First Trimester Must-Haves

Below I’m sharing the items that helped me get through my first trimester. I am still using many of these items during my second trimester. Each item was essential for me and I’ll share why below. Also sharing some personal details about my first trimester symptoms!   

1. Expecting Better / 2. Garden of Life Prenatal Vitamins / 3. Nordic Naturals DHA vitamin / 4. Reliefband / 5. Comfy bra / 6. Yogi ginger tea / 7. Gin Gins ginger chews / 8. Pregnancy safe bath soak / 9. Pottery Barn Throw / 10. Cute water bottle / 11. What to Expect Pregnancy App / 12. Saltine crackers

First Trimester Must Haves

1. Expecting Better (book) – Excellent evidence-based book to read while you are TTC or pregnant. I loved this book. It helps you gain an understanding of the different risks in pregnancy and provides guidance on every part of pregnancy/birth that will help you make informed decisions.
2. Garden of Life prenatal vitamins -Whole food based vitamins you take once-daily during pre-conception, pregnancy and lactation. Made from certified organic fruits & vegetables. I tried several prenatal vitamin brands and loved Garden of Life because they were always easy for me to digest. Also comes in a gummy form!
3. Nordic Naturals DHA vitamin – Taken in addition to my prenatal vitamin (which does not contain DHA). Good for baby’s brain and vision development!
4. Reliefband – 100% worth the price if you are struggling with nausea. It’s not a cure-all but does help! The band works by sending an electrical stimulus to a nerve. I was skeptical of the product at first but honestly found it helpful. I wore this on my wrist throughout the first trimester and would turn it on when I would have my worst waves of nausea. Start with the lowest level, get comfortable with the feeling and then you can build up.
5. Comfy bra – My boobs grew quickly and were SO SORE throughout the first trimester. These bralettes were a lifesaver (very cozy + supportive). I bought one in each color.
6. Yogi ginger tea – I could not stomach coffee first trimester so switched to tea! I enjoyed this Yogi ginger tea. I also really loved making my own ginger tea with hot water + small pieces of ginger 😊
7. Gin Gins ginger chews – Easy to chew or suck on when nauseous. These gin gins are so yummy and if you’re like me and have horrible nausea, these are a lifesaver! I also found keeping a tin of altoids on hand helpful.
8. Pregnancy safe bath soak – Keep a solid pregnancy safe bath soak on hand. You won’t regret it! I used good ole epson salt (we had a massive bag of it in our apartment). Several of my friends loved these pregnancy flakes though and I plan to try them. My body was so tired and achy, a warm 20 minute soak was incredibly relaxing.
9. Pottery Barn Throw – A cozy blanket is a first trimester must-have! If you don’t have a blanket you love, invest in this one. It is so soft, comfortable, washable and high quality. Perfect for a mid-day nap on the couch or curling up in if you get crippling waves of nausea.
10. Cute water bottle – If I didn’t stay hydrated, I would feel so awful. I treated myself to a cute new water bottle to make hydrating more fun. This one is great to keep by your desk, will keep your drinks cool and is dishwasher safe. 
11. What to Expect App (FREE)!! – The app is free and is a must download app. The app provides you with weekly updates on baby’s size/progression, guidance on your pregnancy journey and advice to help prepare you for birth/parenthood. I especially loved their community of discussion based forums where I could connect with other moms/moms-to-be. I joined the following groups: 1st pregnancy, New York City Parents, Connecticut Moms, September 2021 Babies and Hot Topics.
12. Saltine crackers + snacks – I would eat a protein filled snack (drinkable yogurts, crackers w/ peanut butter & hard-boiled eggs were my favorites) first thing in the morning and right before I went to bed. If I did not do this my nausea was even worse.

It has been the most incredible six months since finding out the exciting news in early January. But, I’m not going to lie, my first trimester was tough. I found out I was pregnant at about 4 weeks (three days before my missed period). From the moment we got the positive test, Phil and I were on this high of excitement from finding out the incredible news. At the beginning of week 6, my nausea hit hard. What I didn’t expect was that it would be 24/7 all day nausea that would leave me bed-ridden some days. While I got lucky and I never threw up, I felt sick all day every day throughout most of the first trimester and I had to learn to manage it. In addition to at home remedies, per my OB’s guidance, I first tried taking a mixture of 1/2 tablet of Unisom & B6 three times per day for the nausea which did not make a difference for me. A good friend had recently told me that Unison & B6 did not help her but Diclegis (which requires a perscription) did so I asked my OB if I could try Diclegis. For me, Diclegis was very helpful in keeping my nausea at bay for parts of the day. I am so grateful for my wonderful husband, who is incredible, – he took the brunt of the work for Suitably, made me homemade ginger tea, ran out at any hour to get me food I could stomach (predominately carbs and soup). Throughout the first trimester, my check-in appointments with my OB where I would hear the heartbeat and see baby’s progression, brought me so much happiness. I would do it a million times over to grow our healthy baby! Towards the end of my first trimester, most of my nausea went away. Pregnancy is very different for everyone – if you have any favorite products, please share them in the comments below!

xx

AG