Friday, June 5, 2015

Must Have Maternity Items

Must Have Items to Survive Pregnancy:
1. Leggings, leggings, leggings!
I live in leggings. I workout in them, lounge in them, play on the ground with Ryder in them. Being comfortable is key for me when pregnant and I couldn’t live without my leggings! I’ve tried many brands/styles and my go-to is the Pea in a Pod brand. I also like the Luxe brand, but they don’t seem to last as long as the Pea in the Pod leggings. I also got a really nice, thick workout pair by Beyond the Bump that I loveeeeee! They are so comfy and come in fun colors.
2. Long, comfy tanks.
I wear a maternity tank underneath everything. I have about 3-4 black tanks and 2-3 white tanks. I live in these while pregnant and while nursing. I wear them ALL. THE. TIME. The ones I love are super-stretchy and they are from Target. They are long and comfy.
3. Bras (nursing)
If you plan to nurse, just get nursing bras from the start. I HATE underwire and refuse to wear it. I buy all my nursing bras from Destination Maternity and love them. I have some workout bras, every day bras and some sleeping bras. All from Destination Maternity and all wireless.
4. Quality Plain Black Short-sleeve T and/or Long-sleeve T
I “invested” in a $60 long sleeve black T that has gotten a lot of use! I wear this on super casual days with leggings and also wear it with jeans and statement jewelry when going out. It’s really comfy and thick, which I love. Black is always a good go-to color. I’m sure I’ll be wearing this a lot even after the baby is born in the fall.
5. Hoodie
I bought one black hoodie from Destination Maternity and wear it all the time! For a while, at the beginning of the pregnancy, I could still wear my old hoodies/jackets and they fit just fine. But then you get bigger and bigger…. and bigger! And having a comfy hoodie that actually zips up over the belly is nice. I love mine!
6. T's!
I do not splurge on my T’s. I get the cheap ones in bulk at Destination Maternity when they are having a 3 for $35 sale or whatever the deal is. I get them in small, medium and large. I just like having different sizes because sometimes I want it tighter to wear with jeans for the day and sometimes I want a big, baggy one I can sleep in. So I have lots of T’s in basic colors.
7. Belly Bandit
I have had a lot of lower back pain this pregnancy and a friend of mine recommended this to me. Worth every penny! They wrap around (and Velcro) under your growing belly. It provides extra support for your back and just makes me feel like my belly isn’t “hanging” at the end of the day. These are not TOO thick and you can wear them under your clothes, but I don’t. I’ve never once worn it out of the house, but I wear it all the time at night under my PJs when my back is really achy.
8. Pajamas
I didn’t get a lot of preggo PJ's last pregnancy. And I don’t know why!! I love them. I have a couple pairs of really soft, loose pajama bottoms that I LOVE and look forward to putting them on the second I get home – at 2:00pm LOL! Having comfy things to wear to bed has helped me sleep better. And Lord knows I need all the help I can get these days when it comes to sleep! I misssss sleeeeeeppppp. The bonus about this purchase is that you will wear these for a long time even after the baby is born. I bought a black set of pajamas that were super comfy and wore these all the time after Ryder was born when visitors came to bring us food, visit the baby, etc. I didn’t feel like a total SLOB, had easy access to nurse, and was still very comfortable.

Items to Splurge On:
1. Maternity dress
I didn’t wear dresses very often when I was pregnant with Ryder and I definitely don’t now… chasing after my crazy toddler. But getting 1-2 dresses that fit really well is a must. You can wear these for your shower, your maternity photo shoot, to church, to weddings, etc. I love fun dresses but having a plain one is nice because you can switch it up with accessories, sweaters, fun heels, etc.
2. Jeans
I bought a nice pair of A&G jeans when I was pregnant with Ryder. And I still love them. They are so stretchy and comfy. Best splurge ever. I wear these all the time with flats for a casual day or with heels for date night. I wore these for a while after he was born, too. Gotta love that “4th trimester!”
3. A Few Nice Tops
I’m a stay at home mom now, so working moms might need more dresses and/or dress up shirts. But for me, 3-4 will do. Pea in the Pod clothing fits really well and lasts a long time. Having a couple of nice shirts available to wear for a night out with friends, date night, a concert, etc., is necessary. Between these “dressier” shirts and my long sleeve black one I feel like I have enough to get me through the pregnancy.
4. Swim Suit
Ugh! The dreaded maternity suit! I highly recommend getting a Pea in the Pod swimsuit. They stretch a ton and don’t make you feel like you’re squishing out everywhere! I love tankinis because if you want to roll the top up to get a little sun on your bump, you can. But wearing a bikini while pregnant wasn’t realistic for me. I love it when preggo girls wear bikinis! But my skin was so sensitive and my belly was turning red FAST while we were in Hawaii for our baby moon with Ryder’s pregnancy. I immediately had to buy a one piece because I was so uncomfortable with my belly burning. I don’t burn that easily when I’m not pregnant, but your skin is so much more sensitive while you’re pregnant… especially your belly because it’s all stretched out! I love my maternity suit and can see myself wearing it even after the baby is born during my “4th trimester”. When I was pregnant with Ryder I bought a couple of cheaper suits from Motherhood Maternity and I never reach for them. They don’t fit as well and I just don’t feel as comfy in them. Plus, I didn’t feel like the patterns were as cute as the Pea in a Pod brand!

My 32 week bump and still comfy!




This picture of Ryder cracks me up! This is a typical day. 
Pushing my sweet boy in his car that he LOVES. 
And him... stuffing his face with his snack LOL


What are the items you splurged on that you regret? What about items you’ve loved and would recommend? Where are your favorite places for shopping maternity style? I would love your input!
       

1 comment:

  1. Thanks for this list. I love your pictures and your little boy is adorable!

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