Pregnancy is beautiful and wonderful, but it is also physically and mentally challenging. There are some must haves (in my mind anyways) that can make pregnancy easier for moms.
I’ve had 3 pregnancies at this point in my life. There are many great things about pregnancy, but there are also many things that sucked as well! I’ve found a few essentials along the way to make the journey a little better and a little easier.
I think we can all use a little help and a little pick-me-up when we aren’t feeling our best. So, if you find something on this list to make your pregnancy a little better, then I have succeeded!
Most of these items can be found for a reasonable price on Amazon. I am all about comfort on a budget!
*Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a percentage (at no extra cost to you) if you make a purchase through a link that I have shared. I am an Amazon Affiliate.
Here are my pregnancy must haves for moms:
- Prenatal vitamins
Talk to your healthcare provider about what prenatal vitamin is right for you. I also added in a vitamin B supplement when I was pregnant per the guidance of my midwife. That helped with my nausea.
These are the prenatal vitamins I used during pregnancy.
2. Seabands
I wore these throughout most of my first trimester to help with nausea.
They also help with motion sickness, which is why I originally had them. I decided to try wearing them during my first trimester when I was feeling sick and I thought they helped.
I’m unsure if they helped or if it was more in my head, but either way, I felt better. They are a cheap and easy thing to try to help with nausea. I am always looking for ways to save money and stick to my budget while also making things easier for myself!
3. Lemon and peppermint candies
I sucked on these throughout my first trimester to help with nausea.
I felt like crap and needed anything I could to help me function during my first trimester.
They won’t help everyone (especially those with certain medical conditions), but I figured it was easy and worth a try!
4. Bellyband
This is great to have when your belly is expanding, but you aren’t quite ready for maternity clothes.
With my first baby, I was SO excited to get into maternity clothes. I jumped right into wearing them long before I needed to. After my first pregnancy, I tried to stay in my non-maternity clothes for as long as possible. The belly band helped me to extend the use of my “normal” clothes.
5. SI belt
If you are having low back pain during pregnancy, this can be a game changer! This was a lifesaver in my 3rd trimester, especially when I had to be on my feet for long periods at work.
You should contact your healthcare provider before using an SI belt.
I wore it for most of my 3rd trimester (especially my 2nd and 3rd pregnancies when I had bigger babies) to help improve stability and decrease low back pain.
I tried a couple of different brands. They are NOT all made the same. I definitely recommend the Serola SI belt. It was much better than the other ones that I tried.
6. Snacks
Throughout my pregnancy, I needed to have frequent snacks to avoid getting nauseous and hangry. I liked to have some easy snacks handy.
Here is a list of some of my go-to snacks.
I liked making these No-Bake Oatmeal bars. They are easy, healthy, and helped satisfy my sweet tooth!
I like to keep Larabars, fruit and veggies, and a variety box of crackers on hand for a quick snack.
7. Water bottle
It’s essential to stay hydrated throughout pregnancy and postpartum. Having a great water bottle helped me to track my water consumption.
I love water bottles, but I have a few that are my favorite. I love this one because it is sturdy and stays cold forever. And I love this one because it is great for helping me track my water intake.
The size of the ball you need is different depending on your height. I am 5’6 and I have a 75 cm ball. Ideally you want your hips and knees to be bent to about 90 degrees when you are sitting on the ball.
This is great to help decrease aches and pains. It can also help during labor as well.
I struggled when I started wearing compression socks because they made me feel “old”. In my mind, a 30-year-old pregnant lady shouldn’t be wearing them, but now I believe everyone (pregnant or not!) should be wearing compression socks! I wear mine all the time. I even convinced my husband to wear compression socks.
There are many different brands and amounts of compression out there. I would recommend 15-20 mmHg compression. If you aren’t sure what you should get, if you go to a medical supply store, they can usually make sure you get fit for the correct size and compression. A good physical therapist can also help with this!
10. Great physical therapist that specializes in pregnancy and postpartum.
A great PT can help you decrease aches and pains during pregnancy, help you prepare for labor, help you during labor, and help you postpartum as well.
Unfortunately in the US, we underutilize PTs, especially postpartum. Ladies well all need postpartum PT to help with pelvic floor strength and core strength, no matter how you deliver that baby!
So, find a great PT you trust! You will be glad to have one! This is something that most women don’t know about and in the US, we do not stress the importance of this enough!
11. Cleaning service or friends/family to help out when you aren’t feeling well.
This was a lifesaver during my 1st trimester and during my postpartum recovery as well.
My 2nd and 3rd children are 21 months apart and having a cleaning service helped me to stay sane.
If you aren’t able to get cleaning help, try to prepare ahead of time when you are feeling well (usually in the 2nd trimester and part of the 3rd trimester). Here is a great list for how to prepare for your baby and a deep cleaning checklist.
12. Someone to help with older kids if you aren’t feeling well or need some extra rest.
It’s hard to be patient and take care of your children if you aren’t getting enough rest and aren’t taking care of yourself. Mama’s make sure to take care of yourself!
We all need help from time to time. There is no shame in asking someone for help!
The biggest thing that I always stress is to prepare as much as you can ahead of time. You don’t know how pregnancy and birth will affect you until after you go through it… and each birth can be so different! So, prepare whatever you can ahead of time. You won’t regret it!
I hope my list of pregnancy must haves for moms was helpful. Do you have other essentials that aren’t on my list? I would love to hear them!
