1st Trimester Must-Haves

As I get closer to the end of my second trimester (WHAT?!), I figured I should do a list of my must-haves for each trimester.  Hopefully this will be helpful for any of you that get pregnant in the near future :)

Oh Baby by Motherhood Secret Fit Belly Bootcut Jeans.  I bought 2 pairs of these in different washes towards the end of my first trimester and was wearing them regularly by Week 12.  Maternity jeans are expensive so you might as well start wearing them early on to get your money’s worth!  And they are SO much more comfy over a bloated stomach. 

Naps.  Take lots and lots of naps.  All I did on the weekends was sleep.  Even had to go out to my car during lunch break one day to doze off for 20 minutes.

Peppermint Swirl Candies.  I just got the Target brand name ones.  I would suck on these at work between snacks to help settle my stomach.

Cocoa Butter Lotion.  I already have stretch marks from previous weight gains/losses so I knew I would just get more :(  That’s why I decided to use a less expensive lotion – this stuff from Vaseline is thick and creamy and smells SO good.  And only $4 at Target.  While it won't necessarily help keep the marks away, it does help a lot with dryness and itchiness.

Books.  I have a few books that I started reading early on, but the most popular one I have is What to Expect When Expecting.  I feel like mamas either hate or love What to Expect.  I don’t have an issue with it; I think the information provided is good, though I tend to ignore some of the more “preachy” subjects.  Even if you don’t like this particular book, you will need a source to go to when you start having tons of questions.  And going more on this subject, I also included a Baby Name Book.  I bought this one at Barnes & Nobles only a few weeks after we found out since I was so excited :)  We liked all the different lists in this book – much easier to go through those first to try and narrow our favorites down.  I wrote down all of our contenders in the back so it’ll be fun to look back on them in the future.

Blush.  Though I do feel like my “glow” is more from the prenatal vitamins, I wear this blush every day to compliment it.  Especially in the first few months you are not feeling so hot, so doing a little make-up in the morning will instantly boost your mood.  Oh, and don’t judge me, but I buy this blush from Ocean State Job Lot…can’t beat $3.99!

Reduced Fat Wheat Thins and Goldfish Crackers.  These babies would save me in the mornings when I woke up nauseous.  Always had at least one box of Wheat Thins at home and at work.  I would keep snack packs of Goldfish in my purse just in case I felt sick when I was out.

Ginger Ale.  It’s been awhile since I’ve had “real” soda but I did indulge in this stuff during the first couple months to help with the nausea.

Dunkin Donuts Plain Bagels w/Reduced Fat Cream Cheese.  Hubby would always be getting these for me on the weekends.  Always my go-to when my tummy doesn’t feel good.  Actually, any carbs would do!  I ate a ton of plain pasta with butter sauce and parmesan cheese, too.

Nature Made Prenatal Multi Vitamin + DHA Liquid Softgels.  I originally bought a different vitamin but quickly switched over to these softgels.  They’re much easier to swallow and have never made me sick (I take them at night with a small glass of milk before bed). 

 

I’m glad I finally compiled a list – better late than never.  Still can’t believe I’ll be working on a 2nd trimester list in just a month!