I love Propoline’s nipple balm for the early (sore) days of nursing a new baby. I recently noticed that the company also makes this massage cream for  use during pregnancy. Intended to keep skin smooth and to prevent stretch marks, it is made from natural ingredients. I had trouble finding this company’s products for a while, but I have recently found them online at babygeared. You can purchase this massage cream for $18 at babygeared.com. Now if I could only find a reliable source for the company’s rose lip balm…

What a unique idea! to-be greetings sells Pregnancy Themed Holiday Cards, such as this one, which says on the inside “From our growing family to yours - Merry Christmas.” These cards are perfect when it’s too early to send a photo of the baby (as he or she isn’t here yet), but you still want to communicate your happy news to friends and family during the holiday season. These cards are available in Christmas, New Year’s, and Hannukah styles. Prices are about $15 for a box of 8 cards with envelopes. Check the website at tobegreetings.com, as there’s a different deal each day during the holiday season (such as 20% off all cards, the featured deal today).

For those worried about the possible effects of fetal ultrasound, the Natursutten Wooden Midwife’s Stethoscope may be a good option. Made of Beech wood, this tool amplifies the fetal heartbeat, allowing you to hear it from around the 20th week of pregnancy. I think this is a wonderful idea that would also make a thoughtful gift. You can purchase one for $36 at globalenfant.com.

I didn’t discover this product until after my last pregnancy, but I wish that I had found it sooner. I am a huge fan of Weleda’s infant line, so I would have loved to have given this a try. Perhaps it could have saved me a few stretch marks! While I doubt it is a miracle preventative, I’m a firm believer in that which might help and can’t hurt. Like other Weleda products, it is something you can feel good about using. You can purchase a bottle for $24 at thelittleseed.com.

Pregnancy can be the time in a woman’s life when she looks and feels the most beautiful and healthy. Unfortunately, the changes that occur in the body during this time often leave unsightly stretch marks, however. Obstetrician Michele Brown, M.D. has developed a line of skin care products for pregnant women called Beaute de Maman. Her Stretch Mark Cream is designed to be used during pregnancy to prevent stretch marks. It contains all-natural ingredients including hyaluronic acid, bio-saccharide gum, gardenia tahitensis, coconut oil, pea extract, and other all natural botanical and herbal ingredients. The cream doesn’t have the smell or feel of cocoa butter (another stretch mark remedy), is rich and thick, and absorbs into the skin easily. Everything in Beaute de Maman’s inventory is allergy tested and obstetrician tested, and guaranteed to be safe formother and fetus. To view the entire line of Beaute de Maman products visit BeautedeMaman.com, where you can purchase the Stretch Mark Cream on sale for $22.99 for a 3.5 oz. tube.

When you’re pregnant, finding comfortable pants can be almost impossible. The Everywear Pant by Ingrid & Isabel is supposed to solve that problem. Versatile and stretchy, the Everywear pant features a long waistband that can be worn up for full belly coverage, folded at the waist for belly support, or down around your hips. Made of 86% Nylon and 14% Spandex, the Everywear pant is designed for use during pregnancy and the postpartum period. They come in sizes based on your pre-pregnancy weight, and are available for $88 at doulashop.com. (For that price, they better last through at least one pregnancy and beyond!)

Any woman who’s given birth to at least one baby knows how hard it can be to get those pregnancy pounds off. But who has time for long, involved exercise programs? Fitness and nutrition expert Lindsay Brin has the perfect solution: a DVD fitness program divided into stages of pregnancy and postpartum. Her Moms Into Fitness Complete Pregnancy Fitness Program keeps Mom fit from the first trimester all the way through post-delivery. The first three trimester programs including cardio, toning, and yoga, and the postpartum program features shorter, 10 and 5 minute workout sessions, so busy moms can fit some exercise time into their day. The entire program of 4 DVDs is available for $69.99, or you can buy each individual DVD for $19.99 each, at MomsIntoFitness.com.

When you become pregnant, immediately you start worrying about the baby’s health. Things you never thought about before pregnancy become of the utmost importance. One of those things is the safety of health and beauty products. A new company, NINE Naturals, has begun to sell a line of natural shampoo and conditioner especially for use during pregnancy. Made with natural plant oils, these products contain no parabens, no phthalates, no sulfates, and no DEA. These all natural products are designed to cleanse and condition your hair gently without harsh chemicals. The company plans to launch a body wash and body lotion soon as well. You can view the shampoo and conditioner at NINEnaturals, where they retail for $18 each.

Trying to conceive a child can really be an anxiety-ridden experience. Once you become emotionally committed to parenthood, you want it to happen immediately. The Clearblue Easy Fertility Monitor helps to eliminate some of the guesswork. I used one of these when I was trying to conceive my middle daughter. It is very easy to use. The computer tracks your cycles and tells you when to test each month. The more you use it, the more it gets to know your cycle. The only downside is that you can only test once a day. This is fine for most women, but if you need to pinpoint your hormonal surge more exactly (especially if you are undergoing fertility procedures), you might want to use this in addition to an ovulation predictor kit. My method was to start using the kit strips every four hours once the monitor started reading “high” fertility.

Overall, I think this is a great product that was well worth the expense. I passed mine along to a friend when I was done. You can purchase one from most drug stores or online at $169.95 at early-pregnancy-tests.com. There are also generally a large number of these for sale on ebay. You can save a lot on a new one, or even more if you are willing to buy a used one (just follow the directions to reset it so you aren’t using someone else’s information).

When I was pregnant with my first daughter nearly eleven years ago, I wasn’t plugged into the Internet. I spent my pregnancy blissfully unaware of miscarriage statistics and horror stories. When I was pregnant with number two seven years later, I was a wreck. One of the things that saved my sanity early on was that my friend owned a medical grade fetal doppler which she loaned to me on occassion. With it, I was able to find my little one’s heartbeat at just 9 weeks’ gestatation–a week before my first prenatal appointment. Because my friend was also pregnant, she kept the doppler at her house, and I just borrowed it if I was worried. This was a win-win situation because I could use it to calm my fears, but I couldn’t obsess over it.

I have since encountered numerous women online who have either purchased these devices or rented them during pregnancy. There are many who are opposed to this, believing that it bothers, or perhaps even harms, the baby. In part because of this, and also in part because I was a little more relaxed with number three, I ultimately decided against buying one after much consideration. That said, anyone I know who has one or has rented one has been very happy with the decision. If you are interested in purchasing one, there is a booming trade on ebay. Top rental sites are bellybeats.com and storkradio.com. Just don’t waste your money on the cheaper BeBe Sounds monitor. I had one of those with number two as well, and the only thing I ever heard, even at the end of my pregnancy, was amplified noise (like the television that was on downstairs).

Becoming a Baby:How Your Baby Grows from Day-to-Day by William F. Supple Jr. is my all time favorite pregnancy book.  When you are expecting, you want constant updates about what is going on in there.  If you are like me, you have a hard time with books that only give you an update month-by-month.  Even the week-by-week is hard for me.  This great little book gives you something new to read every day, and it is full of photographs to help you understand your little one’s development.  I’m enjoying it even though this is my third pregnancy (although I’m missing a lot more days than I used to).  I would highly recommend this book to every expectant family.

You can purchase a copy of this great pregnancy resource on sale for $14.36 at Amazon.com.

Some moms are very proud of their baby shape. This Belly Cast Kit will enable these proud moms-to-be to preserve their baby belly. That will certainly be an interesting conversation starter. I don’t think I would have had the nerve to do it myself, but I think it would make a great baby shower gift. It’s unusual and a very interesting idea. It’s sort of like having a picture of the sonogram of your baby inside the womb.

Made by Motherhood Maternity, the kit comes with everything you’ll need to make your belly cast, including instructions. Visit Motherhood.com to purchase this item for $25.

I am absolutely in love with this top from Japanese Weekend, a brand that has never disappointed me.  Made from an ultra-soft bamboo blend, this is sure to flatter, and can be worn both during and after your pregnancy.

I love the neckline of this Bamboo During & After Turtleneck.  Having a dark colored turtleneck next to your face can really accent your eyes and other features–something you definitely need during pregnancy when you aren’t always feeling your best.  I also like the flattering gathers on the bodice.  Overall, I think this shirt has a shape that will suit any figure, and which will be very forgiving post-baby (as will the dark color).  It even provides easy access for nursing.

This turtleneck could be dressed up or down, worn with jeans or a skirt; it seems very versatile.  You can purchase one on sale for $64.60 at babycenterstore.

Not all women will experience postpartum depression, not all women experience it immediately after childbirth, and not all women have the same symptoms. Having a Just for Mama Postpartum Recovery Kit sounds like having an earthquake preparedness kit  - just be prepared.

If you’re expecting and you’ve been shopping for baby items, why not include a few Mommy items on your list. It’s important to take care of yourself for you and baby. If you’re fortunate to have family nearby who are willing and able to assist with baby’s homecoming, be sure to share with them any concerns in this area you may be having. Have some of your favorite things handy: a new nightgown, a favorite movie or book, a cd of your favorite music, some of your favorite goodies in the fridge. You can also include the specially chosen items from the Postpartum Recovery Kit: Postpartum Recovery Tea, 42 g.(1.5 oz.), Postpartum Recovery Bath Herbs, 112 g.(4 oz.), New Mama Bottom Spray 30 ml.(1 oz.), Happy Mama Spray 30 ml.(1 oz.), and Earth Mama Bottom Balm 30 ml.(1 oz.).

Pick up one of these kits for $45.95 at bambinoland.com.

My sister recently sent me one of these, and not a moment too soon.  I can’t remember having so much back pain in my previous pregnancies, and I am hoping that this will help to alleviate it.  Although it takes a moment to get the hang of wearing this support, it is actually quite comfortable, and it does not restrain either your movements or those of your developing baby.

The Best Cradle by Prenatal Cradle is designed to eliminate back and abdominal straining, but it can also aid in easing pain from hip separation.  I was originally intending to wear it primarily for running, but I think it may become a more regular part of my wardrobe if it helps as much as it promises to.

You can purchase one for $60 at BugsandBlossoms.com.