Photography: Jill Miehe-Jackson // Director: Sara Miehe-Jackson
Being pregnant is no easy task, ask any woman who has experienced it herself and her partner that has supported her throughout the evolving changes—simply put, it’s hard. By any measure, my pregnancy has been uncomplicated, textbook even, but that doesn’t mean it’s been all sunshine and rainbows, hardly!
The exhaustion I experienced during first trimester was unparalleled to any feelings of being tired or fatigued that I have ever felt before. I would immediately fall asleep the second I came home from work. Coupling that with nausea (I was a lucky one that I didn’t experience any actual morning sickness) and trying to figure out what exactly I could put into my body to maintain energy and it was a downright gamble. In case you’re wondering, I ended up surviving on Cheez-its (did you know they make snack size multi-packs?!) and hummus on everything.
Once the twelve week mark hit, or second trimester, the fog of first trimester immediately lifted and suddenly I felt like myself again, if only a bit heavier because, well, Cheez-its. Buuuuut that’s exactly the same time the COVID-19 really hit the U.S., particularly in the Bay Area. Fun times. All my prenatal self-care plans flew right out the window as everything shut down. For me, this meant no: group fitness classes, massages, pedicures, in-person prenatal yoga classes, mamas groups, and also solo doctor appointments (yes, I recognize most of these are first world problems but still something I found myself grieving). It also meant that hardly anyone was able to witness my first pregnancy. It was a lot to come to terms with—many tears shed. Somewhere around the end of the third month of sheltering-in-place, and the beginning of my third trimester, I finally came to terms with my personal journey through pregnancy being vastly different than what I had envisioned for myself. You may have noticed that I kind of dropped off social media and sharing, I simply needed to take time to be and process what was happening. I was slowly letting go of expectations and accepting things as they are.
There’s a silver lining to all of this though. Being home for so much of this pregnancy means that I’ve had the opportunity to cultivate an even deeper connection between mind and body that I may have missed had I been commuting and expelling so much extra energy outward. I feel so very in tune with the minor changes and how best to support my body. For this, I feel extraordinarily grateful; it truly is a gift that I don’t think many women get to experience. So here’s where things get interesting, as any first-time-mom-to-be does, I have thrown myself into research and learning—everything from what’s going on in the body, understanding the physical changes, to parenting, sleep training, child development, you name it. My education began with Emily Oster’s book, Expecting Better and grew from there.
Between all my research and plain trial & error, I’ve found a few things that have been integral to helping me find comfort and feeling as good as I possibly can during this pregnancy both physically and mentally. None of these are sponsored and all are directly from my personal Amazon orders; they are tried and true—having made a BIG difference in how I feel throughout this pregnancy. My hope is that these items will help you find comfort too.
(click the images above to be taken to the product)
Seamless Maternity & Breastfeeding Bras
Your boobs will not stop growing. It’s a fact. Then your milk will come in and they’ll get even bigger. Don’t wait, just buy yourself new bras now and save yourself the misery. These are supportive without any wire and will last through breastfeeding if that’s the route you decide to take. I live in mine!
Yoga / Birthing Ball
Quickly eliminates lower back and hip pain, helping with alignment—total game changer. In fact, as I type this, I’m sitting on mine now. Pro-tip, search google for your height to make sure you get the right size ball for you. Sizing charts are made for exercise, for birth go up one size because you’ll want your hips higher than your knees to attain the right pelvic tilt for positioning your babe.
Belly Brace / Back Support
For me, maintaining some semblance of movement and activity has been important throughout my pregnancy, it’s a huge key to me finding mental wellness. As my belly became more prominent, my lower back really started to bother me. So much that I experienced a week of excruciating sciatica running down my right leg. Weekly chiropractic visits have helped but my doctor also suggested a brace. The moment I put this baby on, I felt immediate relief. I now use it anytime I’m going for a sustained walk or hike. It stabilizes my pelvis and lifts my belly too, alleviating pulling forward of the lumbar spine; used in conjunction with kinesio tape and I can still get in a few good miles of hiking too! Pro-tip: Pinterest has some great charts for taping up the bump!
Lavender Epsom Salt Soak
This 5lb. bag smells delightful and truly does reduce the aches and pains. Hips hurt from sleeping on your side? Lower back can’t find relief? Swelling in the legs because you forgot your compression socks? This stuff is like magic. All you need is a 20min soak before bed and you’ll sleep well and wake up feeling better. Sleep is the foundation for feeling good and you need it.
Collagen Peptides
I swear by this stuff! Vital Proteins is my favorite brand. I know genetics play the biggest role in whether or not a woman will get stretch marks but I figure a little extra help in terms of skin elasticity never hurt anyone. Am I right?! Collagen also helps joints to remain supple. Originally, I began taking collagen for faster recovery after my intense workouts. You know what else is intense on the body? Yep… being pregnant!
Calm Magnesium Gummies
I’ve been taking these since well before getting pregnant because I found they helped with muscle recovery in general as well, but even more so now that I’m pregnant they are a HUGE help to combating restless leg syndrome and those awful middle of the night leg cramps.
Compression Socks
Let’s face it, the swelling is real especially in the third trimester. I figured if I had to wear compression socks, I’d make it a statement! Love that these came in a multi-pack and are perfect for any sort of travel or large spans of time that require sitting (hello, working from home and roadtrips!).
Humidifier
Pregnancy congestion is a thing; nobody told me. A humidifier goes a long way to ensuring you sleep better at night. I bought one that will eventually end up in baby’s room. This one is a nightlight, humidifier, and diffuser all in one. Win-win-win!
Sleep Eye Mask
The pregnancy insomnia is real. Rather than fight it, I would listen to my body and get up when it was awake and fully embraced day-time napping (another bonus to working from home full-time). This eye mask is my all-time favorite for blocking out light without anything touching your eyes!
Unisom Melts
Though taking sleep aid isn’t my favorite thing to do, after having multiple nights of broken sleep, I found it super important to ensure I was still logging as many quality Z’s as possible. If I experienced three nights of bad sleep, on the fourth I’d take one of these melts (they’re half strength to the gelcaps) and would sleep like the dead.
Expecting & Empowered Exercise Plan
I love movement in basically all forms but yoga hasn’t been the modality for me. I require more strength and support in this body than ever before (hel-lo relaxin!) which is why I am soooo very grateful to the mamas over at Expecting and Empowered that created resistance training plans for every trimester and even postpartum. I bought mine on a bundle during their Mother’s Day sale. If you’re looking for tips and a plan to feel good and supported THIS is it! I wouldn’t say they’re designed for beginners but if you maintain a regular resistance workout routine prior to pregnancy, you’ll love these guides.
Comfy and Roomy Maxi Dress(es)
I love this one so much that I ended up buying it in two colors because I didn’t want to wait for the laundry to be done, bonus points for being versatile enough that it can be worn postpartum and well after!
Ruched Fitted Dress
This one is perfect for showing off the bump and having plenty of room to grow. Again, it’s not technically maternity and I love it so much I bought it in two colors. It’s super easy to throw on a shawl or jean jacket while feeling comfortable and presentable! Avoid the white one, I found it to be more sheer than any preggo wants. ;) It’s also featured above in the main pic.
So mamas, what have you found to be invaluable in your journey? Please share in the comments below. I wish you all health and wellbeing!!
In health,
Paige