Eat, Mingle, and Be Merry

Last Thanksgiving, my turkey wasn't the only thing that was stuffed -- I was 38 weeks pregnant. Navigating the holidays with a baby on board proved both useful (a guilt-free excuse to bail on my husband's office party) and cumbersome (gift shopping waits for no one). To ensure your holiday season is indeed the most wonderful time of the year, we spoke with experts and real moms for advice on how to keep your spirits up and stress level down.

1. "If nobody knows you're pregnant, either say you're on antibiotics or order something that looks alcoholic," says Jackie Rose, coauthor of The Newly Non-Drinking Girl's Guide to Pregnancy (Sourcebooks). A mocktail that's easy to remember is seltzer with cranberry juice and a twist of lime.

2. Finding an affordable party dress late in pregnancy isn't easy. Don't drive yourself nuts. Go to your favorite discount store and buy a wrap dress that can be easily adjusted to fit your bump.

3. "If you host a party, make a day of it. Have your friends bring ingredients for a dish, and prepare everything together with your favorite holiday music in the background," says Jean Andersen, an event planner and editor-in-chief of TheFrontDoor.com.

4. "Use paper for your parties. It may sound tacky, but there are actually nice holiday paper goods out there," says Michelle Kaplan, of Wellington, Florida, mom to Emily, 7, and Joshua, 4. "You can still break out your china bowls and serving pieces and cut cleanup time in half."

5. "When my family came into town for Christmas, I made meals ahead of time -- lasagna, scones, muffins, desserts, chicken enchiladas -- then I froze them," says Jennifer Roberti, of Chevy Chase, Maryland, mom to Ella, 4, and Juliette, 19 months. "That way, when they were here, I wasn't a short-order cook for my whole family. It took the stress out of playing host."

6. See if your supermarket offers online ordering, which means you don't have to deal with crowds or haul groceries into and out of the car.

7. "Many times during pregnancy, you're not going to feel beautiful," says Laura Riley, MD, author of You and Your Baby: Pregnancy (Meredith Books) and an American Baby adviser, "so get a pedicure if it relaxes you and makes you feel good." But keep in mind that the smell of nail polish could nauseate you. Also, follow some safety precautions, advises Dr. Riley: bring your own tools, tell the pedicurist not to cut your cuticles, and make sure the salon is well ventilated.

8. Lighting peppermint-scented candles when she entertained offered Cleveland mom Heather Opie a fast solution for decorating her home. "Plus, the scent really helped my morning sickness," she says.

9. "Break decorating into smaller projects," suggests Scotch Plains, New Jersey, mom Kristen Finello. She did that last Christmas when she was six months pregnant with her son, Brady. "I did a little each afternoon. While my 18-month-old daughter, MacKenzie, slept each afternoon, I took out decorations for a specific area of the house. Then when she woke up, she was excited to see what we had to work with that day. It actually provided several days of activities for us."

10. Finello also figured out a baking shortcut. "I've done cookie exchanges with my sisters and close friends so we would each get a bigger variety of cookies," she says. "Just be careful that you don't exchange with too many people or you'll end up wearing yourself out, baking an insane number of cookies for everyone."