The Ultimate Pregnancy Essentials Checklist

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on a link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission. This is no extra cost to you, but it does enable my addiction to Target. Please see my full disclosure policy for details.

Being pregnant is such a sweet time in your life. You are growing a tiny little human that you get to bring into the world and love on. And people are way nicer to you during this time period, which is a huge plus. But if you don’t have all the right pregnancy essentials, this phase can also be super uncomfortable.

But the good news is that modern inventions have made some FANTASTIC products that can make a huge difference in the comfort of your pregnancy.

These are my ultimate pregnancy essentials to set yourself up for the pregnancy glow we were promised.

 

Sleep Pillow

I recently discovered that not every pregnant woman uses one of these, or knows to get one, which honestly made me so sad for those who have gone without this little piece of heaven.

In all honesty, I would have continued sleeping with this pillow well after my pregnancy, but my husband is not a fan of the barrier it creates in our bed.

These pillows really help as your belly starts to pop out and you lose the ability to sleep on your stomach. Side sleeping is recommended while you are pregnant, and you can use this little baby to help keep you in the most comfortable position.

It also gives you a cushion to put in between your knees, which makes a huge difference in my comfort levels. And you don’t have to have 17 different pillows in the bed to help support all of your different needs. This one pillow does it all and for that, I give it two big thumbs up.

 

Belly Bands

I didn’t quite catch on to this during my first pregnancy and was starting to replace all of my normal pants and shorts with maternity versions. But that really gets expensive, and you don’t get much wear out of those maternity clothes aside from maybe a month or so after the baby arrives.

Enter belly bands.

This pregnancy, I haven’t bought any maternity shorts or pants. I just wear my normal pants (unzipped of course) and add one of these belly bands to hide the unzipped bits.

Now any of my pants or shorts can double as maternity wear! (I know that sounds exactly like an infomercial, but it is true). And they are super cheap. I got this pack of three in a variety of colors and it is all I will need until the baby gets here (and beyond if I want to).

The Tummy Rub Butter

I used a different type of anti-stretch mark cream during my pregnancy with my daughter and still ended up with a bunch of stretch marks. My belly looks like Jesus’ back after the 40 lashes.

But this time, after reading some great reviews, I have tried the Tummy Rub Butter from Mama Mio and I am 28 weeks in with no new stretch marks!

It is also incredibly moisturizing for my skin and dare I say, my stomach has never felt softer. I highly recommend this product and the Mama Mio line even has a highly rated product that is supposed to help reduce the visibility of stretch marks for postpartum use. It is a little pricy, but I think I will be trying that out as well.

 

Maternity Leggings

Currently, I work full time and I work from home. So for Christmas, my husband gave me a whole set of Ingrid and Isabel Maternity leggings and called it a “gift of clothes for the office”.

And I love these leggings so much. I wear them all the time. I have tried other maternity leggings were they end up looking less tight through the leg as normal leggings, which makes you look more frumpy. But these leggings are almost identical to some of my higher quality workout leggings so they wear well for just about anything.

I wear them for errands, to ride my Peloton, and for normal “office work” around the house. They are more expensive than your average pair of leggings, but they are really high quality so having just a couple of pairs will take you through your whole pregnancy.

A Big Water Bottle

Drinking water is one of the best things that you can do for you and your baby during your pregnancy. Getting a large water bottle that you can refill throughout the day is going to do wonders for your pregnancy experience.

I have a couple that I like to rotate through depending on if I will be in the house or out and about.

For in the house, I have an RTIC 30 oz tumbler that I carry everywhere. If I am going to be running errands, something with a handle of sorts, and a lid is preferred, I use a CamelBak and find them really easy to tote around. And they are super durable so when I drop it (and I do), I am not worried about scratches or breakage.

Drink up buttercup.

 

Prenatal Vitamins

I am sure your doctor told you these were essential, but just in case you didn’t get the message, you need to be taking prenatal vitamins.

I take these One-A-Day Prenatal vitamins and have for each of my pregnancies. They are also available on Subscribe and Save so you can plan ahead to never run out. If you need tips on how to set up Subscribe and Save like a pro, read this.

There are a ton of options out there, so talk to your doctor and see which vitamins they recommend. Just be sure you are taking these important supplements!

 

Foam Roller

One thing that comes with pregnancy is muscle cramps. We can thank Eve for eating that dang apple and cursing us with pain and discomfort in childbirth.

I get a ton of aches in my calves, especially at night. So I keep a foam roller by our bed and take a few minutes every night to roll out those aches and pains. It has been such a big help in allowing me to get better sleep.

I also keep a fresh tube of tennis balls so I can use them for rolling out my feet or even to sit on in my chair while I work. I have to keep extras because my dog will find them and then takes them to her hiding places all over the house.

They have also apparently created a tennis ball sized massage ball specifically for this purpose, but I am sure if you just use a normal tennis ball or lacrosse ball, you get the same results.

 

Night Light

Yes, you will be getting up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. And there is nothing more uncomfortable than stubbing your toe on the way to a 3 AM potty break.

Do yourself (and your toes) a favor and get a night light for your bedroom and bathroom. It will be a huge help and you can just move that little night light into your nursery when you are done using it.

Maternity Dresses

Likely, you are going to be having a shower or some big event during your pregnancy and you are going to want to look great in whatever you wear. The downside of being pregnant and needing a nice dress is that you won’t likely wear your snazzy maternity dress ever again.

I have started using Rent the Runway for all of my maternity dress needs. I can get an awesome dress sent to my home for $30 and then return it so I don’t have to worry about it taking up room in my closet for the rest of forever.

This has helped me out for showers, weddings and even a date night!

You can also get normal maternity tops through Rent the Runway if you want to add a little variety to your wardrobe during this season.

 

Epsom Salts

If there is one luxury I will give myself during pregnancy, it is a solid bubble bath. In addition to bubbles, which do nothing for my achy pregnancy bod, I love having Epsom Salts. There are a variety of scents, but I am a big fan of lavender.

Add a generous handful of these salts to your warm bath and let all those aches melt away! A 20-minute soak with Epsom Salts really does wonders for a body that is growing a human.

 

Save this Pregnancy Essentials Checklist for quick reference on Pinterest!

PIN ME!