When I found out I was pregnant, I looked to friends, family and Mr. Google to tell me what I would need for the 9 month adventure. Now that I’m closing in on the last few weeks, I thought I would share some of my favorite things!
1. Pregnancy Pillows
I know there are many good ones out there, but I have to say that I’m in love with my Snoogle. In love. It’s kind of like having your own little nighttime cocoon.
I know there are many good ones out there, but I have to say that I’m in love with my Snoogle. In love. It’s kind of like having your own little nighttime cocoon.
Now the question is, will I be able to give it up after the baby is born? I know Chris would like to get rid of the large visitor so he’s not always on the edge of our queen bed…but it gives me such a good night’s sleep!
Regular prenatal vitamins always upset my stomach so I decided to give these chewable ones a try–and I’ve had no problems whatsoever. There are also so gummy ones out there but none of them seemed to have the recommended amount of iron. These chewables taste pretty good too!
3. Comfy Maternity Clothes
My situation is a little unique since I work from home (aka: I rarely wear normal-people clothes), but I’ve literally been living in these pieces…
Long, comfortable and the perfect fit so that people know you’re pregnant and not just oddly shaped 🙂
Don’t be fooled–I haven’t been playing volleyball in these. Watching it, yes…playing, no way!
Seriously though, this is the single best clothing investment I’ve made in the last 9 months. I never spend money on workout clothes (hence the Pi Phi date party shirts and 8 year-old Nike shorts I used to wear to the gym), but these capris were worth every penny. They’re great quality and I love that they have a full panel that also folds down. I can already tell you I’ll be folding the top down and wearing them again daily after the baby.
These were a hand-me-down from my sister, who I don’t think ever got to wear them…but that’s okay because I got enough use out of them for both of us! These are my go-to lounge pants. So soft and comfortable!
Sun Dresses
Obviously it depends on where you live and what season it is, but sun dresses have been a life saver for me. The maternity ones always look better, but I wear a lot that I had before too–usually just adding a belt. Thanks to dresses, I was able to avoid buying any real maternity pants of a belly band. Can you tell that comfort is my #1 priority? 🙂
I’m pretty sure I had one of these in my mouth at all times from weeks 8-15. They didn’t provide constant relief from the nausea, but even a half hour was something to be thankful for!
5. A Good Workout Routine
I was a little hesitant about working out in the beginning, but it didn’t take me long to realize it wasn’t going to mess anything up–it would only help. I used to go to the gym so that I didn’t gain weight…now I go because I know I’m doing something good for my body and baby–and it makes me feel so much better! In the first trimester, my lunch-hour trips to the gym were the only time I didn’t feel nauseous, which is where my routine started. Now in the 3rd trimester, if my back is sore or I notice some swelling in my feet or hands–I go for a walk and I feel like a new person.
Other than my lunch date with the treadmill, I really enjoyed the Perfect Pregnancy Workout DVD. I dare you not to laugh when you see this cover…
It’s okay, I laughed through the whole first workout. The instructor is a former Cirque du Soleil dancer with a very thick accent–I think she’s Russian? Even so, it’s a really good prenatal workout. I tried several DVDs through Netflix but they all felt more like breathing exercises than workouts! This is the most challenging one I’ve found and it seems to get harder every week. You use your own body weight for most of the moves, so the bigger your belly gets, the harder they are.
I’ll admit that after probably 20+ weeks of this, it’s starting to get a little monotonous…but I think I can put up with “ze accent” for three more weeks 🙂
Well that’s all I’ve got for maternity favorites, but I can’t leave out the most exciting part of my week…
Charlie Carter was born on July 31st!
He weighed 8lbs. 9oz and the happy family is now back at home. Charlie is so blessed to have wonderful parents…and I know they couldn’t be happier to have him here too! I can’t wait for my first Skype date with this little dude! We love you guys and are SO happy for you!!!!
Um, why didn't I ever hear about the chewable prenatals!? I was SO sick from weeks 9-16 and the vitamins just made it worse. Totally trying those for Baby #2 if I'm sick again:)
those prego pops were a lifesaver with both of my pregnancies, but i did not know about those prenatal vitamins!