Before I got pregnant, I seriously had no clue what women needed besides maternity clothes. Thankfully, my best friend became pregnant with her second child around the same time I was and she guided me every step of the way. Today I'm sharing my Pregnancy Must Haves - I wish I knew this before I became pregnant.
If you've been following me, I've already shared my Pregnancy Journey: Diets and Workouts here. Hope this helps you during your pregnancy journey.
What do I need during Pregnancy?
Stretch Mark Oils/Creams
Stretch marks are inevitable, but hopefully, they're preventative during pregnancy. I know a lot of this is based on genetics, diet, exercise, and how fast you put on weight. One tip: don't be stingy on how much product you slather on. I use a good amount to make sure my belly and other areas are nicely moisturized.
Here are the products that I've tried - some I recommend and some I don't recommend.
Bio-Oil: NOT RECOMMENDED. I invested in BioOil by the time I was 8 weeks pregnant based on the rave reviews on Amazon, over 40,000. Also, many of my followers swore by BioOil so I got influenced. Unfortunately, this product does contain mineral oil and vitamin A - both are not pregnancy safe. I did eventually stop using this product even though it came highly rated, smelled great, and was very moisturizing. I truly regret using BioOil for as long as I did, but I got influenced.
Burt's Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter: NOT RECOMMENDED. Another product with rave reviews, the ingredient to avoid here is Phenoxyethanol. As much as I wanted to try this product, I had to stay away.
Earth Mama Belly Oil: NOT RECOMMENDED. Although this oil is clean, it was lightweight and barely felt moisturizing. Additionally, I felt it became rancid over a couple of weeks so I ended up throwing it 0ut.
Earth Mama Belly Butter: $12. I love this belly butter, it's organic, no mineral oils, no parabens, and no artificial fragrance. It smells really good and is very moisturizing. I love using this once a day, but not after a shower. This product isn't as moisturizing as an oil, but it is for a lotion. RECOMMENDED.
Honest Glow On Body Oil: $18. After Boi-Oil, I was in need of a product that was clean and safe, and so I started researching Honest products. I really like this Glow on Body Oil - it has a nice scent and it's organic. I like using this oil straight out of the shower and I use a generous amount. RECOMMENDED.
Glow Organics Belly Butter: $25. I want to try this product once I'm done with my Earth Mama Belly Butter. It's organic, no parabens, and has great reviews. If anyone has tried this, please let me know.
Pregnancy Pillow
My best friend urged me to get a pregnancy pillow for weeks, but I waited until I completed 12 weeks to invest in one. You may start experiencing backache as your belly starts to grow. The pregnancy pillow has been the best investment for me and one that I would use even after pregnancy.
Pregnancy Pillow U Shape: $40. I love this pregnancy pillow, especially because it detaches on one side. I sleep on my left side as much as possible and keep the right side detached. The detached portion is used as back support when I'm sitting on the couch, or use it as belly support when I fall asleep on the couch. It's great! As soon as this product arrives, make sure you remove the cloth and wash it. You can easily put the pillow cover back on.
Belly Band for Pregnancy Back Support
Pregnancy Belt Support: $16. Another great investment as your belly continues to grow. This product is velcro and so easy to use. Since I stand around cooking in my kitchen, this belly band helped me tremendously during all three trimesters. A must-have!
Foot Massager
Many of you already invested in this foot massager I've discussed numerous times on Instastories. As my belly was growing, my feet were beginning to hurt, especially in the beginning when your body is going through some serious changes. The funny thing is, my husband uses this a lot more than me now. Lol.
Foot Massager Machine with Heat, Deep Kneading: $120. 3 heat settings and 3 intensity levels. Love this product, your feet will be happy.
Maternity Bras - skip this and get Bra Extenders!
I saved myself some money and skipped getting maternity bras altogether, instead, I invested in bra extenders which are under $6 on amazon. During this time, I did stop wearing my "nicer" bras and just wore older ones I no longer cared for.
6 Piece Elastic Bra Extenders: $6. Super affordable and a great option as your boobs get bigger during pregnancy. Save money on buying new bras and invest in extenders.
Underwear
I had absolutely no clue I would need bigger underwear. By the 5th month, you'll need new underwear. Again, I didn't spend too much and just got affordable underwear such as Hanes Cotton. Size up one.
Hanes Cotton Bikini Underwear: $19. These are cotton, soft, and sit below the belly making them super comfortable.
Pajamas & Gowns (not maternity)
These pajamas and gowns from Target came in super handy as my belly grew. They're so comfortable and are button-down making them perfect for nursing as well. I invested in 1 set of pajamas and gown so far and purchased x-small in both - they're quite roomy so stick to your true size. I do plan on getting another pair.
Target Shorts Pajamas: $22. Soooo incredibly soft and comfortable. I purchased these in x-small and comfortably wore them till I was 28 weeks pregnant.
Target T-Shirt Gown: $20. Super comfortable and roomy. Additionally, I love the button down gowns which are great for nursing (postpartum). For these gowns, stick with your true size - I purchased x-small. I'll be taking these to the hospital and using them postpartum as well. Also comes in grey.
Maternity Pants
I waited way too long searching for the right pair of pants/leggings. Target to the rescue. I invested in 2 pairs of maternity pants - sharing my favorite.
Target Maternity Leggings (favorite): $35. I highly recommend these pants and make sure you size up. I purchased a small in these and they're super comfortable.
Maternity Tops & Dresses
I wore my regular clothes (not jeans) comfortably until I was about 28 weeks pregnant. After that, I wore bigger sized clothes that I already owned.
Due to Covid and the lack of date nights, I didn't bother investing in tops or dresses. I'm currently 32 weeks pregnant and I'm making do with really large tops that I've had from the past that are comfy. Also, I plan on wearing some of my husband's t-shirts in the 9th month of my pregnancy.
Panty Liners
Last but not least, you will need lots of panty liners. Without sharing too much TMI, things just happen while you're pregnant. I just used Kotex, but there is an organic option if you prefer.
Kotex Panty Liners: $22 for 516 liners. These are great and comfortable.
Cora Ultra Thin Liners: $9 for 42 liners. A good organic option if you want one, I didn't use these.
Supplements I'm Taking
Please talk to your physician regarding supplements you should be taking while pregnant - I'm simply sharing my experience. These are what I am currently taking - pre-natal, DHA, vitamin D, and iron.
- Garden of Life Organic Pre-Natal Multivitamin: offers 600 mg of Folate (not folic acid), I took this before pregnancy as well.
- Pink Stork DHA: offers 225 mg of DHA, enhances the baby's brain and nervous system. I started taking this after pregnancy, but I should have started while trying to conceive.
- Naturewise Vitamin D3: 5000 IU, I took this before pregnancy.
- Pink Stork Iron Supplement: 18 mg, I started this after pregnancy as I am low on iron.
Pregnancy Apps
The one app that helped me tremendously is the What to Expect app. It's so helpful and they have discussion groups so you can ask questions anonymously. It also gives you weekly updates of what's coming, the symptoms, etc. I love this app. They also have an online version so I use both.
And that's it!
Hope my Pregnancy Must Haves post was helpful and you know what to expect while pregnant!
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