Pregnant In Heels Star Rosie Pope Talks Pregnancy Myths And Misconceptions

NEW YORK -- Rosie Pope practices what she preaches.

On Thursday morning, at Rosie Pope Maternity on Madison Avenue, Bravo's "Pregnant in Heels" star presided over a discussion about pregnancy's myths and misconceptions while wearing a black cocktail dress and sky-high Chanel heels.

Pope is pregnant with her third child. She is due next May.

At the event sponsored by Clearblue Easy, the pregnancy and fertility test manufacturer, Pope unpacked some of challenges facing women hoping to become pregnant.

According to national birth statistics, more couples conceive during the holidays than at any other time of the year. But it can still be a stressful period -- particularly for those battling infertility issues.

Pope, who has publicly discussed her own problems with fertility, sympathizes with many women facing the combination of stress from the holidays and pressure from family members about when they'll finally conceive.

When faced with such questions, Pope advised women to be firm and stand their ground. "Simply tell them that it's a private issue and that you don't want to talk about it," said Pope. "And then change the subject."

When it comes to pregnancy and eating habits, Pope advised expectant women to save their calories for actual meals rather than subsisting on an endless supply of snackfoods.

"There's new data that shows you don't really need any extra calories until the last trimester," she said. "And for those trying to become pregnant, you really shouldn't try and get by on less than 1,800 calories."

Among her other pieces of advice:

Take your prenatal vitamins.
Pope urged women planning to become pregnant to take folic acid at least three months prior to conception and said that all women of reproductive age should consider adding a folic acid supplement to their daily routine.

Cut out substances.
Women hoping to conceive should avoid large quantities of alcohol and quit smoking altogether.

Snack on protein.
Among Pope's favorite snackfoods for expectant mothers: Luna bars, almonds, crackers and edamame.

Freeze your favorite meals.
Once the baby has arrived, Pope recommends having frozen and prepared meals ready to go.

Get your mom wardrobe ready.
She also advises would-be mothers to assemble a wardrobe consisting of five to seven outfits that are clean, interchangeable, and mostly importantly, ready-to-go.