Top 5 Must Haves for the 1st Trimester

Pregnancy is such an exciting (and strange…..) time. Your thoughts may suddenly filled with baby names, gender guessing, and searching Pinterest for the best baby products and lists of top must haves for pregnancy. However, if you’re like the majority of women, these thoughts are often quickly pushed to the bottom of your priority list. Soon after discovering that you’re pregnant, your delight may quickly be replaced by nausea and extreme fatigue. I can assure you, this nausea doesn’t last forever and you will feel better! To help you get there, I have compiled my top 5 must haves for the 1st trimester.

Granted, there are some women who seem to escape the nausea and aversions to once “normal” foods or smells. If you are one of these women, I applaud you. Meanwhile, the rest of us are over here trying not to vomit at the smell of water.

Not only are you fighting the urge to vomit, you also smell everything 100 times more intensely. Thanks hormones. Things that were once loved smells have now become your worst enemy as they increase your nausea. For many women, this nausea is made worse by an empty stomach. So while you attempt to avoid vomiting by eating the most plain, tasteless foods you can find, you can still smell everything else that makes you want to vomit. It’s a lovely cycle, really.

The Good News

Don’t get me wrong, pregnancy is a beautiful and exciting experience!! I have loved this time. But, like all of life, it comes with highs and lows. Fortunately, for all the pregnant mamas out there, any internet search will provide you with a long list of tips and tricks to ease morning (or all day!) sickness, discomfort and all of the other strange things that happen during pregnancy. Here is a list of my top 5 1st trimester must haves that have helped me through those first months of pregnancy:

1) ” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Amazon. The reason these drops work is not only because they are sour (which does help calm a nauseous stomach), but they also contain vitamin b6. According to the American Pregnancy Association, vitamin b6 is important for many areas of fetal development, but also helps relieve morning sickness.

2) Constant Snacking

Normally, constant snacking is discouraged. However, pregnancy is a time for exceptions and doing whatever it takes to avoid vomiting. Granted, when I say constant snacking I don’t mean milkshakes, candy, and ice cream. While these snacks have their place, they likely won’t make you feel any less nauseous. Rather, snacking here refers to things such as crackers, toast, applesauce, or other bland foods. These things will help calm a churning stomach, especially if you avoid allowing your stomach to become completely empty.

You’ve likely heard of pregnant women keeping crackers next to their bed, in their purse, even in the car. I’m here to tell you that you should keep snacks in all of these places!! I can’t tell you how many times I began to feel nauseous on my drive to work, but quickly calmed my stomach by eating a few crackers. And yes, there were plenty of times my husband woke up to find me sitting in bed eating crackers in the middle of the night. Whatever it takes to decrease your chances of vomiting!

Some of my favorite snacks during the first trimester included: 3) Comfy Pants, Always

Comfortable pants are always a good idea, but especially during pregnancy. I found that much of the general discomfort and nausea that comes with pregnancy was amplified when I wore jeans or other “normal” pants (i.e uncomfortable pants). Leggings are a great option to resort to. They are easy to find, versatile and, most importantly, comfortable. This made them an immediate choice for my top 5 must haves for the 1st trimester (or any trimester!).

I have a few favorite leggings that have risen above others in my closet to become my top must haves for pregnancy. The first of these is my Lululemon Super High Rise Pants. These leggings are extremely comfortable, while also maintaining their shape after dozens of washes. While they are a little more pricey than other options, I can assure you that they are worth the investment!

Another one of my favorites is these Old Navy Extra High-Waisted Powersoft Light Compression Hidden-Pocket Leggings. I have found these leggings to be comfortable, and love the high-waist. While these don’t seem to hold their shape as the other ones, they are much less expensive. Thus, making them a great cost-effective option.

4) Sleep

Sleep is always important, but even more so during pregnancy. Not to mention, the first trimester is exhausting. Extreme fatigue is common during the first few months of pregnancy as your body works hard. Your body is growing a human, after all. So take a nap!! There were days when I would come home from work around 5, eat dinner (that my husband made, I went weeks without cooking anything), then fall asleep around 7. When I say fall asleep around 7, I mean sound asleep, not waking until my alarm goes off tomorrow.

Allowing yourself to rest and get the sleep that you need is so important during pregnancy (really all the time!). So if your body is feeling tired and you can’t keep your eyes open, go to bed earlier. If you’re able to, taking a nap can be helpful too. Whatever your body needs in terms of sleep, make sure to give it that. You’ll be glad you did!

5) Pregnancy Apps

While there is a plethora of information and opinion to be found online, I have found it helpful to have a resource like a pregnancy app. I love the way that pregnancy apps allow you to enter your due date, then keep track of your pregnancy and size of baby. Many apps will tell you how big baby is compared to something tangible (fruits, animals, etc.). There is no shortage of pregnancy apps, but here are those that I have labeled my top must haves for the first trimester.

The Ovia Pregnancy App has quickly become one of my favorites. I love how the app updates you on baby’s size, stage and milestones. Additionally, the app allows you to track things like your mood, symptoms, activity, medications (even reminding you to take your prenatal vitamin), as well as doctor’s appointments. With the data you record, the app can show you specific articles and resources related to what you’re experiencing. I also love the food and medication safety search features, as well as the symptom lookup feature.

Another app that I have found helpful is the What to Expect App. I love the many resources, articles, and tools the app offers. In addition to showing baby’s growth and milestones, this app provides a helpful timeline of pregnancy. For first time moms like me, there are so many questions about pregnancy, birth, baby registry’s, even life after baby is born. This app helps users feel more informed and have a better idea what to expect (pun intended there, you’re welcome).

I hope you find these list of my top 5 must haves for the first trimester helpful!! Let me know which ones you try, what works for you, what what other tips and tricks you might use. Whether you’re looking to decrease morning sickness, ease discomfort or just know you aren’t alone in your experiences, I hope you found this list helpful.