(Part 2) Best products from r/pregnant

I’m a STM approaching 38 weeks and have slacked on getting things ready. The car seat base is installed and I’m packing my bag tonight. You’ve gotten some solid suggestions so far. Here’s what’s going in my bag:

• a going home outfit for me (the same leggings that have fit my entire pregnancy and an easy access top)
  
• a few nursing sleep bras in a dark color (can get wet without see-through, won’t show stains if your overzealous nurse smears lanolin on your nipples and pulls up your bra before you can object, like mine did)
  
• enough disposable nursing pads for 2 days
  
• a Depends or two for me, as my pelvic floor was shot and I totally peed my pants just before I was discharged home after my first birth 🤷🏼‍♀️
  
• a going home outfit for baby (a gown that converts to a sleeper with a matching hat)
  
• an extra-long charging cable
  
• personal care items that are almost empty or at the end of their useful life (can toss them at the hospital)
  
• some of the samples I got in registry swag bags, like Honest lotion and Aquaphor (baby and I can share and, again, they can be used/tossed before discharge)
  
• hair ties
  
• a nice pen for filling out vital records forms after the baby’s birth
  
• a pillow and pillowcase for me because hospital pillows are awful for sleeping (they work great for nursing and repositioning, though!)
  
• Happy massager
  
• snacks for my husband and me (things like Larabars and crunchy chickpeas)
  
• a small bottle or two of Gatorade
  
• an insulated Kleen Kanteen
  
• a reusable bag that can be tucked inside my bigger bag to take all the things home (once it’s in your room and opened, it’s yours and will be trashed if you don’t take it with you...basins, diapers, aspirators, etc.)
  
• slip-on Tevas (they have some traction, can be worn in the shower, and accommodate swollen feet)
  
  Giving birth is messy, so I opted to wear my hospital gown and reserve my regular clothes (nursing garments excepted) for admission and discharge. You can ask for clean gowns anytime and use a second gown as a robe (put it on backwards, either over a front-facing gown or a nursing top). Bonus: less laundry to do when you get home.
  
  Check with your hospital to see what they supply. Mine provided receiving blankets, kimono-style side-snap baby tops, Dermaplast, jumbo pads and mesh underwear, Medela nipple ointment, newborn Pampers Swaddlers, Pampers wipes, Tucks pads, a standard peri-bottle, and a bulb syringe, among other things. This is the swag you want to clean out of the room before you’re discharged.
  
  Best of luck to you!

Congratulations! I'm 40 weeks pregnant right now so here's what my doctor recommended to me food and drink-wise:

Foods to Avoid:
-raw or undercooked meats and seafood (if you eat steak, better to get it medium-well or well done)
-soft cheeses like brie and goat cheese (although it's fine if it's made with pasteurized milk, so just check the package)
-deli meats and cold cuts (okay if you heat them well first, but that was never appealing to me)

• hot dogs and processed meats (they contain nitrates which can be harmful)
  
  Drinks to avoid:
  -alcohol and caffeine (some caffeine is ok but not more than a cup of coffee per day. I switched to decaf since I love coffee so I can still have a couple cups if I want)
  -herbal tea (avoid green tea, licorice root/slippery elm) This one surprised me the most, some tea is ok but do your research, a few kinds can cause contractions.
  
• unpasteurized juice, like you'd find at a fresh - pressed or cold-pressed juice place. Make sure any juice you buy is pasteurized, almost all juices at the supermarket are.
  
  Don't freak out if you slip up and accidentally eat a hot dog or have something from this list every once in a while, just cut them out as much as possible. Just eat as many fresh fruits and veggies as possible and be sure to take your prenatal vitamins (I highly recommend Nature Made prenatal +DHA
  And check with your doctor before taking any medication or supplements. Like a previous post said, stay away from anti-inflammatories like Advil and Aleve.
  It sounds like a lot but after a while you'll get used to it! You got this!

So many other women have told you that the exhaustion will ease, and it tummy will, so I won't reiterate that too much.

What I will say is to try changing your prenatal vitamins. I started taking these that I found at Natural Grocers and fell in love. They have really made a difference in my energy levels throughout my whole pregnancy. I started purchasing them through Amazon not only because they were cheaper but because I could also set up subscriptions. The other nice part is because the levels are so high you can get away with only taking two in the morning and two at night instead of the six it recommends.

Also, try to eat protein at every snack and meal. It will really boost your energy too.

Wishing you a lot of luck and congratulations on your sweet bundle of joy!

Hello!


I had nearly the same experience (I’m 28w now, second pregnancy, first viable). If it sets your mind at ease at all, my midwife told me the intense symptoms were higher hormones and a stronger pregnancy.

My biggest advice would be to just do things. Don’t ask in advance, because if she’s like me, she will say no. The biggest help my partner ever did was just to do the laundry, or cook dinner, so there wasn’t anything for me to do. And try to be conscious of your mess making. For example, picking up dirty clothes, wipe down the counters, load the dishwasher immediately. Anything that cuts down on the need for deep cleaning. That was the biggest support my partner gave.

As for the crying, I promise a lot of it is just hormones. Give her a big hug and tell her how beautiful she is, and how strong and wonderful she is. If you feel like a broken record, say it a few more times and you should be close to enough. Kidding but serious. It’s really hard to be an independent lady and suddenly be nearly helpless. And it really does help to just hear it over and over and over again.

Offer endless foot and back rubs. I have a long job on my feet but I also would not want to ask so my partner ended up just giving up and rubbing me anyway without asking if I wanted him to.

I hope any of this helps but also hang in there! The sickness gets better (around week 22 for me) and so do the backaches. I also highly a belly support band, you can order them on amazon. It’s saved my back.

Best Maternity Belt - Breathable... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075NDZP3F?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

This is the one I have and it saved me.

I had a badass skincare routine going before pregnancy that is totally not pregnancy friendly; I’m talking BHA/AHAs, special face washes, and rags, everything...

I got some pretty bad acne when I had to stop my routine, probably just because my skin was oily and I hadn’t looked into how to handle it while gestating just yet. But I’m getting MUCH better in the 2nd trimester, and now it’s just healing the scars left from the hell trimester. Here we go:

Face:
• Garnier Clean+ Clarifying Cleansing Gel Sensitive Skin - Takes off my makeup easily. Mostly used in the shower because washing faces in sinks is brutal in the bad way.
• Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water for Oily Skin - Takes off eye makeup easily if your having trouble with your thick black eyeliner smearing down your face because you “insist on doing your makeup like a ‘vam-per’” according to your parents.
• MISSHA Time Revolution Clear Toner - Expensive as shit toner that I paid over $18 for and is now listed at $15, WTF Amazon. But it’s good stuff, pregnancy safe, toner is good stuff anyway, and it’s helping with evening my skin tone back out from the acne scars.
• Triple Vitamin C Serum L-Ascorbic Acid - Vit C oil to help you fake that “pregnant glow” that we were all promised...
• Bio-Oil Liquid Purcellin Oil - I use an off brand that I got on clearance but omg...like...I know this stuff is expensive but it’s a miracle. You just dab some on your scarred places, like the acne marks, or where your stupid fucking cat decided your hand was a snack and ripped a hole on your hand, or dark spots on your legs because you’re still bad at shaving leg hair and not leg skin, and I swear it fades SO FAST. Also rub it all over your boobs and belly. Like pretty much I would bathe in this from the neck down if it wouldn’t bankrupt my family.
• Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream for Dry/Sensitive Skin - Old faithful, the moisturizer. A tiny bit goes a long way. Also tends to make its way to my boobs when I’m tired and dont feel like using other lotions.

Body:
• NIVEA Q10 Skin Firming Hydration Body Lotion - Bought pre-pregnancy. I used to use it every single morning and night on my thighs and it totally does reduce the appearance of cellulite. Now I use it lazily but it’s there and smells ok so it’s my go-to body lotion.
• Lansinoh Hpa Lanolin Nipple Soothing Cream - my nipples are pierced and those things get dry in the winter. Baby may not be here yet but I went ahead and decided to try this stuff out. Seems legit. It’s super thick, moreso than Vaseline but I dig it.

I also use special toothpaste (not because pregnant, because shit teeth), a special washcloth (because I developed keratosis pilaris (sp?) and I wasn’t having it. The special rag put a stop to it FAST), lady-bits wash (because I get self conscious about sweating and smelling funky), special “sensitive skin” lube, and well I guess that’s about it. I sound like an amazon ad for many products. I’m not. Just a researcher/lover of my husband describing me as “so soft” when he touches me. 🤗

Stores do....but they can get expensive! I ended up ordering the test strips off Amazon. You end up using so much it's better to buy the strips that you pee in a cup and then dip! They sell combined pregnancy tests/ovulation strips...this is the one I got https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00DOJG6RA/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1481161728&sr=8-1&keywords=easy+%40+home&pi=SX200_QL4
This amount lasted me three months trying! The lh is the ovulation test, hgc is pregnancy. The pregnancy tests are also super sensitive so you can test earlier than some of the more expensive tests. Feel free to message me if you want more info! It can be overwhelming, and in totally type a, but we were successful on cycle 3 of trying, so I'm more than willing to share what worked for us! I had a friend talk me through her process and I found it so helpful!

I'm a fan of Man Vs. Child for the humorous book. Expectant Father and We're Pregnant are good for actual information. We're pregnant is great because it goes week by week in bite-sized chunks, great for people who don't consider themselves "readers."

​

The Expectant Father has been very useful for me, it breaks down the changes both mother and baby go through month by month, and offers suggestions for dealing with the fears and challenges of fatherhood.

I hope it works out and he gets more involved and supportive! Good luck!

I thought The Pregnancy and Postpartum Anxiety Workbook was super helpful. Goes over basic skills to manage anxiety in a very detailed and helpful fashion and baby steps you through basic cognitive behavioral therapy to do on your own. My local library had a copy, but I would highly recommend purchasing it. It's a little time intensive to work through the anxiety, but I would say certainly worth it.

I am not vegan so not sure if these would work for you, but my prenatal is the Garden of Life Raw Prenatal:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005JAT3TU/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It says vegetarian and I'm not sure what in it would keep it from being vegan. However, it has 350% daily D3. I have taken them for well over a year and never had any issues with them. They don't make me constipated or bother my stomach. I can't answer your original question, so trying to offer an alternative option if you are interested. Good luck finding what works for you!

I have been itching so much during the 3rd trimester! I scratched my legs hard enough that my thighs were bruising. They checked my liver and bile via blood work twice, and there were no issues. Definitely bring it up at your appointment but it also just happens! I also recommend warm oatmeal baths and Eucerin cream and constantly reminding yourself that it won’t last forever 😂

I got a Medela In Style from insurance (Thanks, Obama) and ended up buying a Spectra S2 from Amazon (hospital grade and insurance wouldn't cover).

I like both, but the s2 is lighter, quieter and more comfortable to use. Glad I have both (Medela can be portable for work) but if I had to have one - would buy the Spectra, it's not as much money as I had expected.

This sounds like normal pregnancy to me. First tri in particular has a lot of symptoms.

Set up your doctor's appointment with an OB. They will do an ultrasound to confirm that a) there is a baby in there, and b) that it's not an ectopic pregnancy. They will also provide you with information and help you set up your next appointment.

Switch your vitamins to a prenatal that contains folic acid. It will ensure that you are getting the right amounts of everything your body needs now. If you don't usually eat much fish, then you may want to consider one with DHA. Mine are a two pill combo; one with DHA and one is the regular prenatal vitamin.

Get a pregnancy/baby book from the store or the library. It will answer a lot of the questions you've been asking and reassure you about what's normal. I recommend the Mayo Clinic book because it gives a lot of great information without fearmongering.

As for diet, don't skip meals and make sure you are drinking a LOT of water throughout the day.

Here is a list of foods you should avoid during pregnancy. It's from the American Pregnancy Association.

As for what your SO said about waiting to tell, it's pretty common to wait because of the risk of miscarriage early in pregnancy, but it's really up to you. We told our parents right after our first appointment when the doctor confirmed that the pregnancy was viable. Your decision.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00UVW40XA/ref=mp_s_a_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1542729134&sr=8-3&keywords=graco+stroller+and+car+seat+combo&dpPl=1&dpID=51c4Kh1chhL&ref=plSrch

This is the stroller car seat system a few of my mom friends have, it came up at a great price on sale! Not as fancy as something like an uppababy but I've heard good things.

Glad to hear you feel like it’s worth it. To get around the “won’t use it that long” argument, we registered for and just received yesterday the “summer infant comfort height bathtub” on Amazon. It turns into a step stool baby can use later!! Multipurpose!! https://www.amazon.com/Summer-Infant-Comfort-Height-Bath/dp/B01MQNKPZC

For you:

• Show Dad How
  
• The Baby Onwer's Manual
  
  For Her:
  
  
  
• The Mayo Clinic Guide To a Healthy Pregnancy. Has a monthly pregnancy break down with what is going on, along with a "When to call a care provider" check list per month.
  
  Also you might get some more input over on /r/predaddit. This subreddit is for pregnant folks. :)

Graco Fastaction Fold Jogger Click Connect Baby Travel System, Gotham https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UVW40XA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_TqMGAb7VJAKHC

I got this one and I really like it. I did get it for $130 though on Prime Day. It's our only stroller and it's survived the last 3 months so far. I did get the next gen dock from Graco though and use that one as a back up the new ones are so nice. We liked this one partially for the car seat that comes with it as well. My wife did a mess of research and decided this was her seat partially because it is fairly lightweight.

My OB recommended this prenatal - which I like -

Vitafusion Prenatal Gummy Vitamins, 90 Count (Packaging May Vary) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003IP8BC8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_jol2DbKQEYCDP

I also liked this book the first time I was pregnant -

https://www.amazon.com/Mayo-Clinic-Guide-Healthy-Pregnancy/dp/1893005607

Call an OB to schedule your first appointment - which may be 8 weeks out or so. Ask them if there is anything they recommend before your first appointment.

I'm not sure about the insurance, but if you can't get them to pay for it the Spectra 2 is a great pump for only $120 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BLBLR1I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_PSFozb0K7NDNQ

I found this book, which has been helpful to me:

The Pregnancy and Postpartum Anxiety Workbook: Practical Skills to Help You Overcome Anxiety, Worry, Panic Attacks, Obsessions, and Compulsions https://www.amazon.com/dp/1572245891/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_-J0JBbZSGH6B3

Maybe something like that would be helpful for you too? Also, I’ve talked with my OB about what level of anxiety/worry/fear/sadness is normal at this stage (I’m in the second trimester now, but I’ve been dealing with this since early on!), and what level is beyond normal/needs further intervention. It was good for me to realize that a LOT of pregnant women go through this, and that some degree of being freaked out right now is normal. Hugs!

Sounds like having ezcema. My husband uses Eucerin for his dry skin.

Eucerin Skin Calming Cream - Full Body Lotion for Dry, Itchy Skin, Natural Oatmeal Enriched - 14 oz. Tube https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B000YGDRIW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_rS2PCbC94Y4DT

There's one specifically for ezcema, but it's just dry skin, this works quite well.

I bought this a while ago: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B002UDZSNY/, and it's great for washing your feet!

I used ovulation test strips and they were a godsend. I have a long irregular cycle, and found out by testing that my estimates for ovulation were off. You can get a bunch for relatively little money. I used these: Easy at Home

Yes! I got it from amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Morning-Sickness-Pregnancy-Organic-Peppermint/dp/B00JH4GHQ6

Can your wife do smoothies? With the prenatals I take they are in one of those openable capsules. You can open them up and pour them into a smoothie to hide the taste. This is the one I use, I'm sure there are others like it.

I did the flinstones gummies until I found Vitafusion gummies. They saved me!!
these

Summer Infant Comfort Height Bath Tub https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MQNKPZC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_i9haBbEQA343W

My OB recommended this one (note, this is 2 separate tablets to take, included in the box).

However she was open to any similar ones, so I've been using this one as I find it on sale a lot/buy in bulk for less money. (note - it has epa too but doesn't say it on the front.) Look at the back of any prenatal to confirm it has both epa and dha.

I use this one: https://www.amazon.com/Vitafusion-Prenatal-Gummy-Vitamins-Packaging/dp/B003IP8BC8