My Friend is Pregnant
What can I do to help?
There are several ways one can make a pregnancy easier on a woman, especially if her partner is not present at the time.
 

 
Postpartum Depression
Think of a new mother. She has just experienced the miracle of childbirth. This should be her most joyful moment, a moment she and her family may never forget. It is the day she has brought a child into the world. At first, she basks in the delight of the occasion! However later that day or week or month, sadness overcomes her body, even though she knows motherhood should not be this distressing. She may be experiencing postpartum depression.
Symptoms

 
Lactation, or milk production in the breasts, begins about one to three days after a woman gives birth. Pituitary hormones stimulate milk production in response to the stimulation of the infant's suckling the nipples. At this point, based on exploration and personal preference, new parents can decide whether they would like to feed their newborn with breast milk or bottles of store-bought baby formula. The following are some considerations parents may want to think about and discuss when making the decision of how to feed their baby.

 
Pregnancy by Trimester- During Pregnancy
1st Trimester (Weeks 1-12)

Working Women and Breastfeeding
In 1900, 20% of the U.S. labor force was female. In 1950, it was 29% and, in 1997, women made up 56.6 % of the labor force. In 1998, at least 50 % of women employed in the U.S. who became pregnant returned to work by the time their children were 3 months old (La Leche League). As the number of working mothers increases, employers are becoming more supportive of breastfeeding, due in part to the realization that breastfeeding can help their businesses.