7.21.2019

Maternity Must Haves

I'm so excited to share my first pregnancy related post here on the blog, and I want to start by saying that I am feeling so grateful to have had such a safe and healthy pregnancy thus far. Carrying twins automatically puts me at high risk, so we're seeing a team of doctors now in addition to my regular Ob-Gyn which soon will mean two doctors appointments every two weeks. Right now, we're just going every four weeks but we get to have ultrasounds every time with our high risk doctors' office and I always love getting to see our baby boys moving all around during those appointments!

I'm wearing this Lilly Wrap Dress and this Seamless Maternity Cami underneath
Robbie is wearing this Peter Millar polo shirt and khaki shorts

I've been wanting to compile a post like this for while now because when I first found out I was pregnant, these are the type of posts that I was searching for! During your first trimester, it's a little tricky because you usually still want to keep your pregnancy a secret but also your body is changing so quickly and you may not be feeling great so you're desperately looking for tips on how to combat any of those first trimester symptoms. I was so lucky to only have a few weeks of mild morning sickness and actual nausea, but did have a lot of food aversions and just general blah feeling like I was hungover all the time, despite the lack of alcohol I was drinking!

These are a handful of items that have been my saving graces during my pregnancy so far that I never knew I needed! Now, as I get towards the end of my second trimester (which feels like it has flown by!) I wanted to share with you all in case you may be pregnant but not sharing with anyone so can't ask for advice yet, or if you are pregnant and just looking for tips, or maybe know someone who is and just want to know how to support them! (*I'm not a doctor by any means, so if you have questions about any of these things definitely ask your doctor first!)

1: Pill Organizer - I'm convinced that pregnancy brain is a real thing, and as soon as you think "oh, I haven't experienced that yet, I'm so glad!" you immediately jinx yourself and will start forgetting things (speaking from experience!) So, since it's so important for you to be taking your pre-natal vitamins (plus any other vitamins/supplements) everyday, I highly recommend getting a pill organizer so you can clearly see if you have taken your vitamins each day. Sounds so silly, but it was one of the first things I purchased and am so glad I did!

2: Belly/Body Butter - I started using a belly butter at the very beginning of my second trimester, right when I started noticing my belly starting to grow. I've been using a few different ones and love them all for different reasons but I think just keeping your skin moisturized to prevent stretch marks and any itchiness as it grows is the key. I just ordered another tub of this Young Living Coconut-Lime Replenishing Body Butter that is lightweight and smells amazing, and have also been using this and this that were gifts from mom friends that are super moisturizing and specifically meant for your growing belly.

3: Water Bottle with Straw - I've always thought that I drank a lot of water, but pregnancy has proven me otherwise. I went on a hunt to Target one day, looking for the biggest water bottle I could find, and came across this 48oz one that I've used almost every day since. Since it has a flexible straw, it makes it as easy as possible to drink a lot of water without having to get up a refill all the time. The only drawback is that since it's so big, it doesn't fit in the cup holder of my car. I still like to bring it to work and just wedge it between my purse in the front seat and usually don't have a problem (unless I stop suddenly at a stop sign I almost didn't see on the way my doctor's appointment and it spills all over the front seat/floor- but at least it was just water!) I love these 60oz canteens too, but they're a little harder to drink out since they're so big and the stainless steel makes them heavier to carry around. If keeping your water cold all day is important though, I also love my 25oz canteen, just have to refill a little more frequently!

4: Tums - Heartburn and indigestion are some of the pregnancy symptoms that I had heard about, but never had really experienced before so I wasn't sure what to do when I was having indigestion at 7:30am at the airport one day in the middle of my second trimester. But then I remembered Julia Engel mentioned on her IG stories about how she had packed Tums for a plane ride and knew that was exactly what I needed! It relieved the discomfort almost immediately and now I make sure to have some on hand all the time. I'm not sure if flying contributed to it, but if you're planning any plane rides I would make sure to pack some just in case!

5: Preggie Pop Drops - I've always heard that ginger is great for nausea but every time I felt even slightly nauseous in my first trimester, the idea of ginger or ginger ale did not seem appetizing. I ordered these Preggie Pop Drops after seeing them come up on Amazon, and would definitely recommend! I would pop one of these (or just plain old mint gum!) in my mouth in the mornings when I felt bleh and they seemed to really help. 

6: Protein Bar/Snacks - Everyone around me knows I'm quite the snackaholic, so making sure to always have some kind of protein snack on hand like these Kind Protein Bars, or another recent favorite, RX Nut Butter (I love the honey cinnamon flavor, especially with an apple in the afternoon!) have been perfect to throw in my purse to have when I'm out and starting to feel a little hangry. During those couple weeks in between the end of my first trimester and start of my second, I would get lightheaded easily so making sure I always had some kind of snack on hand was key. Plus, carrying two babies means that my body needs even more protein so it's good for me to get a little extra in whenever I can!

7: High Neck Stretchy Sports Bra - This is the sports bra that I've shared on my IG stories a couple times and am actually wearing right now as I type this. It's currently on sale in the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale and has been the most comfortable sports bra I've worn in the last few months! (It's probably not the best for high impact workouts, but if you're pregnant you probably aren't doing a lot of high impact anyways.) The high neck keeps you "in" and the band is thick and comes down a little more so instead of just being tight around your rib cage, it's just a little extra material with a lot of stretch to support without crushing your chest. If you can't tell by how much I rave about this, I've had some trouble with finding the right sports bras since I've gotten pregnant and I'm going to guess that if you are pregnant, you probably have to!

8: Electrolyte Tablets/Drinks - Like I mentioned above, during the end of my first trimester and start of my second I would get lightheaded easily and I think my blood pressure would drop as my body was starting to pump more blood to the babies. Instead of just drinking water and eating snacks (along with regular meals too), I started drinking Gatorade when I first woke up to fight any lightheadedness that I would sometimes get in the shower or while I was getting ready. I picked up some of the Nuun Electrolyte tablets at Whole Foods one day since I was starting to get kind of tired of Gatorade and didn't want to be drinking all that extra sugar. I love that they're portable so I just easily add them to any water bottle when I'm feeling like I need some extra electrolytes, which has been pretty often during the summertime! The Tri-Berry flavor is my favorite but also the only one I've tried so far.

9: Beautycounter Clear Pore Cleanser - As you would probably assume, pregnancy means that your hormones are changing, and right at the beginning my face started breaking out so I picked up this Beautycounter Clear Pore Cleanser. I have really loved all of the Beautycounter products that I've tried and love that you don't have to worry about harmful chemicals entering your bloodstream through your skin. The Countercontrol line is great for fighting breakouts, and this specific cleanser has small jojoba beads that exfoliate and aloe vera that hydrates which has been a great combination for me. After those first few weeks, I actually haven't really had any breakouts but I think that also may be due to the fact that my skin has gotten a lot drier (which has been pretty great for my normally oily/combination face and hair!)

10: Sea-Bands Accupressure Bands - Luckily I didn't have to use these Sea-Bands often, but in combination with the Preggie Pop Drops (or gum like I mentioned above) if I was experiencing some morning sickness, I would put these on my wrist at the specific pressure points and they would help to relieve some of the nausea. It may have all just been in my head, but they're fairly cheap and a natural remedy so I don't think they can hurt!

11: Maternity Nightgown/PJ's - There are plenty of great maternity nightgowns out there, but these Lake Maternity Pajamas are definitely a favorite, especially if you plan on nursing. They're a little pricey for just pajamas but they're insanely soft and comfortable so if you can afford to splurge on them, I would definitely recommend. My mom gifted me this Nightgown for Mother's Day this year and it has been one of my favorite things to wear to bed. Obviously I don't need the snaps down the front now, but since I plan on nursing when the babies are here, those will make it easier for late night feedings! If you are on the shorter side, I would recommend this Nightshirt that is part of the Nordstrom Sale. Unfortunately it was too short me (I'm 5'10") but I am going to try these and these to see if they'll be better because the fabric was buttery soft and cozy on the nightshirt, and the buttons down the front will also be perfect for nursing.

12: Maternity White Skinny Jeans - These Maternity Skinny Jeans have been great for this spring/summer so far! I actually ordered a few different designer brand maternity jeans and these seemed to fit the best out of them all, which I was pretty excited about since they're about half the price! I also just ordered these Gap maternity full panel jeans and once they arrive next week, I'll be sure to report back on how they fit. The ones I have have an elastic inset at the pockets, that I'll usually wear with either this Seamless Maternity Cami (see #14) or Maternity Bellaband (#19) but can get a little uncomfortable when I'm sitting at my desk at work all day now that my belly is getting a little bigger. For this reason, I'm excited to try the full panel jeans too that come up all the way over my belly!

Though being pregnant during the summer has had it's drawbacks (hello, summertime humidity and heat in Savannah!) it has honestly been so easy to just wear flowy dresses most of the time so I haven't needed a ton of maternity pants, thank goodness, because they can be kind of tricky to find and also expensive to wear for just one season. Mackenzie Horan did a great review of maternity jeans on her blog a few weeks ago so if you're looking for more options, read her post here! I loved reading what she had to say, but also know that I have a very different body type (especially in the legs- she's 5'1" and I'm 5'10") than her so I know that just like regular jeans, works for someone, may not work for everyone!

13: Wide Waistband Workout Shorts - On the days that I'm not working, I'm typically always in workout clothes and have found these Lululemon Tracker Shorts to be the best to wear under my belly. I picked up the black in my regular size (I typically wear an 8 in Lululemon) and loved them so much that I went back and got the white too, in a size up. I love that they have a wide, thick, stretchy waistband and I know I'll wear them a ton after pregnancy too so they were worth the splurge for me. If you're looking for other wide waistband shorts, I just ordered these Old Navy shorts which are only $15 right now so these may be a great option too!

14: Seamless Maternity Cami - This seamless maternity cami has been great to wear underneath tops that are either a little low cut or too short now that my belly takes up more room. I wear it all the time with my maternity jeans and shorts to cover up the elastic insets and wore it before I transitioned to maternity pants/shorts when I would unbutton my regular pants and use a rubber band to keep them together (this little trick was perfect when I was in that in between stage where my maternity pants were too big and my other pants were a little too snug.) I wear my white one the most since I'm typically wearing white bottoms in the summertime, but also have a nude and black which I would probably wear more with regular jeans.

15: Maternity Leggings - I just received these Live In Pocket 7/8 Maternity Leggings in my first order from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale and love them so much that I went back and ordered the Live In Maternity Ankle Leggings in navy too! I've been able to wear my Lululemon Align Leggings a lot since they're super stretchy but it is definitely nice to have some that go all the way over the belly!

16: Comfortable Bra - Like I mentioned above with the sports bras, comfortable bras are a little harder to come by when you're pregnant, especially at the beginning when you may be a little sore/tender. I ordered these sleeping bras from Amazon but also got a comfortable nursing bra too since I'll be able to wear that now and later once that babies are here. As for everyday bras, these Spanx Bra-llelujah Full Coverage Underwire Bra have been my go-to for a couple years now. I went one band size up to accommodate for pregnancy and it works great! Because of the wider straps, I can't wear it with strappy tanks in the summer, but the wide straps also help make it as comfortable as it is, along with the smoothing back.

17: Comfortable Shoes/Sandals - These Mephisto Helen sandals have been my favorite the last two summers because they are so comfortable! Because they have a molded footbed and support your arches, they are comfortable to walk in, and wear all day. I love my Jack Rogers as much as the next girl, but if I know I'm going to be walking a lot or on my feet, I've decided to just sacrifice cuteness for comfort in this phase of my life. I think that means I'm growing up haha. Also, my dad gave Robbie and I these Oofos Flip Flops for Christmas and at first I laughed at them but now, we both wear them all the time around the house. They are made for athletes to wear after workouts, and are so soft and cushy that they reduce any stress on your feet, knees, and lower back. I'll probably even bring these to the hospital with me!

18: Maternity White Denim Shorts - I have these Ingrid & Isabel white denim shorts that are really similar to the white jeans with elastic insets in the waist so I'll often wear the Seamless Maternity Cami (see #14) or Maternity Bellaband (#19) with them. Though I don't mind the waistband on these, I did order these White Denim Shorts from Old Navy that have a full panel just to try that style too, and to have another pair to wear for summer since I wear these so often!

19: Belly Band - Similar to the Seamless Maternity Cami I ordered this Maternity Bellaband in white and nude to wear when my regular pants started getting a little tight, but my maternity pants were a little too big. I could either wear my regular pants unbuttoned with a rubber band tied around the button and hole to stretch it a little or wear it over the maternity pants that were too big to help hold them up a little better. I have both the size 1 and size 2 (since that's what it recommends when you're pregnant with multiples) but prefer the size 1 since it's so stretchy, it works better when it's more fitted.

20: Body Lotion - Something that no one told me about pregnancy was that your skin may get really dry. I assume it's because the moisture you're normally getting is just going to your baby/babies instead of your skin. It's been great for my face and hair (I can now get away with only washing my hair twice a week, something that I never used to be able to do!) but my arms and legs have been SO dry, so I've needed to have a good, thick moisturizer. For a little splurge, I also looove this Body Butter from Kai that smells amazing and I've heard great things about this Beautycounter one.

21: Epsom Salt - If you haven't taken a bath with epsom salts before, you need to try it! I first started using these when I started Pure Barre and it somehow relieved the muscle soreness, so now whenever I'm feeling a little sore or stiff or just want a relaxing bath, I'll use these epsom salts. We love the eucalyptus and mint but if you're also having trouble sleeping, I'd recommend getting the lavender salts to bathe in before bed.

On the subject of sleep... another thing to add that I forgot to include in this collage, is some kind of leg or body pillow to sleep with. I've slept with a pillow between my knees for years since having some lower back pain, and got this one from Target about a year ago and can't sleep without it now! A lot of pregnant ladies I've talked to have recommended body pillows and maybe I'll eventually get one, but this pillow is the perfect firmness to keep between my knees and support my growing belly. I flip from side to side often when I'm sleeping so it's easier to just flip with the pillow rather than having to readjust with a whole body pillow.

As I'm wrapping up this post, there are a handful more things that I'm realizing I have forgotten to include like these super soft and comfy PJ shorts, this Pregnancy Nutrition Book, this non-maternity Ruched One Piece Swimsuit, a good Lip Conditioner, these comfy Elastic Waistband Shorts, and lastly anything from Barefoot Dreams which is just as soft and comfortable as everyone says it is!



STAY IN TOUCH!