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jillybeansnyc

My Pregnancy Must-Haves

Updated: May 24, 2021



I don’t know where the time went, but this baby should be arriving in just a little over 6 weeks (SEND HELP!) In some ways, being pregnant in a pandemic made time stand still, and in others, it feels like it totally disappeared. I’m almost entirely through my first pregnancy, minus the whole major labor and delivery part!

There were definitely some great products that helped this pregnancy go smoothly. Some were things I discovered, and others were recommendations made by friends who had been down this road before. I’m excited to now pass along the info!

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission if you choose to purchase through the links I provide (at no extra cost to you).

Belly Balms and Oils

Right after announcing my pregnancy, a close friend encouraged me to start moisturizing with belly balm or oil every day to help prevent stretch marks. I know many people feel this is a total waste of time and if you’re going to get stretch marks, it’s unavoidable and hereditary. But I figured, in the worst case scenario, I’ll just be super moisturized haha. I’ve tested several creams over the course of my pregnancy and here were my top choices!


Glow Organics Belly Butter

One of my besties sent this to me right after I shared the big news and I love it! I've now gone through several canisters, and am about to start another to get through this home stretch.


Kora Organics Noni Oil

I was fortunate enough to win a contest during my first trimester and received a bunch of pregnancy goodies. This product is from Miranda Kerr's organic skincare line. The oil and the corresponding body balm were a part of my gift package and I loved both so much that I purchased it myself after I finished.



Skincare

I was already on a quest to use more organic, paraben-free, and cruelty free beauty products. I’ve been loving the Acure facewash and moisturizer that was recommended to me by a friend. Note: She specializes in all things clean beauty, so if that is a change you're looking to make, I highly recommend checking out her Instagram account, @creaturesofglow.



Baths with Dr. Teals

Truth be told, I’ve never really been a bath person, but I am LOVING them during pregnancy. This lavender bubble bath with Epsom salt is a dream.


Pregnancy Pillow

If you’ve read my previous post about pregnancy in a pandemic, you’ll know that my husband loves this as much as I do. I’m not kidding when I tell you that there are three pregnancy pillows in our bed right now: two full body and another smaller side-sleeper one that I used earlier on in pregnancy. All are linked below:



Leggings

These would be getting me through pandemic life pregnancy of not. I’ve included some of my faves, both maternity and non-maternity options.

NikiBiki Leggings

I discovered this brand at one of my favorite boutiques in Cape May years ago. Since I spend most of the day sitting and crawling around on the floor when teaching, I’m always in the market for good leggings. This brand is affordable and the leggings are one size fits all, so guess what?! Perfect during pregnancy too! So many fun colors and patterns. I’ve been wearing the pairs I had pre-pregnancy and purchased some fun new patterns too.




Blanqi Maternity Leggings

These came highly recommended and were on sale during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, so I stocked up!


Mothers Essentials Leggings

Super affordable and another great maternity option that came highly recommended!


Hydro Flask

Love this water bottle! My husband and I have been using them since way before I was pregnant, but drinking water and staying hydrated has been so immensely important during this time that I highly recommend making the investment!


Maternity Bras

True story: this is the largest my boobs have ever been. My underwire bras started to get uncomfortable fairly early in the pregnancy, and these affordable bras from Amazon have been great. They're not the sexiest, but they're comfy and they get the job done. They also come with extenders, so they can get bigger if you need them to.



Obe Fitness

Exercise has been incredibly important for me, both physically and mentally during pregnancy. Since the gym was a no-go, I downloaded Obe, which has offered great workout options through every stage of pregnancy.


All The Snacks… but mainly Almond Butter

I’ve definitely seen a huge shift in my appetite, especially in the third trimester, so healthy and filling snacks are a must. Almond butter has been a staple, especially these travel packets that I can have on hand at any time. I love them with bananas, crackers, or most recently, on f


rozen whole grain waffles.


Books

I’ve read a lot of books over the course of this pregnancy, but these were my favorites.

Baby Knows Best by Deborah Carlisle Solomon

I recently completed the RIE Foundations course and found it to be incredibly enlightening, both as a teacher and a future parent. At the heart of the approach is an immense respect and trust for a child’s capabilities and competence from birth. My instructor recommended this book in addition to the required readings for class, and I highly recommend it to any parent.


Expecting Better by Emily Oster

The cover of this book says it all. Emily Oster’s book seeks to share why the conventional pregnancy wisdom is wrong and what you really need to know. Emily (I feel like we’re friends after reading this book) is an economist and uses that approach to sift through all the recommendations and information to help you make the best decisions for your pregnancy. There is so much information out there and so many opinions. It was nice to read a book that laid out the facts and then left me to make my own choices.


Sometimes I want to be given information to make choices and other times, I just want someone to tell me what to do. That’s where this book comes in. My OBGYN recommended it. It’s straightforward and to the point, and written by two New York doctors.



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