MY PREGNANCY ESSENTIALS

This post is long overdue but there are several things that were such ride-or-die’s for me during pregnancy, that I wanted to get them into a blog post.

Let’s jump in…

I’ve shared before how difficult pregnancy was for me–I was pretty much sick from week six onwards, and even on my best days, I never felt like I wasn’t pregnant. There was always some form of nausea, discomfort, growing pains (literally!), etc. That said, there were a few things that really helped get through the months as comfortably as possible.

Clothing

Lululemon Align Leggings | I loved these leggings before pregnancy and they were the only ones (1) I could continue to fit into until the end, and (2) that didn’t restrict my belly and make me feel worse. I still wear these multiple times per week, and they didn’t lose their shape. Win all around!

Kaftan | In the early days of pregnancy, even the slightest hint of fabric clutching my skin was nausea-inducing, so having something flowy to slip into the second I got home from work or on weekends was key. Marco laughed at me wearing my ‘mumu’ for 9 months, but comfort is key. Plus now I have it as a cute swim cover-up. This one & this one would be great options (mine was from H&M and now sold out)

Maternity Joggers | I loved and lived in these joggers, especially in the later months (as seen here). They are comfortable and budget friendly, plus come in several colours. I have the black & took my true size. These wide leg sweats are a cute trendy option, as are these ribbed flared ones & you girls know I live in these joggers (which are made for pregnancy and post-partum!)

Bodycon Dresses | When I wanted to look pulled together (mostly for work and our babymoon), I leaned on bodycon dresses. I purchased a couple from Forever 21 (non-maternity), and one from a maternity site (as seen here). This budget-friendly long sleeve number would be stunning for maternity photos against a blank wall and work for the office as well. If you’re worried about your backside, try a lightweight maxi cardigan (bonus as you can wear post-pregnancy).

Free People Tops | The brand is known to run big in general, but these tees and tops will add a little extra to your casual style without being something you can’t wear down the line. I usually size down, but instead took my usual size while pregnant in the long sleeve thermal (they come out with a new variation each year) and wore the black and white versions constantly. I also snagged this one–in black, white and olive–post pregnancy in my pregnancy size and still wear and love over a year later. These are great basics for any closet and also something I continue to wear frequently. For short sleeves, I would consider checking out this one, this one & this one; all longer styles which would be great for a bump.

Maternity Skirt | This one is something you will wear a lot if you’re looking for comfort with a bit of a dressed up feel (think Zoom meetings, luncheons, maybe even a baby shower, etc.). The knit or jersey variety were my favourite, but I found knit to be a little more forgiving 😉 if you catch my drift.

Designer Denim vs. Regular Denim | I’m a huge designer denim fan, after years of wearing inexpensive denim, I truly felt you often pay for what you get. Now, when pregnant, I didn’t want to break the bank, however, I did find a pair of designer maternity jeans that I loved, purchased and lived in. If you’re a jeans girl, one good pair may be worth the splurge. I had four other non-maternity pairs, which I wore, but never loved as much, nor felt as fantastic in. If budget friendly is more your jam, these black ones look awesome, as do these–both aren’t a skinny style, making them more on trend. My biggest piece of advice would be to go for the over belly option (some good ones here); much more comfortable than jeans with panels, supportive and a style you can wear till the end.

Bodycon Long Sleeve Tees | These are such a staple in any pregnancy wardrobe, and while I don’t own these ones in particular, they look great and you can’t beat the price (2 for $24! Plus free shipping/returns, just in case). I wore the ones I have non-stop and they work great to layer under sweaters in the colder months if needed, too.

Swimwear | For this category, I switched out my high rise styles for low rise and continued to wear non-maternity bikinis. L*Space is one of my favourite brands, and I purchased a pair of these bottoms, and wore my regular tops. Aerie makes great bikinis at a budget friendly price, plus free shipping/returns (they usually run sales every few weeks). If you’re looking for specific maternity suits, there are lots of cute ones here.

Everything Else

Gatorade Zero | Medication aside (which is an option, if you’re sick, so talk to your Doctor), the first and second trimesters were really bad for nausea and I found Gatorade Zero was really helpful in taking the edge off. The regular Gatorade has too much sugar, but the Zero option was really easy on my stomach. When I was newly pregnant (and barely functioning due to nausea), I hadn’t told our friends yet I was pregnant and when they saw me drinking Gatorade, they totally called me out, knowing it’s not something I’d normally drink, ha! I managed to play it off for a few more weeks but there were definitely some raised eyebrows in suspicion.

Wedge Pillow | One of my girlfriends lent me her huge pregnancy pillow, and I think that’s one of those things you either love or hate. For me, it wasn’t the best fit but this little wedge pillow was perfect! It’s only $15 and is great to support your belly as you lay on your side. I slept with it overnight and it was especially useful in my third trimester.

Bra Extender | A life saver! It’s not just your belly that grows during pregnancy (at least for me, it wasn’t)–everything kind of expands, including your bra size, and the band was no exception. That said, while growing, I didn’t want to ‘invest’ in new bras when I wasn’t sure what size I would be in later months, so I purchased a couple bra extenders to maximize the life of what I already owned. Once you’re ready for nursing bras, these ones are actually pretty cute 😛

And some trendier items I’d be eyeing now…

This cropped hooded sweatshirt–so cute over a tank with joggers or try it over a bodycon dress.

This swing tank is so good! (code LIFEWITHACO15 gets you 15% off)

Popcorn knit dress (reminds me of Skims) — cute for lounging or this spring with a shacket.

Swooning over this long sweatshirt — love both colours and would be great with biker shorts and sneakers.

I’m all for wide leg, flared & straight leg jeans currently (tucking my skinnies away for now 😉 ) & these are so good!

Cute logo tee.

A basic but pregnancy staple, this tank dress hits the knee, has smooth fabric and comes in 10+ colours!

This cozy popcorn knit set (the pants are so good!), another Skims dupe.

Love this ribbed henley.

This looks exactly like the maternity camo puffer I purchased, but in a muted animal print–super cute! This has a removable panel in the front for pregnancy & beyond. I carried Hendrix under my jacket in a carrier with the panel, and now, a year later, wear this without the panel and it just looks like a cool, oversized jacket.

A great long sleeve basic with lettuce hem to give it an updated look.

SEE ALL PREGNANCY POSTS HERE

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