Pregnancy is a major time of change, excitement and discomfort. Though I’ve tried to keep my spending on the lower side when it comes to pregnancy needs (since it has such a finite time of usage), there are some must-haves that I simply wouldn’t want to live without. Today’s post are all the items I’ve purchased during pregnancy (so far) and would highly recommend to other expecting mamas. Items range from necessities like prenatal vitamins to nice-to-haves like leggings. And again, while I have tried not to spend a lot, sometimes you have to splurge a little on yourself. With an expanding body and lots of changes, it’s really important to feel good and take care of yourself. Let’s jump into it.
My Pregnancy Must Haves
Body & Nutrition
Rainbow Bright Prenatal Vitamins: These vitamins were admittedly a bit more expensive than some other brands but I had heard good things and once I started using them I didn’t want to stop. They are specifically formulated based on your trimester and their 1,000 Days line has you covered from preconception to after the baby is born. Your body still has some serious needs at that point too. And though the price might seem high, if you purchase online they are frequently offering deals, typically 25% off. That discount brings them down to more or less the average price I was seeing for other prenatals. I recommend signing up for their newsletters and when a sale is happening, stock up.
Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides: I had read that protein is key during pregnancy to avoid swelling. Collagen was already a part of my routine (I have 1 scoop in my coffee each morning) so it was something I intended to keep going during pregnancy. And since collagen is said to be good for your hair, skin and nails, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to keep using, especially when it comes to stretch marks. I haven’t had any swelling or stretch marks yet. I still have 6 weeks and I know these can hit at any time so I can’t say that it’s all due to taking collagen but it can’t hurt! Side note: I have been told stretch marks are genetic so it is possible you don’t have much control over them. But again, doesn’t hurt to try.
Earth Mama Belly Oil & Belly Butter: And more talk about that stretching skin, you need to get yourself some good oils and lotions. I tried a few and the duo from Earth Mama is my favorite. It has a nice scent and is easy to apply. I found many body butters to be rock hard and a chore to put on, but this one comes in a pump. I have it on my nightstand and aim to use it each night.
Sleep
Snoogle Body Pillow: Pregnancy MVP right here! I’m a former back/belly sleeper and neither of those positions work in pregnancy. I never realized how uncomfortable I was sleeping on my side but it’s what you have to do. They say you should switch to side sleeping around 19 weeks but I started much sooner to try and train my body to be comfortable in this position. The addition of a bed full of pillows has helped. The Snoogle is huge and takes up a lot of the bed but it’s been a must for me (Ollie loves it too, we kind of fight over it each night, ha).
Boppy Wedge Pillow: And one more little pillow to add to the mix. As your belly gets bigger you can really feel the weight of it as you sleep on your side. I use this wedge pillow under my bump to keep me somewhat comfortable. This is a smaller pillow so also great for travel.
Workout Apparel
Lululemon Align Leggings: While a splurge item, these are hands down my favorite leggings and worth the money. The leggings aren’t actually maternity, they just happen to be very high-waisted so they fit comfortably over the bump. They are worth the cost because you can wear them post-pregnancy as well. They feel like butter on your skin and honestly if I could wear these every single day, I would.
GapFit Maternity Sculpt Compression Leggings: These are my second favorite leggings. I couldn’t justify buying 5 pairs of Lululemon leggings, so I’ve supplemented with pairs from Gap. These have nice compression, are great for working out, and don’t slide down. They are about half the price of the Lululemon leggings, plus Gap always has huge sales.
Senita Bumpin’ Maternity Tank: This is one of the few maternity workout tops I own and I really love it. The gathering on the sides means it will accommodate the growing bump, stays in place during workouts and is pretty flattering. Most of my non-maternity tanks are long (most from Lululemon), so I’ve been wearing them throughout pregnancy. They get the job done but they aren’t nearly as flattering on the bump as this maternity-specific tank is. Senita has a bunch of other maternity workout wear, which looks great too.
Food Delivery Services
I’m still subscribed to the three services I mentioned in a previous post: Imperfect Produce, Butcher Box and Thrive Market and I find them to be even more helpful during pregnancy. It means less trips to the grocery store and less heavy lifting. Also during pregnancy I’ve been paying extra attention to ensure I’m eating high-quality meat and organic (when necessary, like with the Dirty Dozen) produce. Plus I love the ease of Thrive Market to stock my home with plenty of snacks and pantry essentials.
Books:
What to Expect When You’re Expecting: I know this is the pregnancy book and everyone probably already knows about it, but it’s popular for a reason. It has all the essential information and does a good job of providing it in bite-size, week-by-week updates. I read it every time I hit a new week in the pregnancy.
Expecting Better by Emily Oster: Two friends recommended this one and now I’m recommending it to you. The author is all about evidence-based data. Oster gives you the information you need to make informed decisions about your pregnancy. Every woman and pregnancy is different and you have a lot of decision to make. This book helps guide you through what the numbers say to help you decide what is best for you. The book begins with trying to get pregnant so I recommend this to those starting their pregnancy journey as well as those already pregnant. Oster just came out with a new book about parenting, Cribsheet, which I’ll probably read next.
The Expectant Father: And while you’re doing all that reading, get your husband or significant other in on the action. A friend gifted MM The New Father, a book on the first year of parenting, but we realized that there was a huge gap of knowledge in preparing for the baby. So MM bought The Expectant Father to read before the baby arrives. I’ve been trying not to complain too much about pregnancy and basically this book does my complaining for me! It goes month-by-month and explains what’s happening to my body, how I’m feeling, how my husband can help, and what he/we need to be doing to prepare for the baby. I’ve done a lot of reading on pregnancy and childbirth and have a lot of general knowledge on the topics, but unsurprisingly, my husband hadn’t. There are some things about pregnancy I just know and wouldn’t think, oh, maybe Matt doesn’t know any of this. A lot of this book is totally new information for him and I’m glad he’s taking the time to read it and learn what’s going on.
Apps/Sites
Babylist: There are a lot of registry options to choose from and after a few recommendations I went with Babylist. You can pretty much put anything you want on the registry from any website. When gift-givers go in, they can see all the places the product is available for purchase. They’ll be directed out to those other sites and then can confirm their purchase back on the Babylist site. It seemed easier than having multiple registries across different sites (Buy Buy Baby, Amazon, etc). It also includes nice features like weekly emails updating you on price changes, if a product goes out of stock, and if a gift has been reserved or purchased.
The Bump App: This app shares week-by-week what’s happening with your baby, including size (as compared with a fruit/vegetable), a weekly-to-do list, and articles about pregnancy, childbirth and beyond. I skim it a couple of times a week.
Baby Kicks: At 28 weeks many doctors recommend that you count kicks. In two hours you should expect to get 10 kicks and you’re supposed to do this every day to ensure your baby’s movements haven’t changed. Not everyone does this but I am a bit of a worrier so every night I’m counting. You can count in your head and time yourself, but this app is free and makes it that much easier. It times you and you tap on the screen every time you feel a kick. It keeps a running record of how long it takes to hit the 10 kicks.
There are a million different products aimed at pregnant women and it can be overwhelming deciding what you really need. These products have all had a positive impact on my experience and I’m glad I have them.
Are there any favorite pregnancy products I’m missing out on? Let me know below!
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