My Pregnancy Must-Haves

My days as a 'mama-to-be' are numbered, and the new title of 'mama' will take it's place. Although I'm totally beyond excited to meet our little babe, I already kinda miss being pregnant (at least some aspects of it - the little kicks and jabs, the stretchy waistbands, accentuating my belly instead of hiding it). For the most part, I've loved being pregnant. Now, I definitely won't miss the swollen ankles, backaches, and feeling like a beached whale here in the recent weeks, but I'm sure those little inconveniences will quickly be forgotten once I get to snuggling our little girl.

When you're pregnant for the first time though, it's just all so new and exciting, and a little bit terrifying and overwhelming. You're now responsible for another human life that isn't your own. On top of making sure you're doing what you're suppose to, to ensure the healthy growth of your little belly peanut, you have to figure out of how to take care of yourself now that your pants are a little snug and the dreaded thought of stretch marks makes you wipe out the lotion shelf at your local drug store.

As a first time preggo, you really have no idea what kind of pregnancy luxuries to buy - especially when you're only 6 weeks in and the thought of a big ole belly seems pretty distant. But eventually, you do have to buy a new wardrobe and the full coverage maternity jeans don't seem so lame, but now the only plausible option.The retail world of baby and pregnancy can make any hormonal mama-to-be broke, so it's best to handle this phase of life as just that - a phase. Not spending your entire paycheck at Motherhood Maternity, and really focusing in on the staples of pregnancy to get you through. Here are a list of my favorite pregnancy must-haves throughout my whole pregnancy, first through third trimesters!

+ Hair Ties 
The ol' hair tie pants trick. Guilty.
 If you're anything like me, I tried putting off buying maternity clothes as long as possible. I really didn't want to buy maternity pants, knowing that this baby was only going to get bigger, and the thought of buying pants multiple times during the multiple stages of this growing belly made made me a little crazy. It's a definite good first trimester trick, and can hopefully work a little ways into the second trimester!

+ Prenatal GUMMY Vitamins
They almost taste as good as candy - almost.
I HATE taking vitamins - especially the ones that leave an icky taste in your mouth. After checking with my doctor at the beginning of pregnancy, the VitaFusion Gummy Vitamins were my best option. I actually looked forward to taking them because they really tasted that good. I actually began taking them before I was pregnant, but you'll definitely want for the long 9 month baby haul. 

+ Pregnancy Body Pillow
Game changer. Completely.
I was lucky enough to have a sweet neighbor who loaned me hers! :)
I suggest going with that option if at all possible. I really didn't need it for the first half of my pregnancy, and probably even a little while after that. But by the third trimester, it completely helped me sleep through the night (especially since I was a stomach sleeper pre-pregnancy) with the belly and leg support. 

+ Maternity Cami's
I've never been one to flaunt my stomach, since it was never that flat anyway, but I was all about flaunting the baby bump once it made a noticeable appearance. They were perfect for layering under all my pre-pregnancy plaid shirts and sweaters, and I was able to use one cami for multiple looks. Plus, with being so hot (especially at night - yay hormones), they're perfect for sleeping in and staying cool.

+ Sparkly Belt
Okay - maybe not a necessity, but this was my FAVORITE pregnancy wardrobe accessory! See here. I loved the way it made my bump "pop" and was cute and fashionable even when I maybe didn't feel so cute and fashionable. It made every look more complete and a tad fancy. I bought mine from Target, here.

+ Pregnancy Apps
Because you really have no clue whats happening with this suddenly large and in charge body of yours, so the apps kinda give you a piece of mind. I tried a few different apps the last nine months, but my favorites are "What to Expect," "The Bump," and "Ovia Pregnancy." All three are free, which is even better! They offer a lot of great insight into what's going on with your baby and give you tips and a timeline for what you should be doing to prepare for baby's arrival. I really looked forward to every Thursday when I was able to read my new weekly update!

+ Pregnancy Leggings/Yoga Pants
LIFE CHANGING. No, seriously.
I probably won't be switching back to regular leggings after pregnancy, and I'm not ashamed. They're that comfortable, and suck a lot in. Secret: I wear my skinny yoga tights as leggings a lot of the time because they're a little thicker. #noshame
Mine are all purchased from Old Navy. 

+ Drawstring Shorts
These were a life saver at the beginning of my pregnancy and really through the whole second trimester. Once I began filling out in my hips and thighs (pretty early on), I knew I needed something a little more cozy and that could grow with my belly. I didn't even need to purchase maternity shorts (MONEY SAVER!) because of the drawstring. Once again, I purchased mine from Old Navy for like $10 - definitely affordable and cute. Zippers and buttons are way overrated even not pregnant!

+ Full Coverage Maternity Jeans
This is where I wish I would have made more of an investment. 
When I first started showing, I didn't know if I should buy the side panel stretchy jeans or the full coverage jeans. Because I really wasn't showing too much at the time, I felt like the side panel jeans were all I would need - they felt great! The full coverage jeans just seemed a little much at the time, but I was very mistaken come third trimester. The once cozy side panels increasingly dug into my hips and cut me off in the belly. By the time I was completely over wearing them, I was far enough along that I didn't want to spend even more money on maternity clothes. I wish I would have just bought the full coverage jeans from the beginning. Next time, I'll know!

+ Stretch Mark Cream
I know they say if you're going to get stretch marks, you will regardless of what kind of lotion/cream you use. That's probably true, but I would have been way harder on myself once I did get them unless I at least tried. My mother-in-law actually was sweet enough and bought me the CeraVe` and I really liked it. If I didn't have it with me, I would use heavy duty lotion instead. I was stretch mark free up until about week 36/37. So close!

+ Belly Bands
Another great trick for stretching out the longevity of wearing your old pants. I actually found a coupon for a free one from a magazine at one of my doctor's appointments, and it worked great for awhile. I actually wished I would have bought one sooner than I did. 

+ Boyfriend T-Shirts
At the beginning of operation hide baby bump, you're trying to not allow your new pooch to sneak through and give away your secret before the first trimester is up. These loose, yet fashionable t-shirts from Old Navy did the trick just fine, and I'm actually even able to still wear them at 38 weeks - and they're non-maternity (money saver again).

There we have it - a few of my pregnancy fav's throughout each trimester! What are some of y'all's pregnancy favorites for the new mama-to-be's?