Don’t let too many pregnancy articles scare you or create anxiety and paranoia.
Generally, if you did something or ate something before your pregnancy, it’s relatively safe to have smaller amounts during pregnancy. Apart from obvious ones like drugs, cigarettes, or alcohol, most foods and drinks that you’ve had frequently prior to pregnancy, are perfectly fine to eat in moderation, provided they are thoroughly cooked and washed. For instance, coffee, chilli, or spices are fine in smaller quantities. If you enjoyed these prior to pregnancy, you do not need to go cold-turkey completely, but just watch your intake and possibly tone down the flavour. Try not to start eating or doing anything new in pregancy that you haven’t tried before.

Everyone has an opinion on what to do/not to do during pregancy. Go with your instincts and do your own research. That being said, pregancy is not a good time for experientation, so take everything you read or hear with a grain of salt. Every mother, every body, and even every pregnancy is different, so listen to your body and respond as you need.

Keep active but take things slower.
The more you sit or lay around, the stiffer you’ll feel, and your hands and feet will be prone to swelling. I had slight numbness in my left thigh, and moderate swelling of my right foot and ankle starting mid-third trimester. Going for short, slow walks helped with my circulation and selling. I also continued to do light household chores and was careful not to over-strain my body. I definitely felt my body was bulkier and more clumsy, particularly in my third trimested. I did try to avoid any activity that could lead to accidents such as falling or risk having items hit my body. For instance, I always used a sturdy chair or ladder to reach items in higher places, and took care to bend at the knees to pick up things from the floor (eg, my tiny dog!). Although pregancy is no excuse to act precious and sit around all day, nearing the end of my term, I did ask hubby to do most of the housework, particularly washing dishes and cooking, as my belly was getting too big and in the way.

Moisturising with lotion and oil will not stop stretch marks from appearing.
Keeping your skin hydrated my help reduce severity, but stretch marks will appear based in genetics, skin condition, weight fluctuations, hormones, etc. I started consistently moisturising with Bio Oil every night from 9 weeks into pregancy, yet stretch marks still appeared from my third trimester. I also switched to the Clarins Tonic Treatment Oil after seeing so many positive reviews on it for stretch marks. It did seem to be a bit more moisturising than Bio Oil, but ultimately did nothing to stop my stretch marks continuing to form.

Don’t buy (too many) baby clothes.
Everyone will gift baby clothes to you, yet babies will outgrow them within weeks. We had so much clothes given to us, I don’t think our baby will even end up wearing half of it. In fact, just don’t get over-excited and go on a buying spree. You have nine, looong months to prepare your little addition. Make a list, do some research on the essentials (check out my absolute necessities list here), and wait for sales.

Control your feelings.
Try not to overthink things. Watch how you think or feel. If you’re prone to being upset or grumpy when tired (or hungry!), recognise this and take yourself off to eat, chill, or go for a nap. If you’re anxious or frustrated, identify what is causing this and try to avoid it. Or do something else more enjoyable for a while to take your mind off and come back to deal with it later. Allow yourself to purge, have a cry if necessary, but don’t let yourself spiral as your hormones are going haywire during this stage.

I also firmly believe that a mother’s temperament during pregancy will also affect her baby. I maintained my mood to be fairly consistent and happy, hoping my baby would be less fussy and easier to manage (so far, so good). Everyone’s life is different, so if you are facing challenges during pregnancy, don’t be afraid to seek help. It is not shameful to ask for extra support during this time. Even just having someone to vent to and share your thoughts and fears can be quite therapeutic.

Drink plenty of water.
Yes, yes, I know this one is often repeated even without being pregnant. However, I did felt a lot more thirsty during my pregancy (possibly due to being summer as well?), so I always kept a thermos of warm water close on hand, regardless of where I am. More fluids also help to avoid constipation (especially last trimester), purge toxins from the body, and ensure you stay well hydrated.