First Trimester Necessities

Posted on May 1, 2014

Everything you need to survive the first trimester of pregnancy

Everyone’s pregnancy is different but I’ve put together a list of items that helped me survive the first trimester. Below that are resources for additional ideas from around the web!

A body pillow / Snoogle – I had so much trouble sleeping in my first trimester. My stomach hurt, I was hot, and I couldn’t get comfortable. This pillow helped me at least find a comfortable position to sleep in which made sleeping a bit easier. I liked this Snoogle because it has a pillow case that you can wash.
Belly Laughs – My best friend sent this book to me as soon as I told her I was pregnant. This book is hilarious and you won’t feel so alone in your weird symptoms when no one else knows that you are pregnant. Oh, and this isn’t the kind of book that will make you nervous or crazy about anything. You will just laugh.
A GOOD bra – I put this off as long as possible but can’t even tell you what a relief it was to get new bras that actually fit right. For women in the NYC area, I highly recommend Yummy Mummy on the UES. They have a pretty big selection and the saleswomen (especially Janina) are very nice and knowledgeable. The store is actually focused on accessories and apparel for breastfeeding, but this way if my bra size ends up being the same, the new bras I got will actually work for that. I went with the Bravados because they were insanely comfortable AND didn’t give me back fat (tmi?). Huge thanks to my expert cousin at Forty Weeks for sending me there.
Comfortable clothes, especially pants! I don’t know if everyone has this issue but I would get seriously bloated throughout the day almost all through my first trimester. By ten weeks, even though I had only gained a couple of pounds, early into each afternoon my pants would be insanely tight and uncomfortable. Invest in a couple of pairs (they don’t have to be expensive!) of comfortable maternity pants or shorts. I preferred full panel. My sister-in-law recommended these leggings which are great and I’m sure I will live in these shorts this summer.
Ice cream – One of my biggest cravings in the first few weeks was ice cream (in addition to bagels with tuna). And sometimes only the real deal works. Emma is opening up her shop in Jersey City over Memorial Day weekend…. I can NOT wait!
Whole Grain Carbs – I was so lucky that I didn’t have to deal with morning sickness but there were a few times that I felt a little nauseous. Often it was just because I was hungry. When that happened or when my appetite was just weird, the only thing I wanted were carbs. Having some good whole-grain options on hands like pretzels, toast or crackers helped me feel a little better about what I was putting in my body.
Someone to talk to – I was really nervous about what could happen during my first trimester so I kept the pregnancy pretty secret. Luckily I’m very close with my family and Matt was really good at listening whenever I wanted to talk about anything pregnancy related. Have a good confidant so that you don’t feel alone during those first few months.
A good doctor – After my experience in trying to get pregnant (a story for another day), I was ready to say goodbye to my gyno. I did some research and asked around before picking my new doctor. Also, find out what hospital you would deliver at so you can research that as well. So far I love my new OB and the location is very convenient to where we live. It’s also helpful to find a doctor that is covered by your health insurance.
Good prenatal workout DVDs – I workout a lot at home but wanted to make sure I was doing everything safely so I stuck to prenatal DVDs. I like this and this for yoga and love this Bar Method DVD. Walking is also great, especially now that the weather is getting nice. Don’t forget to consult with your doctor regarding what is safe for your pregnancy.
Snacks – I can’t tell you how many times I’d eat something and head out to run an errand only to get stuck in traffic or out and about and find myself STARVING. There is currently a Luna Bar, KIND Bar, Z-Bar and big bag of popcorn in my car. In my purse is a Kashi granola bar, Luna bar, almonds and bag of dried figs. Usually I’ll grab a string cheese and piece of fruit for the road as well. And don’t forget the water bottle! Seriously, don’t mess around with pregnancy hunger.
Good prenatal vitamin – I love these gummies because they taste like candy and don’t make me nauseous (a HUGE plus). Also, they don’t use any artificial coloring. Just note that they don’t have iron in them.