Preggers have needs too..

Pregnancy is a continuous learning experience, especially when it's your first one. We can Google as much as we want, but we seriously don't know until we go through it ourselves. There is so much information on the internet, from articles, to pregnancy birth clubs, to blogs, it can get overwhelming at times. I had to keep reminding myself to just listen to my body and to take all advice with a grain of salt and to just make sure I took care of myself.

Here are some things I loved having during my pregnancy! These would make a great gift for someone who just found out about their pregnancy.

1) Belly Band $28 (but I found one at Target for $17) : My only regret is that I didn't buy this sooner. It made it so much easier to wear pants I already owned instead of having to buy maternity pants.

2) Water Bottle $13-$17 : I have to confess, pre-pregnancy I was the worst water drinker. But seriously, staying hydrated while pregnant is crazy important. Having my trusty Camelbak water bottle was so helpful. You can see how much water you consumed (mine has 8oz, 16 oz, and 24 oz marked on the outside of the bottle) and its more environmentally friendly than store bought water bottles, AND it's BPA free. Once I started using my CamelBak, I noticed I started drinking a lot more consistently, and I now drink about 9 cups of water a day. I really think staying hydrated also helped me pass my glucose tests (which I thought I would totally fail because I love carbs and sugar, lol..)

3) Belly Cream $12-$35 : I personally used Mama Mio every night before I went to sleep. It is on the pricier side, $35 per tube, but  I started using it around week 21 of my pregnancy, and so far like it's consistency and that it's not greasy. It absorbs well and also has a nice scent to it, that's not overpowering. So far I have no stretchmarks (Hallelujah), but we will see as I get closer to my due date. I know some women who start using belly cream very early in their pregnancy, so no matter what the brand, it's always nice to have something to keep your belly moisturized.

4) Maternity Leggings $25-$30 : SO COMFORTABLE. And that's all you really need to know.

5) Lamb Hot Water Bottle $29 : Around the end of my first trimester, I started getting lower back pains. I bought some ThermaCare heat packs that seemed to do the trick, but I didn't want to keep buying heat packs all the time just to throw them away. I ended up ordering this Lamb Heat Pack from Amazon, which was not only super cute, the perfect size for my back, but it also worked just as well as those disposable heat packs.

6) Bringing up Bebe $16 : I actually received this as a Christmas gift from my great aunt. It is based on an American mom who moves to Paris and then raises her children there. I thought that there were parts of the book that were really interesting, especially when they compared some American parenting vs. French parenting. It is a nice break from reading all these articles you might Google about what you need to do and not do while pregnant.

Sometimes everyone gets so excited about the baby coming, that they forget about this vessel that carries and nurtures the baby for 40 weeks. Don't get me wrong, I am super excited for the baby to arrive and I'm sure it will be spoiled with all these goodies (this is the first grandchild for both families), but seriously being preggers ain't easy. If I could be that magical pregnancy unicorn that can wear heels and look amazing everyday and not ever be uncomfortable or have to pee a million times a day, that would be amazing, but that is not the case most of the time, lol. So next time you hear about a new pregnancy, instead of jumping at your first chance of buying the baby a toy or a onesie, maybe think about the mommy to be and buy her a little something instead.

P.S. Also, gift cards for shopping, manicures, pedicures, haircuts, and massages are always welcomed. As my cousin says, "Because a preggers needs to feel beautiful." True datttttt.

Note: I do not get paid or endorsed to use these products. I'm just posting up what I have used and loved!