10 Safe and Smart Hacks for Google Reader

Google Reader is a feed reader. It allows you to subscribe to RSS and Atom feeds. You can manage feeds, label them, and even share your feed collection with others.

Google reader is extremely powerful and has a very clean interface. Google Reader allows you to read your favorite blogs in much the same manner as you would read your email.
Some of it’s many features include tagging, folder-based navigation, Firefox integration and the ability to import and export subscription lists as an OPML file. You can also star items for easy access, share your favorite items, and save your favorite items to del.icio.us.
All of these features have come to make Google Reader a dream machine for the productivity enthusiast.

Here are 10 Smart tips for getting the most out of Google Reader. Remember Google Reader is a powerful tool you've just got to know yet.

1 - Sort your feeds by priority.

Google Reader makes it easy to organize all of your feeds by topic. However, I would also suggest that you categorize
your feeds by priority as well. This way, you know which items are “Must Read” and which items “Can Be Skipped” on days that you’re busy.

2 - Use Keyboard Shortcuts.

You can’t become a Google master without learning the keyboard shortcuts for Google Reader. These little tweaks can save you a good bit of time in the long run.
Some of the most common shortcuts include:

j/k: item down/up
o: open/close item
s: toggle star
m: mark as read/unread
t: tag an item

For a complete list of Google Reader shortcuts, grab this Cheat Sheet.

3 - Optimize your feed reading time by combining certain feeds into one large master feed.

This can be done using FeedShake. Feedshake allows you to merge, sort, and filter multiple RSS feeds. You can also use filters and tags to create a more customized feed.
For a more advanced solution, you can try Yahoo Pipes. Yahoo Pipes is a very powerful RSS feed remixer that gives you the ability to create web mashups that combine a variety of data from different sources. Yahoo Pipes takes web aggregation to an entirely new level.

4 - Add tags to your feed items.

Google Reader lets you organize all of your feed items by tags. This is one of the best features for those who are
looking to optimize their time.
To add a tag to a post, simply click “add tags” and enter the relevant tags.

5 - Search your feed items.

The only feature that I would really like to see in Google Reader that is currently missing is a search feature. Fortunately, there are ways to work around this.
You can use Google Reader Custom Search to search your feeds using Google Co-op inside Google Reader.

6 - Star items for future reference.

Google Reader enables you to quickly star items for future reference. This can come in handy for items that you want to refer to later.

7 - Smart Google Reader Subscribe Button

The Smart Google Reader Subscribe Button makes it easy to subscribe to a site’s RSS feed while also letting you know if you’ve already subscribed to that site. If you subscribe to a lot of feeds, this kind of tool is very handy.
Another great way to add RSS feeds on the fly is with the subscribe bookmark. This tool enables you to quickly
subscribe to any site that you find interesting while surfing the web.
To access the subscribe button, click on Settings on the top right-hand corner of the Google Reader interface and
then click on Goodies. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and you will see detailed instructions on how to use the subscribe bookmark.

8 - Use Expanded View.

For optimum productivity, use expanded view. Expanded view makes it very easy to scroll all of your feed items and
scan for interesting posts.
However, I don’t suggest that you simply scroll down the page. You can go from one entry to the next simply by
pressing the “J” key. Whenever you want to go backwards, use the “K” key to return to the previous post.

9 - Do a weekly or monthly cleanup.

Over time, there are certain feeds that you simply don’t read anymore, or read very infrequently.
These feeds should be dumped on a regular basis to keep your feed reader under control.
Google Reader has an excellent feature known as Subscription Trends that keeps track of where you do the majority of your reading. This will help you to quickly identify any feeds
that need to be dumped.
If your subscription trends reveals a feed that is read less than 5%, then it’s probably time to delete it. Fortunately, you can delete any feed directly from the Trends page.

10 - Dedicate a certain time of the day for reading your feeds and stick to your allotted times.

If you allow yourself 30 minutes to read through your feeds each day, then stick to it. Believe me, everything will still be there tomorrow.

• Reference/Source: Lifehack.org by KimRoach
Kim Roach is a productivity junkie who blogs regularly at The Optimized Life.

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10 of the Best Hollywood Movies in 2010

If you are looking for top movies you are sure to come across Another Year in your searches.

This is one of those movies that seems to be about ordinary people and ordinary lives but demonstrates how no one’s life is really ordinary. It is gentle and sweet yet it is so much more than just a feel good movie. The focus of the movie is an older couple that is looking forward to retirement and enjoying their empty nest.

Over the course of the movies, several interesting characters drift in and out, like Ken, the alcoholic friend of Tom and Mary, the divorcee that seems fine on the outside but on the inside is totally dependent on others. This is one of the best movies of the year and you’ll surely agree when you’ve seen it for yourself.

Here's our top 10 of the Best Hollywood Movies in 2010 that I enjoyed watching.

1 - Inception

"In a world where technology exists to enter the human mind through dream invasion, a highly skilled thief is given a final chance at redemption which involves executing his toughest job to date: Inception."

No other movie deserves the top spot. Christopher Nolan turned out one of the best of all time. The mystery and sci-fi were so well tied in that the audience came back to the theaters for more and more. The phenomenal star cats and super talented director made the movie number one.

2 - Iron Man 2

"Because of his superhero alter ego, Tony Stark must contend with deadly issues involving the government, his own friends and new enemies."

Robert Downey Jr. provides another great performance in a role that seems to be tailor made for him. The sequel was bigger than the original and with the angry Mickey Rourke and Scarlett Johansson in the fray this one got even better.

3 - Toy Story 3

"The toys are mistakenly delivered to a day-care center instead of the attic right before Andy leaves for college, and it's up to Woody to convince the other toys that they weren't abandoned and to return home."

The heartwarming adventures of the toys continued to win over parents and kids alike. Every sequel of the movie continues to be better than the previous one and his one was no exception. An instant classic!

4 - Tron Legacy

"The son of a virtual world designer goes looking for his father and ends up inside the digital world that his father designed. He meets his father's creation turned bad and a unique ally who was born inside the digital domain of The Grid."

Tron was ahead of its time. 2010 was the correct year. Combine the vision, superior GFX and heightened fanboy expectations with the amazing Daft Punk score and you have a winner.

5 - Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

"Scott Pilgrim must defeat his new girlfriend's seven evil exes in order to win her heart."

The movie was based on one of the best Indie comics of all times and did not disappoint. It was a great mix of love, action, oddity and bizarre sequences. Michael Cera absolutely nailed this one.

6 - The Expendables

"A team of mercenaries head to South America on a mission to overthrow a dictator."

An explosive star cast consisting of Sylvester Stallone, Jet Li, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin, Mickey Rourke, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Add in a cameo by Bruce Willis. Action fans were crawling on their knees for this one. They were getting spoilt rotten.

7 - Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood

"In 13th century England, Robin and his band of marauders confront corruption in a local village and lead an uprising against the crown that will forever alter the balance of world power."

The man behind classics such as Alien, Blade Runner and Gladiator returned to the screen with Robin Hood. His favorite star Russell Crowe also joins in to create a saga of the enigmatic legend of Robin Hood. It was a memorable take on Robin Hood.

8 - Alice in Wonderland

"19-year-old Alice returns to the magical world from her childhood adventure, where she reunites with her old friends and learns of her true destiny: to end the Red Queen's reign of terror."

Tim Burrton’s Alice in Wonderland looked out of the world and stunning. Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen and Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter put in great performances to make the movie one of the best of 2010.

9 - Clash of the Titans

"The mortal son of the god Zeus embarks on a perilous journey to stop the underworld and its minions from spreading their evil to Earth as well as the heavens."

The classic sword and sandal classic flick was remade using modern CGI. The director did a fantastic job of creating the underworld and the heavens while the newcomers Sam Worthington and Gemma Arterton made the roles of Perseus and Io believable.

10 - The Social Network

"A chronicle of the founding of Facebook, the social-networking Web site."

The gripping tale of how the most dominant social network came into being makes for a riveting and engaging watch. The focus on ideas, feelings and people made this one memorable.

• Reference/Source: Islandcrisis.net [2011-01-15]

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10 of the Most Common SEO Mistakes Usually Neglected

No, these aren’t “myths” disguised as “common mistakes.” I’ve already beaten the SEO myths theme to death. What follows are 10 of the Most Common SEO Mistakes Usually Neglected. Some of these things catch even the best of us…

1 - Targetting the wrong keywords

This is a mistake many people make and what is worse – even experienced SEO experts make it. People choose keywords that in their mind are descriptive of their website but the average users just may not search them. For instance, if you have a relationship site, you might discover that “relationship guide” does not work for you, even though it has the “relationship” keyword, while “dating advice” works like a charm. Choosing the right keywords can make or break your SEO campaign. Even if you are very resourceful, you can't think on your own of all the great keywords but a good keyword suggestion tool, for instance, the Website Keyword Suggestion tool will help you find keywords that are good for your site.

2 - Ignoring the Title tag

Leaving the "title" tag empty is also very common. This is one of the most important places to have a keyword, because not only does it help you in optimization but the text in your "title" tag shows in the search results as your page title.

3 - A Flash website without a html alternative

Flash might be attractive but not to search engines and users. If you really insist that your site is Flash-based and you want search engines to love it, provide an html version. Here are some more tips for optimizing Flash sites. Search engines don't like Flash sites for a reason – a spider can't read Flash content and therefore can't index it.

4 - JavaScript Menus

Using JavaScript for navigation is not bad as long as you understand that search engines do not read JavaScript and build your web pages accordingly. So if you have JavaScript menus you can't do without, you should consider build a sitemap (or putting the links in a noscript tag) so that all your links will be crawlable.

5 - Lack of consistency and maintenance

Our friend Rob from Blackwood Productions often encounters clients, who believe that once you optimize a site, it is done foreve. If you want to be successful, you need to permanently optimize your site, keep an eye on the competition and – changes in the ranking algorithms of search engines.

6 - Concentrating too much on meta tags

A lot of people seem to think SEO is about getting your meta keywords and description correct! In fact, meta tags are becoming (if not already) a thing of the past. You can create your meta keywords and descriptions but don't except to rank well only because of this.

7 - Using only Images for Headings

Many people think that an image looks better than text for headings and menus. Yes, an image can make your site look more distinctive but in terms of SEO images for headings and menus are a big mistake because h2, h2, etc. tags and menu links are important SEO items.

8 - Ignoring URLs

Many people underestimate how important a good URL is. Dynamic page names are still very frequent and no keywords in the URL is more a rule than an exception. Yes, it is possible to rank high even without keywords in the URL but all being equal, if you have keywords in the URL (the domain itself, or file names, which are part of the URL), this gives you additional advantage over your competitors. Keywords in URLs are more important for MSN and Yahoo! but even with Google their relative weight is high, so there is no excuse for having keywordless URLs.

9 - Backlink spamming

It is a common delusion that it more backlinks are ALWAYS better and because of this web masters resort to link farms, forum/newgroup spam etc., which ultimately could lead to getting their site banned. In fact, what you need are quality backlinks.

10 - Lack of keywords in the content

Once you focus on your keywords, modify your content and put the keywords wherever it makes sense. It is even better to make them bold or highlight them.

• Reference/Source:Webconfs.com

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10 (Ten) Usual things on an RPG

Another contributor, Aj Banda which I've meet from Bloggers.com recommends this Top10 list.

Here's Aj Banda's 10 (Ten) Usual things on an RPG

1 - Healing and Save Station

(e.g. Inn, camp, hospital, healing center, rest point, fountain)
Every RPG starts, with an adventure, and an adventure would be useless once you are defeated. That is the purpose of the healing and save stations. Oftenly named as an Inn and mostly found on every town. Most healing stations have save stations too, but definitely not all save stations have healing spot. Those save stations are mostly found inside the dungeon just before you trigger an importatnt scene.

2 - Healing, restoration and boost up items

(e.g Potion, Healing leaf, healing water, Power up, Phoenix, Revive, Restore, Panacea, Nectar, Union Plume, etc)
Since you cannot heal at all time, you need something portable to aid you. that is where the items take place.
Healing Items - as the names suggest, this restores your Life points
Restoration Items - this either revives the unconcious heroes or cures them from odd status like poison
Boost up Items - this items gives your heroes some boost up to their status, either tepmporarily or permanently

3 - Status Points

Characterize by the following:

a) HP (Health Points) - oftenly use and usually signify by a heart symbol. This serves as the life points of the character. Draining it to zero will trigger the game to end aka GAME OVER

b) MP (Magic Points/ Manna Points) - Oftely used together with HP and is usually used by magicians. This serves as the measurement whther a certain caharacter is still capable of casting a specific action like magic or a special attack

c) EP (Energy Points) - Something similar to MP but usually used for physical attacks or activities.(Well, most of the time)

d) RP (Rune points) - Similar to MP and/or EP

e) DME (Dematerialize energy)- similar to HP, as far as I know, only one game uses this kind of points which is the "Valkyrie Series". Well logically, they cannot use health points because their dead.

f) LP (Life points) - similar to HP

g) AP (Arts Point/ Ablity points) - Similar to EP


Other common status points are the following:

a) Attack Points - determines how strong the character physically

b) Intelligence - determines how strong the character in performing skills or magic. Also known as special attack

c) Defense - determines how much a character withstand a physical attack

d) Special Defense - determines how much caharqacter can withstand a special attack

e) Speed - determines the evasion rate or whether who hits first on a turn based battle

4 - Magic

Either one of the characters is a magician or at least one of them can perform magic, I'm pretty sure that there would always be something magical about the story. And when I say Magic, I don't mean like those that can cast fireballs but instead those that are not common on the real world.

5 - Sceneries

On making a game, one thing is always being checked, the Graphics! Whether the game is one of those old type games that has a poor graphics, there would always be a part where a very beautiful scenery would be shown. An example would be the big old tree at the back of Genkaku's house of suikoden 2.

6 - An Elder and/or A child

I don't know why, but this is very noticeable on every RPG, there would always be a child or an elder that would sometimes be a part of the story. You would mostly find an
Elder on the Village or I cryingf child on the way. (If they're not crying, they would be running or playing)

7 - Sword

Similar to magic, either one of the character is a swordsman(mostly the main one) or someone from the Evil forces would definitly used a sword. Or at least you can see it from somewhere in the game as a decoration.

8 - Armor and accessories

To boost up the characters status, they would be needing this stuffs. These are oftenly found on dungeons hanging around on treasure chests or dropped by enemies. Mostly they can be bought on an item/weapon shop on every town

9 - Map

It is something worth keeping on every RPG to avoid being lost.

10 - Guide
This is a very important part at the beginning of the game but mostly neglected specifically by the experience one. This helps you to coping up with the game specially for their special features.

• Reference/Source: Ajibanda.blogspot.com by Aj Banda

About Beneath the Tree A collection of algorithm, code and other programming methods. Includes programmers' point of view, interests and game reviews.
About Aj Banda, the author
I'm Aj but some calls me aji. I'm a web programmer and a blogger. I used my blogs to share my knowledge to the world but most of the time it serves as a reference of my previous algorithms and source codes.

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10 list of Signs that your Job Candidate is a Bad Idea

Gina submit this list and it's kinda funny... so I post it and Tada! She gets Featured. Do submit your top10 list to us and be featured!

Obviously, getting fired isn’t an ideal situation to ever be in. All the same, it’s certainly a situation that can be dealt with strategically, so that you get back into the workforce again quickly, with a minimum of discomfort.

Here's 10 list of Signs that your Job Candidate is a Bad Idea.

The candidate...

1 - asks you for a ride home.

2 - has draw's that are hanging out at the top.

3 - lists Mom as a reference.

4 - is too drunk to complete the application.

5 - is wearing one steel toe shoe & a Sponge Bob house slipper.

6 - asks you out on a date.

7 - is accompained by a putrid smell and leaves a snail trail as they pass by.

8 - has Coke bottle glasses and are unable to see you, much less look at you. And they are wanting a construction job.

9 - has black hair, black eyes and a tattoo that reads Stan Rocks, but they take the time to let you know that it should read Satan Rocks.

10 - asks you to retrieve their re'sume' on Facebook.

• Reference/Source: Examiner.com/dirty-jobs-in-fort-worth by Ginae B. McDonald[November 9, 2010]
  

About Fort Worth Dirty Jobs Examiner by Ginae B. McDonald (JustGinae.com) has ghostwritten more than 200 articles, is published at BlogCritic and Technorati, is a Reiki master and stock photographer. If you have a dirty job, please, tell her about it at this address.

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10 of UK's Hotel Breaks (INP)

Make no mistake, this list isn’t necessarily a top 10 of the best in the country but more of a list that complies with our image as a company. Listed here are just really desirable hotel and spa breaks we think you would enjoy. Some of these we already have on site and some that we would absolutely die for.

10 - The Savoy - London

Standing since 1889, The Savoy is a true London icon. Synonymous with the capitals heritage and style and situated on the banks of the Thames with The London Eye for a view, this place just screams London. It has recently been the recipient of a £100 Million revamp, the hotel seamlessly blends its original decor with the upgrade of fabulous art deco where all 268 of its rooms just state elegance.

9 - The Langdale – Windermere, Cumbria

The Langdale in the ‘Lakes’ is a resort comprising luxury hotel accommodation, self-catering lodges and cottages, all of which are marked at least 4*with almost every review it gets. An absoloutely brilliant venue that has some fabulous spa days available. Set in the heart of Cumbrian woodland with exclusive streams and rivers, this idyllic location also has top notch spa and 2 AA rosette restaurant, you really will NOT want to leave.

8 - St. Brides – Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire

St. Brides Spa and Hotel comes in at number 8 on our least purely because its destination. With its contemporary design and magical views overlooking the harbour with elevated views over the beautiful Carmarthen Bay, this place is a real treasure. Look out for the outdoor hydrotherapy pool on the cliff top.

7 - The Feversham Arms & Verbena Spa hotel – Helmsley, North Yorkshire

Situated on the very edge of North Yorkshire Moors in the picturesque market village of Helmsley, this lovely quaint hotel is perfect base to explore the local towns shops or galleries or even the moors and further along is the coast. You can also make use of their spa that was recently given a 5 bubble award by the good spa guide.

6 - Ragdale Hall – Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire

Spa breaks at Ragdale Hall offer the perfect antidote to the stresses of working and family life. One of the finest locations we have on site, it has one a Health Spa of the Year award year by year for the last 10 years. A Luscious place with an excellent range of spa breaks. Definitely worth a go.

5 - Cliveden House – Taplow, Berkshire

Cliveden House is unique in many ways. One of the more regal on our list, it has an absolutely brethtaking spa and is surrounding by 376 acres of wondrous gardens and parkland. Notable guest of the hotel have included the likes of Winston Churchill and Charlie Chaplin.

4 - Sheraton Grand – Edinburgh

The Sheraton Grand, the only location on the list from Scotland but what it makes up for the lack of numbers make up in quality and then some! It is one of Scotlands most famous spas. Situated just beneath Edinburgh Castle, this 5* star hotel boasts 269 rooms, each more beautifully designed than the last, an a world class spa on the roof.

3 - W London – London

Situated on Leicester Square, this little delight is the envy of all local Hotels. It boasts 192 rooms, 21 suites including 3 spa suites, on site speciality spa and world class restaurant. This place has got everyone talking.

2 - The Club – Jersey

Described as Jersey's most exciting luxury boutique hotel, this stunning hotel partnered with its Michelin star restaurant ‘Bohemia’ and magnificent spa is a real treat. Just a stones throw away from the beautiful Jersey beaches too. Stylish yet comfortable.

1 - The Scarlet – Mawgan Porth, Cornwall

Gazing upon the Atlantic Ocean, is The Scarlet Hotel famed for its beauty and ethic of being an Eco-Hotel . Boasting local produce for its fabulous food, the restaurant is an absolute joy. Having just the 37 rooms here only serves to emphasise that feeling of intimacy, which is a good thing. The spa is also outrageously beautiful with its own signature of interior design and just adds to the feeling that this place is just lovely.

• Reference/Source: ineedpampering.com by Angelika Adviento

About I Need Pampering Established in early 2005, I Need Pampering was created to cater for those that demand the very best in gift experience shopping. All our gift experiences have all been carefully selected from some of the top UK suppliers in the industry, most of them being award winning and innovative, known for their professionalism and expertise. We are continually growing year on year and have thousands of you coming back for more great gifts, so we must be doing something right. Our mission statement is a simple one, to deliver the best customer service to accompany the best packages and products the industry has to offer. We know that if you are impressed with your certificate, first of all you are going to remain a regular customer, and secondly, there is no greater tool than word of mouth advertising. Everything about our website has been carefully researched, thought-out and crafted to the tiniest detail to provide you with a pleasant, easy and exciting shopping experience. Spa days and spa breaks are our speciality with a host of the finest Spa Hotels and resorts in the UK. We also specialise in luxurious boutique hotel breaks and glamorous photoshoot makeovers. We are pleased to say that we are not just bound by the pampering experiences (exquisite as they may be) I Need Pampering has something for everyone. All of us here at I Need Pampering are constantly scouting the country for new and exciting locations for fabulous spa days and hotel breaks for not only you to enjoy but for us too, as we love a bit of pampering as well. Its tiring work providing you guys with the best experiences around. Customer feedback is also paramount to us. Whether you are buying this gift for yourself or a corporate gift you are guaranteed a fabulous time just remember to tell us about your day. Writing a customer review will earn you I Need Pampering reward points in the same that way that you would when making a purchase. I need pampering are now also featured with Ideal World Shopping and Ideal World Vitality channels, so look out for even more great gift experiences on the TV. Luxury online shopping has never been easier!

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10 Pregnancy Facts that no one usually tells you

After the joy of discovering that you are pregnant, sure enough, you want to know exactly what you can expect to feel during the pregnancy stages. You are anxious about how you will handle each stage of pregnancy.

These are the 10 weird things that happen during pregnancy that people probably won't tell you about.

1 - You Could Be Pregnant For Over A Year

Most pregnancies last for about 9 months and doctors are likely to induce labor if pregnancy goes on too long. That being said, it is possible to be pregnant for a whole year. The world's longest pregnancy lasted 375 days, strangely, the baby was only a little under seven pounds.
It certainly puts a whole new perspective on being a few weeks late, doesn't it?

2 - A Male Fetus Can Get Erections In The Womb

Most mothers don't like to think about their baby boys getting erections, even when they are teenagers, but the fact is that many baby boys get boners while they're still in the womb. In fact, babies of both sexes are known to masturbate in utero, but boys are the only ones who can be caught while aroused on the sonogram.

If having sex while pregnant seemed a little creepy before now, just imagine what your baby is doing while you make love.

3 - Your Entire Undercarriage Might Need Stitches

The last place any woman wants stitches is in her taint, but many mothers have to get that area closed up surgically. Nine out of ten women have some type of vaginal tearing after birth, but there are many degrees of tearing. Some tears only require a little care or a few stitches, but the really bad cases go from the vagina all the way to the anus. Some can even affect the muscles beyond your anus. On the upside, tearing that reaches the anus is somewhat rare and only affects one in one hundred mothers.
Massaging the area prior to child birth can reduce tearing, but even then, it won't completely stop tearing in most people.
Suddenly, getting a C-section started sounding a whole lot more appealing, huh?

4 - You May Just Poop Yourself

During childbirth, it is extremely common for a woman to accidentally expel the contents of her bowels. There is a good reason for this –the muscles you use to push the baby out are the same ones you ordinarily use during a bowel movement. As if that weren't enough to get your sphincter ready to go, the baby directly pushes on the rectum as it makes its exit, helping to squeeze out anything near the exit.

In olden times, it was common for nurses to give enemas prior to labor, but this practice didn't end up stopping the mess from happening and often caused dehydration. These days, your doctors and nurses will be ready to help clean up the mess. In most cases, they won't even say anything about it so you won't know the difference.
It does make you think twice about filming the birth though, doesn't it?

5 - You Really Will Glow

Saying a pregnant woman is glowing is a common expression, but most people chalk it up to the woman's excitement about becoming a mommy. As it turns out though, glowing skin is a very real thing for pregnant women. While you're pregnant, the amount of blood in your body will increase by 50%. The extra blood ends up showing through the skin in many areas, particularly the cheeks.

On top of this, hormones cause the oil glands to become more active, resulting in a softer, shinier appearance. When the increased blood flow combines with shine, the result is a noticeable glow.

6 - Your Sense of Smell Gets Better

During pregnancy, your sense of smell increases drastically, as does your sense of taste. Scientists hypothesize that this is to help pregnant mothers avoid eating small levels of toxins that might not be dangerous to an adult, but could be deadly to a fetus. As smoke, alcohol and coffee are all particularly noticeable to pregnant women, this theory certainly seems to be on the right path.

7 - Contractions Don't Stop After Birth

Most mothers will have contractions for the first few days after birth. The muscle cramps are the body's way of stopping excess blood loss. On the upside, if you give birth at the hospital, you'll still be pretty drugged up and will probably barely even notice.

8 - You Don't Really Need To Eat For Two

Despite the widespread rumors that say pregnant women need to gain all the weight they can in order to birth a healthy baby, the truth is that most women will only need an extra 300 calories per day. That's equivalent to about one serving of yogurt and half a bagel. Most women only need to gain about 25 pounds throughout their entire pregnancy.

Of course, if you happen to be at the buffet and are having a tough time resisting the desserts section, go ahead and sneak a little extra. No one will give a pregnant woman a hard time if she pigs out

9 - Your Feet Can Grow Up To One Full Shoe Size

If you're wondering why your feet will get so big when you only gain 25 pounds, it has to do with the excess pressure on your feet paired with relaxed ligaments in your body. As your pregnancy wears on, your body starts to release the tightness of its ligaments to help with the birthing process. Unfortunately for your shoes, this also means your feet start to lose their arch and stretch out on the sides. The flatter, wider shape of your feet will probably be temporary, but if they grew too much, the change could end up being permanent. If your feet do stay a bit larger, it certainly will serve as a great excuse to buy more shoes.

10 - The Father Might Show Symptoms of Pregnancy

It's surprisingly common for a father-to-be to start gaining weight, getting morning sickness and even feel cramps in his lower abdomen. The condition is known as a sympathetic pregnancy or the Couvade Syndrome, which comes from the french word couvee meaning "to hatch".

• Reference/Source: Oddee.com by Jill Harness[3/11/2011]

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