As my first pregnancy comes to an end (holy moly!!), I thought it was time to compile some of my favorite items to survive pregnancy. I say ‘survive’ because being pregnant is hard work. It is not easy! These things are especially helpful for my fellow photographers, but all of them would be ‘must haves’ for me regardless of my job. Obviously there are all kinds of things that are helpful for specific stages of pregnancy. I tried to limit my list to items that I have used during all three, or at least the second and third, trimesters. So these really are items that I couldn’t have survived pregnancy without!
1. Belly Support Shorts/Maternity Spanx
I loved these ones from Motherhood on Amazon. If you’re anything like me, dresses are the most comfortable thing during pregnancy. No one needs buttons right under their growing belly! These save my thighs from chafing (iykyk), support my belly as it gets heavier, and smooth my body out in the perfect way. I get way more compliments on my bump when these are secretly underneath my clothes. If you’re a wedding photographer, then something like this is a must for wedding days. These have been my most used item during pregnancy so far!
I bought my pregnancy pillow at 10 weeks because I was sooooo uncomfortable. I couldn’t sleep and was so tired. A lot of this was due to my all day nausea, but I figured a pregnancy pillow couldn’t hurt. Plus. I am naturally a stomach/back sleeper and you’re not allowed to do that as you get further along! So this pillow helped me train myself to sleep on my side. I spent me entire first trimester and most of my second sick in bed, so anything to make it more comfortable was worth it. There are a lot of great ones out there, but I picked this one and loved it!
3. Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Massage Lotion for Stretch Marks
There are lots of products out there to help with stretch marks! I picked up this one at Target and it has been great. I haven’t been as consistent with using it as I should have been, but I still have noticed it working. The few stretch marks I have don’t really bother me. My body is growing a whole human so if there are some tiger stripes to prove it, I’m fine with that. Like I said, I didn’t use this as consistently as I should have or else I would have way fewer stripes!
I was hot all the time before I got pregnant. For the last 8 months I have felt like a convection oven! This was especially true in the summer. So this portable fan has been a game changer! I bring it to all my sessions and weddings. I also just leave it in the car for when I feel like I’m burning from the inside out and Daniel is cold from me blasting the AC 😜 My couples have loved it too because they get hot during their wedding days or at their engagement sessions and I can use it to cool them down!
5. Aerie Bralette
The specific one I bought has been discontinued (so no link), but this has been a life saver. It’s not secret that *certain* parts of your body get way more sensitive and grow a lot during pregnancy, especially in the first and second trimesters. I found this bralette to be the most comfortable one for me! I’m sure any similar bra/bralettee would work for you.
BONUS: Risen Motherhood Book
This book has been my absolute favorite as I prepare for motherhood. It shows you how the Gospel applies to every single aspect of our motherhood journeys, even pregnancy. I could not recommend this book more as you start to start to think about becoming a mom. If you call yourself a Christian (or even if you don’t), I think you will love this book. Buying all the cute clothes and organizing a nursery is super fun, but this is helps you prep your heart!
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