Your pregnancy can be an exciting time in your life, but it also comes with a lot of stress. That is why you need to prepare yourself properly for this new journey by stocking up on the essential items that will help you through your pregnancy. The following post will provide some helpful advice and suggestions about what you should buy before your pregnancy begins.
*This is a collaborative post and may contain affiliate and/or paid links which means that if you click on one of these links and buy a product, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Rest assured that we only recommend products that we love from companies that we trust.
Get your prenatal vitamins
Prenatal vitamins are a great place to begin because they cover many different aspects of prenatal care all at once while being affordable enough so that everyone can afford them. They contain folic acid, which reduces the risk of congenital disabilities such as spina bifida while going easy on your stomach, so there’s no upset or discomfort involved during digestion like other kinds of supplements might have. In addition to this, they have a high concentration of iron which is essential for pregnancy as it helps your body with oxygenation and blood circulation. This will keep you from getting tired or winded during those long days at work or running errands around town.
.
Invest in a maternity pillow
A Maternity Pillow is an excellent investment for your pregnancy because it will help you with many different things, such as blood circulation, heartburn, and even breathing when you sleep. They come in all shapes and sizes depending on what works best for you, but most essentially, they allow ample support to the back while also helping relieve pressure off of areas like your hips and legs that can get swollen during pregnancy. This way, no matter how uncomfortable or tired you are at nightfall, you’ll be able to sleep better than before by simply adjusting to a more comfortable position without any strain or discomfort involved.
Comfortable maternity clothing
Maternity clothing is a must-have in your closet when you are pregnant because it provides the right amount of comfort and support to keep you from feeling bloated or uncomfortable all day long. The material used for these kinds of clothing also keeps out any sweat, moisture, or dirt, so they’re not only comfortable but just as easy to clean too. In addition, these clothes are usually stretchy, which makes them easier to put on while also containing elastic bands around areas like the waistline and hemline where there might be some loose fabric due to bloating. Proper clothing are essential items for your growing body during pregnancy.
.
Morning sickness soothers
Morning sickness is probably one of the most complex parts of pregnancy, but thankfully there are ways to help ease your suffering. Many different products on the market can be used for nausea, such as little candies and mints that work well in treating it because they’re easy to keep around all day long. Another option is a ginger root which works excellent at settling an upset stomach you might have while also providing relief from those nasty bouts of vomiting and dehydration. You should also invest in a small cooler with an ice pack, so if and when these feelings come up again, you’ll be able to quickly grab something out of your bag without having to worry about needing anything else too cumbersome.
Pregnancy comes with a lot of excitement, but it can also be an overwhelming time in your life due to all the changes and stress that come along with it. With these essential items, your pregnancy can be more comfortable and therefore, memorable. By following these tips and advice, you will quickly learn what works best for you during this trying period, so they should always be kept close by when needed most.
It’s not an easy thing to talk about, let alone something we want to mull over on our own—childbirth problems. We often live under the deeply ingrained impression that bad things can only happen to other people. It’s uncomfortable to accept risk, especially with one of the most meaningful and precious moments in your life. However, the more proactive and prepared you are now, the less you will worry later. By educating yourself and talking with your doctors about the complications that can occur during birth, you can rest assured that you’re ready for every possibility.
*This is a guest post and all opinions are those of the author. This post may also contain affiliate and/or paid links. Rest assured that I only work with companies and individuals that I trust. While some of those companies and individuals may work in the medical field, this post is not intended to be a substitution for medical advice. Always speak to your doctor if you have concerns about your mental or physical health.
Failure To Progress
When you give birth, the process begins with the all-important labor. This signal alerts you to your child’s imminent entry into our world. However, labor takes time. If you have a failure to progress, this means that you have prolonged labor of 20 or more hours accompanied by a slow dilation. There are many reasons for this extra time, including your baby’s size and your physical state. When mothers fail to progress, it’s best to take a short walk, try to sleep, or draw a bath. Each of these activities helps your muscles to relax and dilate more quickly.
Low Birth Weight
You begin feeding your child at the moment of conception, and it’s critical to handle your baby’s nutrition throughout your pregnancy. If you don’t nourish your body during each trimester, your child could have a low birth weight. Ask your doctor to monitor your baby’s size and actively care for your health, too, in order to avoid this complication.
.
Shoulder Dystocia
Your baby’s positioning as they exit the womb is essential to a seamless delivery. If you have the first step down—rotating the baby, so it’s head-first—you can still have issues with their shoulders. Shoulder dystocia refers to this situation where your baby’s head is free, but their shoulders are stuck inside. The solution for this may be uncomfortable for you as the mother, but it will likely involve changing your delivery position and even having doctors manually turn the baby. If the shoulders become too much of a problem, your OB may perform a cesarean to deliver your child safely.
Umbilical Cord Problems
Your umbilical cord is the lifeline between you and your baby. During delivery, you want the umbilical cord to emerge with your child, not before. If the umbilical cord exits early or wraps around your child’s body, your doctor must address this quickly before complications arise.
Talk about the complications that can occur during birth today to find peace tomorrow. Most births transpire without a hitch, but you should prepare yourself for even the smallest hiccups. Consider learning more about the various kinds of birth injuriesand be ready to handle all of your newborn’s needs.
As a disclaimer, this advice is purely informational, and you should consult your doctor for all medical recommendations and birth-related treatment.
Author Bio
Christina Duron is a writer living in the Chicagoland area. Her passion for writing and mental health help create thought provoking and engaging pieces and hopes to use them to empower mothers and women to embrace the beauty of motherhood.
Not all women instantly enjoy being pregnant, some need additional motivation.
There’s little doubt that being pregnant is one of the most profound experiences of a person’s life, but it’s not as if it’s always a stroll in the park. Indeed, sometimes women begin to feel sick of carrying a child, and look forward to it being over. Since wishing for it to be over won’t make time speed up, it’s best to find ways to enjoy being pregnant. But good news: this isn’t so difficult!
Below, we take a look at a few tried and tested methods for getting the most out of your pregnant period.
This is a collaborative post and may contain affiliate and/or paid links which means that if you click on one of these links and buy a product, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Rest assured that I only recommend products that I love from companies that I trust.
Embrace the Status
Don’t forget – pregnant women have a special status in society, so make the most of it. You’re unlikely to get so many strangers offering to do things for you on a regular basis, so why not relish the status and let them do it for you during pregnancy? There’s going to be plenty for you to do when you’ve had your child; for now, enjoy being treated as a queen. This is also a chance for you to indulge yourself. If you want to spend 10 hours lying on the couch, then go ahead – you’ve got a free pass to rest as much as you want.
.
Handle the Problems
One of the downsides of being pregnant is that things can become a little uncomfortable from time to time. And that’s not surprising, since you’re putting your body through a pretty intense experience. So it’s important that you have the right set up at home, so you’re able to handle the problems that pregnancy may throw your way. Create comfortable seating and sleeping areas, stock up on stool softener and indigestion relief medicines, and be mindful of your mental health. The more problems you’re able to quickly handle, the more you’ll be able to enjoy being pregnant.
.
Share Your Joy With Friends and Family
One of the best things about being pregnant is that you’ll have so many people who are happy for you. So embrace the happiness of others, and have some fun. There’ll be times for celebrations with your friends and family, and special weekends away with your loved ones. Essentially, pregnancy should be fun — it is, after all, a wonderful experience that you’re going through. So if you have opportunities to get together or you have people who want to get involved and make a fuss over you, take it.
Look to the Future
Pregnancy can feel like a whole new world, but really, it’s just the beginning of a long journey. In order to enjoy being pregnant, remember that this phase only last 9 months and then you have en entire lifetime that follows. So while you’re pregnant, take some time to think about all that you’ve done so far and where you’re going in the future. It’s a time to reflect on all areas of your life, and be blessed for all that you have.
.
It’ll Only Happen Once
Finally, keep in mind that this pregnancy is only going to happen once. Even if you end up having more children, every pregnancy is unique! Be present, and aware of all that’s going on. Schedule a maternity photo session to help you remember your changing body. It’ll allow you to see just how wondrous and magical a pregnancy can be.
Finding out that you’re pregnant is an incredibly exciting, but also terrifying moment, especially if it’s the first time. Your initial reaction is going to be one of joy, but then you’re going to start thinking about all of the things that you need to sort out before the baby arrives and all of the difficult pregnancy stuff that you have to deal with. It’s easy to start panicking here but that’s the worst thing that you can do.
There are some important things that you need to sort in the first few weeks and months of the pregnancy and the sooner you get it done, the sooner you can start preparing yourself. As soon as you find out that you are expecting, subscribe for monthly Bump Boxes to make your pregnancy go smoothly.
These are the things that you should do when you find out that you’re pregnant.
This is a collaborative post and may contain affiliate and/or paid links. Furthermore I am not a medical professional and nothing in this post should be taken as medical advice.
Calculate Your Due Date
The first thing that you need to know is when the baby is going to arrive, so you need to calculate your due date. You can use this calculator to work out roughly when your baby is due. The reading from the calculator isn’t going to be completely accurate but it will give you a rough idea of when the baby is likely to arrive, so you know how long you have to sort everything out. When you go in for a scan, you’ll get a more accurate due date, but this initial estimate is useful to have right away.
Next, you need to get in touch with your doctor and let them know that you are pregnant. They will set up a booking appointment which usually happens around 8 to 10 weeks into your pregnancy. They may want to see you right away but it differs depending on the doctor and your medical history, but they will tell you when you need to see them.
.
Consider Legal Issues
This isn’t something that people think about as much but when you have a baby on the way, there are certain legal issues to deal with, so it’s a good idea to hire a family lawyer right away. You will need to update your will to include your new baby and some couples like to put a parenting agreement in place to decide what happens should the relationship break down. It’s not a nice thought but you have to put the needs of your child first, so it’s worth considering.
Tell Family And Friends
Lastly, it’s time to tell your family and friends the good news. A lot of people prefer to wait until around 10 or 12 weeks because the chance of miscarriage drops drastically after that. This is one of the most exciting parts about the early pregnancy stages because you get to share your amazing news with those closest to you and they can get started with planning the baby shower. If you’re going to put an announcement on social media, make sure that you tell family and close friends in person beforehand, otherwise, they might feel that they were missed out.
.
You’ve got a long road ahead of you and there are so many other things to arrange, but these are some of the first things that you need to do when you first find out that you are pregnant. Once these things are taken care of, you can focus on some of the more fun stuff, like designing the nursery, and choosing baby clothes and equipment. Most importantly, educate yourself on what to expect after baby arrives, especially on maintaining your own mental health.
P.S. Thinking about the baby shower?
A baby is always a reason to celebrate and a fun time to gather all your loved ones together to take part in welcoming your bundle of joy. But, between baby shower invites, food, decor, gifts and preparing all the final details for your baby shower, you may be forgetting the most important part, baby shower games.
Free Printable Baby Shower Bingo
Keeping the guests entertained is not always an easy task, especially if they don’t all know each other. That’s why games are just the perfect ice breakers. To make life a little easier, feel free to assign the task to someone who will take care of handing out printables, reading the rules to your guests and choosing the prizes for the winners.
This list has plenty of games to enjoy: Baby’s First Book, Baby Bingo, Mommy Trivia, Nursery Rhyme lyrics and 20 additional family-friendly games for everyone. Keeping the party filled with joy and laughter is the perfect beginning to a baby’s life. Download some of these free printable games for your baby shower!
Nine months of pregnancy goes by faster than we think.
These maternity photo shoot ideas submitted by Madison fromMILK Booksare a great way to help document your pregnancy. Whether you had a glowing nine months or were burdened with complications, the miracle of birth will always be beautiful.
In the early postpartum days while you’re battling the baby blues, you can look back at the incredible feat you’ve accomplished and feel proud of yourself. And as your children grow older, they may be curious to see how your body changed while you carried them.
Check out these adorable and creative maternity photo shoot ideas for inspiration.
*This post may contain affiliate links. This is a guest post and all opinions are those of the author. Photos supplied by the author are used with permission.
Pregnancy is probably one of the most beautiful chapters in a woman’s life. The nine months of struggles and excitement is surely a collection of memories worth documenting, hoping that you’ll forever encapsulate the story of carrying the greatest blessing of your life through photos.
To celebrate the beautiful changes in your life and body during the odyssey of your pregnancy, here are 20 adorable maternity photo shoot ideas you must try!
1. Take the ocean (or lake) as your aquatic backdrop
Seeing the waves of the ocean or the flow of clear river water brings us a tide of peace and good vibes. No explanation needed. So if you’re looking for a relaxed maternity shoot idea, and you have this undying love for the beauty of aquatic nature, grab your flowing dresses and flower crowns, head on the nearest beach, and get posin’ with a body of water in the background.
Or you could pose in a dock near you, stand in the center, and let the wind blow away your dress while looking at a distance. Plus aesthetic points if you’re shooting when the sun is setting down to its slumber! If you want to be a little more creative, you can dive and pose underwater, or jump into the water until your bump is submerged deep.
2. Bring out the best of your humorous and punny side
This maternity shoot idea is the perfect opportunity to show you and your husband’s funny side.
For instance, you can find a “Bump Ahead” sign on the streets, pose with your husband, and show off your belly, looking confused as to which bump the sign is referring to. You can make fun of your weird cravings by posing with your those strange food combinations you find satisfying. You can also huff and puff some balloons, with hands on your bump and gum on the mouth, and hold a chalkboard that says “About to pop!” Like this one:
Photo credits: Gina Bryer Photography, HALO Promotions via Healthy Mummy
3. Get your husband to pretend as the pregnant one
Ah, guys and other adorable beer bellies. If you’re feeling a bit camera shy, or if you want an extension of idea #2, this one’s a good and fun idea to do.
Have your husband pose as the pregnant one, expose his round belly, and let your camera lens capture his proud moment of being a dad and his drinking accomplishment.
Or you could hide in a tree or wall with your bump exposed halfway, and have your husband pretend it’s his baby bump. Take a look at how this couple did just that:
.
4. Include the whole family in the shot
Let your family show their excitement with the new addition in the gang! This maternity photo could double as a family portrait too. You and your family can do a simple pose in front of the camera, wearing your beautiful smiles and matching outfits.
The older sibling/s can also be the subject of the photo, holding a chalkboard with a sign saying “I’m going to be a big brother/sister!” or holding your bump while smiling at you or at the camera.
You can also ask the women in your family – mom, sister, grandma, your daughter – and do a timeline photo, showing the different generations of your family.
5. Soak in a milk bath
Add that pure and innocent aesthetic to your maternity photos by soaking into a tub full of flowing milk. Just fill your bathtub 1/4 all the way, add milk and corn starch (for that thick texture) and soak in with your all-white lace dress. If you’re feeling a little daring, go au naturel. To complete the look, sprinkle some petals from your favorite flowers in the tub. The colorful, the better!
Silhouette photos are not that complicated to take. You and your husband can do this by yourselves! Just grab your DSLRs and tripod, or your smartphones with good cameras, and do your best pose in front of the windows at home.
If you want to achieve a darker silhouette, close the curtains and leave a little gap for the light to come through. Otherwise, open the curtains wide and let the sunshine flow through.
7. Embrace the beauty of nature
Are you living in an area with beautiful fields nearby? Or perhaps you and your husband are hardcore nature lovers who have visited different hiking trails, sanctuaries, and forests, and decided to take nature with your maternity photos?
In that case, get out there and find the best spots where you feel like one with nature. If you have a backyard with a few towering trees, lush greenery, and colorful flowers, you can do your photo shoot close to home! Or as mentioned, you can visit your favorite nature spot, a sanctuary for example, and pose and capture as many photos as you can.
8. Show the beauty of pregnancy with studio photos
Want to keep it simple and professional? Visit a photography studio near you and have your intimate black-and-white photos taken by a professional photographer. You can do simple poses with your husband here, like him hugging you and your baby bump, or an all-smile photo with both of you looking at the camera.
Or you can have a solo portrait-type photo where you’re clothed in a black dress that hugs your beautiful body and that precious bump. You can also pose with wearing only your underwear to showcase the natural, no-filter side of being a soon-to-be-mother.
9. Bring your pet friends along
Pets + babies = cuteness overload!
If you’re an animal lover, then it’s mandatory to include your fur babies or your favorite animals in your maternity photos. Play around with your pets and let your carefree side show naturally in the photo!
You can also have your dogs and/or cats play as the older siblings by dressing them up and have them carry a sign that says I’m waiting for my human brother/sister.
10. Make your hobbies as the focus theme
Got a passion for good melodies? Show them in your photos, with your beloved musical instruments as props. Are you a bookworm at heart? Pose with your favorite books. This is an easy photo idea to do, since you already have the props needed, and you can shoot whenever and wherever you like.
Photo credits: Troy Ryan Photography
If your kid/s follow the same hobby in the future, you can bring out your photo books full of your maternity photos and share stories of how you pursue your passion.
11. Take the baby stuff out and use them as props
Have you shopped for the necessary items for your coming bundle of joy? Then you already have a perfect set of props to use for your maternity photos!
Borrow the new baby shoes for a while and use it as the main focus of your photos, with you and your husband sitting blurred in the background. Or get playful and have fun with the baby mobile.
12. Flaunt your sexy side
Don’t be afraid to flaunt your curves and show the world you’ve always had that alluring side to your personality.
Grab your sexy black dress and let it hug every inch of your curves in a high contrast photo! Or if you’re feeling a little bit daring, wear your sexiest underwear underneath a thin robe.
13. Channel your inner Audrey Hepburn and embrace your vintage soul
If you’re an old soul at heart with a thing for vintage fashion and throwback aesthetics, this your chance to channel your inner Audrey Hepburn. Bring out those vintage display items hanging out in your shelves and cupboards for your props, hang a vintage floral cloth, and voila – DIY vintage studio! You can also keep it simple and wear your cutesy vintage dresses with a flower in your ears and holding a balloon in the street.
One good thing about seasons – no matter the weather is, there’s always a location and mood perfect for your photo shoot. Take the summer season for example. You can catch the natural sunshine glow in your photos during this season, which strikes the ocean waves and beach glow better than the other seasons.
15. Bumps and sonograms
Sonogram maternity photos are the perfect way to announce that you’re expecting and the gender of your baby.
You can pose whichever way you want, whether solo or with your husband (or your older kids), but the general idea here is to hold the sonogram closer to the camera, with you in the background.
16. Turn your body into a canvas
Photo credits: Naturi Naughton and Courtesy Essence
Showcase your artistic side and use your body as a canvas for a beautiful painting. You can paint a nature-themed image in your baby bump, some cartoons for the childish vibes, a group of cute animals, or maybe a cartoon depiction of your coming baby.
17. A before-and-after photo
This one here is the perfect idea to showcase the joy of being a mother, the thrill of carrying your bundle of joy for nine months and the excitement of finally having your child in your arms.
You can do side view poses here, and during the editing process, you can simply set the before and after photos side by side. Some photographers offer this package, so be sure to ask your hired photographer if they do this kind of shoot.
Sometimes, the best maternity photos just come out naturally. Candid photos are great because they show the real struggles and beauty of pregnancy. Those stolen shots of your smiles while the baby takes his/her first kick, the constant checking in the mirror for your growing bump – you’re bound to produce an album of priceless maternity photos with just these ideas.
Embrace the beauty of ethnic culture with ethnic-inspired outfits with popping colors, big hoop earrings, a turban-like headwrap, and some quirky bracelets. A beautiful landscape in the background would complete the breathtaking photos!
Madison is a content creator for MILK Books. If she’s not perusing pregnancy or maternal related blogs or writing for MILK, she spends her time making sure her 2 little “offsprings” don’t get into trouble.
Regular e-mails filled with information and support to help mothers manage their mental health. Plus get instant access to a library filled with FREE workbooks, printables, discounts and more!
Your information will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party.
