Let me start by saying that, until mid-September, I had a relatively/ comparatively easy pregnancy. I haven't had (knock on wood) constipation, morning sickness or unmanageable exhaustion. I've also still gained less than 20 pounds...that's because I started out "plus" sized. You skinny folks are screwed ;)
Okay, so here we go: these are products that have helped me survive months 1-9 of pregnancy.
1) Target layering tank tops. These are the ones that run about $9 and don't have the ridges. I bet I own 15 of them, and now that I'm on bed rest- it's all I wear. I wear two with gauchos, yoga pants or a skirt. They're stretchy and LONG. This becomes important when your belly gets huge and you start to have a midriff in everything. These cover your belly.
2) Comfortable dresses. I shop mostly from Old Navy online for these. They have an empire waist and give you room to breathe. I like the long ones so that when veins start turning your legs purple- you can cover them. Note: don't wear dresses to doctor appointments late in the pregnancy. You need constant belly access, and tank tops and comfy pants make that easy.
3) SNOOGLE. If you don't have this pillow yet- buy one this week. They are about $60 at your nearest baby store. Anyone who tells you a regular body pillow will do is lying. I was a stomach sleeper and cuddling with this helped me transition to my side. Oh- I also developed a bizarre desire to switch sides with every potty trip at night. This helped.
4) A huge water bottle. I use the Tervis 24oz with a flip top- it's top makes it easy to carry and not spill. You have to drink so much water- and this is convenient.
5) Tums original. I don't enjoy taking meds while pregnant, there are a few that are ok to take and your doc should give you a list. Anywho- these have been very helpful with late pregnancy heartburn and they're kind of yummy.
6) Comfortable flip flops. You really need more than one pair and if it gets too cold in winter? Ugh! My feet grew out of my regular shoes basically at the end of my first trimester. I usually wear a 9-9.5, I'm now in an 11 flip flop. Nothing else fits and you don't want to ugly stepsister them into a shoe.
7) Poise pads (awkward). Look, if you don't pee when you sneeze, laugh, cough or...breathe, you're lucky. I discovered the poise pantiliner months ago and it helps. You don't just have to worry about pee, you also have a ridiculous amount of (ew) discharge. A poise pad also helps track the amount of discharge in case you're worried you might leak fluid. It helps measure the amount of discharge and (God forbid) if you need to smell it.
8) Shout stain remover. Your belly and boobs will grow and you won't be able to sit at close to the dinner table. This means you'll be a messy (messier, in my case) eater.
9) A doctor you adore. I love my doctor, his nurse- the whole office. They make me feel comfortable with questions and will fit me in immediately. The office staff knows my name, the ultrasound tech is awesome... I think they're the best. My doc always remembers what I tell him and it creates a comfort level.
10) If you have PEEHIP insurance, look into the Baby Yourself program. They assign you an RN you can call with questions. As a result of finishing their program (basically a few phone conversations), our hospital deductible was waved :)
11) An amazing husband or partner. I never expected to be sitting on bed rest, but Michael makes it so much better. He's involved in all things baby- he helps with the nursery, he took all of her tags off clothes, has helped with laundry. He runs to get me my daily coke (I drink one/day), goes to the grocery, brings home dinner. He tolerates my weird body questions: do I have a linea nigra yet, are my nipples different, does my belly button look funny?
Ooh- let me add a few websites/apps:
-What to Expect
-The Bump
-Alphamoms Pregnancy Calendar
-My Pregnancy
-a kick counter app
- I also follow Ask The Chicks on Facebook. They have some helpful stuff, but they're really granola- so they have some strong opinions on formula, circumcision, crying it out, etc
I think those are my big ones. I'm so excited to meet my sweet girl and thankful for the prayers and blessings we have had.
No comments:
Post a Comment