Pregnancy Battle Wounds: How to Avoid Them

Stretch Marks: It's true — these nasties are primarily hereditary. But you can decrease your chances of getting them (or at least make you feel like you are) by smothering those stretch-mark-prone areas (thighs, tummy, boobs) with intensely moisturizing lotion throughout your entire pregnancy and beyond. I used Palmer's cocoa butter and it worked for me. Plus, it was on the cheaper end of body butters.

Extra Weight: It's hard to get to the gym — let alone out of the house sometimes. I have always been an excersizer, but after becoming a mom, my motivation tanked big time. I had to give myself something to work towards or else there was no way I was going to run three miles after getting four hours of sleep. So, I signed myself up for a half marathon. It was scary. I have never done one before (it is this Saturday!) But it really made all the differerence in getting me out on a run.

If you are still pregnant, you gotta exercise if your pregnancy permits (most do). That will help you get back to your pre-pregnancy weight more than anything else.

{Click here for more on excersizing while pregnant}

Tummy Flab: Even with lots of exercise, this can remain a problem area. So, you have to eat well. I know, I know. After nine months of no feta, you want to go crazy. Start with something simple — reduce the amount of processed foods you eat and turn to whole foods instead. Another easy way to eat healthier is to not buy the bad stuff in the first place. If I have a package of oreos in my cupboard or ice cream in the freezer, you better believe I will finish them off in no time — especially when I am home a lot and often too tired to make a real lunch. In addition to diet, core exercises will help a lot. Try Pilates!

{Read Karlee's awesome post here for more on how to lose the baby weight.}

Loss of Libido: This is more common than you may think. While you're pregnant, hormones can take you a number of directions. You may "in the mood" more often than ever, or you may find that your oversized belly makes alone time a little harder to enjoy. If you're become a mom and have been given the green light after your recovery period, you may be lacking libido because of a number of factors: lingering hormones from pregnancy and breastfeeding that can lower libido and lubrication, discomfort with your post-baby body, sleep deprivation and emotional fulfillment from your little one. Whatever the reason — if you're feeling less inclined to hop into bed with your guy, don't stress. It's normal. But do something about it — there are things you can do to get back in the mood. You can talk to your doctor for helpful tips.

{Check out this post for more on post-baby marriage.}

—Kim