My Pregnancy Essentials For All Trimesters

As I enter into my third trimester soon, I cannot believe how quickly time has gone by. The first trimester seemed to take forever and the second one has absolutely blown by. Only a few more months until we meet baby girl.

If you read our pregnancy announcement post, you’ll know that the first trimester was no walk in the park. It was an incredibly challenging period of the pregnancy and it’s amazing how easy it has been to forget about it. Except for this week when a night of nausea brought on some serious PTSD from those early weeks :).

The other trimesters undoubtedly have brought new challenges, each pushing me to acclimate to this ever-changing body. Along the way, I’ve realized just how important daily rituals and essentials to aid have become.

Though my shelves have changed with each trimester, the heart of it has been self-care. Working alongside my therapist (I’m a high candidate for prenatal and postpartum depression), the focus of this entire pregnancy has been taking care of myself mentally and physically. So with each new change and feeling, I’ve been actively looking to manage both of these aspects of health.

Over the months, I’ve found that a few key items have really aided in alleviating pain and the new symptoms with each week. I will keep this post updated as I get further into my third trimester, but for now, this is everything for the first and second.

DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor and I am only sharing what I have personally chosen to do. You should always consult your doctor before taking any supplements.

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My Pregnancy Essentials For All Trimesters

First Trimester

Maternity Shorts + Pants — My number one recommendation is to get comfortable asap. Don’t wait. I thought I’d continue to wear my usual leggings and biker shorts and finally bought a pair of maternity pants and all I have to say is WOW. I bought a pair of pants + shorts at week 7 and they both still fit me today at week 25 as they stretch out. My choices are these Zella Bike Shorts + Zella Ankle leggings.

Maternity/Nursing Bras — Same sentiment as the maternity pants, get comfortable. I decided to go two sizes up in cup size and this trimester I am so glad I did. I also bought a few nursing bras that double as a bra I can wear now instead of buying several. This Bravado is a favorite as well as this pullover nursing bra.

Prenatals + Daily Supplements — There are a lot of options out there, so I can only share what I personally found to be the best fit for me. I’ve been on Ritual’s prenatal for almost a year now and started taking them before trying to conceive. I also take this Garden of Life Prenatal Probiotic daily. I did also supplement choline in the first trimester when I was not eating a ton of protein.

Nausea Aid — I tried everything under the sun, truly. The only thing I found to take the edge off was these Pink Stork Total Nausea B12 supplements and wearing Sea-bands. During the day, I sucked on these Preggie Pop Drops which the sourness helped with nausea and the metal mouth I was getting. Also, anything sour provided some relief.

Books — With all this time at home, I’ve been reading quite a few books. My top three to recommend are Expecting Better (read in T1), Cribsheet: A Data-Driven Guide to Better, More Relaxed Parenting (any trimester), and Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting (any trimester).

Oils + Lotions — As my skin started to stretch and my body grow, my goal has been to keep it hydrated from day one. I started using oils twice daily when I found out I was pregnant. It has become a daily ritual of self-care and really love it. The two products I found that I have repurchased now several times are the Erbaviva Organic Stretch Mark Oil and the Erbaviva Belly Butter.

Mental Health — I could write an entire blog post on mental health during pregnancy but I’ll keep it short. My saving grace has been daily walks and meditation. I have been using the app called HeadSpace and have been going through their pregnancy course. Couldn’t recommend it more.

What to Expect App — For tracking the pregnancy and weekly changes, I have been using the What to Expect app. I also have The Bump which I check occasionally.

Pregnancy Journal — One of the things I wanted to do throughout the pregnancy is journal my experience and milestones. I found this beautiful journal on Etsy and adore the prompts for remembering the small details of this journey.

Second Trimester

For Cramping Legs — I started to get some major cramping in my legs in the second trimester and ultimately found this Magnesium oil to help soothe. I’ve also been supplementing with these electrolytes. It’s very uncomfortable but stretching and staying hydrated does help.

For Back Pain — I started getting some lower back pain and found a bath with these Pink Stork Pregnancy Flakes really helped (also a great self-care ritual). I also wear this Pregnancy Support Band on longer walks. I love this gel cushion for my seats at home and on longer drives (love that it is a travel size).

Compression Socks — Highly recommend getting a pair of Comrad socks and wearing them often. It feels like the weight has been taken off my legs when I wear these. They improve blood flow and can help prevent varicose veins and deep vein thrombosis.

A Medicine Ball — I have really come to love this medicine ball as an office chair and it also helps open up my hips. It will be used throughout the entire pregnancy, especially as I get closer to delivery.

For Hunger — I’ve noticed my appetite kick into third gear in the second trimester. I’ve had to keep snacks with me at all times or else… My favorite easy snack is these RX Nut Butter packs.

For Sleep — The latest and greatest part of pregnancy has been not getting comfortable at night. Based on how I sleep, I decided not to get a pregnancy pillow but rather just use a body pillow between my legs. I also take these chewable magnesium pills at night to help with insomnia.