We officially scheduled baby girl’s c-section – T-minus 70ish days until this family of four becomes a party of five – WOW! As I mentioned last week, I incorrectly guessed that this pregnancy would fly by but now that we’ve circled a date on the calendar, I’m more impatient then ever. We cannot wait to meet and snuggle her…then put her in this adorable chambray romper a friend gifted us. Be still my heart!
Baby sis will be the last little one to join the family so before pregnancy becomes a permanent distant memory I thought it’d be fun to share my top 5 pregnancy favorites from the past five years. I sat down to write this post thinking it was going to cover my favorite maternity wear pieces, but seeing as how I hate maternity wear, well, my thoughts drifted. Additionally I haven’t bought too many new pieces since Lincoln’s pregnancy in 2013 – just a couple pieces with Cam, and just the epic leggings I’m linking to below this time around – so they aren’t available to link to.
That said, maternity wear is a huge part of pregnancy and I do have a few favorite brands/sources for the clothes I’ve worn over my past three pregnancies:
- Target: Their Liz Lange Collection is fabulous – especially the tops/sweatshirts.
- Old Navy: Nearly all my maternity maxi dresses are from Old Navy and they’ve been comfortable and long-lasting (again, purchased in 2013 so no links, unfortunately.) Additionally, their non-maternity Luxe line tops are super pregnancy-friendly – very flowy and forgiving – and perfect for the 1st and 2nd trimester. Also check Old Navy for drawstring maternity shorts (I don’t see any online at the moment.) Maternity jeans and shorts panels make me absolutely mental and Old Navy is the only place I’ve found that has, in the past at least, offered no-panel drawstring shorts.
- Athleta: I have a sweatshirt and two tops from Athleta that are long, stretchy and fit through all 9 months. I LOVE Athleta’s fabrics which are forgiving and like I said – streeeetch. Anytime I can save a few bucks and purchase clothing I can wear post-baby is a huge plus, too.
- LuLa Roe: Totally admit to falling hook/line/sinker for LLR a couple years ago and ordering a few pairs of leggings. Unfortunately they have not held up in the wash. Although I don’t wear them out of the house, they are my absolute favorite maternity lounge pants. The waistband stretches through the entire pregnancy and while they’re fitted, then don’t cling. I feel like I’m not wearing anything at all (sorry for the visual) and look forward to changing into them every single evening!
- Stitch Fix: Believe it or not, a TON of the tops I’ve worn throughout my three pregnancies are from Stitch Fix! While SF does have a maternity fix option, they have all come from my regular fixes. Just ask your stylist for some super long tops.
- Nordstrom: Maternity/Nursing Bras. ‘Nuf said. :)
Clothing aside, I’m excited to share my top 5 pregnancy favorites with you! These are the 5 items (ok maybe a few more) that have helped make the changes in my mind, body, and soul during pregnancy a little bit easier. What would you add to the list?
1. Maternity Leggings
Unlike my sweet children, I AM able to choose my #1 pregnancy must-have – Ingrid & Isabel Maternity Leggings. Of all the pants, jeans, and leggings I’ve worn over the years, these are the only ones that stay in place and keep their shape. Plus they have a cute ankle zipper detail and zero sheerness – obsessed. I’ve mostly given up on maternity jeans and wear these exclusively if I’m leaving the house. What can I say, hitting the third trimester tends to coincide with giving zero you know whats about wearing the same pants 24/7. My only regret is that I didn’t find these five years ago!
2. Snoogle
I nearly gagged spending so much on a pillow after becoming pregnant with Lincoln, but the Snoogle Total Body Pillow has been worth the investment. Why? Because when I haven’t been using it, BEN HAS. Oh yes, my dry-shaving, cold-soup-eating, hip hop-loving man uses a Snoogle and I don’t feel even a tiny bit bad about busting him out for it, hahahaha. Seriously ladies, this thing is a lifesaver. I personally don’t start using it until the second trimester because without the need to support my hips and stomach it actually makes me sleep worse, but when ya need it, ya need it. Especially if you’re normally a stomach sleeper like me. Wherever you end up getting one, be sure to get a removable cover (the one I’m linking to here is the one I own and comes with a cover.)
3. Splurges
While I absolutely don’t think pregnancy is an excuse to throw healthy eating out the window, it’s also a fun time to justify one ok several splurges. #treatyoself During Lincoln’s pregnancy I couldn’t get enough Culver’s soft serve with double cookie dough topping (OMG, RIP.) I can’t tell you how many Snickers bars and platters of nachos I ate while pregnant with Cam, and this time around all I’m craving are flavor-packed drinks like Chick-fil-A’s Lemonade and Caribou’s Sparkling Peach Black Tea. Oh my gosh, these gluten-free donuts too – YUM!!! Tell me about your pregnancy splurges – I love to hear stuff like this!
4. Essential Oils
I believe I’ve mentioned that I had 24/7 tension headaches throughout my second trimester this pregnancy, and throughout Cam’s first trimester. With Cam, my doctor suggested taking Tylenol with Coca-Cola, which did the trick, though the caffeine and acetaminophen combo didn’t touch the headaches this time around. Finally I tried the Collect Anxiety Aromatherapy Roller Ball from Little Barn Apothecary I already had on hand and ding ding ding, we had a winner! Not only did this little roller ball of violet leaf, lavender and petitgrain give me relief from my tension headaches, but it wasn’t Coca-Cola and Tylenol, know what I mean? Truly could not have survived this past trimester without it.
5. Comfy Kicks
The 90s called and wanted their footwear back but I said HELL NO THE BIRKS STAY WITH ME! Ahem. That is to say, Ben gifted me a pair of Arizona Birkenstock Sandals during Cam’s pregnancy and I wear. the. heck. out of them! Like most women, I’ve had lower back and foot pain accompany my pregnancies and these Birkenstock sandals have been extremely comfortable and supportive. I still wear them when I’m not pregnant so, for us, they were worth the price.
As far as everyday running around shoes, I adore my Nike Flex Experience sneakers – I tie them loose so I can slip them on and off which is key when you’re getting up there trimester wise and your balance and ability to bend is a distant memory. They pair perfectly with the Ingrid & Isabel leggings I wear everyday, too. ;)
What are some of your pregnancy favorites?
I am sooo sorry to hear that you struggled with headaches but also so comforting to know that I was not the only one. I am 27 weeks. and have had 2 days in a row now without a migraine which feels like a victory. I am glad to know I was not the only one. I was taking tylenol nearly every day and feeling awful about it but I could not function at work like that. Did you have headaches with your other pregnancies??? Did you take tylenol?!
I had horrrrible headaches with Cameron that stopped the very day I transitioned into my second trimester. The ONLY thing that would help with those was tylenol and a small glass of coca cola in the morning. So gross – but it was the absolute only thing that worked. If essential oils don’t help, I’d actually recommend you try that combo!
All I want to do is eat alllll of the peanut butter and drink allllll of the limeade. Also, nearly everything I have is from Old Navy maternity and I think their leggings are great and a total bargain! I’ve also been splurging on evening milkshakes while watching Westworld.
Evening milkshakes – you are speaking my language!!
My pregnancy craving was BROWNIES. I do not have a sweet tooth AT ALL but man, when I was pregnant I could not get enough dessert! I remember the night before my glucose test telling myself I wasn’t going to eat dessert but then 9pm rolled around and I was in the kitchen baking a tray of brownies. I was powerless to resist!
Oh my gosh, totally understandable – I have been craving warm brownies with hot fudge sauce and vanilla ice cream ALL week long!!
Culver’s SOFT SERVE?! How do we not have this phenomenon in Wisconsin, birthplace of Culver’s?!
Ok it’s literally been 5 years since I had Culvers so my memory is fuzzy – I meant CUSTARD not soft serve – ack! Can you imagine soft serve custard though?!
Haha, that’s exactly what I was thinking. Sounds so amazing, why haven’t I heard of it?!
Ha, wish I had read this when I was still pregnant. I endured so many days of saggy maternity jeans. I was a fashion disaster because I never wanted to spend money on maternity clothes…. I always thought, it’s just a few months, and then I won’t need this stuff. But looking back, I wish I had forked over a little more money and made myself comfortable.
I normally only drink water, coffee and tea, but I craved diet pop (I know, not healthy AT ALL) and flavored sparking water a lot when I was pregnant. I felt really fortunate to only feel sick to my stomach/nauseous for short periods of time early in my pregnancies. I felt really hungry all the time during both pregnancies, although supposedly caloric needs don’t change much during pregnancy.
I’m curious where you put the essential oils. Neck? Forehead? Feet? When I get tension headaches the only thing that helps is 4 ibuprofen. I’d love to find something more natural. Good luck with the rest of the pregnancy. Oh the things we go through to get those sweet babes here!
I roll it across the center of my forehead, temples, and wrists too. Peppermint also works well but since my kids are so little I only use it at night because if any got on them/their eyes, it would not be good – ouch!
Is it bad that I plan on buying those leggings now even though I’m not pregnant yet? The ones I had worked but were mediocre at best. I craved Greek salad and allll things feta when I was pregnant! My little guy is currently 14m and I’m starting to get baby fever for number two :)
Gap’s full panel maternity jeans are amazing. I have 2 pairs that have carried me through 2 pregnancies, multiple washes per week, still look brand new. Worth the $70 price tag. I craved strawberry milk throughout both pregnancies. I had more food aversions than I care to admit but give me all the strawberry milk, all the time!
You should try the plain black maternity t-shirts from Gap. They are glorious!
Love this post! My little guy is 3 months tomorrow! I craved Panera bagels with cream cheese like it was nobody’s business! Also, total splurge, but Lululemon align leggings were my go to! I wear them nonstop before, during, & after being pregnant!
With my first, I would grocery shop like I was on Supermarket Sweep so I could get home and eat HyVee’s Oreo fluff. This time, I want their Chinese broccoli beef!
I’m 28 weeks (hello third trimester) and I’ve loved my Blanqi maternity leggings for support as I’ve gotten bigger. Only downfall is I feel like they haven’t held up the best – pilling and stretching at the seams (even though I haven’t gained a lot of extra weight besides the baby). I think if you can buy them on sale they’re worth it for the support since I haven’t found other leggings with the same support!
Loving this article!! I haven’t bought a whole lot of things yet since I am not quite halfway yet, but these are all super great to know!!
My husband loves my Snoogle too, lol!! I always want to chuck it out the window by the end of my pregnancies, but it’s so necessary during! I am due with my 3rd baby in November and will be having a scheduled c-section for the first (and last) time and I am SO EXCITED. After trying for a VBAC with my 2nd and ending up with my 2nd emergency C, I am pretty stoked for no labor and a calm, controlled delivery! Very excited for you and your family and I am anxious to hear about your adjustment to life with 3, since I am not too far behind!
I cannot live without (pregnant or not) my oofos workout recovery sandals. I live in them!!! https://www.oofos.com/pages/womens-footwear
Those donuts are good straight out of the freezer too! My fav breakfast with my 3rd pregnancy was gluten free vans blueberry waffles and Applegate farms chicken and maple sausage patties.
I looooved really cold chocolate cashew milk. I always get the unsweetened vanilla so the sweetened chocolate tasted like a melted milkshake…incredible. Speaking of drinks, again COLD cherry juicy juice. So satisfying.