Now that I'm well into my 100th
9th month of being pregnant, I thought I'd share some of my absolute must-haves that have made my life a bit easier these past 9 months of pregnancy!
9th month of being pregnant, I thought I'd share some of my absolute must-haves that have made my life a bit easier these past 9 months of pregnancy!
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I am super fortunate. I've had a very easy pregnancy so far. I've felt great and have had a decent amount of energy. However, once I turned the corner on month 8...oh boy! It made me even more grateful for what a good pregnancy I've had. My feet are swelling up like Fred Flinstone, my back is starting to ache, and somehow...your body just knows it shouldn't get too comfortable with sleep and wakes you up every hour to pee!
Here are the things that have made my life much easier these past months!
Clothing
Alright, first things first. DO NOT resist wearing maternity clothes. I was super proud of myself for still being able to slip into my "regular" clothes {or at least a larger version of my regular clothes} for the beginning of my pregnancy. Then, came the day I had to start wearing the pants/shorts/shirts with the extra elastic and panels.
YOU GUYS...I wish someone had told me there is no prize for avoiding these clothes! They are unbelievably comfortable and stylish, too.
Because you wear maternity clothes for such a limited time, my suggestion is to not spend a ton building a new wardrobe. All of my clothes came from either Ross {you need to find an actual store because they do not sell online}, Amazon or my favorite...Jane where you could find something new each day!
At Ross, I found tons of trendy clothes {think cute tank tops, stylish fringed jeans, cute work dresses, joggers etc.} for crazy cheap. Like...in the $5 - 15 range cheap. Over on Amazon, I bought this dress in three different colors and I lived in them ALL summer long {and the warmer start to school, too}
Shoes
Okay, I'm gonna tell it to you straight, your feet WILL swell since we're teachers and we're on our feet ALL DAY LONG! However, I found that with comfortable shoes, I was able to minimize the discomfort and swelling a bit.
When I was in New York over the summer, I popped into the Allbirds store in SoHo and was able to try on these AH-MAZING shoes! The best part? You do not need to wear socks {one thing less you need to bend over for as your belly grows} and the shoes are machine washable! They're made of wool so they are naturally soft, moisture-wicking, and odor-free.
You can order online and you have 30 days to return your shoes no-questions-asked, so they are definitely worth a try. However, I'm positive you'll love them!
Another great shoe that I wore with pretty much every outfit I've been rocking these days are these Earthies Essen ballet flats. I did size up {because of the swelling!} You can't go wrong with any Earthies pair of shoes {even not-pregnant!} Some are definitely cuter than others, but they are all crazy-comfortable.
And my other must-have brand for shoes are Dr. Scholls! I bought a couple of pairs of the Madison Sneakers and a pair of Really Flats in black for school. So perfect and comfy!
Vitamins
I have a really sensitive stomach, so I did a bunch of research to find the perfect prenatal vitamins. I went with Prenatal Multivitamin from Rainbow Light. They are slightly more expensive than others out there, but they were really easy on my stomach, mostly organic and not gigantic to choke down each day.
Unfortunately, I have always had bad heartburn. It doesn't help that I love spicy {and fried!} food, carbonation {hello, La Croix!} and chocolate...all of which makes heartburn visit frequently. Then, add a baby sitting on my esophagus and some days it's just crazy uncomfortable.
I discovered two glorious products to help deal with the heartburn. Have you heard of enzymes? These are seriously miracle little pills! I take one Advanced Enzyme with each meal {or at least with a meal that I know will give me the 'burn} and I'm good to go. Ninety-nine percent of the time, I do not get heartburn after a meal. I plan to use these after the babe comes, too!
There are definitely times which I've forgotten to take that magic capsule above and I'm left with the 'burn. Tums Chewy Bites to the rescue. You guys...these are like candy they are so delicious! You can often find them at CVS for BoGo so stock up!
Staying Hydrated
All you ever hear people say when you're pregnant is "Drink water! Drink even more water than you think you need!" I've learned they are not lying!
While the frequent trips to the bathroom are no fun, it gives the baby what it needs, keeps you regular {sorry for the TMI}, and cuts down on Braxton Hicks as you get later in this 9-month marathon. I'm sure there are many other additional benefits, but those are the top reasons!
I have two water bottles. This HydraTrak Tumbler tracks how much I've had to drink. As you finish up the 20 oz., you move a ring up the cup. The goal is to move all the rings up {but I never quite make it during the school day!} This tumbler sits on my desk at school and my kiddos are so good about reminding me to chug water!
And I also have a HydroFlask that I drag everywhere with me. What I love about the HydroFlask is that beverages stay cool for 24 hours {I think it's actually even more, but I've never left it that long!} Oh, and it'll keep your hot beverages hot for 8 hours!
Silly thing to mention, but I am a firm believer that drinking through a straw also makes it easier to consume more water!
Getting Some Rest
There is definitely some biological reason you sleep less during pregnancy. I'm not a scientist, but I'm guessing that your body preps you for when your little one arrives and you get very little sleep!
The amount of times I get up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night is a total joke. I know the exact amount of steps it takes {11 from bed to bathroom} and have it perfectly choreographed so I do not even need to open my eyes!
I have a couple of things that have definitely helped make it a bit more comfortable to get good sleep when I can sleep.
I'm a firm believer in Essential Oils. Using my Young Living Oils, I've concocted a sleep roller that I rub on the bottom of my feet each night {using Lavender and Stress Away - both which come in the starter kit}. It gently lulls me into sleep. If I have a tough time falling back to sleep during the middle of the night, I just rub a little more. I also diffuse a bunch of stuff throughout the day to help me stay calm and relaxed. You can see my favorite ideas over on Pinterest.
Did you know you need to be a side sleeper when you're pregnant? And ideally, it should be your left side {something to do with blood flow to the baby, I think!}? Well, I'm a back sleeper, so this was a big adjustment. Thankfully, a friend gifted me the Boppy Wedge Pillow. It fits perfectly underneath your growing bump and gives you some relief as you drift off. It's also great when you sit in a chair, too!
As I started to get bigger, my sister bought me the PharMeDoc Pillow. It is absolutely gigantic, but I love to prop my legs up after the long day and let the swelling in my legs and feet go down. You can also "hug" it as you sleep, but it is too chunky for me for that purpose. It comes with a little guide for all the ways you can configure it and I've found the perfect position for reading in bed while pregnant using it.
Spoil Yourself
There are many things people fail to mention to you until you are pregnant {hello stretch marks, sweating like crazy, backaches, hemorrhoids, etc.} Here are few things to help!
I think a lot of stretch marks comes down to genetics. I've read if your mom got 'em...you'll likely get 'em. However, it's also important to keep your belly really well moisturized {keep drinking that water!} so get a good moisturizer. Everyone has their favorite. My coworker swore by Burt's Belly Oil and another friend loved Palmer's Tummy Butter.
For me, this Spoiled Mama Stretch Mark Prevention Kit was a HUGE splurge, but if you need to rub somethin' on that growing belly every day and want to prevent those stretch marks, it may as well smell good, right!?
I also snagged their Happy Legs Gel for Swollen feet and legs. Part of the nightly routine is for JB to rub it on my feet. I feel like it's the least he can do since I'm carrying the heavy load, right? Ha! But seriously, it feels amazing and is reasonably priced.
I love all of these products so much that I was willing to check a bag on a recent flight because they were over the 3-ounce limit.
Backaches are a REAL nuisance as the belly gets bigger {by the moment!} I treated myself to a very fashionable {ha!} back heat pack. You just pop it in the microwave and wrap it around yourself for some relief. I get a lot of Braxton Hicks, so I sometimes heat it up for just 30 seconds and lay it on my stomach, too!
Take Care of Yourself
This next product may sound bizarre, but it's a real lifesaver when it's hot out and your thighs are rubbin' together. For a few bucks, you can have relief with the Gold Bond Friction Defense. You can even use it when you're not pregnant and you get "Chub Rub" {as my sister affectionally calls it!}
I try really hard to stay away from unnatural ingredients so when I stumbled on Native Deodorant {made in the US, free of aluminum, parabens, and sulfates} I was super stoked! I also love the unique scents. I've tried a few, but my favorite is the Vanilla & Coconut. Try it out {even if you're not pregnant!} It is a little more expensive than your average drugstore deodorant, but you can't put a price on keeping the bad stuff out of your body, right?
Is there anything you'd add to this list?
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