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Here are 5 ways to fight that 'baby stress' during that nine months of pregnancy:

Assess your Anxiety
"List all your worries and decide how to tackle each one," says Marci Lobel, Ph.D., a psychology professor at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Look at what you can change and accept what you can't.

Think Positively
One way to deal with change: Take the long view and try to see your situation as a learning expreiance. Experts say that those who practice "postive appraisal" tend to cope much better than women who refuse to confront their problems.

Relax all of your muscles
A technique you can use just about anywhere: Working your way up from your toes to your forehead, tense your muscles, hold for a few seconds, and then release.

Stretch Out
You don't have to attend prenatal yoga classes to reap the benefits. There are simple stretches, such as the pelvic tilt, that allow you to practive deep breathing, which is a proven stress buster. Pick up a book or a tape on stretching and incorporate some of the excercises into an A.M. or a P.M. routine.

Take a Break
This is a good time to adjust your expectations and make life easier for yourself. Don't be shy about asking those around you for help --- whether at home or on the job. After all, says Lobel, "pregnancy is good practice for what you really need to survive as a parent; a high tolerance for what little control you're going to have over your life and an ability to adapt to unexpected events."

Parenting Magazine, July 2001