You’ve done it. You’ve peed on a stick and rushed to the doctor for confirmation that you are pregnant. Now what? Besides eating for two, preparing a nursery, enjoying lavish baby showers and picking baby names, what can you expect from the months to come? LISSA POIROT is here to break down the full 9 months, so you’ll know you are, indeed, normal when your body starts to react in “weird” ways.

MONTH ONE

OK, technically this month doesn’t count, because technically you aren’t considered pregnant until two weeks after your last period. And really, a full month goes by before you miss your period and discover that you are pregnant. Maybe you’ve noticed you’re a little more tired that normal during this time, but since you don’t know you’re pregnant yet, you attribute it to any number of causes. Many women may complain about being tired and feeling like they are coming down with something, including mother of three Laurie Kelly of Long Beach, Calif. “I would describe it as a ‘whole-body’ tiredness. It was as if I had been walking around at an amusement park every day for a week. There were times I napped during the day, and, even if my nap ended up being over an hour, I’d wake up and feel like I had only been asleep for 5 minutes.”

Dr. Terri Hoffman, OB, head of a private practice at Mercy Hospital in Baltimore, says overwhelming fatigue is the most common symptom in the beginning of a pregnancy. “I think of it as your body is so metabolic—like running a marathon or triathlon—that it requires lots of sleep on a daily basis to compensate.”

The good news? This knockout fatigue typically ends after the first trimester.

The girlfriends of mom-to-be ALLISON YOUNG enlightened her with the top nine things she should do before the stork arrives—and she was kind enough to share with all you other expecting moms.

Panic! In five short bellyexpanding months my life will be forever turned upside down (and inside out). Yes, a baby brings joy, but it also brings change. Big change, according to my “been there, done that” friends. Beyond getting the nursery ready and finding a pediatrician, I want to be sure to sneak in all those selfish indulgences while I still can—before I have to worry about finding a sitter, sleep deprivation and my boobs exploding with breast milk. So with the foresight of my friends, I drafted a list of the top nine things to do before my due date. Tick tock, tick tock…

Q: What is the real deal about hair dye? I keep getting conflicting information—is it safe to dye my hair during pregnancy or not?

A: Roots showing? far, nobody has really proven that hair color is bad for baby, but if you’re worried, why take the chance? Instead of color try highlights, as they don’t touch the scalp (that’s the way the chemicals actually get into your system). Plus you get to wear a head full of tin foil!

If you really need to touch up your roots talk to your doctor and your stylist about your concerns. “A good hairdresser can find a way to do your hair. Color has come along way. The amount of ammonia you are taking in during the two or three times you get your hair done during pregnancy is the same amount as cleaning the window with Windex and breathing it in,” says Ruben Fisher, owner and master stylist at Tonic Salon in Las Vegas. If you prefer to opt out of color altogether for the next nine try hair mascara or Color Mark (colormarkpro.com) for ammonia-free touch-ups. Or try switching up your styling to a jagged part or go wavy to diminish the appearance of your roots. Do skip the ponytail as it just shows off your new growth.