Must Have's - First Trimester

Now that I'm well into the third trimester

(only 10 more weeks to go!)

I figured I could share some of the lessons I've learned along the way.

Below I've compiled a list of "essentials"

that helped me survive the first trimester.

For me, it was 3 months filled with fatigue, nausea, questions, 

heartburn, mood swings, and pretending to co-workers that you're not pregnant, 

just to name a few.

Needless to say...it wasn't my favorite time of pregnancy.

I hope that my list can help any other first-time moms 

get through the first trimester.

1.  Belly Band

This amazing invention allows you to continue wearing your normal pants for months, even if you can't button them up.  It just looks like you've layered another shirt underneath yours.  Luckily I had a friend nice enough to lend me hers, but I used it so much I think I'm gonna buy her a new one. 

2.  Zantac

Most of my friends didn't need this till the third trimester, but I had nasty heartburn from the get go.  Anything and everything would give it to me, and for much of the first trimester I constantly felt like I had food coming back up my throat.  Lovely, isn't it?  My doctor recommended Zantac, and while it didn't completely take the problem away, it certainly helped.  Definitely talk to your doc before taking any meds though!

3.  Gummy Vitamins

Due to the constant nausea, I could not handle swallowing the large horse pills that most pre-natals are.  In all honesty, I went several weeks (or months) without taking vitamins because they made me gag and dry heave.  A friend told me about these gummy vitamins and saved my day.  They don't contain any iron, though, so if you're anemic you may want to take a supplement too.

4.  Crackers

Since I was always nauseous, I found myself craving salty, crunchy crackers and chips to help settle my stomach.  I didn't go anywhere without a baggie full of crackers in my purse.

5.  Water

I also didn't go anywhere without a bottle of water.  After a while, plain water also made me nauseous so I used lemon or cucumber to add a little flavor.  Some people swear by sparkling water or ginger ale but those didn't do anything for me.

6.  Mayo Clinic Guide

If this is your first pregnancy you're probably gonna have a lot of questions.  This book provided helpful information and, coming from the Mayo Clinic, was a source that I trusted.  It breaks down  the pregnancy week by week, so you know what is happening to your baby each week.  My husband also liked reading it too, since I think it helped him feel more connected.  I was able to check this out from my library for several weeks instead of buying it.

7.  Pantyliners

I'm pretty sure I haven't used a pantyliner since middle school, but trust me, these become very necessary.

8.  Open front cardigans

Perfect for hiding that little bump that you're still not telling your co-workers about.

9.  Gum

Everything I ate left an aftertaste in my mouth that worsened my nausea.  So I found myself chewing gum throughout the day to get rid of that taste.

10.  Baby blogs - the bump, the cradle, babble, etc

It's always nice to read about other women going through the same thing you are.  These sites are all useful tools, especially in the early days when you're full of questions.  I take the information with a grain of salt, though, until I back it up with more trusted data or talk to my doctor.