My Recommended Pregnancy Products

As promised, I am sharing my recommended pregnancy products. This is overall what I think were my essentials throughout my pregnancy. I did create product recommendations for the first trimester and second trimester. You’ll notice a pattern and certain products are almost always mentioned.

It’s incredible seeing my body transform. I’ve noticed that a woman’s needs change as her body goes through pregnancy. The hormones have increased that may loosen the joints and cause a woman to waddle (like me), pelvic pressure as the baby grows, the morning sickness, and how essential it is to keep the body hydrated. So many things are happening at once and at a rapid rate. Although, I will admit that there are some days that 9 months of pregnancy feels long haha.

To accommodate the body changes it is good to have the necessary products to help pregnant women go through pregnancy as smoothly as they can (key word: as smooth as they can because it’s not always blissful). Since every woman’s body is different and reacts to pregnancy differently, I don’t expect every expecting mom to utilize all these products or find that they work for them.

Here’s what the 1st trimester, 2nd trimester, and 3rd trimester were like for me.

Recommended Pregnancy Products

Wellness Products

1. Prenatal Vitamins

Prenatal vitamins are essential throughout the entire pregnancy and even when you’re considering getting pregnant. I’m sure your OB/GYN has mentioned this as well. It’s giving you all the nutrients you need for you and the baby. Honestly, you can use any brand of prenatal vitamins as long as it is from a reputable source. Many people have sworn by the Ritual Prenatal vitamins.

2. Belly Bottle Pregnancy Water Bottle

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! I’m sure your OB says that too! Growing a baby takes a lot of work and it can lead to dehydration. I love this specific water bottle because it makes drinking a lot of water a lot easier. If you follow the guidelines on the bottle, you will be drinking about 90 oz a day. I also love that it can track the growth of your baby by comparing it to a fruit or veggie. It just makes it fun!

3. Conrad Compression Socks

I didn’t experience foot swelling (although I did after I delivered and these socks were a lifesaver!), but my feet and calves were always so sore and tired. I was also getting Charlie horses in the middle of the night sometime in my 2nd trimester. So at night, I put on these Conrad Compression Socks and they really helped with the Charlie horses (didn’t have them anymore) and soothed my aching feet and calves. I also liked them because they don’t look like compression socks. They have cute designs and they are functional to use after pregnancy too. They’re great for after workouts or whenever you feel it is necessary to use.

4. Indie Lee I-Recover Gel

During my pregnancy (especially later in the pregnancy), there were aches, back pains, headaches, and soreness. This recovery gel is AMAZING. You just rub it on the affected area and let it work its magic. If you suffer headaches, this is a better alternative to Tylenol. Just rub it into the temples of your head. It’s made with clean ingredients and has essential oils like eucalyptus and menthol for that de-stressing and soothing feeling.

5. Tums

Tums is great for heartburn and indigestion. I especially liked the chewable tums when I was pregnant. I had major heartburn and indigestion and it got more intense in my 3rd trimester.

6. Maternity Support Belt

You won’t need this belly band until you are later in your second trimester and for sure in your third trimester. But man, this support belt is a lifesaver. I wore mine around 24 weeks. As the baby grows, the pelvic pressure gets more intense. Wearing the maternity support belt relieves that pressure and makes walking a bit easier. Out of all the brands, this Belly Bandit Maternity Support belt is the best. It is pricier but worth every penny. My OB even recommended it. I looked at some on Amazon and it just seems that the price was the only benefit. Save yourself the trouble and just get the Belly Bandit Support belt. I recommend getting your pre-pregnancy pants size. I’m wearing a size small.

7. Body Pillow Pregnancy Pillow

You probably won’t need a pregnancy pillow until your second trimester, but it is good to have it handy in case you “popped” early or just want to sleep comfortably! I still use mine and I’m 10 weeks postpartum. As your bump grows it is important to be a side sleeper, especially on your left side. It provides the best oxygen flow to the baby. As you get bigger, the uterus will put more pressure on the aorta when you sleep on your back. Obviously, that can get very dangerous. However, I wouldn’t stress too much if you woke up on your back. As soon as you notice, just quickly switch to the side.

8. Ginger Candies

Ginger candies are great for morning sickness. To be honest, it wasn’t the perfect fix but it was the best that worked for me. I was pretty much nauseous throughout my pregnancy. The vomitting was more in the first trimester and third trimester. Yes, morning sickness can come back in the third trimester. For the third trimester, I was more nauseous and vomitting because the baby had pretty much squished my stomach.

Also, munching on raw almonds helped me with my morning sickness! Like I said, not a perfect fix but they made me feel better.

Skincare Products

9. Belly Butter Or Belly Oil

You’ll be surprised how quickly your body gets dehydrated and that also includes your skin and belly. Moisturizing your bump can prevent stretch marks and help with the belly itchiness. Overall, moisturizing gives your skin elasticity as it expands. I started using the Pipette Belly Butter immediately since my skin is naturally really dry. As I progressed in my pregnancy, I made the switch to using the Bio-Oil and Hatch Belly Oil. I recommend all 3 products. Sometimes I combine the Pipette Belly Butter and Bio-Oil (or Hatch) Belly Oil together for more moisture. I’m so glad I did this right at the beginning because I didn’t experience stretch marks (but this could be genetics) and this eased the belly itch.

10. Necessaire Body Lotion and Body Serum

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Notice a pattern? Your body is working overtime and it takes away the moisture from your body. I liked Necessaire prior to pregnancy but didn’t love it as much until I was pregnant. Their body lotion worked so well with my extra dry pregnancy skin and the body serum is icing on the cake! Especially in my third trimester, I really needed the moisture. The body serum has hylaronic acid which provides extra moisture and is safe for pregnancy.

11. Maelove Skincare

I love this skincare line!!! I’ve used the entire Clear Skin Kit line and the Glow Maker serum for my entire pregnancy. They’re made with clean ingredients so they’re pregnancy safe skincare. A lot have told me I have that “glow” and I honestly think it’s because of the Glow Maker serum. You can read my full review here.

12. Hatch Belly Mask

I’ll admit, I thought all the trendy belly masks were silly. But for Christmas I received several Hatch products (they’re my favorite maternity brand) and the belly mask was one of them. HOLY WOW! I quickly became a believer and user. I’ve only tried Hatch’s belly mask but it does an incredible job adding hydration to my bump and smoothing it out. Plus, it gave me the perfect excuse to rest. Us mamas need to rest!

Clothing Essentials – Maternity Clothes

I didn’t need to wear maternity clothes until I was 20 weeks and even then I was able to get away with some of my pre-pregnancy clothes. It all really depends on when you pop. But for sure in the 3rd trimester you will need maternity clothes. I love that maternity style has come a long way. They’re so much more chic now. So below is a list of my all time favorite maternity brands.

Hatch – pricey, but they are beautifully made. Wearing their clothes helped me gain confidence. All their stuff is so chic!
The Nines by Hatch – This is Hatch’s budget-friendly line. This is exclusively at Target. I shared my thoughts here.
Mango
A Pea In The Pod
Pink Blush Maternity – very affordable
BLANQI – I’m a big fan of their maternity leggings.

Maternity Jeans – See my full review here. My favorite is the Article of Society distressed jeans.

13. Maternity Overalls

If you know me by now, then you know I pretty much lived in maternity overalls. My all time favorite is the one I got from Mango. I have both colors – denim wash and black denim wash. Here’s how I styled them. They also make your baby bump look super cute.

14. True & Co Bras

I’ve raved about True & Co bras so much!!! THEY ARE WORTH IT. My full review here. I didn’t need to wear maternity bras because these bras are so good. Remember how I said if they are comfortable for someone who had a bilateral mastectomy (me), than I personally think it would be comfortable for any woman? During my pregnancy, that still held true. My True & Co Bras were the only bras that were comfortable. I sometimes forget I have it on! But if you really want a bra specifically for maternity, I did try Spanx Bra-lleluja and they’re pretty good too!

15. Maternity Workout Clothes

More specifically I recommend Maternity workout leggings. I worked out my entire pregnancy. I truly believe staying active has helped me a lot during pregnancy and recovery. My biggest regret is that I decided to purchase some around 30 weeks but it would have been more beneficial to have them before it. The support makes all the difference!

16. Airism Tank Top

The Airism tank top is actually non-maternity but they worked well with my growing bump. But if you want, you can size up. I am a huge Airism fabric fan because they’re comfortable, breathable, and seamless. I used them even before I was pregnant. During my pregnancy, I really wanted to layer because this tank top made it more soothing against my skin.

So this pretty much sums up my most recommended pregnancy products. Like I said, every pregnancy is different. So you may or may not find some of the things I used beneficial. But I do hope I am able to help somehow!

xo RD