Hello lovely ladies! If you follow mw on Instagram you will know that I am expecting our first baby, a boy! I am 5 months along and loving every moment of this pregnancy. I was blessed with zero morning sickness and hardly any naseau to speak of. But there have been other changes. Here are a few products that have helped me feel more comfortable and eased some of the changes that have come along with being pregnant.
The colder weather hasn't helped with my dry skin that seemed to get worse since becoming pregnant, and I have tried a lot of different lotions and creams to help with it. Some were recommendations from mom friends, like
{10} Trader Joe's Coconut Butter, it's a great consistency and absorbs quickly. It's made with pure coconut oil and has aloe vera and Vitamin E. Not to mention, smells amazing and only costs
$4.99 for the 8 ounce tub! The tub has a convenient flip lid so you don't have to struggle to open or close it once you have the butter on your hands. In the recent coconut oil craze body butters have gotten a lot of hype because, well, they're pure magic. Much to the rejoice of pregos everywhere. Move over cocoa butter (who likes that smell, anyway??) Try
this easy recipe for making your own coconut body butter!
If you like a thicker product
{11} Bella B Stretch Mark Prevention Butter ($19.99) is basically a balm. It's a thick pomade-consistency that melts with body heat into an oil. It's an all-natural and hypo-allergenic product made with a variety of oils including, avocado, olive, wheat germ, jojoba, and almond. If you know you are prone to stretch marks or have a very itchy belly, this can work for you.
My arms and legs have also gotten out-of-control itchy1 I don't know if that is caused by pregnancy hormones or not but I needed a cure. My friend recommended
{9} Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream ($10.79) I like that it's fragrance-free, which is great because strong smells can be extra over-powering when you're pregnant. And it has a good consistency that isn't oily. I have used it on my face as well where I tend to get dry and it hasn't made me break out.
Another face cream I've tested out is
{12} Burt's Bees Intense Hydration Night Cream ($17.99) which is a non-greasy formula that really hydrates and as a bonus, helps reduce fine lines. It has a very light scent and my skin feels smooth and supple the next morning.
We all enjoy a nice scrub for that smooth, super-clean feeling from time to time that helps us detox all the grime and dead skin and
{8} Skin Food Black Sugar Mask ($9.37) has been one of my recent favorites. It has a great grit to it and smells SO heavenly. It's a face mask/scrub but I've used it as a body scrub on elbows, legs, and feet. The hot steam in the shower creates a great aromatherapy. If you want to make your own sugar scrub,
this is a good recipe for warm vanilla sugar coconut scrub. Try not to eat it ;)
{6} Cherry Chapstick ($1.59) has somehow made it's way back into my must-haves! I think I was craving the scent/taste (?) I have it by my night stand and it's been great for my dry lips. I'll soon be using
{7} Johnson's Baby Powder ($1.00) on a cute baby bum but for now it's helping soak up extra oil on my head! I do not like washing my hair every other day, I mean I can go like 4 days but only with this magic little helper. I'm not a fan of all the product build up from hair powder and dry shampoos so baby powder works just great for me. I get the travel-size in case I need to take it with me anywhere (and the packaging is so dang cute!) There'a also one with pure cornstarch that would be great for this purpose and one that has a lavender and chamomile scent. Aahh.
Okay, let's talk about the awesomeness of leggings. Pretty much the most amazing piece of clothing you can have in your prego wardrobe. They're a staple for their comfort and outfit flexibility. Dress them down, dress them up- you get it.
{5} Ankle Length Leggings ($5.80) I like to make sure they aren't sheer when stretched, sometimes you have to get them in a thicker material.
Yoga, where would I be without you? I don't want to know. If you haven't already given yourself the opportunity to experience yoga and it's many benefits (especially while pregnant) you simply must do yourself the favor. There are yoga studios that have specific prenatal yoga classes at least once a week. Look them up in your local area ( I love Yelp), most even have new member rates for you to try them out at an affordable price. A good yoga practice will change your life. Start with a
{4} Yoga Mat ($21.98) and see where this journey takes you.
Too soothe indigestion, naseau, and a general yucky feeling in my tummy I always turn to
{3} Chamomile Tea ($2.99), it's worked since I was a kid. Add a bit of honey or agave nectar and sip the ickiness away. Upping your water consumption is extra important when you're pregnant and for me it works to have a good cup
{2} Starbucks Venti Insulated Tumbler (seasonal) is my favorite. I know, so childish in a way, but it helps motivate me to see how much I'm drinking and that I can easily bring it along. It's also great if you juice, it's a nice big size.
Oh, the sleeping. It gradually becomes a bit of a hassle trying to get comfortable. I use two
{1} King-sized Pillows (check out Ross or Marshall's for great prices) on either side. I also discovered a great sleeping position! Since it's recommended not to sleep flat on your back, wedge a pillow on your right side so that you are slightly on your left side but also getting the feeling of laying on your back. Then use the other pillow between your legs or just under them. If you have trouble sleeping, wake up achy, or just really can't get comfortable I recommend investing in a
memory foam mattress topper (ventilated if you tend to over-heat.) It has changed our quality of sleep for sure. Happy sleeping!
Me at 20 weeks, halfway to meeting our baby boy.
