It feels like not long ago I was yelling “Nick!!!! I think I’m pregnant!” in our apartment all while feeling extremely overwhelmed and excited. Then came the decision to quickly buy a house and make it a home before baby Hinkle’s arrival in November. Fast forward to now, I must say we are killing it in the productivity over here! I always thought I knew what pregnancy would feel like, but it’s truly so different for everyone. Coming from someone who had no idea what they are doing, I would not have been able to survive without my pregnancy must haves that I’d love to share with you!
- PSI Bands
- When that first trimester hit, it was hard. I was so nausea and had no appetite. Functioning was legit hard, I was so miserable. Then one day my BFF, Katy, showed up with an amazing gift basket that had the PSI Bands in it. She explained her sister used them for motion sickness so I should try them… and they worked! I mean worked enough for me to function. Did it make all the nausea go away? No, nothing did, but I was able to go house shopping and act like a normal human when sleeping all day was not an option! Thank goodness, for these bands and the second trimester.
- When that first trimester hit, it was hard. I was so nausea and had no appetite. Functioning was legit hard, I was so miserable. Then one day my BFF, Katy, showed up with an amazing gift basket that had the PSI Bands in it. She explained her sister used them for motion sickness so I should try them… and they worked! I mean worked enough for me to function. Did it make all the nausea go away? No, nothing did, but I was able to go house shopping and act like a normal human when sleeping all day was not an option! Thank goodness, for these bands and the second trimester.
- Maternity Clothing Basics
- Lucky for me, I have a wonderful SIL that gave me a large bin of clothes to borrow. It allowed me to find some favorite styles and then buy some my own. T shirts, a great pair of jeans, leggings, comfy shoes and a few “nice” tops are all must haves. I found being comfortable during this time is the key to happiness! Read more about it on Maternity Clothing Must Have blog post coming soon.
- Cravings
- Girl, treat yo self! You are growing a human! I’ve never craved sweets like I have the last six months. I could literally have a glazed donut, all day, every day.
- Pregnancy books for you and your partner
- If you’re anything like me, the idea of being pregnant was pretty overwhelming at first. I found that reading about what was happening made me feel a lot better about what was going on in this new body experience. I bought my husband a book too and he has really enjoyed it! He loves sharing his fun facts after he reads a chapter. I think he helps him feel a little bit more included in the process. We recommend Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy: From Doctors Who Are Parents, Too! and The Expectant Father: The Ultimate Guide for Dads-to-Be.
- If you’re anything like me, the idea of being pregnant was pretty overwhelming at first. I found that reading about what was happening made me feel a lot better about what was going on in this new body experience. I bought my husband a book too and he has really enjoyed it! He loves sharing his fun facts after he reads a chapter. I think he helps him feel a little bit more included in the process. We recommend Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy: From Doctors Who Are Parents, Too! and The Expectant Father: The Ultimate Guide for Dads-to-Be.
- Babycenter.com or app
- If books aren’t your thing, you may find some comfort on the BabyCenter website and app. There is SO much useful information to reference on their site along with a community of expecting mom’s due the same month as you. I personally use the app and look at it every day with updates on the baby and pop into the community every once in awhile for support. A favorite update in this household is how big the baby is each week. Every Friday, we are laughing at references in the size of our little one! He is the size of a large eggplant this week, haha!
- A pregnancy buddy
- Whether you find this within the online community on the BabyCenter app (or many similar sites out there) or in real life, it’s so nice to have someone going through the same things as you right now. Shout out to my friend, Kara, for the endless texts and check ins! She’s a month ahead of me, so her little bundle of joy is almost here!!!
- Smelly Things
- Like really good smelly things! I treated myself to a little shopping spree at Bath and Body Works to get some plug ins around the house. With a crazy sense of smell, you want to stop and smell something good, not pick up on the slight smell of the garbage. At one point Nick was taking the garbage out every day, this solved that problem.
- Boppy Pregnancy Wedge Pillow
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This was a hand me down that I didn’t know I needed (thanks for saving the day, yet again Heather!). Basically once that belly of yours starts growing, it feels nice to wedge this thing under it while sleeping to alleviate some pressure on your belly and hips. I’ve also put it behind my back to keep me from turning on my back at night, one thing I had no idea was bad for the baby until my doctor told me to make sure I’m laying on my side to help with the babies blood flow for growing. Now that I think of it, I’ve also used it to elevate my head for those glorious acid reflux sleepless nights! So yeah, basically, just get it. You can find it here!
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Like I said before, pregnancy is so different for everyone! It’s just a testament to how every women’s body is so different, it’s a wild, yet beautiful thing. What saved you through your pregnancy? I’d love to know if there is something I am missing out on!
Wishing you a smooth and healthy pregnancy! Until next time…
XO, Anna
Anna Hinkle 