Pregnancy Tips and Tricks

First Trimester Pregnancy Hacks

Fight Nausea and Morning Sickness

This pregnancy has totally kicked my butt when it comes to morning sickness. Because I’m a pregnancy and parenting blogger, I did a lot of research and tried tons of different nausea remedies to see what worked the best. For both of my pregnancies, my hands down favorite way to fight morning sickness have been Preggy Pop Drops. They’re little sour candies made with essential oils and natural flavors. I don’t know what it is about them, but they have the ability to completely subside my nausea. I try to suck on one for as long as possible, and by the time it’s gone, so is my queasy stomach.

My other best practice when it comes to nausea is staying hydrated. If I go too long without drinking water (or some other kind of fluid), I start to feel the morning sickness taking over. My best advice is to get yourself a giant water bottle (like the ones you get at the hospital) and try to drink at least a gallon of water each day.

Stay Organized with the Oh Baby Pregnancy Planner

If you haven’t checked out the Oh Baby Pregnancy Planner, you have to. This pregnancy planner takes all the guesswork out of preparing for baby. It has over 50 printables that help you stay organized and prepare for your little one without forgetting anything (hello pregnancy brain). It has things like a pediatrician questionnaire (not gonna lie, I was Googling “what to ask when interviewing a pediatrician” in the car before going in to meet mine for the first time), a baby registry checklist, hospital bag checklist, birth plan template, and even includes information for newborn care (plus lots and lots of other stuff)! If this is your first go around, I highly recommend you check out this planner.

Pamper yourself with Bump Boxes

I’m going, to be honest, and admit that subscription boxes are something I would normally never do. I’m a big time penny pincher and getting a bunch of “surprise” junk mailed to my house on a monthly basis isn’t really my thing. But, the Bump Boxes are a different story. First and foremost, these nine months is a time to pamper yourself. For real. If you’re not the type of person that typically splurges on self-care, now is the time. Not to mention, Bump Boxes are packed with products that are actually useful and are tailored to your due date. In each box, you get things like stretch mark cream, heartburn relief, pregnancy teas, and even cute water bottles and coffee mugs.

Invest in a Pregnancy Pillow

You probably won’t have a very big bump by the end of your first trimester, but I highly recommend investing in a pregnancy pillow EARLY! One day, you’re going to wake up, look in the mirror, and magically have a big ole’ baby bump. You’re going to want that pregnancy pillow. I was being super frugal during my last pregnancy and convinced myself that I didn’t need a fancy pregnancy pillow. My plan was to shove a bunch of regular pillows between by legs and behind my back and everything would be fine. A few weeks later, my friend gave me her pregnancy pillow after she tried it for a night and didn’t like it. Not sure what the heck she was thinking but this thing saved my life! I have the giant “C” shaped pillow and it was perfect for rolling from side to side when my belly got too big to be on either hip for too long. I wound up carrying a (nearly) 10-pound baby and I’m convinced that this pregnancy pillow is the only reason I got any sleep between the weeks of 36 – 41.

Second Trimester Pregnancy Hacks

Get a Belly Band or DIY One

As I’m writing this, I’m realizing that my girlfriend really helped me out during my last pregnancy. She introduced me to Preggy Pop Drops, gave me her pregnancy pillow, and bought me a belly band (when I had no idea what one was). A belly band is basically a band of fabric that you can use to cover up the fact that your pants aren’t buttoned or zipped. Once you’re fully dressed, it just looks like you have a longer cami on under your shirt. Sounds crazy, but I promise you’ll need it. There’s this really awkward stage of pregnancy when you’re too big for your regular clothes but too small for maternity clothes. That’s where the belly band comes in. You can also make your own belly bands by cutting old tank tops (you can find a full tutorial here).

Use the Hair Tie Trick

Another way to keep wearing your pre-baby clothes for as long as possible is to utilize the hair tie trick. You’ll need a longer shirt to cover up this clever pregnancy hack, but it’ll keep you in your regular pants for a few extra weeks.

Prevent Stretch Marks

My sister-in-law gave me some great advice when I was pregnant with Weston. She had just had a baby, but she didn’t have a single stretch mark to prove it (and she’s a tiny little thing). She told me that she started buttering up her belly from the very beginning before her stomach even started growing. I took her advice and lotioned up my belly every single night before bed and anytime my skin was itchy from stretching. While my stomach made it out reasonably unscathed, I can’t say the same for my butt, thighs, and boobs. I was so focused on my belly that I didn’t realize the rest of my body was also growing at an alarming rate. Stock up on lots of stretch mark cream (I used this kind) or make your own!

Add Collagen Powder to your Morning Beverage

Another clever way to fight stretch marks during pregnancy is to add a little collagen powder to your morning beverage. Collagen is a protein in our bodies that gives our skin elasticity and strength (perfect for stretching skin). It also helps keep your hair, skin, and nails healthy, strengthens your joints, and repairs your bones, all of which are super helpful during pregnancy.

Shop for Maternity Clothes in the Comfort of your Own Home

Just when I thought I couldn’t love Amazon anymore, they come up with Prime Wardrobe. If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you can shop on Amazon, have 3 or more items delivered to your door, try them on in the comfort of your own home, and return everything you don’t like. For Free! You only get charged for the items you keep. Let me tell you why this is the perfect way to shop for maternity clothes. 1. You don’t have to leave your house. 2. Amazon has way more options than your local maternity shop and they’re way more affordable. 3. You don’t have to deal with the dreaded dressing room (trust me this place is a pregnant woman’s worst enemy). You can search Amazon’s maternity section here!

Third Trimester Pregnancy Hacks

Take your Baby Preparation Classes Online

Technology is a wonderful thing, especially when it comes to motherhood. I have no idea how our parents survived without video baby monitors and Google. Because of technology, we can now take all our pre-baby courses online, in our pajamas, whenever we feel like it! If you haven’t signed up for any pre-baby classes yet, I highly suggest you check out the following:

Birth it Up – As my doctor always says, “there’s nothing worse than surprises in the delivery room.” As a woman, I believe we should be prepared for anything that can come our way during labor and delivery. I think it’s empowering and calming to know what to expect on the big day. Birth it Up is taught by a registered labor and delivery nurse and covers topics like how to know when you’re actually in labor, pain management, labor positions, pushing tips, and more. You can learn more and sign up for the course here.

Milkology (the Ultimate Breastfeeding Course) – As a breastfeeding momma, I can say that learning the ins and outs of milk making was one of the most difficult things about becoming a mother. I was constantly wondering if I was “doing it right”, if my baby was getting enough milk, if he was eating too much, if he wasn’t eating enough, if this pain was normal, or that pain was normal. The truth is, breastfeeding is hard and it’s a total learning curve for most new moms. I love Milkology because it covers everything you need to know about nursing your little one. The lessons teach you exactly what you need to do during your very first nursing session after birth, how to manage your milk supply, latching and position, troubleshooting, and more. If you want to breastfeed, I would strongly suggest you take some time to enjoy this course before your baby is born!

Throw a Diaper Party

A diaper party is basically the male equivalent of a baby shower (without the corny games). Here’s how it works… your partner and all of his guy friends get together to watch some sporting event or have a bonfire or play poker (or whatever floats your boat). Price of admission to this guy’s night is a box of diapers. It’s a nice little last hurrah for the man in your life and a great way of getting a whole bunch of free diapers! Because of our diaper party, we didn’t have to buy diapers for the first 15 months of Weston’s life! Below is a picture of the most recent diaper party my husband attended. You can check out more tips on how to build an awesome diaper stockpile here!

Ask for Books instead of Cards at your Baby Shower

I stumbled upon this idea on Pinterest and it was a huge success. Instead of cards, ask each guest at your baby shower to bring a book and write a small note to your baby on the inside. It’s a great way to grow your baby’s library and an awesome way to show your little one how much they are loved down the road. You can simply add the request as part of your baby shower invitation.

Get a Free Breast Pump through Insurance

It wasn’t until a friend of mine recently opened up a breast pump at her baby shower that I realized that not everyone knows that you can get one for FREE through insurance. The process is so simple and a huge money saver when it comes to preparing for baby. My breast pump would have cost me over $200. Instead, I got it for free, loved it, and used it for over a year. You can learn how to get your free breast pump here!

Nest like a Pro

Preparing your home for a baby can be difficult. You don’t really know what you’re going to need or where to put things until your little one has actually made their arrival. However, I’ve put together a list of 8 ways to prepare your home for baby that I think is really helpful for expecting moms! You can check out the full post here.

I hope these pregnancy hacks help prepare you and your body for the wonderful world of pregnancy. Gaining weight, crazy mood swings, and sleepless nights don’t exactly sound like a great time, but carrying and growing a baby for nine months is one of the most amazing things you’ll ever experience. I hope these pregnancy hacks allow to you cut down on the discomfort and help you enjoy all the wonderful things pregnancy has to offer.

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