If you're worried about getting a mommy brain, you're not alone. Many women, particularly those who are older and have careers, are loath to let themselves be defined by their growing uterus, or later by the baby they hold in their arms.

It can be a struggle to keep your pregnancy from taking over every aspect of your life — your health, your home, your job, your relationship, and more. It's important to remember that you will be a better mother if you continue to have a sense of self and continue to live a life that satisfies your own unique needs. Resting and taking care of yourself now is important, just as spending lots of time with your baby will be important once you're a mother. At the same time, refusing to let yourself be entirely defined by your parenthood status can help you keep your head screwed on straight.

Sometimes it's easy to get completely caught up in the pregnancy whirlwind. You're buying maternity clothes, comparing baby monitors, deciding between cloth or disposables, rearranging your schedule, interviewing nannies, trying to understand breastfeeding basics, and more. It's okay to delve into these new and exciting things. After all, how will you ever fully understand them and come to grips with them if you don't? But at some point you may find you need to take a step back and realize that the choice between green or yellow crib bedding may not be as crucial as it can sometimes come to seem.

There are also times when you may need to remind people that there is more to you than that bump growing out in front of you. You shouldn't be sidelined from important work projects or passed over for an important role in your favorite charity's next event just because you're pregnant. Sometimes you have to make the extra effort to let people know you're still interested in being yourself and doing the things that you've always done. Often people think they are helping you by making things easier. They may not realize that you don't want your condition to be a deciding factor.

While achieving balance is so important in keeping you sane and happy, it's also important to realize that there are times when things should be out of balance. For example, as you get closer to your due date, more of your thoughts and energy will turn to the baby and the upcoming delivery. This is normal and good. Similarly, it is terrific if you have a very busy week at work during your second trimester and get very wrapped up in a deadline and don't think much about the pregnancy or the baby. Let your priorities naturally set themselves, and you will find that you can achieve a long-term level of balance in your life.