I can’t believe I am finally done with my first pregnancy! It’s so surreal to actually be a mom and have him here with me versus in my belly. I absolutely enjoyed every minute of pregnancy and honestly felt like it was such a gift and a privilege to have the opportunity to carry my baby! That being said, it is definitely one of the toughest things I have ever done, and pregnancy itself is not for the faint of heart! So today, I wanted to share my pregnancy must haves that helped make my pregnancy a bit easier and more enjoyable.
I also polled my awesome Instagram family for some of these if I personally didn’t need them or struggle with it! So you’re getting the recommendations of tons of women that weighed in!!!
Click on any of the items in the collage below to shop!
Pregnancy Pillow
The number one recommendation was easily a pregnancy pillow! The struggle to get comfortable is real for most women during the second and third trimesters and having one of these is a lifesaver at night. During my second trimester, I bought this one that is a full body pillow and loved it. You don’t need any other pillows, because it wraps completely around your body.
During my third trimester, it didn’t stay put well enough to use and I ended up on my back most nights. That was super uncomfortable, so I switched to sleeping partially upright with the Smilo Monarch pillow propped up behind my head and a wedge pillow under my belly and back. I used these, or just a regular pillow, but next time I am definitely ordering this one that does both belly and back!
As far as recommendations from my IG family goes, the most recommended were definitely the Snoogle and the Boppy!
Leggings
It’s no secret that leggings are a pregnant girl’s best friend. They are easily the most comfortable thing to wear every trimester: during the bloat of first trimester, the awkward stage of second, and the “bigness” of the third…haha!
My favorite pairs were the Blanqi Everyday Maternity leggings, the Spanx Mama faux leather leggings (a must!), and the Lululemon Align pants (sized up one during my third trimester). I also snagged the Blanqi Postpartum/Nursing leggings because I have heard nothing but great things about them too! If you’re in the market for a less expensive pair, this pair from Target is under $20 and has pretty good reviews!
Stretch Mark Prevention
Last week I did a whole post on what I used to prevent stretch marks, but basically, I made my own Stretch Mark Prevention Balm. However, there are tons of great ones on the market, and I rounded up the ones that were recommended most from the poll in the widget below!
Skincare
I went into depth about my entire pregnancy skincare routine in this post, but I struggled majorly with hormonal acne during the first trimester. I can’t recommend the TULA line enough because of how safe and gentle it is! I also was very serious about sunscreen throughout my entire pregnancy (whether it was sunny or not!), because you are much more prone to skin discoloration and melasma due to hormones.
And you can get 20% off + Free Shipping at TULA with code ‘DARYLANN’ at checkout!!
Maternity Jeans
Definitely check out this post for a full review on my favorite maternity jeans, and why I loved them! But, as a quick recap my favorite style during the second trimester were these side panel maternity jeans. And during the third trimester, I wore this pair of full panel maternity jeans almost every day. If you want to extend the life of your pre-pregnancy jeans during the end of your first and beginning of your second trimester, definitely grab some of these BellaBands!
Anti-Nausea & Heartburn Aids
Thankfully, nausea wasn’t something I struggled with during my first trimester, but I know it is the most common side effect! Well, that and tiredness 😴. When I asked you guys on Instagram what your at-home remedies for nausea in the first trimester were, the most recommended were definitely Preggie Pop Drops, Ginger Ale, and Saltine Crackers.
During my third trimester, I developed a little bit of heartburn, which I know can plague some pregnant women for months and months. Tums were highly recommended to me!
Birthing Ball
For the third trimester, a birthing ball is so nice to have. I ordered this one on Amazon when I was about 30 weeks because my desk chair got uncomfortable to sit in for long periods of times. The thing that bothered me most during my pregnancy was my hips, and the round, smooth surface was so much easier on them than a chair. Towards the very end (like the last week or two) I started bouncing on it for about 10 minutes a day to try to help him drop. They are super inexpensive, and a lot of people I know actually brought them to the hospital to labor on.
What are your pregnancy must haves? Share them in the comments below!!
