My Favorite Pregnancy Must Haves to Get You Through Each Trimester

Feb 21, 2019

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The number one question I get asked lately is: what are your pregnancy must haves? I’m always surprised how many of you are in the midst of your own first pregnancies or have just announced your pregnancies to the world and after more than a few this past week, I figured now was the time for me to write my pregnancy essentials post! Plus, I’m writing this heading into my 34th week of pregnancy so I think I’ve got the pregnancy must haves pretty down at this point. I’m just going to throw this out there and say that my list is completely random. I’ve included some of the typical “pregnancy essentials” that were recommended to me by other blog posts I read at the beginning of my pregnancy but I’ve also spent a lot of time including the specific products that have worked for me throughout this pregnancy.

If you’ve been following my pregnancy journey then you already know that my pregnancy has been pretty easy. I hardly dealt with any of the negative symptoms you hear about from pregnant women so if you’re looking for specific advice on how to handle things like severe morning sickness, I am not your girl. That being said, I firmly stand by this list of pregnancy must haves and think that they’re the perfect “starter kit” for anyone going through their first pregnancy!

Disclaimer: Ask your doctor before using any products recommended to you by someone on the internet who isn’t a medical professional (like me).

First Trimester

A food that is quick and easy to make (like frozen waffles)
Squeeze applesauce or on-the-go snacks
Some type of ginger candies
Prenatal vitamin (buy in bulk)
A good water bottle (wish I had my hydroflask since day 1)
Comfortable underwear
Underwire free bras
Soda or some type of bubbly drink
Books/Movies/TV shows to watch (because the fatigue is real)
Eye mask for mid day naps
A comfortable pillow
Lotion packed tissues
A skin care routine

The first trimester was by far my hardest, if we’re being honest. I was exhausted to the point where I was sleeping more than I was awake during the day, I had serious food aversions to almost everything and they changed daily, and the entire first trimester consisted of me being extremely bloated both in the bump and breast areas. I lived off of Eggo Waffles, Spindrift, and mini cans of Diet Coke. I did’t get my Hydro Flask until recently but it’s recommended that you drink something crazy like 96 oz of water a day during pregnancy so having a great water bottle is a must and I wish I had this Hydro Flask since the beginning. If you’re trying to get pregnant, make a list of books you want to read and movies/tv shows you want to binge watch now because if you’re anything like me you’ll spend most of your days on the couch needing something to do in between naps. And having something to occupy your mind during the first trimester is essential because you really have no control over anything and you’re likely waiting until the 13 week mark to announce meaning you also can’t talk to anyone about what you’re going through which is super difficult. The last thing I highly recommend for the first trimester, especially if you don’t already have one, is a good skin care routine. You can check out my easy 3-step skin care routine if you need to set one up but I’ve linked the products I’ve used throughout my pregnancy down below. My face got super dry in the first trimester so I went light on the cleanser and heavy on the moisturizer!

Second Trimester

Invest in a good pair of maternity leggings
Maternity jeans
Humidifier
Good walking shoes/tennis shoes/shoes that are easy to slip on
Pregnancy pillow (I hate mine but worth a try)
Panty liners
A good body wash and body lotion

By the second trimester, I was starting to sport a pretty decent bump so dressing myself when I left the house was definitely a challenge. Invest in a good pair of maternity leggings (I’ve linked my favorites below) and a good pair of maternity jeans that you love almost as much as your regular jeans. TRUST ME, it helps. I also grabbed a pair of comfortable slip on tennis shoes from Target for our trip to Orlando during the second trimester and highly recommend getting a pair if you don’t have them because they’re easy to slip on (which is a priority) and most importantly, they’re comfortable, especially if you’re working or doing a lot of walking. Itchy skin plagued me during the end of the second trimester so I found a great body wash and started applying a lotion daily. I don’t focus on stretch mark prevention or creams because I think those are genetic (none yet for me to speak of!) but definitely use your post shower or bath time to pamper yourself a little bit with a good lotion. Lastly, worth mentioning because it’s on every pregnancy must have list is the pregnancy pillow. I hate mine but gave them an honorable mention here because I think I’m just too short to use them. I got the Boppy version because that was what Target carried in store but I suggest trying one of the other brands if you decide to buy one!

Third Trimester

Bubble bath or relaxing scented shower capsules
Heating pad
A nighttime routine
Exercise ball and/or foam roller
A notebook for list making
A comfy robe

We’re rounding out the final trimester here and I seriously can’t believe how close we are to meeting our little guy! I may add to this list as I work my way through the rest of the third trimester but for now, these pregnancy must haves are what have been my go-to during these final weeks. I am a huge fan of any type of lavender scented bath or shower things because it helps me relax and get into a sleeping mood at the end of the day. Sleep is hard to come by in the third trimester as of late so I’ll take all the help I can get. That’s why I stick to a nighttime routine that has me in a bubble bath by 7 and in bed reading by 8. Having a comfy robe (which I plan on packing in my hospital bag) has also been super helpful not only as part of my evening routine but also getting ready in the mornings. You’re also going to be making a ton of lists as you prepare for baby so if you’re like me and need the satisfaction of actually crossing something off of a list then I definitely recommend getting a notebook specifically for baby related things.