Now that I’m entering my third trimester, I feel like a seasoned veteran when it comes to pregnancy necessities, So I thought I’d share my ‘can’t-live-without-em’ items. Some of these are repeated from an earlier post but I won’t tell if you don’t.
Here’s what you’ll need:
Bella Band
I wear my Bella Band every day, day and night. Now that my belly is rapidly expanding, I wear them when I sleep, to give my belly extra support. I even wear them over maternity pants that want to slide down.
Maternity Tank
Mine’s an oh baby by Motherhood. Don’t try to get by with regular tanks, you need long ones. Mine are spaghetti strapped kind and they have a built in shelf bra thing. I sleep in them and they had enough support to keep my aching boobs strapped up pretty good at night. I found mine at Kohl’s.
Maternity leggings
I recommend Pea in the Pod, which was recommended to me by Evany. They are expensive but worth it. You only need one or two pairs max. They only have footless ones, so I wear them with short black socks when it’s not nice, which in Portland is a large chunk of the time. I bought mine off Amazon.com.
Pants, skirts, shorts
My biggest advice here is get the kind with the highest stetchy waste part possible. The jeans that only have like 1.5″ of band just don’t work for me, I’m constantly pulling my pants up. It’s gotta be 6″ or more.
Maternity pants
I got brown chords, they go with everything, and you can’t see the mud when I go to the dog park and get pounced on by muddy paws. I found mine at Kohl’s maternity.
Casual Maternity Skirt
I found a great demin skirt from Piccolina, a great second hand maternity shop in Portland.
Maternity Capris
I found mine at Piccolina, a great second hand maternity shop in Portland for $10.
Arnica Gel
Helps relieve muscle soreness, especially when your belly starts to grow and stretch. You can find it at health food stores like Whole Foods etc.
Complete Prenatal System by Rainbow Light
I like this formula because you take 6 pills a day instead of one. Sheesh you say that’s a lot of pills. But see, if I take one pill, with all those daily requirements, I get a wicked stomach ache. With these 6 a days, I just spread them out and take 2 pills, three times a day with meals. And I swear they helped relieve nausea, because I had next to none when I was in my first trimester. You can find them at Whole Foods and places like that.
Natural Calm Magnesium Supplement with Calcium
I’ve suffered from constipation for years so when I got pregnant, I knew there was no hope for me. Until my midwife recommended Natural Calm, to help both my digestion and to help with muscle pain from stretching. Believe me, I’ve tried EVERYTHING to try and relieve my constipation. This stuff works for me. I found these at New Seasons, which is a local Portland versions of Whole Foods, only better. So you know, health foods stores and stuff should have it.
Yoga pants
Don’t bother trying to find maternity ones, I never found any. I just got some XL yoga pants on sale at Kohl’s and I wear them with my Bella Band so they don’t fall down. Works like a charm. I got the drawstring type so there’s no elastic to irritate my tummy. I wear mine so much I now have three pairs. I wear them to yoga, to the gym, lounging at home, and sometimes just when I’m out and about.
Flip Flops
Yo, get some flip flops. Get decent ones with fabric straps that are comfy. I think I paid $15 for mine at Fred Meyer and I just might marry them.
Electric Razor
Somewhere down the line, you’re going to start hating to shave in the shower. Our shower is kinda small and my balance is now bad, it’s just not a good combo, the safety razor mixed with a soapy tub. Plus I bleed more now when I cut myself. I was limiting my shaving to when I take a bath, but the more busy I am, the less baths I take and the more hairy my legs get. I broke down and bought an electric razor for $20 from Target. I’m so happy now, especially with summer on the way.
Lip Balm
Get some great lip balm and put it all over your house, in multiple purses, pockets of jackets. I can never find mine, no matter how strategically I place them, So I gave one to my husband who is more predictable than I am. He always keeps his in a little bowl on his dresser and I always put it back, after all, it’s his lip balm, not mine! Soft Lips is my absolute favorite.
Cocoa Butter
My friend gave me a giant vat of it. I keep it on my nightstand. Don’t be fooled, it won’t help avoid stretch marks, but it feels good, smells good, and keeps your belly moisturized. It doesn’t have to be expensive, Palmer’s and Queen Helene make nice big tubs of it.
Hand Lotion
My hands have been so dry throughout this pregnancy. I love Crabtree and Evelyn’s Gardeners Hand Therapy. It smells so good and it really moisturizes.
Witch Hazel
They make an aloe and cucumber scented one that I like. How can I put this delicately… your bottom may occasionally hurt, whether it be pre hemorrhoidal or full blown attack. Baby Center explains why you are more prone. A healthy squirt of witch hazel on a cotton wipe can calm things down considerably. Don’t waste your money on Tucks pads, all they are is witch hazel on a cotton wipe.
Sanitizing gel or spray
Paranoia will destroy ya. Just get some purse sized gel or spray and get over it. I’m convinced germ paranoia is just part of the deal with pregnancy. My friend has two preschool aged kids (always sick with something) and I’m too paranoid of their cooties to go over to her house. It’s sad. Someone tried to hand me my own dog’s ball at the dog park once and I refused it (we use a chuck-it so I never have to touch it). Plus, since I have to pee all the time, I’m occasionally forced to use a porta potty, and that’s when I REALLY like having sanitizing spray handy.
More tips on finding stuff
Some Goodwills have maternity sections.
Ask your friends if they have Bella Bands left over from their pregnancies. Second hand maternity shops will probably have them too.
I bought a men’s large rain coat, one that my husband liked, so that I can keep my belly dry and then hand it over to him when I’m back to my normal size. I found mine at the Columbia outlet store in Sellwood Portland.
If I were on a deserted island, these items, plus of course shirts, undies, and a bra is pretty much all I’d need, well, and lots of food… and toilet paper… and a whole lot of pillows, and a water bottle, I love my water bottle.