Looking back at my pregnancy, there were a few things that really helped ease the process. Here are some of the items, clothing, and resources that were lifesavers during my pregnancy. What are some of yours?
Learning & Resources
– Moms on Call books and app: Every baby book I read left me feeling overwhelmed and scared. This was a practical, hands-on checklist of what you need and how to do it.
–Classes at the hospital and maternity ward tour: I highly recommend looking into the classes your hospital offers, as well as the new online birthing classes that are being offered to help you get through maternity and birthing safely. Anything from baby CPR to basic baby care will be very helpful!
–YouTube: Practically everything I was curious about to help me get through my pregnancy and prepare for baby is on YouTube. How to roll over in bed because you’re too big and can’t breathe? There’s a video for that. We didn’t take the birthing class at the hospital because it was a 4+ hour class and we kept having scheduling conflicts, so we watched a three part birthing class video on Youtube and it was extremely helpful.
Clothing
– Slide-on sneakers: If you’re pregnant in the summer, lucky you! You have endless options. I desperately needed something to slide-on because heavy winter boots just weren’t cutting it. I found the perfect pair of slide on sneakers at Goodwill for $2.
– Maternity clothes in your third trimester: For me, this was a game changer. I spent the first two trimesters being creative with my regular clothes or sizing up but my bump just got way too big in my third trimester and maternity shirts made a world of a difference. Thing is though, maternity clothes just aren’t that cute and are very expensive. I’ve had luck at the following places: local thrift stores, ThredUp, ReStitch.com, Target, and Old Navy.
– A maternity coat: if you’re pregnant in the winter, a maternity coat is going to make a HUGE difference in your second and third trimesters. Trust me. I bought this maternity coat from Old Navy and it was great. Heads up: it’s a really heavy coat!
– Maternity tank tops: Such a simple piece of clothing that makes a world of a difference. They fit perfectly and are so easy to throw on under a cardigan or kimono. Target has an awesome selection of maternity tank tops. PS) I still wear mine 3 months postpartum!
– Sweatpants (not leggings or yoga pants, just good old fashioned sweatpants): Although I rocked my fair share of yoga pants, like these high-waist cropped leggings, good old fashioned boot cut sweat pants were gold once I hit 30+ weeks. They don’t constrain like yoga pants do and they are just so darn comfortable and work great postpartum too!
– Pajamas: this is SO important. I didn’t buy maternity PJs, I just sized up 2 or 3 sizes. I know nightgowns aren’t for everyone, but they are incredible especially in your third trimester when you don’t want anything constraining your bump.
Pain & Stress Relievers
– Zantac: Forget Tums, Zantac gets the job done. (Ha! Sounds like an ad for Zantac, but it’s not). My heartburn was straight FIRE all throughout my pregnancy and this is the only thing that did the trick.
– A massage: Treat yourself and get the 90 minute session instead of 60 minutes. Your body will thank you. Be sure to let the spa know that you’re pregnant when you book the appointment.
–A stress ball: My carpal tunnel was really bad in my hands when I was pregnant so I ordered an inexpensive stress ball on amazon and kept it in my car and took it with me to work. It really helped to ease the tension in my hands. I need to have surgery to get this problem sorted out for good, and I’ve even found the doctor I want to use. Dr. Pruzansky has performed over 3,000 carpal tunnel surgeries so he has loads of experience to offer, however, I need to save a little first before I take that leap.
–Movies: I can’t tell you how many movies I watched while I was pregnant. It was such a great escape from the fatigue and pain, especially towards the end when I started to run out of steam. You won’t have as much time after the baby is born so it’s a great time to get through your watch list. Fun fact: I went into labor after returning from the movie theater!
– A break from social media: I wish I would have done this more throughout my pregnancy. Take this time to focus on your body and the miracle you’re growing. Social media was a wonderful distraction from some of the pregnancy stress when I needed it but it also caused me a lot of unnecessary anxiety and distractions too. Just try to find a healthy balance and don’t compare your journey to others.
