First-time preggo mommas, please stand up! Welcome to the club, I’m right there with you!
And yes, let’s just get this out there – you read that right… this is everything you need to know to survive TEN months, not the commonly referred to NINE months that men society usually reference as pregnancy.
Pregnancy is a learning curve, and thanks to the internet and girlfriends that can offer advice and experience, you can actually learn a LOT and become pretty educated about what to expect. Here are some tidbits I’d like to share with YOU as we go through this experience together.
The Sleeping Situation
The single best thing that I’ve done so far is purchase a $50 body pillow called the Leachco Snoogle. It’s definitely not cheap, but as baby boy has grown and the good doctors recommend side sleeping, this pillow has been everything to me. It is worth every penny and every strange look as I lug this pillow with me to hotels, friends houses, and out-of-town trips. Do yourself a favor, and save one of those 20% baby store coupons and go get this pillow RIGHT NOW.
Don’t Trust Everything You Read {except for this article of course ;)}
Really from the moment I found out I was pregnant, I had a feeling that the sweet nugget in my belly was a baby girl. I had dreams about girls, that maternal instinct, and all the theories you read about on pregnancy forums pointed to one gender: GIRL. After discovering a small complication during my first trimester, I ended up having 4 transvaginal ultrasounds before I reached my second trimester (Side Note: TV ultrasounds were not actually painful at all, whew!). According to the Ramzi Theory, each ultrasound image indicated FEMALE. According to the Chinese Gender Calendar, yup you guessed it, GIRL. Then lo and behold when we got actual blood work done, we are having a BOY. So, have some fun with those theories and calendars, but don’t take it to heart.
Pregnancy Forums
I’m not sure why, but going onto the forums that pregnancy apps and websites offer feel like a sort of guilty pleasure. Sometimes after reading a post I get that “whew, I’m normal” feeling, and other times I get that, “oh crap, there is something really wrong with me and my baby” feeling. Anyway, I’ve come to the conclusion: take it all with a grain of salt, and if you have a real concern, consult your doctor, not everyone who has access to the internet. But if you need a good dose of baby momma drama, the forums can meet that need.
Pregnancy Tracker Apps
I have FOUR pregnancy apps on my phone. FOUR. All that tell me the exact same thing, within a few food groups of course. For some reason I like to check WTE to see that baby is a spaghetti squash and then The Bump to see that baby is a cauliflower. Either way, it’s fun to see the articles and symptoms posted by different apps and they actually can be super helpful to help ease my mind when I want to know if what I’m feeling is ‘typical,’ but am too embarrassed to ask out loud.
Maternity Clothes
Take it easy and just buy one or two things at a time. I did my best to wear the belly band (which I borrowed from a friend) over my jeans/shorts, but that was terribly uncomfortable for me every time I sat down. The best thing I’ve done is going into the store to TRY it on, find what size works, and then order online. That way, you can use coupons, read reviews, and return items that don’t work out. During the end of the second trimester and into the third, my belly is growing fast and I’m afraid I’ll have to buy NEW maternity clothes since the ones I just had to have at 18 weeks don’t fit comfortably anymore. Rookie mistake.
Bedtime Snacks
Whether it was nausea in the first trimester or my insane appetite at 3AM during the later part of this pregnancy, having snacks that are readily available in the kitchen are a MUST. I’ve even stashed a few crackers in my nightstand drawer for emergencies. I have a friend that swears that chocolate milk will save your soul when hunger creeps in and wakes you up. Bottom line, have them handy!
Creams and Lotions
I was sure that before I got pregnant that I would get stretch marks. I got a few during puberty so I figured was DONE for when it came to pregnancy. So, I did my due diligence and decided to lather my body in a body butter every day, and especially after every shower. I use the OG mama which has, so far, worked well. From my boobs, to my belly, hips and thighs, and I’m trying to cover every inch.
Please comment below and share with me and all of our AMB readers what pregnancy survival tips have worked best for YOU. We love to share/steal ideas THAT WORK, so don’t be shy!
