Pregnancy can be such a beautiful time in a woman’s life.
Nurturing, growing, and awaiting for the day that you meet your newborn baby for 9 months can be the most magical time in your womanly life.
But, as a Mother of (almost) 4, I can attest to the raw truth that it isn’t all rainbows and unicorns.
While I feel extremely grateful to be able to provide a nurturing home for my growing baby, I won’t lie when I say that it’s hard.
Between the first trimester sickness, the extreme hormonal shifts, bodily discomfort and pains, and just overall carrying a baby inside of you for nearly 10 months is exhausting work – physically and mentally.
So having a few comforts at-hand will not only make this time more manageable, it will be nearly essential.
Between 4 pregnancies, I have come up with a list of ‘must-have’ pregnancy essentials you won’t want to live without.
Sure, you CAN live without these things, but do you really want to?
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Preggie pops or mints
Best for those queasy moments in the first trimester (and beyond), having something in your mouth will help with the morning sickness.
The preggie pop drops I couldn’t live without in my 3rd pregnancy, but they were revolting in my 4th pregnancy – so it really depends person to person and pregnancy to pregnancy to know what will help you most.
With this current pregnancy, I couldn’t live without Lifesaver mints. I’d be knocking them back all day long to keep the nausea at bay.
But, later I discovered that mint gum was even better because the taste lasted longer!
I have been chewing this gum for nearly my entire pregnancy because of sickness, heartburn, and indigestion – I chose a more natural brand because chemical sweetners in gum give me headaches, and that’s the last thing you want in pregnancy!
Sea bands
These never worked for me, but I have friends who swear by them in the first trimester.
Basically they are acupressure bands to wear on your wrists to provide constant pressure & combat nausea.
Since the urge to be sick is controlled by the brain, disrupting the nerves that send your brain those signals can help eliminate those sickly feelings.
You never know if they will be right for you unless you try it!
Red raspberry leaf tea
I only wish I had drank this tea with all my pregnancies.
During the 3rd trimester of my 3rd pregnancy, I decided to give this stuff a go.
I had read all about it and how it’s rich in vitamins and minerals that are great for the baby, and how it also promotes healthy womb growth.
Since it had always been ‘normal’ for me to hemorrhage after birth, I wanted to try this tea to see if it would help elevate my iron levels and help with the bleeding.
So I drank this stuff religiously everyday during the 3rd trimester.
Then when it came time to deliver my baby, he was born and guess what? No hemorrhaging!
Not only that, but I also didn’t experience any after birth contraction pain like I did after having my 2nd baby (which lasted for a week – but that’s a story for another day).
Perhaps it was a coincidence, but I believe this tea helped prime my womb for wellness before, during, and after birth.
A good multi-vitamin
Not just nourishment for your baby, but for you – and you’re doing to need it Momma!
While they can be hard to choke down in the early days of pregnancy, that’s when they are most important and beneficial – for the both of you.
Vitamins can help alleviate nausea and keep your hormones more in balance, so don’t skip this one!
If you find it hard to take your prenatal, opt for one that’s plant based and made from whole foods – making them more easily digestible. Or you could try a gummy when it’s hard to get them down.
slippers
Pregnancy brings new levels of discomfort, especially the further along you get, so having a great pair of slippers can really help to put your feet at ease.
I have hard floors in my home, so when the 2nd trimester rolls around, being on my feet starts to hurt by the middle of the day.
Instead of just resting and taking it easy (with 3 boys that’s not even a choice at this point), I wear slippers around the house to keep my tootsies comfortable and to prevent the aches.
Definitely consider something with memory foam (like these) to give your pregnant feet extra comfort.
thermal drinking cup
First, second, and the third trimester – a solid drinking cup is a MUST.
I use my stainless steel tumbler every single day, so it’s definitely worth getting to stay hydrated and stay on track with how much fluids you are drinking.
Not to mention that ice doesn’t melt near as quick in these, so it makes my water ice cold all night long.
Comfortable shoes
I will admit, I hate buying shoes – always have.
I will literally go several years without buying new athletic shoes and keep the very bare minimum in my closet, but this pregnancy I discovered the unknown joy about getting a comfortable pair of new shoes.
And I’ll tell ya, they make all the difference when I am out and about on my feet for extended periods of time.
Body butter
You will thank yourself later when you apply this stuff to your belly (and other growing parts of your body) daily.
Not only it it a great moisturizer, body butter can help the skin become more elastic and reduce stretch marks – or even prevent them altogether!
I’ve used this recipe to avoid stretch marks on my belly for 4 pregnancies, and it’s organic too!
Related: Avoid pregnancy stretch marks with this homemade whipped belly butter
maternity underwear
I didn’t even know these were a thing until this recent pregnancy, but know I cannot live without them now.
I carry my babies pretty low (they’ve all been boys if you can relate), so regular underwear can stretch out, cause serious discomfort, and just not fit right during the 2nd and 3rd trimester.
Enter in these low-cut undies, and you’ve got a match made in heaven!
They sit super low and under your belly so it doesn’t dig in and cause discomfort. And right now, you’ll need all the comfort you can get.
Maternity pajamas
I honestly didn’t start buying myself maternity pajamas until recently, and when I did, I thrashed around for a bit kicking myself because of what I was missing out on before.
Most maternity pajama sets are adjustable so you can wear them throughout your pregnancy and even into your postpartum time.
Not to mention, many are nursing friendly too, which will be such a great thing to have those early days – or even right after birth while you’re getting to know your baby.
I just got myself this gown and I won’t be taking it off for awhile, if at all. Plus, it’s perfect for skin to skin contact which will be such a blessing to have once this baby makes it’s way into the world!
leggings
I’ll be honest, I am not much of a leggings gal.
Not only do I not wear them on the regular, you wouldn’t see me caught dead in them out in public.
But, during pregnancy, a lot of my modesty goes out the window in exchange for comfort, and you’ll definitely find a few pairs of these bad boys in my dresser.
dresses
I’d wear a dress every day if I could, but during the cold winter months, it’s just not as practical.
But, on the off chance that it’s a semi-warm day out, you bet that I am in a dress!
Because let’s be real, pants and pregnancy just don’t mix.
Related: The ultimate guide to buying maternity clothes on a budget
body pillow
Near the end, things start to become extra uncomfortable.
As your belly continues to grow, and that can put a lot of extra pressure on your mid and lower back.
For me, even laying down in bed at night causes extreme discomfort on my back, unless I pack myself in with mountains of pillows (only to be taken down every 10 minutes while I get up to pee).
Having a pregnancy body pillow has been a lifesaver throughout the night, especially during the 3rd trimester.
This is definitely something your hurting body will thank you for!
Bath Salts
Speaking of an aching back, you’re probably going to want to take more baths than usual during your pregnancy.
Not only is it a great way to relax at the end of the day, it’s also amazing for relieving achy muscles and joints.
And if you’re having trouble with leg cramps (especially in the last few weeks), then taking baths with epsom salts can actually help you decrease them!
The magnesium can be absorbed by your body in the water, which is needs, and can help quickly boost your vitamin levels and help with those pesky night cramps if you’ve been having them.
Add a scoop of your favorite salts (here’s mine – it seriously smells so good and leaves your skin unbelievably SOFT) to your bath, and soak up the nourishing goodness.
A great overall pampering product!
compression socks
Not all ladies need these, but if you suffer from poor circulation that leads to extra veins in your lower extremities, then these will help to save the day!
Varicose veins are caused when too much blood is being pushed down the legs (due to all that extra blood volume) and not back up to the heart as normal.
When this happens, the veins become enlarged, windy, and exposed on the outer surface of the skin.
They can even be painful!
Wearing compression socks while you’re on your feet (and even at night) can help keep the blood flowing the way that it should so you can reduce some of the problem.
Pregnancy is certainly an exciting time in your life and should be celebrated with comfort and certain indulgences.
I hope you can find some comforting items on this list that will make your pregnancy more enjoyable so you can focus & prepare on the more exciting things – like meeting your baby for the first time!
