Two of life's greatest marvels are becoming pregnant and giving birth.

When asked, "What was the most memorable event in your life?" most women will choose pregnancy and childbirth.

It's like a divine gift. There's no disputing that pregnancy and childbirth can bring up a lot of strong emotions in parents.

While pregnancy is a wonderful and fulfilling experience, it is important to remember that there is a nutrition and fitness component that must be addressed.

There's another side to this gleaming coin. Many women believe that their shapely body has been damaged by pregnancy, and that stretch marks have disfigured them.

They immediately think that once they've given birth, their bodies will never return to their previous state. Women accept weight gain, stretch marks, a loss of sex appeal, and other negative repercussions as a cost of having a bouncy little baby.

The opposite could not be further from the truth.