Pregnancy Essentials For All Trimesters

Whether you're in your first, second, or third trimester of pregnancy you may be wondering if there are any products or services that could help make this experience more comfortable and enjoyable! This post is all about my personal pregnancy essentials list for all trimesters! 

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Pregnancy Essentials First Trimester

The first trimester of pregnancy has been my least favorite. I remember having really intense emotions, feeling nauseous, and just overall feeling gross and not like myself. I shared a detailed pregnancy essentials list for the first trimester in this post but I wish I would have known that it would get so much better in the second trimester and I wouldn't feel that way forever! 

Facebook Groups

I didn't learn about this until the second trimester but joining a facebook group of women who are due the same month as you is extremely helpful especially if this is your first pregnancy! Search "month year due date" or "month year babies" of your due date and you should find facebook groups filled with pregnant women in the same stage as pregnancy as you! I've learned so much from the questions and advice posted in those groups and it's also reassuring to know that other moms are experiencing the same emotions and symptoms as you! 

Pregnancy Essentials Second Trimester

In my experience the second trimester is when I felt the most comfortable and had the most energy so I would definitely recommend taking advantage of this time to prioritize your health and check as much off of your to-do list as possible! 

Chiropractic care

I started seeing a chiropractor beginning around 12 weeks of pregnancy and I truly believe this is what helped me feel physically comfortable during most of my pregnancy. When looking for a chiropractor while pregnant it's important to make sure they are Webster certified, which is a special technique of chiropractic care specifically for pregnant women. Chiropractic care really helped with my pelvic discomfort and I always feel a clearer mind and more energy after my adjustments. Chiropractic adjustments can also sometimes help turn a breech baby and speed up a stalled labor! I spoke with a doula who said she was tempted to offer a discount to her clients who regularly received chiropractic care throughout their adjustments because she was that confident that it helps aid in a smoother labor and delivery! 

Walking / Exercise

Walking and exercising is something that I unfortunately didn't do as much as I hoped I would. I wish I would have gotten in the habit of doing this during the second trimester when I was feeling more energized. Now that I'm in my third trimester I'm trying to get in more steps everyday as that can be helpful going into birth but it's more difficult now that my feet are swollen, I'm tired, and honestly out of shape. When I was feeling up for a light exercise I really enjoyed the prenatal pilates classes through the Melissa Wood Health app! 

Maternity Clothes

I put off wearing maternity clothes for as long as possible. A clothing rental service such as Nuuly is really great during pregnancy to size up in clothes without having to buy things you may not fit in again! I finally caved and bought maternity leggings and tank tops which I lived in the rest of my pregnancy! I suggest investing in neutral basics that you can layer with cardigans or lightweight button down shirts. Stretchy dresses were also pregnancy essentials for me since I was pregnant throughout the summer! 

Nursery Preparation

Although your baby likely won't sleep in their nursery until they are closer to one year old, if you're planning on decorating a space for your baby I highly recommend doing most of it during the second trimester. Once you're in the third trimester it's more difficult to bend over and sit on the floor so if you need to build furniture or organize dresser drawers you'll be happier to get this finished during the second trimester. 

Baby Moon

A vacation is absolutely not a pregnancy essential however I do recommend setting aside intentional time with your spouse away from household responsibilities and work distractions to really connect before the baby comes. My husband and I took a long weekend trip to Hilton Head which I wrote about in this post. I'm so happy we took the time and invested in one last trip just the two of us! I'm adding this to the second trimester pregnancy essentials list even though we went around 32 weeks because I started to feel really tired and uncomfortable on this trip and came down with a cold once we got home. If you don't know already even just a cold is absolutely miserable when pregnant! 

Baby Shower

If you are having a baby shower I would plan to have it during the second trimester if possible! A big social event can be exhausting while you're pregnant and leaning over to open gifts can be difficult with a larger baby bump! I shared my baby registry must haves in this post and details all about my here comes the son baby shower theme in this post! 

Pregnancy Pillow

If you haven't already, it's time to start using a pregnancy pillow! You might have gotten by with extra pillows up until the third trimester but a pregnancy pillow will likely be necessary at this point. I'm actually not in love with the C-shape design pillow that I purchased so I think for my next pregnancy I will grab one with a wedge like this. 

Compression Socks / Comfortable Shoes

My feet swelled up on the flight to our baby moon and never went back down! I even had to size up 1 shoe size! Compression socks really help with the swelling and I've heard that drinking coconut water or electrolytes can help with this also. 

Tums

My worst pregnancy symptom has been acid reflux. It was tolerable until the third trimester and then I had to keep a bottle of tums on me at all times, especially before bed! 

Nursery Organization

This has been such a fun nesting stage of pregnancy! Washing and folding all of the clothes has made it feel real that a baby will be here soon and it's a good idea to do this sooner than later to see if there are any sizes of clothes that you still need to get before your baby arrives! 

Nursing Bras

By the third trimester most of my bras are feeling pretty tight. I decided to invest in a few nursing bras and I've just been wearing those towards the end of my pregnancy because they are very comfortable! I really like the ones I purchased from Momanda because they are cute, supportive, and have options without underwires. 

Birth Ball / Exercise Ball

Maybe one of the most important third trimester pregnancy essentials is a birth ball. A birth ball can help with pain and encourage labor by opening up your pelvis when used with different exercises. You can also use the birth ball during labor to try and find comfort in different positions. Make sure to check the height recommendations before purchasing to ensure you get the right size! 

Childbirth Education Classes

I had a lot of fear going into childbirth prior to taking childbirth education classes. After completing the Spinning Babies course and classes through Birth Matters I feel knowledgeable, empowered, and prepared for what is to come! Since I am planning a natural water birth I also thought reading this book was helpful and I have started listening to the Christian Hypnobirthing app. 

I hope this pregnancy essentials list was helpful! Wishing you a healthy pregnancy and a smooth labor and delivery! Thanks for reading! 

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