Thankfully, this pregnancy so far has been pretty easy. I didn’t really have to deal with morning sickness at all…just a week or two of nausea the first trimester, some unpleasant heartburn on our belated honeymoon/babymoon. I’ve also been experiencing unbelievable exhaustion (second trimester has definitely been better than the first…but it always seems to be there looming, making it hard for me to get the gumption to get up and do what I need to.) But overall, there really hasn’t been anything to complain about. As little problems have popped up here and there, I have reached out to my momma friends, and they’ve given me some solutions and products to try that have made an absolute WORLD of difference! I thought this week, I’d share some of my favorite things with you that I’ve found to have made these last 6 months growing a human a little easier.
My Wooden Stool
One day during the first trimester, Bryce walked in on me in the kitchen…I was sitting on the floor in a fit of tears because I didn’t have any crushed tomatoes. I was trying to make chili, and I had the veggies and meat cooking in the pot, and when I realized there were no crushed tomatoes anywhere to be found…my whole world seemed to fall apart. He was so kind, and comforting (and the look on his face was priceless as I sat on the floor and explained what had sent me over the edge), and he offered to go to the store for me, but by that point I was done with cooking for the day. I’m pretty sure we had frozen pizza or leftovers that night instead. I told my mom about it on the phone the next day, laughing about it…and she reminded me that I had left a stool at their house that I had kept in my classroom “peace-corner” for kids who needed to take a time out. She offered to bring it to me the next time she visited so I didn’t have to resort to the floor, and let me tell you…that stool has become single-handedly the best addition to the kitchen since getting pregnant. We call it my “cooking stool,” but it’s more like my cooking stool, washing dishes stool, reaching high shelves stool, and Bryce-keeping-me-company-in-the-kitchen stool. I prop it right down next to the stove….and I sit. I sit as I sauté veggies, grill paninis, or dare I say it…stir chili. I sit at the sink as I wash dishes (my phone propped on the window-ledge with Gilmore Girls streaming on Netflix). And as this belly keeps getting bigger…I get more and more thankful for my wooden stool. Seriously. If you don’t have one…get one. It’s number one on this list for a reason.
Snoogle Pregnancy Pillow with Jersey Knit Pillowcase
Around 14 weeks pregnant, I woke up and could barely move. The middle of my back on the right side was in horrible pain. I’d never had back pain before, and was surprised by how awful it was. I consulted several friends, and they recommended I invest in a pregnancy pillow. I ignored them…because…spending money is stupid… and I started tucking a pillow between my legs, under my side, and two or three strategically stacked for my head and shoulders. Every night became an ordeal. There was no room left for Bryce in the bed anymore, and yet he patiently put up with my pillow fort for a couple months. Finally…as my belly started getting bigger, I realized I couldn’t keep doing this, and researched pregnancy pillows. I settled on the Snoogle and got it in the mail right after Christmas. Now, I sleep comfortably on either side, without all the rigmarole of my 97 pillows (and so can Bryce. In fact, when I get up for work in the morning…he steals it for his last hour of sleep). It supports both my belly and my back, and I don’t wake up feeling sore anymore. It comes without a case, and the first few nights I slept with it, it was a little scratchy…so I ordered the jersey knit case for it, and it couldn’t be more cozy!
Aveeno Positively Nourishing Calming Lavender Chamomile Lotion
If you’re anything like me…you have tons of bottles of half-used, watered down, Bath and Body Works lotion racked up in a closet somewhere, with super overpowering, headache-inducing scents. I made it a goal to not buy any more lotions until I’ve completely used up what was in my stash from the last several years…but I’ve been a little more sensitive to smells recently. When I was at Target a few weeks ago, I went against my rule, and bought this Aveeno lotion after I smelled it. I’ve been struggling with getting a good night’s sleep throughout this pregnancy thanks to the 132 bathroom breaks, the constant struggle to get comfortable, and the million thoughts of things I need to do to get ready for this boy. But now, putting this lotion on after my shower has become one of my favorite parts of the night. It smells so fresh, clean, and relaxing…and it helps me relax and settle down. Plus, when I wake up in the morning, my skin feels so soft.
Nike Women’s Free RN Flyknit Running Shoes
I have always been and always will be…a very frugal person. Because of my frugality, I don’t usually spend more than $40 on a pair of shoes…and I buy new shoes very rarely. So when I was out with Bryce picking out some new shoes for his birthday a few months back and I saw these Nikes…I never even considered buying them. I remember casually mentioning to him that they looked really comfortable, and he told me to try them on (they were a dream!). He asked me if I wanted to buy them…as I’d begun to have some backaches start popping up…and I said absolutely not–they were too expensive. And then Christmas came…and my wonderful in-laws had these babies wrapped up for me under the tree. Let me tell you…maybe one of the best Christmas gifts I got this year. These shoes are the MOST comfortable shoes. They feel like you’re not wearing anything at all, and walking on pure clouds (maybe a slight hyperbole, but after Payless shoes for the last 28 years…it feels that way). The stretchy fabric twists with your feet, like you’re just wearing socks. I wear them all the time–even to school some days. And if I can muster up the energy after teaching all day and getting stuff done around the house, I may even just wear them to the YMCA this week to work out in.
Batiste Dry Shampoo
Remember when I said I take my showers before bed….did I mention that I don’t always wash my hair because I sometimes get too lazy…or don’t feel like dealing with it? Oh, no? Well…there you have it…sometimes I get lazy or don’t feel like dealing with the whole lather, rinse, repeat, air dry, blow dry mess. Especially now that I’m seemingly exhausted all the time. I just want all the sleep I can get, so Batiste dry shampoo has become a regular part of my mornings–even more so now that I’m pregnant than before. Over the years I’ve tried tons of dry shampoo in various price ranges, including Big Sexy Hair (my favorite before I found Batiste…but ultimately too expensive), Suave (don’t waste your time), Dove (decent and smelled great–but I had to use a lot to see it work), Not Your Mother’s (also a waste of time and money in my opinion), and countless others. I’m not sure what made me try this one…but this is officially my go-to. It works almost as well as the expensive versions that I’ve tried and loved…but for the price of around $6 a can, you really can’t beat it! Each scent is wonderful too, and leaves your hair smelling good and looking fresh all day!
Mrs. Meyers Clean Day Multi-Surface Everyday Cleaner
Remember that exhaustion? Yeah…that stuff is killer for helping me keep the house as tidy as I’d like it to be. There’s nothing like a clean house to help you just sit down, relax, and not feel like you have to worry about anything. This multi-surface cleaner makes keeping my house clean so much easier…especially my kitchen. Just a couple squirts of the phosphate-free solution on my counters, stove, tables, blinds, window sills…and all dirt and grime disappears instantly. Plus the essential oils leave everything smelling clean and fresh, without the stink of chemicals to make you feel even more light-headed than pregnancy already makes you. There is no elbow-grease needed when scrubbing down with this stuff…and these days….my elbows just don’t have the energy.
What other products do you love that I’m missing, mommas? Share your favorite pregnancy (and post-pregnancy) must-haves in the comments below!
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