Maternity Must Haves

Maternity Must Haves

Let’s be real, when you get a positive pregnancy test (especially as a first timer), you start googling EVERYTHING. From what foods you should/should not eat, what medications you need to take/stop taking, what activities that might need to be avoided/modified, and what products can help give you some relief from some nagging pregnancy symptoms, we all turn to google. Google is pregnancy’s best and worst enemy, there is some great information out there but it can also scare you silly. I decided that putting a little post of my top pregnancy must haves could be helpful for those who are expecting but want some advice that is a bit more personal than a google search. Here are some product that I actually used that really helped me! So let me help a sister out! 

The essentials: non-negotiables for any pregnant woman 

1. Prenatal vitamins are a necessity no questions asked. I used this prenatal vitamin and personally didn’t have any trouble with it giving me bad side effects. 

2. A water bottle like this or this. Another no brainer. It is always important to drink water but especially in pregnancy. I like these two because they actually keep you water cold and don’t sweat. And they have tops that seal to keep germs out. 

3. An easy to follow app for your phone. I really liked Ovia and What to Expect when You’re Expecting. Both were user friendly and gave lots of great information on your and your baby’s progress week by week. I would give Ovia the slight upper hand because I liked how you could check what foods and medications were safe right from the app. And they also have a calendar which shows how many weeks you would be at a certain time and helps keep you organized with the million doctors appointments you will have. 

First Trimester

4. I was one of those people who dealt with constant nausea during the first trimester. Not bad enough to get physically sick but bad enough to be bothered. I found out that if I didn’t let myself get too hungry it was for the best, the hunger made the nausea so much worse which then made it even more difficult to eat, a continuous and vicious cycle. So lesson one—always be prepared with snacks. And lesson two—these tummy drops were so helpful for buying me time. Essentially they would take the nausea away long enough for me to get time and feel able to eat. I used the peppermint flavor and they were a game changer.

5. An unusual symptom that I experienced was horrible car sickness, especially since I have never had problems with this in the past. My nausea would get so much worse in the car, whether I was the driver or passenger. Again, this was exponentiated if I had an empty stomach. I did use sea bands which helped so much especially on a longer road trips. And again, the tummy drops and purse and dashboard stocked with on the go snacks were clutch. 

Second Trimester

6. I am typically a back sleeper, so the snoogle pillow was great at keeping me on my side. Super cozy and comfy and gives you plenty of support when your back starts to get sore later on in pregnancy as well. This also makes a great gift for friends/family members who are expecting, trust me, they will thank you later. 

7. I started using bio oil as a stretch mark prevention morning and night starting in the second trimester. They say stretch marks are genetic but this has seemed to help. I used this on my belly, breasts, and hips. Ladies, don’t forget to lotion/oil up your hips! 

8. A serious must have for pregnancy was the Amazon baby registry. We went to stores and looked at a few things like strollers and car seats in person, but then found it on amazon and it was so easy to have everything in one place. You do have the option to link things from other sites, but let’s be honest, Amazon has everything. They also send a super practical welcome box with samples that we will actually use. And they offer a 15% off completion discount for prime members or a 10% discount for non-prime members. A total win-win in my book.  

Third Trimester

9. In terms of a pregnancy wardrobe, I really stuck to less is more. It seems silly to spend money on clothes for just a few months. I luckily wear scrubs to work so I just sized up and that got me by. I did purchase the maternity basics: leggings, a pair of jeans, and a a few dresses. A lot of my tops and cardigans from pre-pregnancy still worked for my growing belly. And frankly, I raided my husband’s closet for workout tops and even casual t-shirts and sweaters. Who knew his stature was perfect for my pregnant bump LOL. 

10. Let’s talk about books. There is sooooo much literature on pregnancy out there. It is easy to get overwhelmed with the options available. A couple books I found really informative and helpful were this book about childbirth and this book about newborn routines. Again, lots of information out there, but these seemed to cover the essentials of topics I was interested in. 

I’m sure everyone has their opinion on what the essentials are for pregnancy, but this is the list of what helped get me through it! Let me know if you agree/disagree with anything that made my top 10 list of pregnancy must haves! Might as well help someone else out with your feedback!  

-Kristen