Keeping Cool for Two: Surviving Summer When You’re Expecting

Eat Like a Bird

The hot weather and all the water you're drinking may squelch your appetite, but you can't afford to skimp on nutrients. Shoot for eating every few hours rather than sitting down for big meals. Enjoy the fresh harvest of fruits, berries, and vegetables, making sure that you clean all produce thoroughly with a veggie brush and lots of clean running water.

Avoid salty foods, which will only make you feel thirstier and more bloated. You do need salt when you're pregnant, but chances are you get enough in the foods you eat without adding extra. And although hot weather may make you feel averse to drinking milk, make sure you get enough calcium in the form of yogurt and cheese.

Dress Right

Baggy clothing, especially apparel with adequate belly room, is a must for comfort—especially in hot weather. Wear loose-fitting, light-colored clothing in breathable fabrics like cotton. Your comfort and safety are paramount, so forget silly rules like "pregnant women shouldn't wear sleeveless blouses." So what if your upper arms have swollen up like hams? It's sweltering out, and you need to keep cool.

Sundresses are a classic summer maternity favorite—lots of room for the belly, lightweight fabrics, and beachy colors will have you looking and feeling good. Flip-flops are also a brilliant summer invention for the mom-to-be with swollen feet—but you should slip them off and sit with your feet up as often as possible to prevent or reduce swelling and to head off nighttime leg cramps.