Pregnancy and Post Pregnancy Massage 9 months up, 9 months down. Never mind what your mother-in-law says about how quickly she returned to her girlish figure ­ as if! I've read the Girlfriends¹ handbook and so have you; we know how much is involved before and after the actual birth. So...what can we do to make the 18 months of pregnancy easier, less stressful, and healthier ...without the ubiquitous get a pedicure and eat a bran muffin kind of advice?