{Pregnancy Must-Haves}

Pregnancy Pillow. I had a Snoogle pillow, but I’ve also heard great things about the BumpNest as well. Regardless of which you choose, I HIGHLY recommend picking one of these up as early as possible in your pregnancy! I asked for one and got mine as a birthday gift (thanks, Mom & Dad!) at about 13 weeks pregnant, and I’ve loved it ever since. I can’t imagine how badly I would have slept without my Snoogle. My husband hates it and can’t wait to kick it out of our bed – but it’s a lifesaver and I would recommend it again and again!

Epsom Salt. One of the best things my doctor told me early on was that it was more than okay to soak in the tub. A lot of things you read will tell you that taking a bath is a no-no, because you don’t want to get too hot. Well, obviously, you have to give up the super hot water temperature, but there’s nothing wrong with a nice, warm bath…with epsom salt. I’m convinced there’s nothing better for an achy body than a soak in an epsom salt bath! My evening routine for most of my pregnancy was to go for a run or walk after dinner, then take a bath with lavender epsom salt and hop into bed. #heaven

Belly Band. I picked up a belly band when I was only 12 weeks pregnant, because I intended to keep wearing my regular pants/jeans as long as possible. Little did I know, I would STILL be able to wear my jeans with this belly band at 40 weeks pregnant. In fact, I ended up buying zero pairs of maternity pants throughout my entire pregnancy! I stuck to buying some cute dresses from Motherhood and Old Navy, and got tons of use of of these all summer long. I bought just a few maternity shirts and was able to wear those with my regular jeans the entire time, too. I couldn’t recommend a belly band enough – I only paid $15 or so at Target for one of these. SO much cheaper than buying maternity pants or jeans!

Belly Support Belt. Because I wanted to keep running as long as I possibly could throughout pregnancy, I knew I needed something to support my growing belly – plus, I started to get achy after a long walk or a run before I got one of these! I ended up buying the Gabrialla Maternity Support Belt and could immediately tell a difference when I wore it while walking or running. It literally lifts your belly up and supports it – you even notice less pressure and strain on your back. If you work out a lot or if you have discomfort from your belly weighing you down, this is a great thing to have!

Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter. I swear by this stuff! I had some Palmer’s Cocoa Butter, but the smell of that did not sit well with me at all, plus it’s kind of greasy. This belly butter is so light and it dries super quickly, not to mention it definitely worked. My skin has stayed in great shape, even with my belly being stretched out SO much and it kept it soft and smooth, too. I always bought mine at Target, but I’m pretty sure you can find it anywhere! 

There’s obviously a trend to all of my must-haves…they’re all about being comfortable & pampered! That’s one of the best things about pregnancy – you have an excuse to take extra great care of yourself and be pampered for 9+ months. Having an awesome husband who goes out of his way to make sure this happens is even better! 😉

What were your pregnancy must-haves?