Top Ten Gift Ideas for the Mom-to-Be

The expectant mom will probably get lots of blankets, onesies, bibs, and toys from friends and family. Here are some gifts for mom herself to help her relax, enjoy her pregnancy and cherish this momentous time in her life.

1.You can never have enough pregnancy and baby books, especially for the first time mom. There is a wealth of information available for parents, pre- and postnatal. Some popular titles are What to Expect When You’re Expecting by Heidi Murkoff, Arlene Eisenberg, and Sandee Hathaway and Your Pregnancy Week by Week by Glade B. Curtis and Judith Schuler. Another nice book is Eating for Pregnancy: An Essential Guide to Nutrition with Recipes for the Whole Family by Catherine Cheremeteff Jones and perinatal nutritionist Rose Ann Hudson. It provides well-rounded information on dietary needs including requirements of diabetic, vegetarian and vegan diets. It includes recipes for breakfast, soups and sandwiches, salads, mains, and desserts and snacks.

2. Prenatal yoga keeps you flexible, tones muscles, and improves balance and circulation, with little impact on your joints. It also helps you learn to breathe deeply and relax, which is essential for labor, birth, and motherhood. There are many prenatal yoga DVDs out there but a few that are highly rated are Sara Holiday's Prenatal Yoga: Second Trimester and Third Trimester and Prenatal Yoga: A Complete Home Practice for a Healthy Mother and Baby. Both are developed to give a thorough workout with different levels of difficulty and without putting undue strain on the mother.

3. Pregnant mom needs clothes that are comfortable. Pretty lounge wear and active wear that can be worn around the house, when exercising, running errands or at the hospital for the big day; is a useful and thoughtful gift. There are attractive outfits that feel like pajamas but look stylish which can be bought inexpensively at stores such as Target and select Old Navy stores.