The first and second trimester of my pregnancy completely flew by! As I quickly trudge through the third trimester, I wanted to do a overview of some maternity must haves that are making for a more comfortable pregnancy. Being pregnant is such an amazing experience and we should enjoy it. Sometimes when nausea, hip pain or whatever-else-ails-you decides to rear it’s ugly head, it’s hard to fully enjoy some phases of pregnancy. I’ve put together a few items that have helped me out while growing my little bundle of joy!
Pregnancy Must Haves
Ovia Pregnancy App // Somehow I find it easy to forget exactly how far along I am. Not sure if it’s just a case of the second pregnancy OR pregnancy brain. Either way this app helps track pregnancy stats (gestation, weight, doctors appointments and more) as well as providing updates on baby’s weekly growth throughout the pregnancy.
Water bottle // It’s important to stay hydrated throughout pregnancy and I’ve always struggled with drinking enough water. I find it easier to track how much water I need to drink when I can count how many times I’ve refilled the water bottle. Silly as it may sound, I’m more likely to drink from a cute water bottle.
Oyster Crackers // Every morning of the first trimester and a few weeks into the second I woke up feeling nauseous and queasy. Every.Single.Morning. And, unfortunately it stayed that way for most of the day. The only thing that helped was to eat a small handful of crackers every once in a while. I could barely stomach a full meal and the crackers helped keep me from hurling. Gross, but true.
T-shirts // These t-shirts are flattering, comfy, hold up well after multiple washes and, the.best.part, they last the entire pregnancy. I had a couple from my first pregnancy and bought a few more for this pregnancy. My favorite part about these t-shirts is no matter how big my bump gets it’s always fully covered. No mid-drifts for this pregnant Mama!
Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth // This book is divided into two parts. The first part contains various birth stories. The second part is very informative with information on pregnancy and birth, forms of interventions, mantras and mindsets. I really wish I had read this book during my first pregnancy. I found the positive birth stories coupled with substantive birthing information to be very helpful.
Raspberry Leaf Tea // Raspberry leaf tea is thought to tone the muscles of the uterus and help it to work better during labor. Read more about it here. I started drinking the tea around the 24 week mark. What surprised me the most was it doesn’t taste like raspberry {mind blown!} instead it tastes more like a black tea, which is right up my alley so I enjoy my daily cup! This should go without saying, but talk with your healthcare provider to decide what’s right for you before drinking the tea.
Snoogle & Boppy Wedge // Moving from the second trimester into the third I have found sleeping to be more of a struggle. I prefer sleeping slightly on my stomach or on my back. With a growing bump it is was basically impossible. The snoogle body pillow is very comfortable, but sometimes I just not in the full body pillow mood. The boppy wedge is the perfect solution. Pop the wedge under the belly, throw a regular pillow under my head and between my knees and goodnight! While I’m still feeling a bit like an insomniac I’m as comfortable as possible doing it.
Check out my pregnancy essentials list from my first pregnancy! What are your pregnancy essentials?
– Pretty standard item most women purchase pre-delivery. The only addition I have to this is get multiple sizes and bring a few of your own pads to the hospital in case, like me, you don’t really like the ones the hospital provides.
– I am all about my DSLR, however the ability to quickly capture moments remains key. It’s lightweight and doesn’t take the ‘effort’ of shooting in manual with my Nikon D90. Also easier to use for the non-shutterbugs, as well as increasing the odds you are present in future family photos. Added bonus for this camera is it shoots well in low light … super helpful when trying to limit or completely eliminate using a flash on a newborn.
in the nursery.