Ten Tips That Helped Me During Pregnancy

Welcome to the Pregnancy Necessities Carnival! This post was written for inclusion in the Pregnancy Necessities Carnival hosted by Parenting God’s Children. Today, participants share what they simply cannot live without during their pregnancies or simply what to gather for their upcoming new addition. Please see the full list of links to the other carnival submissions at the end of this post. Enjoy!

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Pregnancy is a time of excitement and anticipation...but it can also be filled with many discomforts and bodily  and emotional changes. Sometimes it's nice to know how other been-there-done-that mamas got through it! I hope you find this list helpful!

Bedside Table Snacks: I was always so hungry. Even in the first trimester with the nausea I found if I had food in my belly it felt better. Later on in my pregnancies, I would get so hungry if I woke up to pee, it was like my body needed to have constant fuel-ups! I had a little dish with nuts, dried cranberries, raisins, and crackers. 

A Vitamin B Complex: Vitamin B-6 is a great supplement to calm nausea. Plus, Vitamin Bs are a great energy booster--perfect for that first trimester exhaustion! You can get these at any Health Food store,and the listed dosage is usually alright. But be sure to check with a Naturopathic Doctor or MD (though really, an MD will probably not know this info!) for the right dosage for you. 

Gum: I had a pack in the car and in my purse…helps with the nausea and it's nice to have fresh breath, especially if you are vomiting (so much fun! Haha!).

Comfortable shoes (and sandals, if appropriate): Your feet will get sore and tired...so make sure you have a super comfy pair of shoes that you can easily get on and off. Say goodbye to laces, buckles, zippers...and make your life easy and find a pair of shoes that just slips on! It doesn't mean you have to say goodbye to style though, there are plenty of shoes that are comfy, yet stylish.

Comfortable clothes: you may be able to keep wearing clothes from your existing wardrobe for the first couple of months, but eventually you will need to begin wearing pants and shirts that are comfy on your growing belly. I got away with just buying non-maternity clothes in bigger sizes for the majority of my pregnancies. The things I did have to buy in maternity were jeans, a dress and a bathing suit. You can buy all maternity if that's what you want, but just be aware that prices are {usually}way overpriced--so make sure you look in the sale section or at maternity consignment or second-hand stores! 

A small, medium-hard pillow: Having a small pillow will come in handy for car rides, sitting and for sleeping (to put behind you so you don't roll over and/or between your knees). Especially in the last few months it's important to not have your knees above hip level, this will help encourage baby to find a favorable position for childbirth. So, the pillow comes in handy to put under your bum, to make sure you are properly elevated.

An exercise ball (aka birthing ball): I cannot say enough good things about having a birthing ball around! It will help with proper fetal positioning, to strengthen your legs, to help the hips open, plus it is comfy. During labour it will also be helpful, as many women find it helps with several labouring positions.

A good book {or a few!}: If you like to read, now is the time to do it! When you have your baby in arms, you will not have much time and perhaps no energy to read all that you want. Here are my top five books to read during pregnancy (I have way more I love, so if you want more recommendations just let me know! Also, where possible I have included links to the author's pages, but I'm sure all the books listed below can be bought at your local bookstore or online):

1. Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn: The Complete Guide by Penny Simkin and Colleagues.
2. Ina May's Guide To Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin
3. The Baby Book by Dr. William Sears
4. The No Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley
5. Attached at the Heart by Barbara Nicholson and Lysa Parker

A Journal: I loved writng about what was happening, how I was feeling and I would also write notes to the baby. If writing in a journal is not your thing, or if you want more ways to record your pregnancy moments, then maybe taking pictures or video can also be a nice way to make lasting mementos.

Some good movies: Watch some movies while you can! I recommend you watch some pregnancy and childbirth related movies, as well as those that have nothing to do with it! Watching movies can be both a great way to educate yourself and a great way to distract yourself. I would highly recommend watching The Business of Being Born and More Business of Being Born, both of which can be downloaded directly from their website. 

Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants!

• The Pregnancy Happiness List — That Mama Gretchen is half way through pregnancy number two and is spilling the beans on her pregnancy must-haves!
• What A Pregnant Woman Really Needs — Jennifer Hybrid Rasta Mama reflects on what items she could not live without during her pregnancy as well as those she wishes she had.
• Cravings of Another Kind — When reflecting on what made her pregnancy enjoyable, Adrienne at Mommying My Way discovered information is what she craved most of all.
• The Pregnancy Necessities — Kym at Our Crazy Corner of the World shares her top ten must haves for pregnant women.
• The Expectant Mom‘s List of Breastfeeding Stuff to Buy, or Not — Alicia at Lactation Narration shares a list of 10 breastfeeding products that the expectant mom might want to have on her shopping list, or not.
• Pregnancy Necessities with a Toddler In Tow — Amyables at Toddler in Tow lists several simple things that make pregnancy while parenting an older child much less stressful and more enjoyable.
• Ten Tips That Helped Me During Pregnancy — Kat at {Almost} Every Moment shares ten things that helped her get through her three pregnancies!
• First Trimester Staples — Megan BB from The Memoirs of Megan shares her first trimester "must haves"
• The Pregnancy Must Have — Jennifer at True Confessions of a Real Mommy shares the ONE thing she used almost daily, through all three pregnancies and suggests to all pregnant moms.
• Where to Find Cute Maternity Clothes — Lauren at Hobo Mama reviews which maternity clothing stores to hit or miss.
• My Pregnancy Support System — While there are many material things that are nice to have during pregnancy, Dionna at Code Name: Mama’s true essentials were her family.
• What I Needed During My Pregnancy While Still Breastfeeding — Jenny at I'm a Full-Time Mummy shares one of the things she needed during her second pregnancy while she was still breastfeeding her toddler.
• Ten Essentials for a HAPPY Pregnant Mama — Sarah at Parenting God’s Children is half way through her third pregnancy! She shares the things she‘s found to be essential to a happy pregnant mama.