They say life itself is a game. So how do you translate one of life's great mysteries into a contest?

        Emily Rose Corp.'s Nine Months and Counting, a new board game designed for pregnant women, is the ultimate baby shower game. Creator Susan Fichtercame up with the idea while carrying her second child.

        “When I was pregnant with my last child, I found I needed a way to channel my creative energy,” Ms. Fichter said. “I was thinking that with the exception of Lamaze classes and pregnancy books, there are very few ways to learn about what to expect during pregnancy and childbirth.”

        And so the game was born. The Beaverton, Ore., resident, who named her company after her first daughter, used books on obstetrics and gynecology for background information and for the trivia questions.

        The easy-to-play format provides an inviting way for pregnant women and their partners to learn about issues surrounding pregnancy and childbirth. Nine Months accommodates up to 16 players and is played like a traditional board game, with each “pregnant” game piece moving around the board.

        Four squares on the board require action: Baby Trivia, with questions like “What percentage of pregnant women experience enough swelling of the feet to warrant a bigger shoe size?”; Baby Draw, similar to Pictionary, where teammates create pictures; Baby Name Scramble; and a Photo Memory Test.

        Ms. Fichter says the game balances the seriousness of pregnancy with a lighter approach that makes it fun to play.

        While playing the game recently with friends, “each of us shared our own experiences with childbirth,” she says. “The conversation ranged from the differences between epidurals and "natural' to which hospitals had treated us well during our pregnancies,” although the highlight of the game happened when one of the players landed on the Baby Draw space and tried to draw and convey stretch marks.

        The game ($27.95) is available at the Emily Rose Web site (www.emilyrosesoapandbath.com), Motherhood Maternity stores or by calling (503) 356-0949.

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