Assalamu alaikum, mamas and mamas-to-be!

I am sure many of you who are pregnant for the first time or just thinking to get pregnant are wondering what are the must haves when it comes to pregnancy, don’t you?

Nowadays we have a lot of different companies trying to push their products as “essentials”, while the true is that these products did not existed few decades ago, yet women had been giving birth to their babies from the beginning of time. So, no, there is no standard “essentials” list apart from water, food, and plenty of sleep, however there are some items that can make pregnancy more comfortable, enjoyable, and a bit easier! This is my personal list:

Vitamins. Our bodes do not get all the essential vitamins through food, but during pregnancy body requires even higher levels of some of the vitamins. In order to be able to provide it medical doctors recommend pregnant women to use pregnancy multi-vitamins. I use Pregnacare Original vitamins as well as Omega 3, witch is essential for baby brain development.

Water and Healthy Snack on the Go. If anything on this list is an Essential with a capital E, it is Water and snacks every time you leave the house even for a little while. Dehydration and hunger do not go well with pregnancy as it can cause nausea and fainting.

Sports Bra. During pregnancy wired bras are a big No No as it can interfere with the breast growth and milk supply. On the other hand, breasts may grow as much as few sizes, hence requiring more support than ever. I found that sports bra gives me the most comfort, at the same time supporting the breasts and the upper back.

Stretch Mark Oils/ Creams. Body moisturizing and care has never been as important as in pregnancy. Our bodies stretch and put on weight not only around the waist… Breasts, legs, arms stretch too! If skin stretches too quickly and is not elastic enough it may cause stretch mark scars. There is not much we can do to avoid them as genetics play a big role as well, however we can try to do our best to prevent them by using stretch mark oils and creams few times a day. The ones I use and like are: Mama Mio Stretch Mark Butter; Bio Oil; and Weleda Stretch Mark Oil.

Simple Skin Care Routine. Our skin changes during pregnancy. Personally, my skin, which used to be oily/combination became desert dry and sensitive during pregnancy, requiring me to completely change my skin care routine. See the video (link in the end of the blog) to learn my three simple step pregnancy skin care routine.

Pillows Pillows Pillows (at night). Going to the loo every few hours at night is already disturbing the sleep enough, but when you begin to experience hip pain as well- no position seem to be comfortable enough. The solution can be rather simple- avoid drinking water few hours before bed time; sleep on your left side; use several pillows between hips, knees, and ankles to keep legs apart. This takes pressure of the hips.

Yoga Mat/ Exercise Ball. Pregnancy should not be used as a justification to sit around in pj’s eating crisps and watching Netflix. It is essential to keep yourself active during pregnancy to keep healthy weight gain range, tone muscles, and help your body to prepare for giving birth. My favorite types of exercises are yoga, walking and using exercise ball. All of these help to stay fit , and encourages baby to get into the position that is the best for birth.

Comfortable Maternity Clothes. Have I known how comfortable maternity clothes were I would have started to wear them even before getting pregnant! Some comfortable pair of good quality jeans and a few loose tops are great investment!

Pregnancy Belly Belt. As baby bump grows bigger and heavier many mums-to-be experience discomfort in the lower back and abdomen due to the baby weight. Some may even find themselves holding the bottom of the belly while walking to get some “lift”. It is a sign that it might be a good time to invest in a pregnancy belly belt. It supports the back, lifts up the belly giving a sensation of lighter baby weight. It helps to take the pressure of the hips as well.

Pregnancy Apps and Books. It is important that we keep ourselves well aware and informed of the changes to our bodies and the development of our babies all throughout pregnancy. There are some great pregnancy apps that can keep us in the loop on a daily basis. Some of my favorites are “Baby Center” and “Baby Bump”. Pregnancy books are also there to keep us well informed, but also to help us overcome tension and fear of giving birth. Two of my favorites are “The hypnobirthing book” by Katherine Graves, and “Ina May’s guide to childbirth” by Ina May Gaskin.

Jazakallah for reading! Inshallah I pray you found it useful and will watch my video with the same title:

Love and Hugs,

Modernhijablook

Xxx