Are you pregnant, or plan to become pregnant, and trying to figure out what to buy for yourself?
Have you been scrolling Pinterest, or Google searching "pregnancy must haves, pregnancy items, pregnancy essentials?"
Well, look no further!
I've compiled a list of some of the things you may want to have to take care of yourself during pregnancy. These are all things that I personally used and loved. Some of them I had only in my second pregnancy and BOY was I missing out the first time around! Compression socks, I'm talking to you! UPDATE Spring 2023: I'm pregnant with my third, and I've come to love some new items. Adding them to the post for you!
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Shop for COMFORT not STYLE: I loved the sweatpants I got on sale from Victoria's Secret which were 2 sizes up from my pre-pregnancy size (I know, I know. I don't want to talk about it. Too many muffins.) And I loved the H&M maternity joggers my cousin sent me. However, some days I got sick of the over-the-bump sweaty feel of the maternity pants. It sucks being your most pregnant in the hot weather!
If you're going to be in your third trimester in the summer, get maternity shorts or dresses, they're so worth it! I got some pajama ones from Motherhood Maternity and wore them like regular shorts. I also ordered a handful of cheap dresses from Zulily and I was able to wear almost all of them for the majority of my second/early third trimester. Note: in my first pregnancy, I ordered a bunch of maternity jeans and t shirts in my pre pregnancy size, and then I gained an unbelievable amount of weight and could not wear anything! 2023 Update: I've gotten some new bottoms for pregnancy this time around- I scored these Storq maternity leggings during their warehouse sale for about $20. I want more, but the full price is absolutely outrageous. They're amazing though, stretchy enough but don't sag and hang, buttery and comfy for sleeping or daytime. I really want a second pair but I won't pay the full price.
My other new favorite pants are the Of an Origin Joggers, these are a bit thicker than the Kindred Bravely joggers I got for Christmas and I like that. They have two nice neutral tones, I have both of them and like them with any outfit combo. They're also relatively expensive, I was able to get a code for 15% off - TEACHINGMOTHERHOOD. It doesn't make them dirt cheap, but these I feel are very much worth the money. Soft and supple material with some give, you can go over the bump or under.
Comfortable shoes are so important: I sure don't run, but the "cloud foam" in these shoes is unbelievable. I have 3 different pairs, and I'll likely be buying two more because I see they're on a very good sale right now and looking like they might be going out of stock. I walked a lot with my toddler in the stroller during my second pregnancy, and these bad boys carried me comfortably for miles. A huge difference from my other shoes that don't have the "cloud foam".
Compression socks: These socks were so awesome at the end of the third trimester. My legs and feet were so swollen all the time, and it was nearly impossible to sit down long enough to make a difference (thank you, toddler!). I bought these from Amazon for a very excellent price because the ones I got from my insurance were actually impossible to put on! These were stretchy enough to get on easy, but tight enough to get the job done. I wore them until the day I went into labor.
Motherhood Maternity Side Ruched Scoop Neck Maternity Tank Top: I wrote that out completely because it's pretty fun to say the whole thing. They're a great price and I have about six of them in different colors, they're extremely comfortable. I found that after my first pregnancy I just couldn't wear sleeves anymore without getting super hot. I still wear them, many months postpartum!
Spring 2023 Update: I have come to love Amelia Cami's as entire shirts, and for the times I don't want all my bump/flump hanging out I like their tanks as well. I have every color of both of them. There's also Swim Camis which are more sports bra-like if that's something you need- and decent maternity swimwear is hard to come by! You can use the code TEACHINGMOTHERHOOD for 10% off site wide.
Comfortable, STRETCHY Underpants: I recently decided to boycott my previous favorite panty brand, and I've literally got some basic ones from Costco. They get the job done and they're comfortable- if I recall correctly the big multi pack was around $5. Costco is seriously the best!
I did score a couple of pairs of the new Mia Boxers from Davin and Adley as well. These are AWESOME and I can't wait to wear them postpartum as well.
A big, loose sweater if your third trimester is in the fall: I think the whole "special maternity sweaters"thing is a money grab, so I just bought a plain old large zipper hoodie from Amazon for cheap. I still wear it now!
Spring 2023 Update: I scored a really nice plush robe for $8 during a big kohls sale. It's a size 1X so there's plenty of room, I may even bring it to the hospital with me.
Vitamins & Supplements:
Pill Organizer: This thing was a huge help, I can't even tell you how many days I would forget if I took my prenatals or not. It was easy to check if that day's little box was empty and then I would know! This one is very large compared to others, so it fit all of my various vitamins. (One prenatal, two DHA, two calcium, and one Zyrtec all fit in there!)
I currently am still using it, seven months postpartum, because I still cannot remember if I've taken my vitamins yet. Every day.
New Chapter Prenatal Multivitamin: I used this brand with my first pregnancy and had almost no morning sickness, I think the ginger that's in here helps a bit. This brand isn't very cheap, but it's got a ton of great stuff in there and can be taken on an empty stomach with no issue.
Nordic Naturals Prenatal DHA: During my first pregnancy, my OBGYN recommended I take a DHA supplement in addition to my prenatal vitamin. I followed the same exact regimen with the second and third pregnancy. I like this brand because it didn't give me any trouble, and had the best reviews at the time I purchased.
Vitafusion Calcium Gummies: This was another recommendation from my OBGYN, that if I wasn't regularly consuming enough calcium (dairy, etc) that I should take the gummies. I don't drink a ton of milk, so just to be safe I'd take them. With my third pregnancy, I am consuming enough calcium this time around that I don't think I need to take extra.
Preggie Pop Drops: These little candies are drug free relief for nausea. I loved them during my first pregnancy, and didn't need them as much during my second pregnancy because I wasn't as nauseous - Thank God! Spring 2023 Update: these candies didn't even make a dent in my horrible nausea with this one. I had to get a prescription nausea medication so it would subside enough to be able to eat.
Traditional Medicinals Peppermint Tea: Great tea for pregnancy nausea and upset stomach, but don't drink if you're breastfeeding! I don't know if it's the same for everyone, but peppermint is known to decrease milk supply. I watched in shock as it happened to me after drinking ONE cup when I had a migraine. It was a difference of about 4 ounces in total, so I will not be trying that again.
Skin & Self Care:
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Moisturizer: This one is considered both pregnancy and breastfeeding safe, plus I was using it already anyways! It's not too heavy or greasy, it's one of my personal favorites.
Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser: Good for face and body, this is the one I've used for many years. Also considered pregnancy and breastfeeding safe!
Palmers Cocoa Butter Stretch Mark Lotion: I love this stuff. Not only is it super cheap, it actually helps! My first pregnancy I got very lazy and didn't lotion every day. Tons of stretch marks. Itchy skin. Yikes! Second pregnancy, I applied this stuff morning and night! I didn't have any itching and I had minimal stretch marks. That could also be due to having previously stretched so much, but who knows. I still liked the lotion!
Earth Mama Organics Belly Butter: This one I discovered postpartum, and it's my new favorite! It's a bit pricier than the Palmers, but feels and smells so much better! The ingredients list is also a fraction of length and you know exactly what's in there, which is my favorite thing about their product line. Don't forget to use the code TEACHINGMOTHERHOOD15 for 15% off at checkout!
Extras & Accessories:
What to Expect Pregnancy Journal: I have nothing written down for my first pregnancy, no memories of bump size, weight, what was sore, how I slept, nothing! I was so lazy. I made sure for the second round to write at least a little something every day. I only used that portion of the journal though, I didn't track any prenatal testing or use the labor journal (is anyone really journaling during labor?) or pregnancy organizer. I suppose I could have used a regular notebook, but I liked that it was laid out already in the weeks/months format.
Pregnancy Pillow: Trust me when I say you're gonna love this thing. It's well worth the price once you get past about 30 weeks and you have trouble sleeping at night. It took up about half of our full sized bed, but my husband didn't mind because I was comfortable!
Straw bottle or jug: I love a big one that will seemingly always have water in it, even if I've only filled it once or twice in the day! I recently got this very big one from Amazon that holds a lot of water and stays cold for a long time. I have a very beautiful light purple color that I like a lot!
If you're here on this post about prenatal goodies, you must be expecting! Congratulations :) Check out my other posts on choosing a baby registry, free baby registry boxes, hospital bag checklist, diaper bag checklist, and a whooole slew of pumping related posts!