friday five: pregnancy must-haves
similar top | necklace | jeans | boots | sunnies
photos by Ban Avenue Photography
TGIF, friends! This week has been a quick one but I'm glad because this weekend is going to be so much fun. There's going to be a lot of baby shower action going on, between one of my sweet friends we're showering tomorrow and then a baby shower my friends are giving us on Sunday. Getting to celebrate life's special moments with good friends brings me so much joy and I'm thankful for all the wonderful people in our life who love this baby boy already.
Because all things baby are definitely on the brain (I'm a week and a half away from being considered full-term..gasp), I decided to do this week's Friday Five focused on the items I've used most during pregnancy (both this one and my first). I hope this will help some of you mamas to be that are expecting and if you have anything to add, please let me know in the comments! I'm always looking for new things to try to make pregnancy a little easier. :)
5 Pregnancy Must-Haves:
1. THESE camis are a serious game-changer. It should come as no surprise to anyone that I'm not a fan of wearing bras while pregnant (or anytime for that matter), so I pretty much have on a cami under everything I wear. I feel like they add support to the growing belly, make shirts appear smoother (hide the volcano belly button a little), are great for layering when it's cold outside, and mostly importantly, keep me from having to wear a legit bra. If you're bigger chested I realize that last point may not be an option for you but you can still reap all the other benefits from a great cami! This one is on sale for $14 and I have all 3 colors but own multiple nude ones because they go under everything undetected.
2. If you've experienced swelling at all or your legs are just killing you from the added weight of a new belly, THIS stuff will be your new BFF. I haven't swelled at all this pregnancy (yet) by some divine miracle but I did with Bear and Lucky Legs helped so much. I still use it after a long day of walking and I swear it helps me sleep; I'll have Zach rub it into my feet and it really helps with water retention and circulation. Even if you're not pregnant, this leg gel is great!
3. Maternity jeans are going to be one of your most-worn items during pregnancy so invest in a good pair like THESE. And honestly, compared to most maternity brands, these are fairly inexpensive. I tried lots- and I do mean LOTS- of maternity jeans and the ones from ASOS were by far my favorite. The quality is amazing (I can't believe it for the price), the fit is perfect (they run TTS), and they last through a million washes (I can tell you from experience).
4. If you're more than 5 weeks pregnant chances are you've already invested in body butter of some form, but THIS is my very favorite. I haven't had any stretch marks with either pregnancy- knock on wood- and lather this stuff on my big ol belly every night after I get out of the shower. It also comes in a milk and honey scent but I prefer the lavender; they both do the trick! Compared to other brands I've tried (and again, there have been many), Body Boost feels the best going on to my skin and helps with itching, too.
5. An app that tells you all the crazy things that are going on inside your body is necessary for the curious-minded. Especially if you're a first time mom, you'll want to know everything you can expect week to week as far as changes with your growing baby and your own body. I've downloaded almost every baby tracking app out there and the Pregnancy Tracker & Baby App by BabyCenter is my favorite. Not only is it really informative with the progress of your pregnancy, but it also has a lot of built-in tools (like a contraction timer) and upbeat birth month forums. I used the contraction timer on this app when I started going into labor with Bear and it was amazing. It honestly is what helped me realize I was having real contractions and got us to the hospital on time.
I could tell y'all to go out and buy an expensive maternity body pillow but truth be told, I just shove a regular pillow between my legs every night and it does the trick just fine. I do need something there to kind of balance the weight and not kill my knees but I had a body pillow with Bear and honestly it was a little too much for me. Does anyone else feel the same? I also have loved my Spanx maternity leggings, especially since regular leggings are even getting a little tight on the bump as of the past few weeks. I'm still living in them regardless because regular pants are way overrated.
I keep telling myself I'll do an even more extensive list on pregnancy items that I've loved soon so if there's any interest in this, y'all please let me know and I'm happy to do it!
We're headed to McDonalds for a playdate with friends and all the salty french fries/sweet tea. I hope you all have an amazing weekend!
xo, Britt
