What's growing
Taste develops
Taste buds are forming receptors. Baby swallows amniotic fluid, flavored by what you eat.
Source: Mennella, Jagnow & Beauchamp, Pediatrics 107(6), 2001 — Prenatal flavor learning
What's changing in you
Stretch marks may appear
Genetic, not a product of skincare. Hydration helps comfort more than creams help prevention.
Source: Williams Obstetrics, 26th ed. (Cunningham et al., 2022)
General info — not personalized medical advice.
Maternal brain
Reverie is real work
Daydreaming about the baby is part of the maternal preoccupation Stern described.
Source: Stern, The Motherhood Constellation (Basic Books, 1995)
You & baby
Eat what you love, sometimes
Variety in your diet shapes baby's later flavor preferences — modestly, but measurably.
Source: Mennella, Jagnow & Beauchamp, Pediatrics 107(6), 2001 — Prenatal flavor learning
For your partner
Cook one dinner together a week
Joint cooking is one of the most consistent low-conflict bonding rituals in couples research.
Source: Gottman & Gottman, Bringing Baby Home — J Family Communication 5(4), 2005
Move with care
Squat practice
Supported squats build endurance you may want for labor positioning. For trained lifters, weighted squats remain safe when asymptomatic (Davenport 2025).
General info — not personalized medical advice.
Eat for two brains
Vegetable variety
Different colors = different phytonutrients. Aim for 5+ colors per week, not per day.
Source: Biagi et al., Nutrients 11(5), 2019 — Mediterranean diet in pregnancy
General info — not personalized medical advice.
60-second prompt
What do you want your child to learn from your kitchen?
Flavor, ritual, generosity, ease.
Source: Lieberman et al., Psychological Science 18(5), 2007 — Affect labeling
Developed and curated by perinatal psychologists, family & couples counsellors, doulas, perinatal health & fitness specialists, and IBCLCs / lactation consultants. Educational — not a substitute for medical care.