Grandmotherly Advice For The Peaked Princess

My dear Princess: Congratulations on your wonderful news! Here is some pregnancy advice from me, currently pregnant with twins -- and this is advice you can trust -- because not only am I pregnant and already a mother of three, but I am grandmother to an adorable three year old, as well.
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FILE - In this Thursday, Sept. 13, 2012 file photo, Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge visits the Kranji Commonwealth War Memorial in Singapore. Prince William and his wife Catherine are expecting their first child. St. Jamess Palace announced the pregnancy Monday, saying that the Duchess of Cambridge, formerly known as Kate Middleton has a severe form of morning sickness and is currently in a London hospital. William is at his wifes side. (AP Photo/Nicolas Asfouri, Pool, File)
FILE - In this Thursday, Sept. 13, 2012 file photo, Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge visits the Kranji Commonwealth War Memorial in Singapore. Prince William and his wife Catherine are expecting their first child. St. Jamess Palace announced the pregnancy Monday, saying that the Duchess of Cambridge, formerly known as Kate Middleton has a severe form of morning sickness and is currently in a London hospital. William is at his wifes side. (AP Photo/Nicolas Asfouri, Pool, File)

My dear Princess,

Congratulations on your wonderful news! Here is some pregnancy advice from me, currently pregnant with twins. And this is advice you can trust because -- not only am I pregnant and already a mother of three -- but I am grandmother to an adorable three year old, as well.

About Morning Sickness

Let's start with the basics -- the first trimester. As you've found out, it can be nauseating. I'm sure your doctors have introduced you to Zofran -- your new best friend. This stuff wasn't around or available to pregnant women when my first babies were born so I was only too glad to find out that it really does work on the nausea. Popping one before a business meeting kept me from getting sick in the parking lot. Of course, being pregnant with twins gave me a double dose of morning sickness so honey, believe me, I feel your pain.

Another great newfangled invention is an item called Preggie Pops. These overpriced but really soothing lollipops really helped me through those first few months. They come in ginger flavor and even lavender -- a bit weird, but you get used to the taste rather quickly.

The other name of the game is to stay hydrated. If you are being hospitalized, then I'm sure you are being hydrated somehow. Just keep up that drinking after they release you. Water is creating a growing swimming pool for your little prince or princess so, when you're not feeling queasy, keep sipping. Some other sage advice I picked up from Jill, a nurse at Providence Hospital in Southfield, MI, is to drink and eat separately. If you mix drinking with eating, you can end up even more nauseous, so drink first, then eat.

Even though you probably used to do all you could to avoid carbs, you may find that these days, carbs are the only food group that doesn't turn your stomach. You're a skinny thing -- just go for it! You can lose the baby weight with all those royal personal trainers. Don't sweat the carbs. Eat what works for you!

About Fashion

You have obviously not been out shopping yet for maternity clothing -- and you probably won't need to for quite some time. My advice to you is to think about designing the new Princess line of maternity clothing -- maybe something well-made and more fashionable than the lines already out there.

From what I've seen in the few stores that still carry maternity lines, most pregnant women live in yoga pants or jeggings and loose tops. Please, please have your royal designers design some pretty dresses and skirts that are appropriate for those public appearances you make all the time. I am sure that the looks will eventually filter down to the common folk. Although, I will hopefully be back in my skinny clothes (OK, my "sort-of" skinny clothes) by then, you will be doing a public service for pregnant women for years to come.

Don't Take Bump Pictures!

There is a sick custom among today's pregnant women to take photographs as they bare their "bumps" (in my former pregnancy days, they called it a belly). As you have hopefully learned from experience, baring anything anywhere is a big mistake. Don't do it.

Push Presents

Another whole new pregnancy trend is for the Baby Daddy to give the new mom a "push present," not a bad idea in this grandmother's opinion. Again, I say, go for it! Hint that you would like a new castle -- or maybe an island or two or a province. He can certainly spare a few crown jewels in exchange for the crown prince or princess that you will be delivering his way.

I have lots more advice to give you, but this is probably all so new to you that this is enough for now. Just enjoy the glow, as I am.

Cheers! And may you and I both have special and easy deliveries.

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