So she has a bun in the oven...

First things first: forget the bun, focus on the oven.

I'm at the age now where all of my friends are getting pregnant (Not to mention I'm jump starting my career as a doula) so I see a lot of little ladies with a bun in the oven. I always want to jump in and talk them to death, ask questions, recommend my favorite baby gear, 'talk shop' in a way. I always have to take a deep breath and hold it, for awhile. I have to remind myself that no one wants to hear THAT much advice especially when it's unsolicited. So what could they ACTUALLY use?

Voila... the perfect pregnancy gift basket!

(I got these free printables from over at The Handmade Home, cute right?)

Here are a few ideas I've thrown together. Of course each should be personalized to give it that extra oomf.

• Belly Butter/Vitamin E/Rose Hip Oil- Every expecting mama worries about stretch marks. Eventually they'll realize that they earned their tiger stripes, but in the mean time they want to avoid them. The old trick cocoa butter will work but now-a-days there are better ways to prevent the lovely mommy marks. Homemade belly butters, vitamin e and rose hip oil are all great! We'll call this one Preventative Maintenance. (Can you tell I'm married to a technician? haha)
• Massage Gift Card/Foot or hand massage- If you've ever carried a little monster in you, you know how hard it is on your body. Everything hurts by the end of the day. All you want to do is relax. What better way to relax than a massage? For those of you who can't afford to give out massage gift cards all willy-nilly (coughmecough) give the gift of a foot/hand massage. Don't forget to get in between those fingers and press on the sole of the foot! These acupressure points are great for relieving stress and pain. We'll call this one the Tune Up Special. 
• Rice Pack- A what?? A RICE PACK can't you hear? Ok, ok I'll explain. A rice pack is like a little heating pad but without the electricity and fear of falling asleep and burning down the house. These are very simple to make, even if you don't sew! Grab a sock (preferably a new one please), fill with white rice and tie off the other end! You can add a drop or two of your favorite essential oil if you'd like. To use it, pop in the microwave for about a minute and BAM relief from a long day. It'll stay warm for over an hour and it's great for those prego back aches/sore feet. Give the gift of a quick fix. We'll call this one the Repair.
• Chocolate- I'm kicking myself for not putting this as number one. This one is pretty self explanatory. What girl doesn't love chocolate? Cookies are a bonus! Give the gift of Indulgence. We'll call it Fuel.
• Free Maid Pass- Let's face it, when you have a baby your house goes ballistic. It will look like a tornado hit it for those first few weeks. Though the tornado is small and cute, it comes with a ton of stuff. People will come by to see the baby, drop off food, even stay and talk for a bit. Rarely does anyone offer to clean the house. Give the gift of a clean home. A week or so after mom and dad come home, offer to let them take a nap. Wear baby around while you clean up! They'll wake up to a clean home, happy baby and feeling refreshed. We'll call this one Squeaky-Clean Service.
• Pregnancy Pillow- Mama's to be need sleep and lots of it! I mean, they are growing a human being, probably not the easiest job out there. Truth is, it's hard to get comfortable. Their new found bulk and achy joints make it hard to find a way to sleep in peace. Enter the pregnancy pillow. You can find a cheap one on Amazon for $39 or for the cheapo's (like me) make one yourself! It doesn't take much to make a long rectangle and stuff it with batting. Give the gift of a good nights sleep. We'll call this one, a Ladies New Best Friend (sorry dad)!
• Tips for a beautiful lady- Everyone will be quick to give tips on parenting, sleep training, nursing, blah Blah BLAH. But what about mom?!?! After all, she is the one doing all the hard work here. I've compiled a few tips for mom to stay as comfortable as possible and enjoy her temporary state. Here it goes!

1. Pregnancy is hard on the body. Massages feel good at the moment but sometimes those aches and pains stick with you. Accupressure and accupuncture are great for relieving back pain, headaches, and all those other 'icky feelings.
2. Ever heard the expression "opinions are like... noses, everyone has one, they all smell." No? That's because I just made that up. Anyway, it applies here too. E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E will give you advice and only some will work for you. Just nod and smile and do what you think is best. After all, nothing tops moms intuition. 
3. Sleep. Sleep and more sleep.  Your body needs it, I mean you are making a human being after all.
4. Excercise, squats especially! They will help you when it's time for the birth and it will make you feel great throughout your pregnancy!
5. View your due date as "estimated", in reality you could be pregnant for 42 weeks. That's right 42 WHOLE WEEKS.
6. Drink water.
7. Drink LOTS of water.
8. Did I mention drink water?? This is by far the best tip I could give you. You need around 1 gallon of water a day when pregnant. It is very easy to get dehydrated which will make you even more uncomfortable and put baby in danger. Drink, drink drink (water silly).
9. Keep a journal. It's nice to be able to look back and reminesce over your pregnancy. Take lots of belly pictures and try to enjoy the time you have left as a couple.
10. Treat yourself. This can either be enjoyable or horrible. You deserve it, go get that maternity top and adorable swimsuit for (over your budget)!  It'll make you feel better than you ever thought you could feel!

Pregnant ladies have it hard, whether they want to admit it or not. Treat them to a good start and help them pamper themselves for once in their lives!! 

SO what did I miss? 

What do you give to your pregnant friends? 

What do you wish people gave you?

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