The Stuff of Parenthood: Top 8 for Pregnancy (i.e. How I Survived)

1) Slim-Rite Breakfast Drinks

I think these truly saved my life (or at least saved me from a lot of unpleasant retching). Now, I'm no fan of diet drinks, but I tried everything else (graham crackers, ginger cookies, chocolate milk, juice) and these babies were the only thing that I could get down in the morning (I'd chug one with a straw before even getting out of bed) that would really stave off the nausea until lunchtime.

2) One-Piece Garments

For those of you that are of the LDS faith, I had to share this discovery. If you can't find them at a distribution center, they are easy to buy online from the church store. Basically, no seems pushing into your baby bump = comfort. Shirt has a much cuter fit over baby as well. Plus, you know those maternity pants panels? They will actually stay up when worn over these (must be cotton-blend, not silky texture, though).

3) Water, Water, Everywhere!

Okay, I know this is not the environmentally-friendly route, but I think having a case of water bottles in my office at work probably saved me from dying of thirst on more than one occasion (melodramatic you say? -try being pregnant and just see just how thirsty you get!) You wouldn't believe how difficult it can be to find a moment to simply walk down the hall and refill your water bottle when you are scrambling to clean up from  your previous therapy session and prepare for the next! (Also, for working mommies, do whatever you can to schedule your lunch time for as long as you can. Skipping lunch will no longer be an option).

I also dreamed about finding a big water mug like this one the whole summer that I was pregnant (and eventually did, ironically, after giving birth):

4) Snacks Galore

For my bedroom, I filled a crate with juice boxes and munchies. Because, so often, I'd wake up in the night to pee, but then realize that I couldn't go back to sleep because I was so hungry! Having some middle-of-night munchies on hand was especially good for living in a town-home style condo. (Who wants to go downstairs to the cold, dark kitchen in the middle of the night?)

5) Body Pillow

Being a stomach-sleeper, I was really worried about having to switch to my side. With a pillow like this though, it wasn't even an issue. I found a happy in-between-stomach-and-side position. A lot like this lady is demonstrating:

6) Lower-back Pillow for Car

Long car trips were brutal beyond 7 months. A pillow like this behind my back alleviated some of the discomfort though.

7) The Hair-Band-in-Button-Hole Trick

Learned this one from a coworker. Enabled me to wear my work pants through the school year and thereby to put-off buying maternity pants until summer (at which point, I only needed to buy a few pairs of crops).

8) Drawstring Pants

Even better than maternity pants for comfort in my experience. Can also be cuter (believe it or not) and can be worn before and after giving birth. Do yourself the favor that I didn't and have a lot of these stocked up in your closet when you return from the hospital. (Make sure there is a nice wide, stretchy waist band, like in this picture.)

What got you through pregnancy? I'd love to hear your ideas. :)