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Maternity Essentials

It's so crazy to me how fast pregnancy has gone by. I feel like yesterday I found out I was pregnant. Being this was my first time around, I remember being so excited yet SO nervous. With my two step babies I had experience being a mom, but being pregnant was a whole new adventure. A lot of you have asked about my maternity essentials and pregnancy routine so I wanted to share a little more today.  

1. Long Tee & Tank - One of my biggest frustrations being pregnant was finding shirts that covered my belly. The two I found to be the best basic layering tops (both under $15) were: 
 * Mossimo Crew Neck Tees - I bought the long sleeve version because it was cold most of my pregnancy but here is a link to the short sleeve version for you Spring/Summer pregnant mamas (size up to get the length). 
 * My other go to was these $1.80 Forever 21 tanks. You can't go wrong for $2. I bought a large and wore one almost everyday I was pregnant. They are so great for layering I have like 2 in every color. 

2. Tiek's Flats - If you are a frequent reader of my blog you know I rarely wear flats unless it's sneakers or converse. It's been such an adjustment the last couple months of pregnancy wanting to still be a little dressy but not wear heels. I am completely in love with Tieks. I tried them for the first time this year and they are worth the price. I think the reason I hadn't worn flats much before is I couldn't find a pair that was comfortable. I wear these all day and my feet don't cramp or feel squished. I'm converted! (this is the neutral pair I got to match the most/ also love these)

3. Maternity Jeans - Let's just say I didn't really know what these were until I was pregnant. I pictured old grandma jeans in my head and didn't even look into them until I was over 20 weeks pregnant. I used hair elastics to squeeze into my jeans as long as I could. It got to the point even those didn't work and I would just wear super long shirts and leave my pants all the way unzipped because I didn't have any jeans to wear. That ended pretty quick and one of my friends told me designer brands made maternity jeans. LIFE SAVER. I wish I would have invested in these way earlier. They are a maternity must. My favorite maternity jean brands were AG Jeans and Paige. For me I liked the over the belly band ones from AG, if you follow me on Instagram you know I lived in this pair through my pregnancy. For the side bands ones,  Paige was my favorite (I have this pair). Destination maternity has a great selection of designer brands.  

4. Mustela Stretch Mark Cream - Face it our bodies morph and do crazy things for our babies, and sometimes our skin can suffer. My mom instilled in me to take care of my skin, so I have been really paranoid about stretch marks. I read a lot of reviews and Mustela was the the best. It is kind of expensive but two bottles lasted me my whole pregnancy. No stretch marks to date :) (knock on wood!)

5. Maternity Bra - Another thing I waited forever to buy that I wish I would have purchased earlier in my pregnancy. Some people say sports bras work for them but they squished my boobs down too much when I was wearing non work out shirts. I tried a couple different brands and these Cake Bras were my favorite. They also have little buckles in the front, so they can be used post baby for nursing. 

6. Body Pillow - It gets to the stage where it gets super uncomfortable to sleep, sit on the couch, all the basic things you take for granted. My best friend Jen found this company Bump Nest and I am obsessed with their pillows. I use my maternity pillow almost daily. I can't sleep with it every night because I am huge cuddler and I hate having space between Cody and I, but whenever I am watching TV, lounging, or working on my computer in bed, I'm always using it. It's great for your posture and they have the cutest pillow cases (I got the stone chevron). I also just found out they have an acid reflex pillow which is next on my purchase list because I have been getting the worst heart burn the last couple weeks.

7. Fetal Dopler - My cousin gave me this and it was a God - send. If you are a worrier like me the first 16 weeks of pregnancy can seem like the slowest time of your life. The baby isn't big enough to feel it kick and your constantly wondering if he/she is ok. This little device is basically an at home heart monitor. So anytime your paranoid something is wrong you can listen to your babies heart beat. I did this almost every other day the first couple weeks I was pregnant because I was so paranoid something might be wrong. Mine was gifted but you can find them on Amazon or just google "baby heart monitor" they are like $40-$70 but so worth the peace of mind. 
**Also a little tip: you don't have to buy the ultrasound gel, KY Jelly or Aloe Vera works the same and it's a lot cheaper. 

A couple other maternity basics:
I haven't bought a ton of maternity clothes really other than jeans and a few dresses. Almost everything I wore I just ordered 1-2 sizes up so I could wear it after I have the baby. Some other favorites:
 - Black Leggings - Love Hue
 - Cute maternity dresses - more of me & ASOS
 - Oversized Sweats
- Best Designer Maternity Clothes selection - here

Happy Pregnancy!
XOX, 
Christine

21 comments:

  1. A body pillow saved my life during pregnancy. I had such a hard time giving it up after my son was born. My husband had to stage an intervention!
    xo Emma
    http://strollingthecityinheels.com

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  2. Fantastic advice! Thanks for the post!

    http://www.bohochiccafe.com

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  3. Love this post Christine! Very good information for sure.

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  4. Sorry to burst your bubble, but stretch marks have nothing to do with lotions or creams and cannot be prevented by them. Whether or not you get stretch marks depends entirely on the elasticity of your skin and genetics. The special stretch mark lotions only play on women's fears and do not do anything tangible. The research does not lie. There are some creams that supposedly help to fade the appearance of stretch marks that already exist, but typically contain ingredients that are not considered a good idea to use while pregnant or nursing. I only used my favorite body lotion and no stretch marks through both pregnancy.

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  5. The Cake Bras look super comfy...I'm nursing right now. Are they supportive enough to wear during the day or are they more of a night bra?

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    1. I think there great! I would say it probably depends on your bra size. I'm usually a B cup and have been a C since pregnancy and they are comfortable and supportive for me. The link has 92 positive reviews on the bra so they might have a little more insight on support :) But I have two and love them! Hope that helps :)

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  6. Completely agree with buying expensive maternity jeans. I wore mine mid pregnancy to a couple of months after birth. I bought mine at Pea in the Pod (JBrand with those stretchy sides). I tried a Paige pair that had bands with buttons inside but it felt weird. I also disliked the idea of the maternity jeans with the huge cloth fabric that went over the belly.

    #6 is something I'm definitely keen to try if we have another baby.

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  7. Thanks for the tips and I agree with all of them! I'm 20 weeks pregnant and I bought maternity jeans around 10 weeks cuz I could do up the buttons in my regular jeans. I wore those belly band things but it got annoying as they always shifted and my pants would fall down! Maternity jeans are a saviour, so comfy! I have the snoogle body pillow and I love it too, definitly a must. I totally agree on the fetal heart monitor. I was iffy to buy one but it's been a life savor for me too also a big time worrier.

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  8. I'm loving these tips! I agree about the maternity jeans as well! I bought a cheap pair from Ross the first time around and that was it, and I hated wearing them everyday! I won't make that mistake twice! There is something to be said about investing in your wardrobe and feeling good about yourself when you're pregnant!

    Paige
    http://thehappyflammily.com

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  9. Hi Christine!
    Thank so much for posting this. So helpful! As a first time mom at 23 weeks, I was beginning to wonder where to turn next! :) I did invest in a bump nest pillow about a month ago and it has been so helpful. My next step was finding new bras and some thicker leggings for colder weather. And thank you for posting the More of Me Maternity website. I had no idea that existed and I think I've found my baby shower dress! Best of luck with the rest of your pregnancy and I hope that heart burn dissipates. That is no fun! Take care!

    Taylor

    www.thetaylordiary.blogspot.com

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  10. Hi Christine!
    Thank so much for posting this. So helpful! As a first time mom at 23 weeks, I was beginning to wonder where to turn next! :) I did invest in a bump nest pillow about a month ago and it has been so helpful. My next step was finding new bras and some thicker leggings for colder weather. And thank you for posting the More of Me Maternity website. I had no idea that existed and I think I've found my baby shower dress! Best of luck with the rest of your pregnancy and I hope that heart burn dissipates. That is no fun! Take care!

    Taylor

    www.thetaylordiary.blogspot.com

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  11. Hi Christine!
    Thank so much for posting this. So helpful! As a first time mom at 23 weeks, I was beginning to wonder where to turn next! :) I did invest in a bump nest pillow about a month ago and it has been so helpful. My next step was finding new bras and some thicker leggings for colder weather. And thank you for posting the More of Me Maternity website. I had no idea that existed and I think I've found my baby shower dress! Best of luck with the rest of your pregnancy and I hope that heart burn dissipates. That is no fun! Take care!

    Taylor

    www.thetaylordiary.blogspot.com

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  12. Amen to each and every one of those tips! I wish I knew about those tanks at forever 21!

    Shannon
    http://GBOfashion.com

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  13. I love the Cake bras!!! I have used them through all three of my pregnancies, they are the best to nurse in in the beginning.

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  14. Such great tips! I am 16 weeks today & in dire need of comfy bras. Totally buying the cake ones! Thanks for the suggestions. You look amazing, btw! =)

    xo, Lindsey
    www.caviartaste.com

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  15. I did an exact post like this last week! It wasn't till I was pregnant that I realized I needed all these things! :) Love your list! Very similar to mine!

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  16. I really love those flats! I lived in my TB flats for my pregnancies but they tend to hurt the back of your heel by the end of the day. I'll have to give these a try. As a mom of four, flats are a must!! Love your maternity style!

    www.taffetaandtulips.com

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  17. Hi Christine,

    Can you let me know what brand fetal doppler to buy? I am 10 weeks and worry every day. I think this would be a big help :)

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Thanks so much for reading Hello Fashion :)

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