We are officially a few days away from entering the 3rd trimester, home stretch here I come!!!

I have not found pregnancy to be enjoyable or easy, and I really haven’t wanted to talk about it in general with anyone. So with that said, I thought why not share a few things that have gotten me through the past 26 weeks. It’s been a battle but I am really looking forward to the next few weeks & welcoming little miss soon.

Body Pillow

I am not talking about just any body pillow, but the body pillow linked in my amazon storefront below. I tried 2 others before I was gifted this at Christmas from my in-laws, and let me tell you, the 3rd time was the charm, I may not have or still even are sleeping through the night fully in months, but this one has at least made laying in bed more comfortable. There is a little part without any pillows as well so you can snake your arm under & it’s literally been magic. Some people may not like this one & that’s okay, everyone is different, but it definitely is super important to find what works best for you.

Stretch Mark Cream

Now to each their own, this could be a must for you or it might not be. But I have been using stretch mark creams (yes, plural), since I found out I was pregnant, I wasn’t even showing yet, and so far (knock on wood), i’ve been able to avoid any stretch marks so far. I even currently put them on any existing stretch marks from before pregnancy & it could just be because i’,m in such a routine now, but those have even gotten better. For my 1st cream layer I use Summer Friday’s Bellymoon Belly Balm & then I do a second layer on top of Palmers Cocoa Butter for Stretch Marks. If I take a second shower, I repeat this alll over again.
I oil up usually twice a day, I always take a morning shower

Hydration

I suffered really bad in the 1st trimester with nausea, and still at 26 weeks, I have some really not so great days. I find sipping on peppermint tea or a mint tea throughout the day is really sometimes more bareable than even trying to force water down. The last thing you want to do when sick is drink water, and staying hydrated is so key.
Besides peppermint tea, I also have been drinking hydration sticks. I have tried quite a few now & really love Cure Hydration. They are all natural, women-owned & actually taste good. These have been amazing in helping me rehydrate especially the days after being extremely sick. I’ve tried almost all the flavours and absolutely love the Lime one & the grapefruit one, I will be doing a big stock up soon before the baby comes & the summer weather hits. Get $10 off your first order.
And to be even more annoying with hydration, a good water bottle. Something you want to carry around with you everywhere & just yeah. I used my emotional support water bottle daily before but now I have two so I can alternate & just always have something on me to drink out of.

A Good Face Sunscreen

I don’t know about anyone else, but my skin has gotten super sensitive lately. Thankfully it’s winter here now & the sun isn’t so harsh, but I still have to wear a face sunscreen daily. Anytime I see any sort of sun, I have started to get really bad hyperpigmentation. It comes & goes, but it’s just one of those things I didn’t expect during this time & got really caught off guard.

Obviously these are just a few things that I could not live without throughout this process so far, i’ll be continuing with these into the home stretch as well. But at least now for next time, I know what I like & what I don’t, so it’ll make the first little bit easier than it was this time around. Things like hydration & face sunscreens & heck even keeping my body moisturized, are things that i’ll also continue regardless if pregnant or not, because why not keep some of these good habits going!

Momma’s / momma-to-be’s if you have anything you can’t live without during the pregnancy phase, drop a comment, I am looking for some more must-have’s & even advice to just keep me going through this home stretch!