Top 12 Things you need in the first trimester

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As a mother of 5, I have been through pregnancy a fair few times. I have put together my list of absolute must-have items here that you will need in the first trimester to help you get through the early pregnancy niggles.

Everything you need in the first trimester.

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Quick First Trimester Checklist:

1. Long maternity pillow

An absolute must have in my opinion. In the early days there is a type of fatigue that runs all the way deep into your bones.

When you do start to feel a little better the baby bump starts to appear making it extremely difficult to get any comfort at all.

I had always assumed that sleepless nights began in the final trimester when a huge baby belly would make turning impossible.

How wrong was I?

My sleepless nights began literally a few weeks after I took the test and with other children to take care of being a zombie during the day was not an option.

I started researching and found that a body pillow could be the solution. Now it’s the first thing I recommend when I hear that someone is pregnant.

The pregnancy pillow is long and narrow and can easily fit alongside you. The pillow will be able to support your whole body and mold into any shape you want to give it.

Something like this pillow would be perfect for most moms.

2. Prenatal vitamins and Prenatal DHA

It is a good idea to take a prenatal vitamin and a prenatal DHA as soon as you find out you are pregnant.

They will help cover any nutritional gaps in your diet and also helpful for those who are being sick.

A prenatal vitamin is full of essential vitamins and minerals such as folic acid, iron, calcium and iodine among others.

I used these prenatal vitamins in my pregnancy.

Docosahexaenoic acid otherwise known as DHA is needed to help baby’s eyes and brain develop.

We need approximately 200mg of DHA per day during pregnancy and some prenatal vitamins don’t include them so it’s a good idea to speak to your doctor about whether or not you should take it.

I like this brand of prenatal DHA

3. Antacids

Antacids are something that I needed throughout my pregnancy.

For the most part, I craved hot and spicy food eating Mexican and Indian food most days didn’t help my indigestion.

Popping a few antacids before bed meant that I wasn’t in pain throughout the night and they seemed to work near enough instantly.

Just a little reminder not to take antacids when you are taking an iron supplement.

My favorite antacid to use during pregnancy are tums

4. Yoga pants

Yes, these are a must have in the early days, when your belly starts popping out all you want is to ditch those skinny jeans and get yourself into some comfy yoga pants!

I would invest in a few pairs as you will practically live in them. In fact, I found these yoga pants even more comfortable then being in my pyjamas.

5. Super soft toilet paper

Let’s just say you are going to be spending a fair amount of time in the toilet.

The extra blood flow makes the kidneys produce 25% more urine soon after conception.

This increase in toilet visits peaks at 9-16 weeks and then settles only to return when your baby sits on the bladder in the last trimester.

So, it is vital you have nice and soft toilet tissue to use.

6. Body moisturizer

There are differing opinions on whether stretch mark creams and oils actually do anything.

I would, however, use something to keep your skin moist and supple as you will stretch more then you would ever believe.

I use this cream after I shower. There are also natural options like this cream.

7. Peppermint tea to ease bloating

Between 8-12 weeks my bloating was so bad that people had started to ask if I was having twins.

The reason I knew it was bloat is because I wouldn’t wake up with a tummy that was so big.

I then found that having a cup of peppermint tea would aid my digestion and help with the belly bloat I had been suffering.

I was then able to eat normal sized portions without any pain. I always have this tea

8. Crackers for nausea

I have severe nausea and have suffered with it during each one of my 5 pregnancies.

Having a packet of biscuits or crackers can sometimes give you some relief.

It’s a good idea to keep them by your bedside and eat them as soon as you get up in the morning to prevent you from feeling sick.

Foods high in starch such as saltines and toast help absorb gastric acid and settle queasiness.

The bland nature of the cracker will help satisfy hunger without a strong taste and smell which can sometimes exacerbate sickness.

9. Pregnancy books

Early pregnancy and the first trimester is the best time to read about well…..pregnancy!

I always spend ample time reading during this time. You would think by baby number 5 I would know it all but there is always something you have missed and to be honest when I was pregnant with baby 5 I had forgotten it all.

I like reading week by week how the baby has grown, how I will feel and how I will grow.

Here are a few of my favorite pregnancy books: What to expect when you’re expecting. also The Mayo clinic book is excellent. Jenny McCarthy’s book is also a great read.

THE BEST ONLINE PRENATAL COURSES – MY HONEST REVIEW

10. A new toothbrush

Sounds odd right? but in my opinion, a new toothbrush is a must have in the first trimester.

In the early days bleeding is caused by a build-up of plaque on the teeth.

Hormonal changes during pregnancy can make you more susceptible to plaque which will lead to bleeding and inflammation. This is also known as pregnancy gingivitis.

Use a soft toothbrush and brush twice a day, take your time to brush spending at least 2 minutes brushing and be sure to use anti plaque toothpaste to protect your teeth from gingivitis.

11. A soft cotton bra

Between 8 and 10 weeks your breast may begin to change and you may find you are outgrowing your pre-pregnancy bras.

Now may be the time to ditch those uncomfortable padded and underwired bras for a lovely soft cotton comfortable one.

Ideally you should go and get measured every few months making sure that:

The cups fit snugly with no overflow at the top

The seam-line in the center sits against your breastbone.

Your bra fastens on the top set of hooks leaving room for growth.

12. BPA free water bottle

I have always struggled to drink my daily allowance of water. So, when I found out that a pregnant woman needs 64oz per day I was totally freaked out.

I invested in a BPA free water bottle and it really helped. I would add a few slices of lemon and lime and it was a lovely refreshing drink as I am always hot when I’m pregnant.

Once I started to use the bottle, I found it much easier to monitor my daily intake, 2 bottles meant I had drunk enough.

I used this one as I could pop ice cubes in it and also use it for herbal teas when I don’t feel like drinking water. This is the bottle that I used.

The items I have listed above are the items that I couldn’t live without in my first trimester.

It goes without saying that things that worked for me may not work for you but I really do hope that they can help alleviate some of the issues that may arise in the first trimester.