Pregnancy Survival Kit

 
When my sister-in-law was pregnant with her oldest (my nephew, Jordan), I remember wanting to buy her something to commemorate the occasion. No, I didn't want to buy HIM anything; everyone does that. And, as cute as those little onesies are, what is a newly pregnant mom supposed to do with it when all she wants to do is sleep and stop feeling sick?

At the time, I had never been pregnant before, so I didn't know what she needed (or wanted) and ended up not getting her anything. She then ended up having a second child (my niece, Alexis) before I even got pregnant with Ava. So poor Rachel never got a Pregnancy Survival Kit from me. 

Although, I did get a little spa kit from her while I was in the hospital, because of course she thought of that and had the presence of mind to carry it through. Sometimes I bewail my lack of motivation.

Now that I've been through one pregnancy (and am more than halfway through my second), I think I've got a pretty good list of things that make pregnancy easier. Perhaps my sister will get the benefits of this one day. If you're trying to get pregnant or just got a positive on your pee stick (congratulations!), make sure you're stocked up on the essentials. Or if you have a newbie preggo in your life (especially if it's a first-time pregnancy), consider gifting a set of useful things for her. If you really want to be creative, pack it in a cute photo box that she can keep diapers in later.

The belly band at all stages of pregnancy.

Belly Bands

Although you technically don't need them until your second trimester, bloat happens to the best of us, so belly bands are a great addition to any preggo's wardrobe. They come in all different brands and price points, but I purchased the BeBand from Target (not the one pictured, but honestly, they're all pretty much the same thing). 

Mine did tend to roll up in the back (fat bottom girls make the rockin' world go round!), but they were definitely more comfortable than the old "hair tie trick." And a great way to avoid buying maternity pants (which, though comfortable, can be expensive!).

Seasickness Bands

I don't know that these actually did anything for me, but I wore my seasickness wrist bands nearly every day during the worst of my nausea. Maybe it was all mental. But sometimes a placebo is all you need.

Plus, you never know what will work for someone. Everybody's different.

Preggie Pops

What relief and rainbows taste like.

I didn't get nausea too bad with Ava (one of the only pleasant surprises that came from that pregnancy!), but when I did, it was generally right when I had to run out somewhere. I would be getting ready, everything's fine, when all of a sudden I would start feeling a little...sour. I found the Preggie Pop Drops at my local Motherhood store and popped one right when I felt the nausea coming (if I couldn't get to food, that is). Worked every time.

I didn't have any left when I got pregnant this time around (and was too tired and/or broke to make a special trip), so I had to resort to other measures, like...

Mint!

While I didn't get too sick with Ava, I've been sick a lot more with this little one, and mint is one thing that has saved me many times. Mint tea, dinner mints, and even mint essential oil has helped a lot on those queasy days when I've waited too long between meals. With the mint essential oil, include a small note telling the preggo to dab a drop on her wrists and rub them together (like applying perfume). The scent is calming to an angry tummy.

Pretzels & Lemonade

When the Preggie Pops didn't work, this did! You always think "saltines and ginger ale" when you're feeling under the weather, but this was a WAY better combo for my morning sickness! (I actually tried the saltines and ginger ale combo and it did NOT work.) For the first month I was pregnant with Ava, I kept a big bag of pretzels at my desk at work and a big Simply Lemonade in the break room fridge. Knocked that morning sickness down!

For the gift basket, buy a small bag of pretzels and a personal-size bottle of lemonade. The "gift" is less the items themselves as it is the knowledge of this secret "cure." (FYI, pickles help, too!)

This one is my favorite.

Shea Moisture Body Butter & Lotion

Most other lotions have alcohol in them. What does that do? It dries things out. So all those times I kept slathering lotion onto my hands and wondering why I was reapplying so often suddenly made sense.

I specifically chose Shea Moisture lotion to prevent stretch marks and the dreaded "boob itch" that happens when your girls start to grow. I love it so much that it's now the only lotion I use. Seriously, this brand is awesome: all-natural (and pronounceable) ingredients, lovely scents, thick formula. The J.R. Watkins brand is good, too, just not as thick (and the Lemon scent smells amazing!).

Now, I didn't get a single stretch mark, but that's probably due to genes. Lotion definitely helped with the itching, though, and every pregnant chick in the world at least tries to stave off the "tiger stripes."

Breathe Right Nasal Strips

I told you. See how happy she is?

It's one of the most surprising things that sneaked up on me during my pregnancy: the eternally stuffy nose! It wasn't so bad during the day, but it made sleeping almost impossible. And since you can't really take any meds while you're expecting, Breathe Right nasal strips saved my life.

By my third trimester, I was literally wearing one to bed every. Single. Night.

Tylenol/Acetaminophen

It's the only pain medicine that's considered safe during pregnancy, so it's best to make sure you always have a bottle of acetaminophen on-hand. And believe me, pregnancy will bring up aches and pains you never expected (Little Bit is literally kicking my butt with sciatica!).

By the way, this is the same thing as paracetamol if you live outside the US.

Pantiliners

Have a box of pantiliners at the ready. If you've ever been pregnant, you know what I'm talking about. Everyone else, I'm sorry for grossing you out. Carry on.

A Little Something for Baby

Because, come on...are you really gonna give a pregnancy survival kit without getting a little something for the baby? Just keep it neutral. Baby hats, onesies, teeny-tiny baby socks, and one-size-fits-all sleep sacks are good options (and aren't likely to be returned in case mom is doing some version of fringe parenting.)




What other items did you find were indispensable during your pregnancy?