It is an amazing experience to be pregnant and feel the baby developing as it grows into your son or daughter to be.
The nine months of pregnancy can be a delight and a joyful experience but the miracle of pregnancy and childbirth can come with its own curses and discomforts.
Pregnancy naturally allows the mother to bond with the unborn baby as she is sharing the first nine months of the baby's life, providing a safe place for it to form and grow.
But it is possible nowadays for the father, grandparents or other siblings to share a part of this initial growing process with the help of a home use fetal Doppler (or a baby heart monitor) which allows you to hear the heartbeat, kicks and hiccups of your unborn baby, even to record them for relatives living too far away or to listen to at a later date.
It is important not to look at yourself critically during pregnancy, you will of course gain weight and your moods will vary dramatically but this is a natural part of pregnancy.
Try to look your best but don't compare yourself to slim friends and expect to be a bit crabby sometimes - it's natural! Remember that you will soon have a beautiful new-born baby.
You can also make the most of the advantages - everyone seems to want to help a pregnant lady, doors will be opened, seats will be offered, things will be lifted for you and everyone wants to talk to you about the baby you are expecting.
Enjoy the attention and take advantage of all the little things that people are so willing to do for you.
You must of course, protect both your health and your unborn baby's.
Always check with your doctor regarding any medication and take that bit more care and attention to the foods you eat.
It is essential that you get enough protein as this is what helps to structure the cells in your baby's developing body.
He or she also needs plenty of vitamins and minerals so make sure you eat regular, well balanced meals.
Try to eliminate the junk food that most of us eat without even realising it.
You will naturally be more tired during pregnancy and junk foods provide nothing to counteract this and will probably make you look tired and wan as well.
One of the benefits of pregnancy is shopping, if you are naturally a bit of a shopaholic.
The nursery has to be planned and created, you will need clothes for yourself as you grow with your baby and of course you will need to have clothes for the new-born when it arrives.
If shopping is not a thing you look forward to, do it all online from the comfort of your armchair.
One thing it is best to wait for is new glasses or contact lenses as pregnancy can cause temporary changes in your vision that will resolve themselves after the birth.
Wait until after your baby is born and if you still feel your vision has changed, visit your optician then.
The experience of being pregnant is amazing but very few women get through it without gaining too much weight, suffering morning sickness (which can last all day and night!), sleeping badly or always feeling tired but when the time comes there is nothing better than the feeling of joy, delight and amazement when your baby is born.
It is an indescribable honour and privilege to be able to bring a new life into your world.