Pregnancy can be a stressful time, whether it's due to hormonal changes, lifestyle changes, physical changes or worrying and wondering about the future. Here are a few tips to minimize stress during pregnancy so you can relax and go into childbirth feeling healthy and strong.

1. Get lots of rest. Even if you're still working up to the last minute (I left my job three days before I gave birth to my first daughter), make arrangements so you can take a nap when you get home from work, and now is the time to ask people — first on the list should be the baby daddy - for help with physically exhausting chores like laundry and vacuuming.

2. Take up a relaxing hobby. Studies have shown that knitting, crocheting and other forms of needlework lower blood pressure and induce a meditative-like state, and you'll love the end products you can give to your baby. The exception to this rule is if you're a perfectionist, then you're better off reading trashy novels or watching reality TV. If you exercise, continuing your exercise with a doctor's approval is highly recommended as well.

3. Learn to tactfully ignore unwanted advice. Your sister says Dr. Fine is the best pediatrician in town while your best friend recommends his former partner. Your mother-in-law is reading from a 90s version of What To Expect and tells you the baby has to sleep on her side while you know that idea went out the window a while ago. Your grandmother tries to tell you that you should start her on solid food when she's three-days-old (I'm not kidding about that last one—it happened to me).

The easiest way to handle this is to just smile and say noncommittally, "Thanks for the input." Try not to sound sarcastic. If that's impossible, just say, "Oh, I'm so glad you brought that up, it reminded me of something I've been meaning to ask you — you don't happen to know who was the quarterback on the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1984, do you?" and then change the subject entirely. This tactic works best if you talk very fast.

Pregnant women have a lot more choices when it comes to birthing today compared to what our mothers had. Birthing choices today range from all-natural, at-home births to C-sections on demand, which are a common option in Latin America, though not recommended, as unnecessary surgery is risky. Here's an overview of at-home births, how to decide if they're an option for you and what you can expect from the experience.

At-home births were the standard for thousands of years, and they're regaining popularity as women seek to gain more control over the birthing process. Advantages of at-home births include being in comfortable surroundings, not having to accede to hospital procedures that make things more uncomfortable for you, like being forced to give birth lying on your back, which is one of the most painful positions. At-home births also allow you to invite whomever you like, including older siblings, to witness the birth. The main disadvantage to an at-home birth is that if something goes wrong, it can go really, really wrong. Don't even consider it if you have pregnancy complications or if you're far away from a hospital; even births that should be routine sometimes take a wrong turn and time is of the essence in that case.

If you desire an at-home birth, make sure you have an experienced midwife or doula overseeing things. Get a recommendation from a friend who's already been through the experience with her. There's a difference in personalities that comes out between talking to each other over a desk and in the heat of the moment, and you need to know beforehand if you're going to clash.

Get checked out by a doctor, because pregnancy complications like high blood pressure and diabetes will rule this possibility out. It's great if you can find one that's not opposed to at-home births, but be warned that you'll have to look far and wide, because doctors make the bulk of their money off of the actual birth as opposed to office visits. The midwife or doula may be able to recommend someone she works with. If not, try contacting your local La Leche League, a great resource for alternative birth information.