10 Things Your Non Pregnant Girlfriends Should Know Now That You’re Pregnant

1. Hormones. While you may think, as a woman, that you know everything there is to know about hormones, think again. Think of the range of emotions available to the normal person, and then multiply it by ten. In one day. Please be sensitive to your friend who was once a sane woman, and who will be again in nine months.

2. Hunger. You may be on a diet, but we’ve just been granted a free pass (within reason ladies!) to eat all those deliciously wicked foods we’ve been craving for most of our adult lives. Indulge us in our new found freedom. Don’t remind us how many calories that quart of Ben & Jerry’s has, and please, don’t mock us when we suggest a buffet for lunch.

3. Weight Gain. Never, never, never discuss your recent weight loss in front of us, or anything that is related to mini skirts, skinny jeans or bikinis. Keep in mind that waving an article of clothing smaller than a size 8 in front of a pregnant woman is like waving a red flag in front of a bull. A very fat, hungry, hormonal bull.

4. Priorities. You’ll need to understand that from nearly the second of conception, pregnant moms’ priorities can change dramatically. While you may still be into Cosmo, shopping all day, going out for cocktails every weekend or spending hours on the phone, your new prego friend may be more interested in reading Parents magazine, registering for nursery gear and taking mommy yoga. If you want to remain friends, you may have to find common ground somewhere in between. More than likely, your friend has moved into a different phase of life, one that does have room for you, but in a new way.

5. Bedtime. Pregnant women are sleepy, and when deprived of sleep, grumpy. Keep this in mind when setting up a movie or dinner time, and respect your friend’s need to get a good 8 hours a night, and maybe a nap during the day.

6. Dazed and Confused. The pregnancy brain is well documented, albeit anecdotally. While medical studies haven’t conclusively proven that pregnant women suffer from a real “pregnancy brain,” most women will tell you that their short term memory suffers while they’re pregnant. Just think of this as an introduction to “toddler brain,” which afflicts mothers of young children. You’ll have to be a bit more patient for return phone calls and emails.

7. Sharing. While most women are glad that their best friend is having a baby, there may be a little unconscious jealousy that they’ll now have to share their friend with a new baby, who will demand inordinate amounts of time from his/her mother. You’ll have to accept it now that your relationship, no matter how strong, will never be the same. And don’t try to compete