Pregnancy Must Haves

Minimalistic momma goes over my top six must have for pregnancy. These items I would recommend to any pregnant momma and have loved for each of my 3 pregnancies.

Pregnancy Pillow
Maternity Pants
Cocoa Butter
New Bras
Nursing Tank Tops
Ginger Ale

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. Rest assured all products I suggest are products I have bought or would buy based on personal experience or through my network of other mommas.

I do not like clutter. Whenever I am considering something new I first like to romance the idea. This helps me determine if what I want is something I really want and will use or a fleeting desire that will leave as quickly as it came. Let's be honest there are plenty of things we think we need so we purchase that item! The first week we love it, but one month later and that item is collecting dust on a shelf.

My third pregnancy in comfy pregnancy leggings and top

The following is my pregnancy must haves from a minimalistic momma!

If you are expecting a winter or spring baby click here to read more about winter maternity clothes.

To read what this minimalistic momma packs in her hospital bag click here.

A good pregnancy pillow:

During my first pregnancy I was skeptical; so I didn't use a pregnancy pillow until my sister-in-law gave me hers. She had a baby 3 months before my baby was due so I only got to use the pillow for 2 months. From the moment I received it it was a game changer! I was instantly more comfortable lying in bed which let me sleep longer at night.

For my second pregnancy I ordered a brand new pregnancy pillow when I was 8 weeks pregnant. I normally like to reuse as much as possible, but that hand-me-down pillow had been used by my sister-in-law's sister before my sister used it. It was time for an upgrade.

I loved the one I bought for my second pregnancy. I personally picked the mint color because it went with my bedroom decor, but you can choose from several different colors! Since the pillow was new it was more firm than the hand-me-down pillow making it ten times more comfortable.

Even after giving birth the pillow came in handy and I kept it around until my husband finally said no more and packed it up. Your husband might complain you are building an impenetrable fort to keep him out, and who knows, maybe you are!

Maternity pants

Maternity pants are worth it! Trying to fit into your pre-pregnancy clothes is uncomfortable and frustrating. You are pregnant, it is okay to be comfortable and not squeeze it in! In my first pregnancy I went too long before making the switch. I remember sitting at my desk and secretly unbuttoning my pants and then uttering a huge sign of relief. Those elastic waist bands are a godsend and you might even find yourself wanting to wear them after you give birth!

Also you can chose from pregnancy leggings, jeans, shorts, capris or even black trousers. There is a whole range of options available that come in a stretchy waist to accommodate a growing belly.

Another plus is most people can't tell you are wearing a stretchy waist instead of a fitted one. Most maternity tops are designed to be long and hide the buttons on your pants. No one but you will even know you are practically wearing sweatpants to work. Talk about a WIN!

Comfort is your main goal while pregnant!

Cocoa Butter

Not everyone gets stretch marks, and every pregnancy is different! I didn't get a single stretch mark with my first baby but got tons with my second.

Spending a little time twice a day to nurture your growing belly is worth it. And gives you the added benefit of giving your littlest love some attention at the same time. I preferred the jar option for cocoa butter, as I find products in a pump frustrating; you can never get out the last quarter of the product. I still keep this product on my night stand and rub some on my fading stretch marks every night.

New Bras

Your boobs will grow while pregnant, it is a fact. Your body is changing and getting ready to feed your baby. For a small chested individual like me it feels like your first time having boobs. I went up 2 cup sizes during my pregnancy.

I invested in several nursing bras instead of larger normal bras. I knew I was going to need nursing bras, as I wanted to breastfeed my child, and it took care of my larger chest during pregnancy. These nursing bras were the perfect solution; two for one special!

I chose bras without wire support, as I personally found them more comfortable with my expanding boobs. Make sure you have several bras, this comes in handy after the baby is born. You will be amazed how quickly babies find a way to spit up on your clothes and you will be happy to have several nursing bras.

Your boobs will go up a cup size or two from your pre-pregnancy size. Before I had kids I was a 34A and during pregnancy and breastfeeding I was a 34B or C. I got the medium size bra and it fit great!

Nursing Tank Tops

I am a planner and like to think ahead. Most nursing tops doubled as maternity tops and I got my money's worth out of nursing tank tops! Your hormones are all over the place while pregnant, you might be hot one minute and freezing the next.

Layering your clothes is smart and having your bottom layer be a nursing tank top makes sense. I could add a shirt overtop of the tank tops and a sweater or jacket on top of that. Therefore, when my hormones were playing games with me, which they always did, I could remove or add clothes to control my temperature.

Once you give birth your body doesn't automatically go back to your pre-pregnancy belly. It takes time and might never be the way it once was, but that is okay! We Mommas just grew a baby inside of us. The nursing tank tops I used were perfect for postpartum period. They didn't hug my body and make me feel self conscious. They were fitted around my boobs and slightly flared out at the bottom. There are also tons of different colors and patterns to choose from.

Ginger Ale

This gets me through the first trimester! Most of us mommas know the first trimester can be rough, you have to do what works for you. Whenever I was nauseous I cracked open a ginger ale and forced down a cracker or two. If I continued to struggle I put on my walking shoes and took a walk. The fresh air always helped me feel better.

I can't recommend strongly enough, that when you feel your worst try some ginger ale and some some crackers and then go for a walk in the fresh air. This will be the last thing you want to do at the moment, but it works wonders, I promise!

Conclusion

Pregnancy doesn't require a lot of necessary things. Your body changes so investing in clothes to feel comfortable and confident in is the most necessary item for me.

A lot of my maternity clothes were hand-me-downs from my sister-in-law and other mommas I know. They were in great condition and looked great. A thing to remember is that maternity clothes you only wear for a short period of your life, unless you plan on a very large family. Ask around from family members or friends if you want to find ways to keep costs low.

Pregnancy doesn't have to be overly costly, but what comes next does. My best advice is to save costs during pregnancy because having a baby and setting up for your new little one can be expensive.

Thinking about how you will announce your pregnancy to your family click here for some ideas.

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