My pregnancy must-haves

Having 4 kids and trying for a 5th shows you how much I love being pregnant, right? I’m fortunate in that I don’t face a ton of challenges like gestational diabetes or high blood pressure, but I do still suffer the usual complaints: swelling, pain in my back and joints, fatigue, and serious nausea. With all that in mind, I’m happy to share with you my favorite things to have close by during pregnancy. Many of these make great gifts for expectant mamas too!

For nausea and morning sickness:

  • This tea, which I prepare with 1/2 cup of sugar and serve over ice, all day, every day.
  • Sparkling water- my fave is Target’s Simply Balanced Cucumber Mint
  • Ginger altoids (I can usually find these at CVS, but I’ll order from Amazon if I can’t find them)
  • Probiotics- to keep all the cruddies at bay

For achy joints:

For fatigue:

  • Orange oil in anything. Seriously. I put a few drops in my body lotion, put some in my body wash, even in my hand soap. The aroma works better than anything to perk me up.
  • Leafy greens, including in a smoothie every morning. (And I guess it goes without saying to never skip breakfast)
  • Early bedtime or a midday nap. This becomes a non-negotiable for me in the first and third trimesters. I turn into a momster if I don’t get enough rest, and that fatigue is no joke.

Favorite snacks to keep on hand:

  • Homemade trail mix: I throw together nuts (pistachios, walnuts, pecans), dried fruit (I love dried cranberries, apricots, and cherries), yogurt-covered raisins, and pretzels
  • Organic popcorn
  • Individual guacamole packs with pita chips
  • Pretzel/hummus combos

To have on-hand for labor and delivery:

  • Gentle Birth Formula (start this 6 weeks before delivery- it’s a game-changer)
  • Maxi-Milk (all the stuff you need to amp up your milk supply)
  • New Mama Bottom Spray for repairing tears
  • Depends. No kidding. Never again will I destroy my own underthings in the first few weeks postpartum.

I should also add that I used essential oils throughout my pregnancy for massage, all under the advice of my amazing midwife, and you can find plenty of those suggestions on Pinterest. Just be sure to ask your provider how to use them and what they recommend.

Yay for babies!

xoxo~ LWH