My personal pregnancy 'must-haves'

At the beginning of my pregnancy, I remember scouring the array of mommy blogs out there and taking in tons and tons of helpful information. I really find that the best way to get good information and advice is from each other! 

I read several of these 'pregnancy favorites' lists and loved trying out things that others had suggested, so I've compiled my own list of my personal pregnancy 'must haves'.

1. Yoga pants! Around month six or seven, you will love having these around! (*Tip: Get a size larger than you'd normally wear. Your waist will thank you for it!) My favorite for yoga pants, shorts, & capris is Victoria's Secret Pink. I don't like to look frumpy, and all of them are super cute, not to mention multi-functional. I wear them to bed, around the house, and to the gym. They're perfect to run quick errands in and still look somewhat put together. 

2. Good chapstick! It's crazy how dry your skin/lips can seem during pregnancy, and I've used chapstick like it's going out of style! Burts Bees has always been one of my favorites. 

3. Ok...maybe it's just me...but I HATED swallowing prenatals. First of all... Um, horse pill much? I found that I would actually kind of groan inwardly when it came time to take mine, and I was so thankful when I found these at Target....chewables!! They're yummy and so much more fun to take. These are about 9$ for a two-month supply.

4. When it came time for me to really start looking for maternity clothes, I had a super hard time finding things that I thought were cute. I also had a really hard time spending $30+ on maternity pants/bottoms that would only be worn for such a short time. I was so glad when I found these skirts at Old Navy. Cute, SUPER comfy, and multi-functional...AND you can wear them when you're no longer pregnant. Trust me, when you're 39 weeks pregnant, you just might want to live in these. 

5. I found these fruit bars in the ice cream section at the grocery store very early in my pregnancy. These are perfect when you're trying to eat a healthy diet, but still want a little sweet treat! They're made with all fruit and have a healthy dose of vitamin C...Double Score!

(Side note...I never got super nauseous or sick in my first trimester, but for anyone that does, I'm sure these would be good to have around!)

6. If you've been pregnant or are pregnant, I don't even have to tell you what happens to the tatas! Now, as I mentioned above....I'm a lover of Victoria's Secret. I can't even tell you how many cute VS bras I had that no longer fit. That's right, I went up an entire cup size in my first several months of pregnancy. (This is not a complaint!) However, rather than buying a bunch of new bras (I'm sure after I finish nursing my old ones might fit again...) I've seriously lived in bandeaus like these pups from American Eagle. I don't have to tell you how important it is for your girls to be comfy, and bandeaus are perfect for that! Now obviously there will be times you'll need something more supportive. I personally just got something cheap at Target...your size will change again when your milk comes in, and then again when you stop nursing, so as awesome as it is to have a sweet new rack, don't bank on it staying that size!

7. Ahh, the dreaded stretch marks. I was so worried about getting them at first.  I bought a bottle of BioOil at Longs. I think it's about 12$ for the small bottle, and it lasted me a good three months. I honestly can't say that I swear by this stuff.. I stopped using it after those three months and switched to just a good Vitamin E lotion for my belly, but I love the way this stuff smells, and I've always, always heard fantastic things about it. It did seem to work fantastically when I did use it though! I was just too lazy/never got around to getting more.

(I am very thankful to say I didn't get a single stretch mark! I personally think it's a combination of keeping your skin hydrated, not gaining too much weight, and genetics. Yeah, can't do anything about that last one unfortunately.)

8. It is so important to stay hydrated, even more so when you're pregnant! Hydration for two! Not only for obvious reasons, but I really think it helps out a lot with the dry skin and stretch marks as well! This little Starbucks tumbler helped me drink water in style :) I find that I'm more likely to do something if it's convenient (aren't we all!) and it's so easy to just fill it up and go! You don't even have to take a lid off to drink. 

9. Ok, back to the whole boob situation. If you are pregnant in the summer, or live somewhere like me where you can wear a bikini year-round (don't hate!) you will need a new bikini top! (or a maternity one-piece. I have personally been most comfortable with my belly un-restricted, but everyone is different!) 

I have sooo many bikinis, but once my girls grew, none of the tops fit. I decided it would be best just to get a good, supportive top that would match most of the bottoms I already had. I got this one in white. The good thing is, it should still fit while I'm nursing, and it comes with a removable strap, so it's super easy just to throw a nursing cover on and pull the top down without taking it completely off.
(p.s. yeah, sorry about the super hot VS model...just what we all want to see when pregnant, right?! Don't worry...you'll get your body back...and if you don't, well, you've grown a child and are a better person because of it!)