Pregnancy hasn’t been too bad so far, except for some random food cravings like excessive amounts of yogurt and soup or asking Adam specifically to buy (and make) me a sirloin steak and season it with Montreal Steak Seasoning only. I haven’t had any morning sickness, only light nausea and now some headaches here and there. I have had some major brain farts forgetting what I was saying mid sentence, but I haven’t found the remote in the refrigerator yet! The items I have listed below have been necessities for me during my pregnancy so far and I hope it gives you an idea of what you may need or what may help you have a healthy and safe pregnancy.

1. Coconut water. Staying hydrated during pregnancy is so important and so hard for me. To get some added hydration I drink a coconut water at lunch. This gives the added benefit of potassium too! I buy the 12 pack Kirkland Signature Organic Coconut Water from Costco for $9.99, but if you are not a Costco member you can buy a 12 pack of Harvest Bay Coconut Water for $12.49 on Amazon.
2. Ginger candies. These were a life saver for me on my flights in the first trimester or just when I was feeling a little queezy at work. The Ginger People Gin Gins are my favorite brand, last a while, and they come in different flavors like Spicy Apple if you aren’t the biggest ginger fan.
3. Belly band. Honestly I hate wearing tight jeans so I went to this right away so I could hide the fact that I wasn’t buttoning my pants. I didn’t buy it soon enough in my pregnancy and I wish I did. At first I just used a hair tie that looped around the button and through the button hole, but now the Belly Band is great to get more wear out of my jeans.
4. Pregnancy pillow. Sleeping on my side has been the most comfortable for me and having a good pillow for support is so important, otherwise I wake up with pelvic and back pains. This U Shaped Pregnancy Pillow is perfect for a good and safe nights sleep. Tip: I found mine for $9 at a consignment event in my area so keep an eye out for steals!!
5. Prenatal vitamins. You need prenatal vitamins to make sure baby is getting all of the nutrients it needs. I bought both the tablets and the gummies from CVS when they were BOGO. I alternate the days that I take them, because the tablets have iron but not DHA and the gummies have DHA but no iron. I also fortify my diet with iron rich foods and salmon for DHA.
6. Large water bottle. Again I can’t stress the importance of hydration during pregnancy enough and I cannot live without my 25 oz. S’well bottle that stays cold for 24 hours and keeps me hydrated all day at work.
7. Belly Butter. My belly is starting to get itchy so I need to start moisturizing it! I use Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter.
8. Pregnancy book. You can go with a serious book like the famous What to Expect When You’re Expecting that will tell you all of the boring (and exciting) details or you can go with the funny book, Belly Laughs by Jenny McCarthy like I did and learn about pregnancy from a different point of view.
9. Maternity clothes. I just started buying maternity pants and shirts. I didn’t want to buy any of that, but I had to. The best stores for quality and price are Target (I love these maternity shorts and jeans) and Old Navy. I also found a lot of cute and cheap maternity tops at Burlington Coat Factory! I bought some flowy dresses that aren’t maternity, but will fit so I can still wear them after the baby is born.
10. Pregnancy apps. To keep you up to date on how big your baby is getting and give you tips on nutrition and exercise among other things. My favorites are the What to Expect app and the Baby Center app.

Check with your doctor about your supplements and nutritional needs!