Ever since I learned I was expecting my first child, I have fallen into a pattern I swore I would avoid—I always put my needs last.
It isn’t really uncommon behavior for a mom, of course. It starts when we are first pregnant. We’re staring at the price tag of countless baby necessities—from the crib to the hundreds and hundreds of diapers we will use in their first year, and suddenly we start deciding our needs can be put aside.
Here’s what I’ve learned about putting your needs last—it doesn’t actually benefit your children in any way. You may feel like you are doing them a favor, but you know that tired cliché about putting on your oxygen mask first when the plane is going down? Well, it is completely true.
Trust me, I’ve put my needs last countless times only to discover it depletes my ability to care for my kids well.
So we’re challenging you to do things differently this time around. Quit ignoring your needs and wants and instead decide to take care of yourself during your pregnancy. Pregnancy is difficult enough as it is; moms don’t need to sacrifice unnecessarily and make things harder than they need to be.
Here are a few things pregnant moms can actually use, straight from expectant and new moms just like you.
A Morning Habit That Will Keep You and Baby Healthy
Taking a daily prenatal vitamin isn’t optional advice from your doctor, this little habit is important for keeping both you and your baby healthy. You’re growing a person!
So it makes sense that you might need a little extra help to keep your energy high and make sure both your and your baby’s needs are being met.
There are a lot of
Fight off Stretch Marks One Massage at a Time.
As your baby grows, so will your belly, stretching your skin unlike it has ever been stretched before. Rapid growth can create stretch marks in many women. In some
With the number of products on the market bragging about their ability to keep stretch marks at bay, it’s hard to know which creams are worth the money.
The secret to avoiding stretch marks is all about vitamin E, which helps the skin stay elastic so it can adapt to all of that growth. And even if you are genetically prone to stretch marks, a good lotion or cream will also help you keep your skin from getting itchy around those marks.
“Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula With Vitamin E,” Larson suggested. “I used it every night before bed during pregnancy; I was never itchy and…no stretch marks!”
Accommodate Your Growing Belly Without Breaking the Bank.
One little-known secret of pregnancy is just how expensive maternity clothes can be. It seems like the clothes made for expectant moms
Buying a whole new wardrobe during pregnancy simply isn’t affordable for a lot of moms, and that’s why this product really rocks. The Bellaband by Ingrid & Isabel is a thick elastic band you can slide over your unbuttoned jeans.
With the help of this band, you might be able to wear your pre-pregnancy jeans throughout your pregnancy, so all you need to purchase are some cute maternity tops and a comfy pair of sweatpants.
A Little Extra Love for Your Aching Feet
As the end of your pregnancy draws near, you’re going to notice just how sore your feet are and how hard it is to bend over and lace up your shoes. Make getting dressed in the morning a little easier with a couple of pairs of comfortable slip-on shoes.
During the colder months, a lot of moms love these ballet flats made specifically for pregnancy. They slip right on and have an aloe-infused insole for extra comfort. There are also summer options, like this cute wedge sandal. Of course, when the last weeks of your pregnancy roll around, you just might have to break out bigger shoes depending on how much swelling you experience.
“I had to straight up buy a pair of men’s flip flops by the end of my summer pregnancy,” mom Jessica Hoffman confessed.
Here’s hoping this list of pregnancy essentials will inspire you to take care of your changing body. It’s your baby’s home for more than nine months, and when your new little one arrives, it will provide the nutrition and comfort they need to thrive.
Do yourself and your baby a favor and make getting rest and staying healthy your number one priority.
