Surviving Pregnancy: The Supplies

For the past few months I've accumulated a few items of importance. Some I had on hand and others were purchased and have now become the supplies of pregnancy. It's a list that's specific to me but I think it's general enough to help you or someone you know survive the fun and magic and all that of being knocked up. Maybe you can even put together a little present for a friend you know is pregnant with some of the items included in the list.

1) Epsom Salts: Around the second trimester your body starts aching because your belly is stretching and your muscles get sore. One of the best things to help this and all muscle aches is to just sit in a nice warm bath with epsom salts. If you can stand smells, a few drops of lavender or peppermint will help relax you even more.

2) Be Band: Before you commit to maternity pants you might feel like using your regular pants as long as possible and who can blame you, I mean, you spent all those months running and working out to fit into the size 6 pants. Well this little contraption helps you keep wearing them!

3) Haagen Dazs or Ice Cream: Ice cream in general is heaven but especially when all you want is dairy. I chose this brand because they have the least amount of chemicals and can be found easily in stores but if you want to make your own or know of an even better more natural brand, go for it.

4) Nightlight: You'll be going to the bathroom in the middle of the night a lot. 

5) Good Hand Lotion: Your hands will get really dry. Go for something unscented since you have no idea what sort of smells will trigger nausea.

6) Good Earth Tea Sweet & Spicy: I went mostly cold turkey on caffeine but this tea is so dark and tangy that it makes you feel like you're having something caffeinated. All the stuff in it is helpful with an upset tummy and smells so dang good. 

7) Face Wipes: Sometimes you'll get too lazy to wash your face but trust me, you need to clean it up, acne is a big problem during pregnancy.

8) Stretch Mark or Cream: I went with Mother's Blend since it was the only thing available at Sprouts but whatever floats your boat. Though stretch marks are genetic and you can't do squat to prevent them in those cases, you can at least help minimize them and the itching that inevitably follows.

9) Boppy Pillow or Some Body Pillow: I am getting close to buying the cumbersome pregnancy specific one but I'm gonna go grab a regular body pillow. My acupuncturist (yes, I go to an acupuncturist, remember, I'm a hippie) recommended the act of hugging the pillow somehow releases tension in your back and putting the pillow between your legs releases the tension in your hips since you're doing a lot of side sleeping. Luckily Matt and I are not really sleeping snugglers, we got a big bed so we can each sleep on our own side so the pillow won't come between us too much.

10) Gin Gins Ginger Spice Drops: Miracles. I usually suck on one on the drive to work to avoid having to pull over and barf. The whole "ginger ale" phenom didn't work on me, these suckers are actually loaded with ginger, so dig in. I also really like Reed's Ginger Candies. 

11) Sour Patch Kids: This I can't explain but I read I'm not the only one. When I get little bouts of nausea and there is nary a ginger candy in sight, these guys hit the spot.

12) Good Water Bottle: You need to drink a LOT of water period but especially pregnant because you get bloated from your digestive system slowing down and you need to help it out with liquid. Grab yourself a pretty bottle and drink yourself lots of water. 

13) Acetaminopen (aka Tylenol): Headaches. You can't have ibuprofen and a bunch of other drugs but tylenol is okay. Talk to your doctor first of course.

14) Peppermint Tums: Heartburn. Acid Indigestion. You're gonna need some tums. Plus they have calcium and the pepperminty taste is good.

15) Travel Mouth Care Kit: You're gonna be doing some barfing. And if you're out of the comfort of the toothpaste and toothbrush in your bathroom, you're gonna want to spare others around you with smell of your barf breath. 

16) Saltine Crackers: You'll grow to hate them near the end but they're pretty helpful in the beginning. I would set my alarm a few minutes before I woke up, nibble on a few, wake up, then go to the kitchen and eat some yogurt. Usually these things would appease the alien and I could make it without barfing but there were days when nothing helped.

17) Greek God Yogurt: Yogurt was my morning cure-all in the beginning. Still is. More so I'm realizing a lot of the brand yogurts are full of chemicals that are really unnecessary for yogurt. Greek God is my favorite right now, I recommend it.

18) Soy Candle: You're gonna be gassy. Spare your significant other the pain of walking into a room where you've been creating a dump with your farts. Light 'em up. (Sorry honey).

19) Gummy Pre-Natals (with DHA & Folic Acid): Prenatal vitamins, while incredible for your nails and hair, are pure evil. If I could have found vegetarian gummies I would have chowed them down instead of the puke that I have to swallow everyday. You have to take these vitamins, make it mildly pleasant for yourself just make sure they have 100% Folic Acid and DHA. Another word on pre-natal vitamins, I take them at night because of the morning sickness (and it would be pointless to take something you're gonna toss in the toilet anyway) but now things are getting better I might switch back to daytime since that's the best time to take vitamins when your body needs them and absorbs them better but a lot of women do like I do and take them at night to keep them down. Also, washing them down with anything but water helps the situation too.

20) Waste Basket for Car: You may puke in the car. Be ready.

21) Pantyliners: So fun filled pregnancy fact: if you sneeze or cough, you may pee a little. If you puke really heavily, you might pee yourself. In the beginning it was so bad I was wearing straight up feminine pads but now things are better so it's just pantiliners. I like natracare 'cause they have no chemicals or bleach. In the same vein, I also have a spare set of leggings and undies in the car in case I'm away from home and pee myself when barfing (it did happen, yes.) 

22) Hemorrhoid Cream: I mentioned the slowing down of your digestive system, did you guys not put it together that dropping a deuce would become a challenge? Yeah… 

23) Nasal Rinse Kit: There's this thing called pregnancy rhinitis and it makes your nose all stuffy and such. Guess who got that too? Help yourself out and rinse out them boogies.

24) Girlfriends: Not just the fun read "A Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy" but have on hand a few friends that have been pregnant recently you can ask embarrassing questions to or a few girlfriends you can tell hilarious or embarrassing stories that will appreciate them because they love you.

I hope I properly scared/educated you guys on the fun things that happen during pregnancy and give you a little glimpse into the stuff I've been dealing with. If you have any ideas of things to add, shoot 'em my way.

Pregnancy ain't for the weak my friends. That's why women do it.

BOOYA.