I have been engulfing information since I have been pregnant. Websites, books, magazines, etc - if it talks about being pregnant or babies, I am convinced I need to read it.

Some information has been much more useful to me then others. Here is my list of MUST READ books. Don't laugh, it is only 2... so far:

Belly Laughs by Jenny McCarthy - this book is so candid and real and talks about a lot of things you won't find anywhere else. I am so glad that I read the chapter called "Blue Twinkies" or I would be totally freaked out by the current looks of my va-jay-jay.

Your Best Birth by Ricki Lake, Abby Epstien and Jaques Moritz - This amazing and powerful book is all about letting you know the possible different scenarios that can play out with your birth. It helps to inform you of your choices and your options so you can pick what you feel is best for you. This book is geared towards natural birth (which I thought was great) but is an absolute must read for anybody who is pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant regardless of your plan for birth.

I know some people will be surprised that I didn't include What to Expect when you are Expecting. Although I think it is a great book full of a lot of information (and the first book I purchased), to me it isn't a must read. I get daily, weekly and monthly emails charting my pregnancy as it progresses. With the age of the internet, so much information is at our fingertips. With that said though, if you do use the internet as a source for information - from weekly updates to specific concerns - make sure you are getting it from a reputable website and not from Yahoo Answers or another website where anybody can just respond with their opinion.

What are your must read pregnancy books?

I am trying to figure out why the common maternity style is to make pregnant women look like a tent. In searching for clothes to fit my ever expanding belly, I continue to be shocked at the lack of fitted clothing. So many of the clothes hide pregnant ladies beautiful shape under a curtain of material.

It is funny really, or ironic, that I used to walk by the maternity store/section and think all the clothes were so cute. Well, they still are... on the mannequin. On me, well, I look like a tent with breasts.

I always joke that the baby is in my belly rockin' out (this started long before I ever felt him moving - I am just sure he is a party animal). To demonstrate, I usually do a variety of moves that include the "making a pizza" move from Hitch, the "spanking the air" dance move and a move where I act like he grabs the umbilical cord and swings it over his head.

I am not sure why I envision him this way. Maybe because a dark, wet, prenatal living room doesn't seem that exciting... or maybe I just think my womb is really cool and has a disco ball...

I thought about demonstrating my dancing moves, but I think the below video pretty much sums it up (without causing any embarrassment to myself or others!). "Go baby! Go Baby! It's your Birthday, have a party!"  

One thing is for sure, he likes music... and sugar. I think we will get along just fine!

As I was playing around online, I stumbled on the neatest website: http://www.pregosaur.com/

It is a blog written by 12 women who are all in the process of TTC, are expecting or are Moms. All of them have unique stories and situations but they all offer posts with useful information and lighthearted flair - something that is hard to find but so important!

Check it out! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

http://www.pregosaur.com/

I have been on a completely different wavelength than a normal person lately. I am forgetful, I don't always follow stories or jokes and I jump from one thought to another with out letting anyone else know the connection. It has gotten so bad that my patient husband leaned over to me the other day and said, "Hi, my name is Mike, it is nice to meet you".

June 23, 2009 - Clackamas, OR - As women become more concerned about the ingredients in the personal care products they use while pregnant, and on their children, Earth Mama Angel Baby has set a new standard for truly toxin-free, natural products. All Earth Mama Angel Baby products are now rated a "zero" on the Skin Deep database (www.cosmeticdatabase.com), a guide to cosmetics and personal care products from the Environmental Working Group. (Earth Mama Angel Baby's USDA Certified 100% Organic line of teas is not listed in the Skin Deep database, which is only for personal care items. The teas are regulated by the USDA.)

"We know of no other company that manufactures products for pregnancy or baby care with an entire product line rated a zero," said Melinda Olson, CEO and Founder of Earth Mama Angel Baby. "We continually source new raw materials and work on formulations of products that can replace current ingredients with newer, safer ingredients as they become available," she added.

Olson explains that science and chemistry have only begun to catch up with the demand for toxin-free products. Because ingredients that preserve and emulsify the products are necessary to prevent bacteria and mold growth, finding safe, organic raw materials that solve these issues is a constant challenge.

"Preserving products for shelf-life is obviously necessary, and we are not satisfied unless the chemistry used is as safe as possible," she explains. "In some cases, certified organic ingredients are just not available, so we change our formulations as they become available, or as better alternatives are found."

"I'm proud to have come this far," said Olson. "It has been a long process, but we will continue to keep sourcing and working with the best new materials available, and our goal is a 100% certified organic product line, certified to the highest standard now available, the USDA NOP."

Earth Mama Angel Baby is currently working in tandem with the Organic Trade Association and the American Herbal Products Association to create a version of the NOP standards appropriate for personal care products. The USDA NOP was developed to certify organic food, making some personal care products impossible to certify with this standard.

A Gold Member of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, and one of the earliest signers, Earth Mama Angel Baby is fully compliant with all phases of the compact, which include registration of all applicable products in the Skin Deep database with detailed ingredient information.  Users who search the database can find independent ratings on the ingredients used in products of both compact signers and non-signers as well as see the status of companies as compliant or non-compliant with the Campaign's standards.

To use the database, simply go to www.cosmeticdatabase.com and type in the type of product you wish to search, or a company name. Searches and information are free.

About Earth Mama Angel Baby^®:

Earth Mama Angel Baby was founded by nurse, herbalist, and concerned mother Melinda Olson. Her mission is to treat the common symptoms of pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and baby care with pure, safe herbal remedies. Her knowledge of traditional herb medicine combines with evidence based research to help soothe and comfort mamas and babies naturally. All Earth Mama Angel Baby® products and teas are formulated without harsh chemicals, toxins or preservatives, and have the best safety ratings in the exceptional Skin Deep toxicity database. Proudly pure, Earth Mama Angel Baby® products are made only with worry-free ingredients: no 1,4-Dioxane, formaldehyde, phthalates, or toxins of any kind. That's Mama's Promise^TM.

Contact: Sheri Wallace, prmama@earthmamaangelbaby.com for interviews, photos or samples.

9866 SE Empire Court

Clackamas, OR 97015

503-607-0607

www.EarthMamaAngelBaby.com

www.BabyLossComfort.com

I was turned on to this very cool website by a friend on mine. They feature 1 designer maternity item each day at at least 50% off.

No indecisiveness allowed - each item is only available for one day and there is a limited quantity - when it is gone, it is gone.

Check them out! As the website says, "watching your bump grow doesn’t mean you need to give up your inner fashionista".

It is so important to be mindful of what we put in and on our bodies.  And it is so hard to find good, toxin fee products to use.  That is why I was so excited to find Earth Mama Angel Baby.

What can you expect from Earth Mama Angel Baby?

Safe, pure and natural products that work.

What's the first thing most women do when they find out they are going to have a baby? They call their mama. When they need breastfeeding advice or answers about diaper rash, morning sickness, heartburn, and hemorrhoids? They rely on mama.

That's why Mama created Earth Mama Angel Baby®. Relying on generations of women's wisdom and plant knowledge, it's the only complete line of truly 100% natural skin and body care products to help ease the common discomforts of the entire process of birth - from pregnancy through labor, postpartum and c-section recovery, breastfeeding, and baby care, and even the loss of a baby.

Earth Mama Angel Baby products contain only the highest-quality, certified-organic or organically grown herbs and oils in our teas, bath herbs, gentle handmade soaps, salves, lotions, aromatherapy sprays and massage oils. Our products are 100% toxin-free, cruelty-free, vegan, and free from all artificial preservatives, fragrances and dyes. Unlike many so-called natural and organic products on the shelves today, an Earth Mama Angel Baby product has to pass our founding Mama's rigorous tests for safety, purity and efficacy. As a mother, nurse and herbalist, Mama's promise to each and every angel baby is that only pure, safe and effective products will leave the shipping docks. We believe that your gift from heaven deserves only the purest gifts from the earth.

Women looking for trusted advice and naturally safe products that work always come to Mama. You can trust her. After all, if Mama wouldn't use it on her own angel babies then she doesn't sell it. Promise.

Products as pure and clean as your angel baby. Never any phthalates, 1,4-dioxane, formaldehyde or other carcinogens. We've always believed that putting toxic chemicals on precious babies is wrong.  Mama's Promise™.