My Go-To Pregnancy Products

Since becoming pregnant I’ve heard and seen a LOT about products to make things easier and healthier for the mommy to be, and I have to say that there are not very many that I use or have been consistent in using.  Here are just a few of the things that I’ve been using since finding out that I was with child and what I think about them:

Vitamins/Supplements
There are a LOT of options when it comes to vitamins and supplements for moms to be and quite honestly I would prefer to get my nutrients from more natural sources like food.  Plus, well, it gives me an excuse to eat more.  YAY FOR EATING!  Now that I can stomach food (unlike in the first trimester) we’ve been eating a lot more salmon, lean meats and poultry, beans, veggies, and fruit.  And eggs.  Lots and lots of eggs.  But when it comes to supplements here’s what I’ve been taking:  prenatal vitamins, folic acid, the occasional regular Tylenol if a headache strikes.

I’ve heard some women have problems taking certain types of prenatal vitamins, but luckily I could stomach them just fine if I took them at night before bed.

I also took Prometrium (a progesterone supplement) for about a month in the first trimester because my levels tested low and I have to say that was a beating…the pill itself can be taken orally or, ahem, inserted elsewhere (my doctor recommended orally for me) and it’s HUGE.  It also elevates the side effects of pregnancy, so emotions and worry and nausea were through the roof for those 4 weeks.  As for the Tylenol thing, I’ve never been one who takes pain medication at the first sign of a headache or anything, but if I have a continuous headache that’s lasted more than a few hours I will take 2 regular strength Tylenol, a ton of water, and lay down for a bit.  Usually that’s enough!

Lotions and Beauty Products
Couple things here:  I’m typically a very (emphasis on the VERY) low-maintenance person when it comes to my lotion and beauty product routine.  I don’t use a lot of special lotions or moisturizers or soaps…just whatever smells nice will work for me (and has SPF in it – that is a must).  That being said, there are some things that have changed with pregnancy, the first one being that I can’t use any product that has salicylic acid in it.  Apparently it could cause developmental issues en utero and has been shown to cause complications.  I did ask my doctor about this one since some pregnancy books (like 98% of them) are just there to scare the living crap out of moms to be, but she did say that it’s best to leave it alone.  So no more acne prevention stuff for me, which has led to some interesting issues.  I never had acne before but have found myself in breakouts for the first time in my life for about 2 weeks at a time.  I’ve found some help in just making sure that I wash 12 hours apart twice a day and use a gentle cleanser and moisturizer like these two:

As for make-up I’m sticking with the mascara and a little concealer a la BareMinerals for touch-ups.  As for lotion I’ve actually been reading that there’s nothing out there that will keep you from getting stretch marks – it’s mostly genetic – but that keeping your skin well-moisturized will prevent itchiness.  I’ve been using this cocoa-butter based lotion since before pregnancy and haven’t had any stretch marks yet;

HOWEVER, my mom never had a lot of stretch marks with either myself or my sister.  Since I’m at 25 weeks I know I have more growing to do and can’t guarantee they won’t happen.  I am making sure to keep my skin covered in the lotion though since Colorado winters are notoriously dry and hard on skin, even though the smell is killing me.  It’s funny – ever since becoming pregnant smells are all over the place.  It either smells WONDERFUL or absolutely awful and there’s usually no in between.

Clothes and Shoes
You guys have been with me all the way on this and honestly clothes have been both the hardest and the easiest to come by.  I say hardest because try as I might it’s near impossible to find things that I love, that are flattering, and that are inexpensive.  The things I have absolutely loved are the maternity tanks and Belly Bands from Target – they are soft, fit under everything, and I wear them literally every day.  Definitely getting my money’s worth out of these!  As for maternity jeans the ones I have that I like the most are from Gap.

I like the darker wash (super flattering) and the variety of styles, but I have to say that I’m torn on the panel.  Some women do the jeans with just the stretchy waistband and I’m not one that it feels comfortable on.  On the other hand, the full panel is a little too stretchy for me and tends to make the jeans fall down.  HOWEVER, I consider it money well spent for the fact that I have a pair of jeans that I can wear all winter and can make adjustments with the Belly Bands.  Now to the easiest part – I have incredible friends who are super sweet and have let me borrow their maternity clothes.  Granted this means you end up with some pieces you love and others that are not so awesome, but when it comes down to it I’ve been saved by those borrowed clothes more times than I can count.  As for bras I am still able to wear most of the pre-pregnancy ones but I can feel that starting to change with every passing day.  Soon it’s going to be time to invest in a few nursing bras and I am completely nervous about it.  Bra shopping is one of my least favorite activities!  If you have any recommendations, please let me know – I’m all ears on this one!

For shoes I’ve been wearing my Sanuks a LOT because they’re comfy and fit my slowly growing feet.

I also got some beautiful black boots as a birthday gift from my sweet husband and I love them – perfect with jeans, tights, or leggings AND they fit my calves AND they fit my growing feet.  I love them and I love DSW for carrying them.

Other Stuff
As for other stuff there’s really not a lot that I have been using.  Sleeping is getting harder, and so I bought a body pillow at Target to try and help adjust from sleeping on my stomach (which is the norm) to my side.  It’s not necessarily easy but the body pillow makes it worth it.  Honestly if I was willing to throw down the cash I would totally invest in a Snoogle, but $50 for a pillow is a bit much for my liking.

Body pillow it is!  That and other pillows that are stacked up to give myself a little more of a reclining position rather than laying flat.  It’s helped a TON with the comfort level, the breathing through my never-ending stuffy nose, and being able to sleep for periods longer than a couple hours.

Snacks are another thing that I can’t seem to live without these days.  I’ve been trying to keep them on the healthier side with yogurt and granola, protein bars (which I don’t love but help in a pinch), dried apricots, apples and peanut butter and fruit snacks.  I can’t promise there isn’t the occasional bag of chips tossed in there every now and then though, especially because I love salty foods.  It happens…and I usually up the amount of water I drink to try and keep water retention down!

So there you have it – the ever-growing list of pregnancy loves and things that keep me sane.  Well, maybe not sane sane, but almost.  Gotta keep it interesting, you know 😉