Today's hectic lifestyle is tiring enough - pregnancy makes that exhaustion inevitable, especially if you have a toddler already demanding your attention.

During my first pregnancy, I worked full-time but came home each evening and relaxed on the couch. I cross-stitched all sorts of cute things for the baby's room and took plenty of naps.

Two years later, when I became pregnant with my second little one, those naps were few and far between. There were no where near as many "cute things" made for the nursery and the couch saw a lot less use during those nine months.

Eighteen months later, when the third one came along, I tried every tip I could find! With a three year old boy and another barely walking, there was way too much to do in a day to deal with the exhaustion of pregnancy!

Here are the things that worked best for me:

Your growing baby takes a lot of extra vitamins and nutrients from your diet. Deficiencies in these can cause lower energy levels and decreased immune systems. Prenatal vitamins are important to the health of you and your baby. Discuss other nutrition supplements that can improve your energy level with your doctor. Additional iron is often a good option.

Chasing toddlers, fixing snacks, and all the other things that come along with mommy-hood make it easy to forget to feed yourself a balanced diet. While eating right is always important, it is even more essential when you're eating for two.

• Keep fresh fruits and veggies on hand for quick, healthy snacks that boost energy.
• Snack on peanut butter and crackers to fight exhaustion.
• Sit down with your toddler and eat breakfast and dinner together.
• Avoid the temptation of fast food at dinnertime. Instead, find quick recipes and use canned or frozen ingredients. Pasta and rice are great energy foods that require little preparation time.

Whether it's finding quick recipes to add to your growing collection or volunteering to babysit, your friends and family can be a very valuable resource when you're tired. People enjoy helping, especially with the excitement of a new baby, so get your loved ones involved and enjoy the extra time you'll have to relax. Others can help with errands, cooking, cleaning, and can usually offer a wealth of other advice to help make it through pregnancy with a toddler.

A good night's sleep is just not enough when you're pregnant. Napping is a common thing during pregnancy and helps your body recharge - but when do you find the time with an energetic toddler keeping you on your toes all day long? Your toddler's naptime is often the only time you have to yourself. Use it to revitalize yourself. Read, nap, and pamper yourself for a couple hours each day while your little one sleeps and you'll feel much better the rest of the day.