pregnant summer
Flickr photo by 3NeusMy pregnant friend was wilting in the 80-degree heat.

We were meeting with our girls for a late afternoon ice cream treat, but there was no way we were going to make it to the playground.

I remember being pregnant in summer -- my daughter was born in early June, but the last few weeks of my pregnancy were agony.

The good news is kids born in summer are likely to have sunnier outlooks on life!

The bad news is, well, if you're pregnant and it's hit 80 in your town, you already know the bad news.

You should already be drinking copious amounts of water, but here a few things you may not have thought of:

1. Shop for baby: You don't have to spend a thing; just take advantage of all that free air-conditioning in the mall.

2. Skip the spice: There's a temptation to eat spicy food because old wives' tales claim it will get labor moving. But spicy food literally raises the body temperature, making you more uncomfortable. And there's no scientific evidence it will get the baby out anyway.

3. Bring out the baby bath. It's taking up an enormous amount of space just waiting for baby, so get the most out of it -- fill it with cold water and dip your tootsies.

4. Go topless. Nipple stimulation is one natural way to induce labor that might actually hold weight. So set up in the living room with a fan on you and have at it. Bonus points if your partner gets to partake as well -- they do say sex can speed up labor.

5. Pull the pregnancy card. You will be more tired, so work it girl -- ask for HELP around the office, the house, and from that cute bag boy at the grocery store.

Are you pregnant this summer? How far do you have to go until delivery?