{photo via @edeneats my fave pregnant lady/food lover to follow on Instagram}
Both Brooke and I have learned a lot in the first half of our pregnancies. Surprisingly enough, they have been very different. I had pretty bad morning sickness for the first trimester, while Brooke felt good for the most part. We thought it would be fun to put together a list of things that helped us survive so far.
DEALING WITH MORNING SICKNESS:
Trader Joe’s Ginger EVERYTHING
- They have ginger mints, ginger snaps, ginger thins, ginger ale, etc. All of them are helpful in calming queasy stomachs. Having never been a huge fan of drinking ginger ale before pregnancy, it was the one thing that tasted good and settled my stomach. I’ve had friends say La Croix has a similar effect!
Vitamin B6
- I started taking these vitamins after my doctor recommended them for my nausea and throwing up. It really seemed to help and I could tell a difference when I missed a day.
Overall, both of us were very lucky when it came to feeling sick. We know there are women who have it SO much worse. We were also so grateful to both feel good towards the beginning of the 2nd trimester.
BEAUTY:
Skin
This has been one of the toughest parts of pregnancy. Both Brooke and I have noticed major changes in our skin – more oily and a lot more breakouts while pregnant. This is probably due to the fact that both of us had been taking either birth control pills or other medication to deal with acne. In pregnancy, you really can’t do much to help with skin issues. It also isn’t helpful when there is a camera getting close-ups of your face every day 🙂 This has made skincare an even bigger priority. We have had to find things that are very gentle, but still cleanse the skin. We have stuck to the brands that our dermatologist suggests – mostly Cetaphil products. I have also used Phytoceane cleansers that are super gentle and smell amazing. Good to remember this part won’t last forever!
Makeup
Thank heavens for makeup! We’ve said it before and we will say it again. When you are not feeling pretty, a little makeup can go a long way. The only big makeup change we’ve made is to use less oil based makeup and more powders. Our favorite new finishing powder is Too Faced Primed & Poreless – it just gives your face a nice matte (but not too matte) finish.
Lash Extensions
I think every pregnant woman should try these. When nothing else is working out, you can still have great lashes! Not only do they save time, but they make me feel good even if I have no makeup on. I’ve been getting mine done by Melissa at Salon Lydia for a long time. I can easily go 5-6 weeks in between fills, so it is a very worthwhile splurge in my life.
CLOTHING:
It’s normal to sit in front of your closet and cry after you break the zipper on your favorite skirt because it no longer fits, right? Well, I sure hope so! Ha. My changing body has been very humbling. I can no longer fit into most of my clothes that I love and it’s kind of sad. BUT! Then I remember that it’s because I’m growing a beautiful human being and my stomach is supposed to be getting bigger, so things are exactly as they should be. All of that being said, there are a few pieces of clothing that I would highly recommend.
H&M Maternity Pants Why fight the zipper anymore? I can’t find the ones I have online, but these are similar.
Why fight the zipper anymore? I can’t find the ones I have online, but these are similar. The plain black ones are game changers. So comfortable and they look like real pants, while they feel like you are wearing pajama leggings. I wear them a few times a week.
This dress company is great at making dresses that flatter and fit a pregnant body. My personal favorite and most worn item is this super comfy Black Hi Low Midi Dress.
SLEEP
Get a humidifier! One of the odd side effects of pregnancy is feeling extra congested (at least for me). My mom recommended getting a humidifier and I don’t know why I didn’t buy one sooner. Having the humidifier on while I sleep has made a big difference in feeling like I can breathe easier.
Boppy Pregnancy Wedge $13 it’s the perfect size to sleep with in between your legs or underneath one side.
Body Pillow although it feels like there is a third person in bed, it’s worth it! So comfy.
EMOTIONS
Oh wow. They are up and down and up and down and I started crying when Sam asked me if I wanted a milkshake 🙂 I think one of the things that helped me the most is to actually stop researching and reading. I have found it just stresses me out and I end up feeling overwhelmed. I normally love to read, but when it comes to maternity and pregnancy books, I have decided to set them aside for the next little while. Right now I am trying to enjoy these moments as a family of two before everything changes.
Thank you for all of the kind words and advice. I would love to hear what helped you survive the second half of your pregnancy! Any tips and tricks?
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