Pregnancy Facts: 10 Tips for all First-Time Expecting Mothers

10. Morning sickness doesn't just occur in the mornings. If you find yourself getting queasy at smells or the thought of certain food combinations or if nothing but potatoes sounds appealing, chances are that you are right in the thick of morning sickness. Morning sickness can occur at anytime of the day. It is small comfort knowing that it is a signal of a healthy pregnancy when you can barely stomach the smell of food, much less eat any of it. Most morning sickness is a distant memory by the time the second trimester rolls around, but if you are one of the women with an extreme case, make sure to see your doctor as they can help.

9. It can be tough to stomach the idea of eating a cucumber during your first trimester, but they really do help. Cut a cucumber in thin slices and keep them stored in a container of water in the fridge. I don't know why the water is an integral part of the equation, but it works. Munch on the slices a few times a day and they will help keep the morning sickness at bay. Small snacks of carbs every hour also help. Don't forget, if all else fails and you just can't stomach anything, try a Popsicle.

8. You won't show for quite a while. Most first time moms don't start showing until their 6th month of pregnancy. That is a frustratingly long time to be pregnant without the big belly to show for it. That belly is a hard won badge of honor and you will want to show off every curve of it. However, even though you won't look very pregnant, you'll feel very pregnant. Which leads to number seven.

7. Start wearing maternity clothes as soon as possible. Most first time moms avoid the dreaded maternity pants for as long as possible, but every veteran mom knows a little secret: maternity clothes are downright comfy. Your body is going to go through an amazing number of changes, don't stay in uncomfortable pants a second longer than you have to. If you are trying to keep those early weeks a bit secretive, you must know number six.

6. To prolong the amount of time you can keep wearing your regular jeans, you need to keep some rubber bands handy. Take a heavy-duty rubber band and thread it through the buttonhole of your jeans and then attach both ends to the button. This little trick can buy you quite a bit of extra time. It will allow you to keep your pants zipped and your waistband from flapping. Make sure to wear some longer shirts in order to hide your extra elasticity.

5. Every part of you will sweat. You'll sweat in places that you didn't know could sweat. The places you did know about will produce more sweat than you ever thought possible. Keep extra sticks of deodorant everywhere. A portable fan never hurt either.

4. Keep an extra change of clothes in the car and an extra pair of undies in your purse. There is nothing like being caught off guard and having to return home for a simple wardrobe change.

3. Even the most stable person can become extremely clumsy while pregnant. Our appendages seem to no longer be our own. We forget how far our belly sticks out or we fumble a cup of pee and pour it all over our maternity pants (you have that change of clothes in the trunk, right?).

2. Your brain turns to mush. Grab a notepad and start writing everything down. If you were sharp as a tack and always on top of things, this transition will be even harder for you. Take copious notes (stock up on sticky notes now) and find ways to set as many reminders as possible. You might be the absent-minded professor, but you can at least put up a fight.

1. Things will ache and things will hurt. You'll have to pee every five minutes. When you aren't in the bathroom (and sometimes when you are) you will be dreaming of food. You'll want what you can't have and you'll obsess over what you can have. You will be reduced to tears by commercials. Your feet will grow by 2 sizes -- your belly by more than that. However, the number one thing you should know and do is to take time to slow down. Really enjoy this first pregnancy. Have fun with your significant other. Kick your feet up and ask for a massage. Snuggle. See a movie. Relax and appreciate all the hard work that goes into creating a wonderful new life.