My Top 10 Pregnancy Essentials…
Pregnancy isn’t all rosy cheeks and tummy rubbing as you look into your partner’s eyes. There’s retching, aches, pains and stretchmarks. Add to that a good dose of heart burn and swollen feet, and you will know why most pregnant women are hopping on the birthing ball, willing their babies make an appearance as soon as they get a whiff of third trimester and the promise of being able to tuck into sushi as soon as this whole walking-like-a-penguin charade is over.
And though pregnancy puts women through it’s trials and tribulations, there ARE in fact products out there to ease your nine (actually ten) months and make it a whole lot less scary of an experience. Having now been pregnant twice, here are a few items I have collated together to be the top ten essentials during pregnancy. Of course, there are a hoard of other products out there on the market, and each pregnant women will find something best suited to them, but these are my personal favourites and what came to the rescue during my time of need. So without further ado, let me jump straight in…
1. BabyCentre App
As soon as I saw those two lines on the pee stick, I needed to know what to expect in the months to come. I needed to feel in control. I needed to have a support system. The BabyCentre app provided all this and more. I began by tracking the size and developments of my little one each week, reading it aloud to my husband every Friday morning to get him involved in the procreating business that I was undertaking. The other great thing I hugely benefited from is the BabyCentre forum, a place for mamas in the same situation as me to share the perils and triumphs of this journey called Motherhood. Any query that needed answering was directed towards this forum, especially during my first baby; from pregnancy all the way to weaning my little one. Even now, I have the app on my phone whenever I need to cross check details or need some advice on parenting related issues.
Available to download on iPhone for free.
2. Palmer’s Stretch Mark Massage Lotion
I slathered this on my belly every day after reaching the 4 month milestone and it really helped ease the irritation and dryness. The pump bottle made it super easy to use after my daily morning shower, reapplying it again the afternoon on most days, and made my swelling belly feel soft and smooth after continual use.
Available to buy in Carrefour and on Mumzworld here.
3. Palmer’s Tummy Butter
This was a night time ritual, where I raked in my husband to give me a quick tummy rub before bed time using this tummy butter. Yes, it is incredibly greasy but melts in your skin beautifully and has beautiful undertones of lavender to encourage a good night’s sleep. This stuff was heavenly.
Available to buy in Carrefour and on Mumzworld here.
4. Fashion Forms Soft Back Bra Extender
I should probably have got myself fitted for new bras during pregnancy. But I didn’t. Instead I used these bra extenders to ease the tension and give my normal bras a longer lease of life. Because we all know investing in nursing bras in a few months was going to be expensive enough!
Available to buy on Mumzworld here.
5. ClevaMama ClevaCushion 10 in 1
As the strain of a growing kicking baby begins to take it’s toll on your poor back, this cushion came just in time to ease the pain. I doubled it up as a pregnancy pillow, propping my legs underneath when sleeping to reduce water retention or between my legs to get in a more comfy position for sleep. I used this ClevaCushion every single night in the later half of my pregnancy and can’t praise it enough. Full detailed review of the product can be found here.
Available to buy in Mothercare stores and on Mumzworld here.
6. A pair of Shoeq shoes
I picked a pair that I was really comfortable in, gave me room to breathe and expand, and then I basically wore them for the rest of my pregnancy. Experimental? Not much. But comfortable? I sure was.
Available to buy on their website here.
7. Fertile Mind BellyBelt
My line of thought was pretty much the same as it was with the bras. Instead of investing in a whole new wardrobe of maternity wear (because I will need to be doing the same for nursing-friendly wear in a couple of months again), this belly belt is a very clever little piece of engineering indeed. The belly belt allows itself to be attached to your existing jeans/trousers and expands the waistline for you. The only downside is, it doesn’t help you in the skinny jeans department, when your thighs are just too big for the fabric to even reach your waist line.
Available to buy on Mumzworld here.
8. Belly Bandit B.D.A Leggings
I may not have invested in a hoard of maternity jeans, but this one pair of BDA Leggings was more than enough. I basically lived in these for the last few weeks of my second pregnancy, pulling the fabric up and over my bulging stomach to give me some respite and make me feel somewhat comfortable. I wore it under long dresses and kafnis as I waddled my way through Dubai.
Available in KLynn Lingerie Stores.
9. Milestone Pregnancy Cards
Some may argue that this is not an essential, but capturing my pregnancy (and of course other poignant moments of my life) through photographic evidence is of a high priority in my life. And these milestone cards make documenting these moments much easier and so much fun too!
Available to buy on Mumzworld here: Pregnancy Cards & Baby Cards.
10. Nature Valley Snack Bars
There was at least two of these with me when ever I stepped out of the house, and a heap of them stashed on my bed side table, to put those hunger pangs to rest. Super delicious, and I was basically addicted to this through out both my pregnancies. This and mango milkshakes. Yum!
Available in most supermarkets.
So there you go! My top 10 pregnancy essentials! What were your absolute must haves during pregnancy? Are any of them the same as that on my list? Do share your own suggestions in the comments below! After all, it may just help another Mama stay sane during this procreating business we must power through…
Note: Some of the items mentioned above were gifted to me for use. However, all views and opinions expressed above are honest and solely my own. Also, where applicable, I have linked items to where they can be bought on the Mumzworld website. These are NOT affiliate links (I do NOT earn anything if you purchase them), but you ARE free to use the discount code “Mummyonmymind10” to gain a 10% discount, if you wish to do so! You can use this code at checkout for these or almost any other product you wish to buy from the website. (Terms & Conditions Apply)
Disclaimer: Some Product Images have been taken from the internet, and do not belong to me.
