First Time Pregnancy Essentials

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First off, congrats! If you came across this post, you are probably pregnant for the first time or know someone who is. A first-time pregnancy is filled with so many emotions and you might find yourself doing LOTS of research. Trust me, I read way too much and had so many questions. I ended up purchasing some items I never used or didn’t like and I don’t want you to do the same!

This post will serve as the must have list to survive your first pregnancy! I will break down the list by first time pregnancy essential items I liked, loved, and couldn’t live without.

It’s never too early to prepare for labor so make sure to read my hospital bag post!

First Time Pregnancy Essentials: Like It

What to Expect When You’re Expecting: It isn’t a pregnancy list without including this well-known book. You could also download their app version (I loved it) but I found the book went much more in depth. Plus, I just liked having something physical to open and read about my pregnancy as it progressed.

Vitamins: Finding a good prenatal is a MUST. I have always taken this brand’s women’s daily vitamins so I stuck with the same brand during pregnancy. There are so many options out there and while I liked the vitamins I took, I am sure you could find several good ones.

Daily Greens: I will preface this by saying I absolutely HATED drinking my greens every day. Seriously, my husband would remind me all the time to drink my greens. Now if you have a great balanced diet, you probably don’t need this. However, if you are a picky as a toddler (hi, it’s me), then it is a good idea to add this daily green powder into your daily intake to make sure baby is getting enough nutrients.

First Time Pregnancy Essentials: Love It

Gu ided Pregnancy Journal: My sister gifted me this journal and I adored it. It is filled with fun prompts from how you found out, to picking a name, to planning the nursery, all the way through your birth story. There are special spots for pictures and folders for keepsakes. This journal was a great pregnancy keepsake and I can’t wait to share it with Kennadi when she is older.

Tums: Buy LOTS of these and carry them with you everywhere. I had Tums at home, in my purse, at my office, and in my car. I never experienced heartburn before pregnancy and wow, does it suck. Tums were the only thing to somewhat ease the miserable heartburn at 2 am. They also were helpful for the occasional and unexpected stomach issues (your body may start reacting differently to foods by second trimester.)

Bath Salts: Again, my sister gifted these salts to me when she found out I was pregnant. I probably wouldn’t have bought these for myself but they were amazing! I ended up buying several bags during my pregnancy. These salts were great for swollen feet and body aches. Just remember, keep your water lukewarm when you soak in the bath!

Maternity Belly Band: The belly band is really helpful in the third trimester when you start feeling more pelvic pressure and back pain. I had a lot of back and hip pain towards the final few months due to Kennadi’s positioning and wearing this band a few hours a day really made a difference.

Maternity Leggings: Comfort is everything when pregnant and these leggings are unmatched. Honestly, I loved everything from Motherhood Maternity but the leggings were my favorite. They weren’t see through and provided great support around the belly.

Balance Exercise Ball: I loved bouncing away on my ball in the third trimester! I also used it for some other pregnancy and pre labor exercises. It always helped loosen up my hips when I felt tight or sore.

First Time Pregnancy Essentials: Can’t Live Without

Preggie Pop Drops: My sister in law gifted me these and told me I would love them for firs trimester; she was definitely right! Luckily, I didn’t have morning sickness in my pregnancy but I did experience occasional nausea in the first trimester. These drops taste like candy and do the job to help curb that nauseous feeling.

Palmer’s Stretch Mark Lotion: I lathered this lotion on day and night, every single day of pregnancy. I was praying to not get stretch marks and somehow I didn’t! Yes, I know stretch marks are due to genetics too but it definitely can’t hurt to buy this and rub it on!

Bio-Oil: This stuff is amazing for just about anything. I used it to prevent stretch marks and continued using it after birth. It kept my stomach extremely hydrated which I think helped prevent stretch marks.

Pregnancy C Pillow: Once you can no longer sleep on your stomach, you will need a support pillow. I fell in love with my c shaped pillow. It was SO comfortable and provided support in every area I needed it. I personally didn’t have a C-section delivery but I know that some C-section moms have stated this pillow was also helpful post-partum when recovering.

If you want a more in depth checklist of these pregnancy essentials, as well as a hospital bag packing list and postpartum essentials guide, click the button below!

Yes, Give me the guide!

Well, happy shopping! Hopefully this helps you throughout your pregnancy! Good luck mama, you ‘ve got this! And as you get closer to delivery, don’t forget to check out my hospital bag and post-partum must haves!

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