Want the real know-how? Check out these quick quotes from gals who have been down the road of pregnancy and new motherhood. Some more than once… or twice…

“I’m glad I didn’t know how sleep deprived I would be; some things are better without anticipation. Kind of like shots.”
- Lara, mother to Max

“All in all, I think it is useful to know what you are entering into, ask many questions, and get an overall sense of how others have handled their situations. But in the end, mothers need to trust their own instincts and [do] what is best for them, their child(ren), and their families. I think our generation has grown up not trusting themselves because everyone around seems to know better. There is much to be said about the maternal instinct and how innate it really is in each of us.”
- Amy, mother to Emma and Nicholas