Pregnancy Must-Haves: 10 Products and Tips

In this guide, you will find 10 must-have pregnancy products for the expecting mother. If you are overwhelmed by all the products in the baby aisle or the endless lists of things you “should have”, and don’t know which ones you really need, then this guide is for you. It includes only essentials, it’s simple and practical.

Everyone has been telling you to eat for two. They talk about all the things you’ll need for baby. You get to skip the line at the DMV (true story). But no one talks about the pregnancy must-haves that will keep you comfortable and sane. Pregnancy is a time of transformation for your body and mind. There are definitely certain essentials you want to have for an enjoyable pregnancy.

Pregnancy Must-Haves: Products and Tips

There are a few things that you can do during your pregnancy to make it a smoother ride. One important thing is taking care of your body.

In this post, you will read about my favorite products that I used during my pregnancies. I hope you will find the tips on how to use the products useful. Some of them are my personal discoveries and twists on the products.

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Keep It Simple

When it comes to purchasing and using products during pregnancy, there are four things that you need to focus on. Taking care of these five things will help you and your baby stay healthy and will help you to enjoy your pregnancy more. They are:

• skin
• exercise
• aches and pains
• sleep
• supplements

Your body will go through so many changes, and you have to keep it healthy and flexible. Here are some products that I have used and am recommending for the pregnant mama.

Prevent Stretch Marks

Ah, those feared stretch marks! Depending on your genetics, you may be more or less prone to developing them, but since you won’t know which category you fall under until after your belly is pretty big, I recommend buying an oil for preventing stretch marks. Just in case.

One brand that I love is Earth Mama Organics. I used a lot of their products for both myself and my kids. They are all plant-based, have no chemicals, not been tested on animals, and I am really pleased with the quality they provide.

What to use

To prevent the appearance of stretch marks, I used Earth Mama Belly Oil during pregnancy. This is definitely a pregnancy must-have! What I like about this oil is that it is all plant-based and has a rating of 1 (best) in the EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database. It has no petroleum, mineral oil, parabens, or artificial fragrance.

How to use it

You should apply the oil on your belly two times a day, morning and evening. Just massage gently, going on your hips as well, since the skin tends to stretch in the back also. You can also apply the oil on your breasts, especially once you enter your third trimester, since they will start to grow, and you want to make sure your skin has enough elasticity.

Warning

This oil can ruin your clothes! It deteriorates the fibers in the fabric, so in time they thin out. Whatever tank top you are going to wear right after you apply the oil, you can plan on throwing it away after you deliver. For that reason, I recommend wearing a light tank top under any t-shirt or top after you apply the oil. A small price to pay for the great benefits this oil provides.

Alternative

If you are pregnant during the summer or simply you don’t like the oily feel, they have a lotion version, the Earth Mama Belly Butter, but I haven’t tried it. I will link to it below if you are interested in trying it out. If you do, let me know how you like it.

Exercise

If you already are an enthusiastically athletic person, and you have a routine, just stick to it during pregnancy. You know the importance of keeping your body active and your baby will love to move with you! You can skip to the next section.

For those of you who are less athletic, like me, read on. I don’t particularly enjoy exercising, but I wanted to stay healthy during my pregnancy. And I also developed gestational diabetes. Plenty of exercise was the only thing that kept my blood sugar levels at an acceptable level.

Throughout my pregnancy, I used several workout DVDs, but the ones I found most engaging were Summer Sanders’ Prenatal Workout for strength and The Perfect Pregnancy Workout vol. 3: The Ancient Art of Belly Dance for Labor for focus and flexibility. I know these are older releases, but you can give them a try.

Relieve Muscle Tension

Even if you exercise, your joints and muscles will scream as they stretch over the nine months with your baby.

Foam roller

The best thing to relieve achy muscles is a foam roller. This was indispensable! I had a short, plain one, that I used every night on my legs, back, arms, and pretty much any part of my body that felt tense and tired after a long day at work. If you can get someone to roll it on you, it helps.

I absolutely loved this roller. It was my best friend, especially in my third trimester. I liked the half-length one, but it really depends on personal preferences. Just select the size you want before you order.

Pregnancy belt

This is an elastic strap that wraps around your back and under your belly. You can start wearing it in your second trimester, especially if you have a big belly. I didn’t need one for my first pregnancy – I had a tiny belly. But my second pregnancy was huge – at 20 weeks everyone thought I was due already!

The pregnancy belt not only supports your belly but also alleviates some back pain and can help with that shooting pain you can get when your uterus begins to expand considerably.

My most important criterion for picking out a pregnancy belt was its thickness. I wanted it to be lightweight, and thin. I did not like a belt that was bulky and showed under my clothing.

Here I will recommend two pregnancy belts, a more expensive one, the Belly Bandit, and an inexpensive one, the Jill and Joey Maternity Belt.

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Sleep Better

As your hips stretch and expand, sleeping will become very uncomfortable. The American Pregnancy Association recommends SOS – sleeping on your side. But guess what? Those hips are not having it! At least mine didn’t.

Pregnancy pillow

A pregnancy pillow offers support and comfort, and can definitely help you to sleep better.

Unfortunately, many pregnancy pillows are very large! While they may offer more comfort – I wouldn’t know, because I haven’t tried the largest ones, I did not have space for an extra-large pillow in my bed.

Because my focus was on a pillow of a smaller size, I wanted to be sure that I got one from a brand that I trusted. So I went with the Boppy. I will include two options here – there is a total body one, and half size. And let me tell you, you can’t go wrong with either!

What I like about them

Both are very versatile! You can use them in multiple positions. They are not just for sleeping. Most importantly, what I love about them is that you can wash both the pillow and the cover in the washer, so they always stay clean and fresh.

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Supplements

When you are pregnant, your daily requirement for certain vitamins and minerals increases. Your baby needs specific nutrients to develop. While you need to have a healthy and varied diet (forget about the old-school theory that you can eat for two or follow your cravings!), you will also have to supplement with prenatal vitamins. They are important for both your health and that of your baby.

Make sure you discuss with your healthcare provider the type of prenatal vitamins you are taking, especially when you are combining supplements. Your healthcare professional will advise you exactly on the dosage of particular nutrients based on your needs.

When to take them

Begin taking prenatal vitamins before you become pregnant. If you know you want to have children, start taking those vitamins now. Load your body with all the goodies that will support the healthy development of your baby.

What to check for

Any prenatal vitamins will work, just make sure they include two things: folic acid and DHA.

Folic acid is important because it helps prevent major birth defects of the brain and spine. The recommended daily intake for folic acid, in addition to what you are getting through your diet, is 400 micrograms (mcg), so check the label on your prenatal vitamins for this amount.

Omega-3 DHA has been found to lower the risk of preterm and early preterm birth significantly. Currently, it is recommended that you take 300 mg of DHA per day. However, some doctors are beginning to recommend higher levels of DHA for pregnant women, ranging between 600 and 1000 mg/day, especially in light of recent studies. Your prenatal vitamins usually only have 200 mg of DHA at the most (check the label), so you should definitely supplement.

What to take

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Savings tip

Taking all these supplements can become pricey, but skipping them would not be a wise decision. Instead, consider buying them in bulk. The price is always changing, so if you find it for a really good price, buy several bottles because they do run out fast and you will be taking your prenatal vitamins and the DHA while you are breastfeeding as well.

Heartburn

All that pressure on your stomach from a growing belly is bound to cause some issues with your digestion. Pregnant women are not exempt from indigestion, acid reflux, and heartburn.

This calming tea from Earth Mama is amazing at relieving all these symptoms. Although it was formulated with pregnant mamas in mind, it works great for any human being with digestive issues. In fact, my husband is still using this tea many years after we had our babies. It is pretty much the only thing that helps him, after trying all the pills and diets out there. If you too regularly have an occasional upset stomach, you will be using this tea for years to come. Gift it to any family members also and they will thank you!

Final Thoughts

Don’t forget to check with your healthcare provider before you use any of these products, especially if you have allergies or sensitivities.

These are my recommended products for pregnant mamas based on my own research and experience. I hope they make your life easier and help you to enjoy your baby more. If I were pregnant again, I would absolutely use them all.

Are you using any of these products? Let me know what you like about them. Are there any other products you can’t live without as a pregnant mama? I would love to hear from you. Leave your comments below.

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