Pregnancy Essentials for New Moms.

DEEP BREATHE! And so it begins. Pregnancy essentials and must haves for new moms was the first topic I researched when I found out we were expecting. Each pregnancy is different, each woman is different. This was my 1st pregnancy and I had NO CLUE what I needed. I learned as I went along. Here my list of pregnancy essentials and must haves. I separated into 3 categories: health & beauty, clothes and misc.

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Pregnancy Essentials- Health & Beauty Care

Prenatal Vitamins

On the very top of your pregnancy must haves list, go ahead and look into prenatal vitamins. Check with your Dr to see if there is a specific prenatal they are recommending for you. They may even recommend a prescription based on your needs. This prenatal is what I used and was ok’d by my Dr. at the time of my pregnancy. The ingredient recommendations may change as time goes on. Again, please talk with your Dr and check to see what they recommend.

Compression mask

Migraines for me were awful during the first trimester.  Since I was not able to take pain relievers the first 12 weeks, I started researching other options. This compression mask was one of those options. I was willing to try anything. I’ll be honest, it did not take the migraines during pregnancy away completely but it most certainly took the edge off. If you have migraines, you know what I mean! I will use this in the future for migraines, sinus pressure and when my pollen/grass allergies are giving me a fit.  I keep it in a ziplock bag in the freezer so it does not absorb any freezer smells. 

Metamucil

Pregnancy does weird things. TMI… but I was always “regular” and I quickly found in the 1st trimester that I would need help in that department. I started mixing this Metamucil in a glass of water every morning (and still do) Sorry… but this is a real issue during pregnancy and it needed to be said. 🙂 I would check with a physician, and if they say it’s ok, go ahead and be proactive. 

Pepcid

Go ahead and stock up on antacids. The last month or so of pregnancy I found out what real heartburn was all about. Ouch! and let me tell you….itr was awful!!! I took it only during the 3rd trimester. Please check with your Dr for approval before taking and to find out when it is ok to start taking.

Stretch Mark Lotion 

Stretch marks are part of the journey. Naturally, stretch mark cream is another essential for your pregnancy must haves list. Some women will get them, some won’t. To be safe, I started applying this coco butter every night before bed and every morning when I was getting ready for the day. Personally, I think it really helped. I have fairly minimal stretch marks. The way I look at it is, there is a reason women have been using this brand for this long! So I have continued to use after Luke was born. 

Pregnancy pops

I never had full blown out morning sickness. I had a few weeks where if I moved around too fast I was nauseous. These are advertised as a natural way to help with morning sickness. How? These preggie pops are made with essential oils. They actually tasted god to me.  I kept them in my purse and in a drawer at work. I used them multiple times a day, when I felt nauseous or had a dry throat.

Another item that helped with my nasuseous was tummy drops ginger drops. Ginger will help ease nauseous and vomitting.

Humidifier

If you have allergies or you are pregnant during the winter months, I feel like this humidifier is a must. During the 1st trimester I started having allergy issues and no medication is recommended. At one point I was miserable and all I could do was sleep with pillows propped up under by head and run this humidifier. This was a life saver. And BONUS, it can be used for baby in the future.

Pregnancy Essentials-Maternity Clothes

Comfortable shoes

Florida heat and swollen feet? I wanted comfy slip-on sandals for the hot summer months.  A patient had these on and said they were very comfortable. They have reef’s signature cushion bounce which I loved!!! After work, I immediately switched into these. They were my go to shoes when I was pregnant and that didn’t change after Luke was born. These shoes go beyond your pregnancy must haves, they are more like must haves in general. (Edit: Luke is 2 now and Im still wearing these!)

Maternity shirts

Easy, breathable, stretchy and comfortable. I eventually bought 4 of these v-neck shirts. Once I got to the point where I didn’t fit in my scrub top anymore these are what I wore to work everyday. (Edit: Still wearing these around the house 2 years later) 

Maternity shorts

Maternity clothes really excite some women. Me, not so much. A few basics was all I needed. These maternity shorts were great for a Florida pregnancy. 

Socks

Never have I been a “wear socks to bed” girl. I always hated wearing socks to begin with, but especially to bed at night. Well, I am here to say that has changed thanks to these comfy Aloe socks. I can’t go to bed now without them and it all started in the first trimester. My feet were forever cold!! They say it’s because of a fluctuation in hormones, I don’t know if that’s why or not, but all I know is I couldn’t sleep without them! 

Maxi dress

I think a comfy maxi dress is a must. Lets be honest, at some point your gonna feel large… or bloated…or you want to be super comfy. I paired this with the sandals list above. You can add a cute denim jacket or cardigan. The actual dress I wore while being pregnant is no longer sold, so I linked a similar maxi with great reviews above.

Pregnancy Essentials – Misc. (that make life easier)

Water tumbler

You have to stay hydrated!!! This is so important and I am bad about not getting enough water. I have found that if I have a huge tumbler of water with me at all times, I will drink more water. I also craved cold things, so that was an added bonus that it keeps I everything ice cold for a long time. I have other tumblers, but this Simply Modern Tumbler is by far my favorite. Its 40 oz, but it still fits in my car’s cup holder. I love the straw, the handle and of course the leopard print. Leopard print not your thing? They have a ton of different colors and other sizes!

Pregnancy pillow 

LOVE LOVE LOVE a this pillow. Before I was pregnant, I slept with a body pillow and my plan was to continue to use that. As the pregnancy went along, and the more uncomfortable I became at night, i started looking at pregnancy pillows. I just couldn’t bring myself to buy a pillow just because I was pregnant. I am here to say, I was wrong. Robbie ended up getting this pregnancy pillow for me for my birthday because I wouldn’t buy it myself! Only advice, don’t wait like I did!!!  (Edit: I used this for a while after Luke came home and I still use it when Robbie is out of town) 

Foam roller

Charlie horses galore! This foam roller was used frequently, especially before bed. Just google foam roller positions for pregnancy. Some movements feel a bit awkward but it helped ALOT!!!! 

Yoga Ball

Must! This yoga ball is a great investment. When 3rd trimester rolled around, it become more and more uncomfortable. This yoga ball was great to sit on! It relieved the pressure I felt in my hips, back and stomach when I sat on the couch. When it came closer to due date, I started to gently bounce on the ball. I love this particular one, they have a chart available to make sure you get the right size and come is a few different colors.

*****Looking back, if I could go back the only other thing I would have looked more into would have been a belly band. This was the exact belly band I was researching but never purchased. It has tons of reviews.

RELATED: What I packed in my hospital bag- A SIMPLE list of what you really need

Ok. DO NOT get overwhelmed. Of course you will find that are more items that you feel are essentials. But there you have it. This was my list of pregnancy essentials. Like I said before, every pregnancy is different. This will give you a good starting point for your pregnancy needs.

Oh…. and PS: if you buy just one thing on this list, let it be the pregnancy pillow. Trust me! It’s a game changer!!!! 😉