Mom-to-be Thanks at Thanksgiving

Pregnancy is easier in theory than in practice. The art gallery photographs of women cradling their swollen bellies with their closed eyes and dreamy smiles certainly make it look easy. How can something that actually causes people to "glow" be difficult? And what could be sweeter than the down-home imagery of "having a bun in the oven"?

OK, so the reality doesn't always match the fantasy, and the publicity can be somewhat misleading, but pregnancy is still a pretty amazing time for everyone involved. And while it may be hard to be thankful for things like constipation, morning sickness lasting all day and the inability to see one's own feet, there are plenty of things about pregnancy to be thankful for, up to and including the much-anticipated arrival of a happy and healthy baby.

You will need to help him out a bit here, but you will be thankful you did. He's excited, nervous and a little unsure of how he fits into this whole pregnancy thing. It's all a bit mysterious, so don't make him guess about how to help. Let him know what you need, from running for ice cream at 2 a.m. to helping you breathe through the contractions in the delivery room. Along the way, it might be flowers, a foot rub or help with the dishes. It will certainly be the painting and the heavy lifting. Helping you will help him, so everybody wins.

Being pregnant is hard work, and getting a good night's sleep can be a challenge. So what's a woman to do? Nap, of course. Long naps at home, short naps at the office -- there's no such thing as a bad nap. Too many people feel lazy or guilty for taking a little snooze during the day, but sleep is crucial to our health and a pregnant woman needs to be healthy enough for two.

Sarah Mitchell, an eldercare consultant from Champaign, Ill., is expecting her first child. Still in her first trimester, she has already discovered the joys of napping. "I am thankful for that afternoon nap because it revitalizes me enough to get through the rest of the day," Mitchell says.

Just get one already, especially if you are the "spooner" as opposed to the "spoonee," or if you have always slept on your right side and now need to switch to your left. As your days get increasingly uncomfortable, do everything you can to keep your nights as comfortable as possible. By the end of your pregnancy, you will have given it a name and it will rank as one of your best friends. Seriously.

All the good things you've heard are true. You've earned them, so enjoy them while you can because all the things you've heard about the third trimester are also true. And not nearly as much fun.

Nothing changes your own life like bringing a new life into the world. "Pregnancy taught me to be thankful for my own body," says Lisa Grabowski, a full-time mother from Manteca, Calif. A mother of three with a fourth on the way, Grabowski also feels carrying her children has changed the way she sees herself and others. "The opportunity to experience human growth and development inside of me has made me more understanding and compassionate of people in general," she says. "I 'get it' now. I get sacrifice. I get heartbreak. I get unadulterated happiness. I get unconditional love. Without the opportunity to be pregnant and give birth, I am sure I would have gone through my life with my eyes only partially open."

Before any of the physical signs of pregnancy show up, it can be difficult to fathom what is going on inside your body. Seeing that little blob moving around helps the concept of a pregnancy become the reality of a child. The first ultrasound is a knee-weakening dose of reality, and subsequent ones are the chance for you to spy on your kid's development, from height to heartbeat. In living, breathing black-and-white, you will likely have no idea what you are looking at, but you know he is actually in there and definitely yours. Make sure the father comes to this one, and make sure there's a chair for him. He'll need to sit down – those weak knees will be his.

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