1st Trimester Must Haves

If you read my pregnancy announcement post, you know I’ve had pretty bad morning sickness. It started around week 6 and is still going through week 17. I’m not gonna lie – it’s been rough! This is my second go with morning sickness (I had it during my first pregnancy as well) so I’ve kind of gotten the hang of what works and what doesn’t. I’m sharing my tips and tricks below!

1. Boppy Pregnancy Wedge: During the First Trimester my belly doesn’t get really big. But it’s still nice to have some support under my belly anyway. I love this wedge because it really wedges under the tiny bump nicely to give it support. It’s also great for when your belly gets a lot bigger so you can use it during your whole pregnancy! It’s also not that big so it would be easier to travel with (unlike a pregnancy pillow that’s HUGE).

2. Gummy Prenatal Vitamins: My doctor prescribed me prenatal vitamins but they are like horse pills – huge – and hard to swallow! And when you are nauseous ANY gagging reflex can trigger vomiting. I found that out the hard way during my 1st pregnancy when I kept trying to swallow the huge prenatal pills and I would just end up throwing them up because I started gagging. This time around I decided to go with gummy prenatal vitamins that I could chew! Not only are they easier to take, they are yummy! So it makes me want to take my vitamins. I chose Olly because it was easy to pick up at Target. But I’m sure there are a lot of gummy prenatal options. You might want to look for ones with iron though. The Olly ones do not contain iron and that’s an important supplement when pregnant.

3. Preggie Pop Drops: When I did have to leave the house I made sure to suck on these drops! They are sour and for some reason that helps to keep the nausea at bay. I was using Jolly Ranchers but the flavors of the Preggie Pop Drops are a little more sour and it helps.

4. Palmer’s Cocoa Butter: Once my belly did start to grow a little I started to use the cocoa butter. I didn’t get stretch marks during my first pregnancy while using a combination of this and the next product so I figured I’d do the same with this pregnancy! Sadly, I think stretch marks are mainly hereditary BUT it doesn’t hurt to keep your skin moisturized!

5. Mother’s Special Blend Oil: To help seal in hydration even more I apply this oil after the cocoa butter lotion. It’s all natural and contains almond oil, pecan oil, coconut oil, cocoa butter and vitamin E!

6. Home Delivery Meal Service: I was so nauseous that I barely left the house during my first trimester which means that I didn’t go to the grocery store. I also didn’t feel like meal planning. We ended up ordering take out a lot, which isn’t exactly healthy. So once I got a little more of my appetite back I started to order Home Chef meals. The ingredients and recipes are delivered right to your door! I’m on the three meal a week plan so I know that I’ll have at least 3 healthy, home cooked meals a week. And the recipes are simple enough that my husband could make them when I wasn’t feeling good. I’ve tried A LOT of the meal delivery services and Home Chef just happens to be my favorite. If you’d like a $30 credit to try Home Chef let me know and I can send you an email invite!

7. Bumpin Blends: These smoothies have been a life saver! They are customized superfood frozen smoothie cubes delivered to your door and all you have to do is add 1 cup of liquid and blend! The result is a delicious and nutritious icy smoothie to sip on! When I was super nauseous I didn’t feel like eating or drinking water. So getting nutrients and hydration was really hard. These taste so good and I was able to drink them when I wasn’t feeling well.

The smoothie blends are made by nutritionists so they are tailored specifically for pregnant women and their symptoms.The blends are organic and made without any added sugars, flavors, or artificial ingredients. When you sign up you enter your babies due date and your pregnancy symptoms so the nutritionists can pick the right blends for you! You also have access to one of their nutritionists who is available 24/7 to answer any questions.

I signed up for a subscription so I get seven 12oz blends every two weeks. They come in cubes so you can easily split them up to make smaller smoothies but I like to drink the whole 12oz in one sitting. Because of that, the smoothies only last me a week. Or I can have one every other day so that I have enough to last 2 weeks. The other downside is, they are kind of expensive. BUT the convenience is worth it to me. I know that I’m getting the right nutrients specifically tailored for pregnant women and I don’t have to go to the grocery store or come up with the perfect smoothie recipe myself.

What are your 1st Trimester Must Haves?