediatrician recommendations. Dr. Ayala Laufer-Cahana, mother of three and a pediatrician in Wynnewood, Pa.

Taking Photos of Your Belly

My favorite part of my pregnancy was photographing my pregnant belly. I was scared to do it too soon, but at week 32 my husband and I wrote "32" on my belly in lipstick and took a photo, and then did the same each week after that.

After that, we started writing messages on my belly before taking the pictures. It was fun! Dr. Jennifer Gilbert, mother of twins and an ob-gyn in Paoli, Pa.

Going to Prenatal Visits

Even though I'm a doctor, I had lots of questions for my obstetrician. Because I had trouble remembering my questions during the excitement of my visits, I began to jot them down. After misplacing my list several times, I began writing my questions in my date book. If my next appointment was on Nov. 1, I'd write my questions on the "Nov. 1" page. I could write down my questions whenever they occurred to me, and I had no trouble finding them when I met with my doctor. Dr. Rallie McAllister, mother of three sons in Lexington, Ky. and co-author of "The Mommy MD Guide to Pregnancy and Birth"

Taking Prenatal Vitamins

Vitamins can't help if you throw them up. If you have morning sickness and can't choke down your prenatal vitamins, chew a children's vitamin instead. One popular brand contains 400 micrograms of folic acid, which is what most experts recommend pregnant women get each day. Dr. Ashley Roman, mother of two daughters and a clinical assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at New York University School of Medicine

Easing Heartburn

When I was pregnant with triplets, I had unrelenting heartburn. I discovered that eating ice cream and sipping milk helped. The ice cream (plus medication my doctor prescribed) eased the heartburn enough that it wasn't waking me up anymore. Of course, by then I was waking up for a zillion other reasons. Dr. Sadaf T. Bhutta, mother of a daughter and a set of triplets and an assistant professor of pediatric radiology at Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock

Enjoying Sex

My husband and I had a healthy sex life before and during my pregnancy. In fact, we had sex the morning my water broke. Sex was relaxing for me and lovely for him. It's good to bank up a lot of "credit," because after the baby comes, you won't be able to have sex for a while. Dr. J.J. Levenstein, mother of one and a pediatrician in private practice in Burbank, Calif.

Coping with Constipation

I was constipated throughout my first pregnancy. During my second, my doctor recommended a prenatal vitamin that also contains a stool softener. I thought it was helping, and I was sure of it one morning when I forgot to take it. I took a regular vitamin instead, and all day long I felt like I couldn't poop. Dr. Sonia Ng, mother of two sons and a pediatrician in Princeton, N.J.

Handling Unsolicited Advice

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When you get unsolicited advice, feel free to blurt out the rudest thing you can think of. Then blame it on the pregnancy hormones. Dr. Ellen Kruger, mother of two teenagers and an ob-gyn in practice in New Orleans

Soothing Itchy Skin

During my pregnancy, my belly itched. Vitamin E and cocoa butter lotion helped. If the itching was intense, I put an ice pack on it. That really helped. Dr. Diane Truong, mother of a daughter and a son and a pediatrician in Burbank, Calif.

Consider Cord Blood Banking

My husband and I decided to bank each of our children's cord blood. We thought we would do that just in case something happened. Researchers are finding more and more applications for stem cells, so I think that in the future cord blood might be even more useful. It's like life insurance. Dr. Dianna K. Kim, mother of three and an ob-gyn in private practice in Vernon Hills, Ill.

Packing Your Birth Bag

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A week or so before I went into labor, I packed reading materials, outfits for the baby, and my Boppy nursing pillow to help me breast-feed. I also took my computer because the hospital had wireless Internet. I was actually able to use my computer because the baby slept a lot. Dr. Amy J. Derick, mother of a son and a dermatologist in private practice in Barrington, Ill.

Easing Your Fears

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Pregnancy is overwhelming. This is probably good preparation for parenting, which is even more overwhelming.

At some point during my pregnancy, I realized that I was doing my best, and then I would just fake the rest. I stopped trying to control every variable. We all muddle through. I just try to use my best judgment. Dr. Ellen Kruger, mother of two teenagers and an ob-gyn in practice in New Orleans

Easing Foot Pain

Be good to your feet, or they will make you pay. My favorite shoes during pregnancy were the brown Hush Puppies loafers that I still wear now. Before I started wearing those shoes, my arches would ache endlessly. They definitely quieted my dogs. Dr. Tyeese Gaines Reid, mother of one and an emergency medicine doctor at at Yale New Haven Hospital in New Haven, Conn.

Going into Labor

When I went into labor, my husband and I both panicked a bit. He's a cardiologist, and he started telling me to breathe."How do you know I need to breathe?" I asked. "It's what they do in all of the movies," my husband said. So we mimicked what we had seen on TV and in the movies, and it was fine. Dr. Diane Truong, mother of a daughter and a son and a pediatrician in Burbank, Calif.

Seeing Your Baby for the First Time

I cannot adequately describe how I felt when my babies were born. It was as if I had died and there really was a Heaven with the prophets and the angels, and that you could look at them clearly and see they were like real people. My baby's eyelashes and fingernails seemed that impossible and vivid to me. Just to look at them seemed impossible.

Dr. Elizabeth Berger, mother of two in Indianapolis