Pregnancy Must-Haves!!

When I found out I was pregnant, I became so overwhelmed by what things I needed during this new phase. There’s so much info to sort through! At the end of it all, these are the things I think are most important to have during this fun phase.

Bottoms

To be honest, you don’t need a ton of clothes. Of course everyone’s pregnancy is different and when you “pop” may be sooner then when your girlfriend here did, but I was able to make do with regular leggings and jeans with a button extender for almost the first two trimesters.

Having a great pair of jeans even for that short while is worth it since you will likely be wearing them daily! And LEGGINGS!!! I lived in these! They were as perfect for just hanging around as they were for working out at the gym. I loved that I could wear it folded under my bump or wear over it, depending on the support I wanted.

Finally compression socks – I work as a nurse so am no stranger to these. They really helped with any swelling and leg fatigue especially during that last trimester.

Tops

When it came to tops, I preferred looser non-maternity tops like this that I could wear after pregnancy as well. Here’s a few other tips: if you’re planning to breast-feed, think flowy, button-ups, cami’s and cardigans. These are pieces that will serve you well! This cardigan is one of the softest things I own and looks so cute with jeans or skirts.

Miscellaneous

One of the sweetest gifts I got during pregnancy was this book for me to journal all the adventures of pregnancy. It’s something I will treasure forever and cannot wait to be able to share it with Shiloh some day. I also recommend Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth. It is definitely geared to someone planning on an unmedicated birth, (something I did not do) but I found it to be helpful and interesting.

Ok so the pillow – I have always slept with three pillows (sooo cozy! haha) so I just added one more and found that to be very comfortable. But if that’s not your thing, this pillow may be perfect for you! I’ve heard amazing things about it and it has great reviews.

Finally, LIPS! I had no clue that your lips can plump up a bit during pregnancy. Legit I had people asking if I got lip injections haha. But a side effect of the rapid plumping is cracking to your already dry lips. This lip mask is a current fave of mine and something I WISH I had during pregnancy!!

For Your Belly

So I get it. Stretch marks are genetic, right. Or maybe you are genetically more or less prone to them? Either way, these things make for some great relief to your growing belly. Personally I didn’t get any stretch marks and I think these items really helped.

The bellaband is such a versatile piece! You can use it to wear over bottoms that can’t quite zip up, extend the length of your shirt, and wear it over the bump or folded under for extra support.

As far as the different belly spreads, I love that this one is organic and soaks in nicely. This oil is only recommended to use after the first trimester is completed (per its label) due to the vitamin A in it. I also checked with my doc and felt completely comfortable using it. Finally, this stick is such a classic. It’s cheap, convenient to carry along anywhere (I kept one in my purse, at work, bedside…literally everywhere!). My mom swore by it and so do I!

Last But Not Least…

I spent SO. MUCH. TIME. researching prenatal vitamins. I felt like most of them had unnecessary fillers, food coloring, and sugar. I love that these have none of that in them. They have great quantities of all the good-for-your-peanut stuff. This duo comes with the DHA which is super important for your baby’s brain development.

Another supplement I took pretty regularly was this Calm. I got really bad restless legs while pregnant and this helped so much. Plus it helped me sleep better. Bonus: it also helps with constipation. Of course, check with your doc before taking anything new.

I really can’t complain about my morning sickness since I know some ladies get it so bad, but mine was more or a constant feeling of nausea (no puking!) for the first trimester which was only calmed by a steady intake of carbs…until a friend told me about these pops. They worked great! I highly recommend to keep on hand.

Finally, this list could not be complete without a water bottle. This one keeps your water cold for hoooouurs. Plus the 40 oz size makes it easier to reach the 80-100 oz water intake recommended during pregnancy.

So there you have it friends! Anything I missed? I’d love to hear about it! Comment below 🙂

xx, rae