Congratulations on being pregnant if you fall into this category! But what now? What should you do and what should you buy? Well in truth you don't need a lot but here is a list of my top things when I was pregnant. They don't all fit neatly into the "buy" category but I didn't want to change the heading!!
Multi Vitamins
It is a good idea particularly during pregnancy to take vitamins. In those first 12 weeks where you might be feeling horrendous and not eating much or just eating what you can stomach so a multi vitamin will help ensure that you're getting your essential vitamins and minerals. A specific pregnancy multi vitamin will also contain folic acid which is vital in those first 12 weeks and be tailored to ensure you don't get too much of some vitamins for example vitamin A. I took Pregnacare plus during both pregnancies and during breastfeeding (it's tailored for both).
Pregnacare
Moisturiser
Stretch marks are part of life and largely genetic but with my first I moisturised twice a day and had NO stretch marks, With my second I was lazy due to being so sick and constantly tired and I had a lot of stretch marks although he was a lot bigger than my daughter when he was born! But I do think that if your skin is moisturised it can help prevent getting stretch marks, A friend recommended almond oil to me which is lovely and I used a lot first time but bio oil has also been recommended by people that are stretch mark free! If you're looking for some then this bottle is half price on Amazon
Yoga Ball
A big bouncing yoga / gym ball is a good investment. It's great for sitting on particularly during the third trimester and it's not a one trick pony. It's comfy, helps with posture, helps prevent baby from being back to back (this makes labour trickier), works your core muscles and might be useful during labour. You don't need to buy an expensive one but just one the right size for your height, you don't want your hips lower than your knees. They can be deflated after use so don't need to take up much cupboard space.
Maternity Bra
During pregnancy your breasts will change a lot and you will need to change bras throughout. It's time to say goodbye to underwires and hello to comfort. As I've said before practical doesn't always need to mean boring and I've found a great website that offers a wide selection of bras and free delivery! It's a good job to get measured regularly for example in my first pregnancy my back was 30" to start and 36" just before she was born so need to make sure you've got the right tools for the job! Around week 36 it's a good idea to get measured for nursing bras which will be practical for breastfeeding if you choose to do so, but bear in mind that your breasts will get bigger post baby but your chest may decrease in size once you've had the baby (and the baby stops moving your organs which are now using space up under your ribs!!).
Nursing bra shop
Exercise
There are two things that I want to put under this banner. Swimming and Pilates / Yoga
Swimming costume
Swimming is great exercise partly when you feel very heavy towards the end and your joints are aching. You can go into a world of feeling weightless and light. When I was pregnant with my son I started a search for a maternity swimming costume and was shocked at how many I had to send back because there was no room for my boobs! For maternity wear to be small in this area seems strange to me but I did track down a costume (it's not the prettiest I will admit) that fitted well and does the job and the biggest shock to me was that it was from Tesco. They don't have the exact costume I bought as I got a purple one but this black one is similar, sorry for the image quality on this picture
Tesco Costume
Pregnancy Yoga / Pilates
The other part of exercise that I wanted to mention isn't a purchase as such but pregnancy specific yoga or pilates. In my last pregnancy I did both and really recommend them. Yoga is a bit more relaxing than Pilates as there is much more core work in Pilates but neither are really strenuous compared to the normal versions. Even if you have never done either before (I hadn't) they are a great opportunity to focus on you, your body and your baby and get in tune with your body. You will also learn breathing techniques which will be useful in labour or during a C-section and also do important work on your pelvic floor. Most classes take women from 14 weeks when the placenta has taken over from hormones but it's worth looking into what classes are available.
If you live in the Chiltern district then I recommend Alice at Bucks Pilates, she is a mum of two young children herself and a brilliant teacher. Her classes are based in Amersham and here's the link to her website.
NCT
Again this doesn't fit into the "buy" category but an NCT antenatal course is my absolute number one recommendation to any friends that are having children. I found the actual antenatal course brilliant and a fantastic preparation for birth and breastfeeding not only for mum but for dad as it is a fantastic way to get them really involved too. But the benefits of NCT go way beyond the hours you do during the course as you may make some really good friends. During those early days of having a newborn baby there is nothing like having other people you know going through the same thing at the same time. Having friends who've had children is also really useful but you do forget what it was like and they are likely to be sleeping at night when you're not! My group have been so useful to have to reassure me about all things and to go to for advice as well as introducing me to some other local mums. I personally as have many other people I've spoken to found this to be worthwhile the cost but it's worth checking their website as I know they do part funded courses sometimes.
What are your recommendations for friends when pregnant? What do you recommend them to do or buy?
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