Pregnancy Essentials

Over the past few months I've been making a mental list of my most-loved items as I navigate this first time pregnancy thing. Before prego brain causes me to completely forget it all, I wanted to share my collection of pregnancy essentials.

During the first trimester these types of posts from other expectant mamas helped tremendously, whether it was recommending how to squeeze into your pants for as long as possible, how to deal with morning sickness, or what to keep on hand at all times while you're creating a tiny human.

The thing is, everyone's pregnancy is different. What worked for some of those mamas didn't exactly work for me. Especially when it comes to combating morning sickness, or as I refer to it as the "all day, everyday hangover," it's basically trial and error. Hopefully this info will help some of you or at least give you an idea what to expect!

Bump Nest Pillow. Nose Strips. Eos Lip Balm. Water Bottle. Prenatal and DHA vitamins. Almonds.
H&M Sports Bra. Nose Strips. Mama Bee Belly Butter. H&M Maternity Top. Gap Pure Body Maternity Tee.
Target Maternity Tank. Old Navy Jeans.

Bumpnest Pillow: There are a lot of body pillow options but I heard so many great reviews about the Bumpnest and just had to try it. I didn't need it as much in the first trimester but as my belly gets bigger, its so much more comfortable to prop the pillow between my knees. The fact that it comes around my back has also really helped me avoid rolling on to my back while I sleep.

The one negative I have about the Bumpnest is I'm constantly fluffing it and adjusting the stuffing before bed each night.

Breathe Right Nose Strips: You're pretty limited to what you can take if you start feeling a cold coming on when pregnant. Top that off with the fact that your sinuses acting up are a normal occurrence during these glorious nine months, I figured out that saline spray and nose strips were really helpful. Plus, you look super glamorous wearing them.

Lip Balm: It seems like I always get chapped lips, even in the summer, but its gotten worse the past few months. I like Eos in Sweet Mint but if they are really cracked, try Carmex.

Water Bottle: Stay hydrated mamas! Honestly, I drink so much water every single day and I think it helps so much. On the days when I'm slacking at my water intake I notice more stretching pains in my tummy and leg cramps. Also, I've generally felt so thirsty 24/7 throughout this pregnancy and cannot go without water (with lots of ice) even while running quick errands.

Prenatal Vitamins: Before seeing those two lines on the pee stick, I was taking gummy prenatals at the recommendation of my doctor since we knew we wanted to start trying for a babe. But gummies don't have iron in them so I switched to taking Nature Made prenatals and Up&Up prenatal DHA vitamins. I bought the Nature Made prenatal + DHA softgels but lets just say those things are horse pills and I'd never, ever be able to swallow them.

Also, take your prenatals at night if you are having trouble with morning sickness!

Snacks: You know you're pregnant when you have snacks in your purse at all times. I bought travel-size packs of almonds and they were so helpful for in between meals. I noticed that my nausea would get worse when I was hungry, which can be tough to deal with if you've got a lot of food aversions like I did, so find a snack that works for you and keep it on hand just in case!

Comfy Sports Bra: This may be TMI, but I'm just giving you a heads up that your ladies may or may not be super sensitive and sore for the first trimester, if not longer. Putting on any kind of bra is still a pain for me, so I'm thankful for my ability to work from home in my comfy clothes!

Stretch Mark Cream: I started using Burt's Bee's Mama Belly Butter early and often in my pregnancy. It doesn't have much of a scent but it is really moisturizing and I'm still going strong on my first container of it. I can't tell you much about its ability to prevent stretch marks but it certainly can't hurt!

Basic Tees, Tanks + Dresses: I have a couple of the gathered maternity tees from Old Navy but my favorites so far are from H&M and the Gap. I love the stretchier material and less noticeable rouching on the sides. My other go-tos are this super comfy dress and this baseball tee.

Belly Band (Not pictured): The belly band was great between weeks 9 to about 18 when I finally broke down and bought maternity jeans. Combined with the hair tie trick to holding your pants closed, the belly band smooths it out, extends your shirt length, and helps to prevent that feeling like your pants are falling down.

Old Navy Maternity Jeans: So far these are the only jeans that have worked for me and my budget. I wanted desperately to love Gap Maternity jeans but the fit was really strange and uncomfortable compared to Old Navy's. I have heard good things about Jessica Simpson's maternity jeans so I plan on trying those out soon. Anyone else have any favorites?

So there you have it, I hope this is helpful! Anyone mamas out there have other items that they loved throughout their pregnancy? I don't know what to expect the third trimester yet!

Linking up with East Coast Chic and Home of Malones!