This post may contain affiliate links. All thoughts and opinions are, as always, honest and my own.
I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t love being pregnant. I was insanely nauseous during the first trimester, so bad I would randomly and abruptly get sick everywhere. At work, at Target, at dinner, etc. During my second trimester I made a career change and moved back home to the Midwest and during the third, I was so incredibly swollen and tired. But now that it is over, I sometimes miss my little belly, feeling babe shift and move inside of me, but 10 months was a LONG time and I’m glad that I get to spend forever being Miss Brooklyn’s mama.
I’ve had several requests about my pregnancy must haves so I thought I would share the short list of beauty and fashion items that I couldn’t have lived without.
Clothing
I did not purchase a lot of maternity clothes. First off, I didn’t find a lot of maternity clothes cute to be honest. I personally didn’t want to buy a basic, empire waisted maxi dress and couldn’t find a lot out that I was drawn to in the market. So I decided to invest in a few pieces and repurpose items that were already in my closet.
The maternity items that I did buy and that I would recommend would be :
- A good pair of maternity jeans. I purchased a pair of AG Maternity jeans that I WORE OUT honey. They were pricey, but worth the investment since I wore these all the time in my first and second trimester. I bought mine at Destination Maternity, which always has a coupon to help with that hefty price tag.
- Cute nursing/maternity bras. I needed something that would fit my new breasts. I had been an A/B all my life, but I developed new curves on top and needed to get that situation under control. Growing up with a small bust, I lived in pasties and bralettes, so I purchased these Motherhood Maternity lace bralettes. They are so comfortable and fuller coverage, plus you can wear them after baby for nursing purposes.
- The dress. I have worn this dress from Filly Boo several times. It was the perfect dress for my baby shower and maternity photos, which are all images featured in this post, shot by the talented Molly B in Omaha.
This dress had hand embroidery and is just so beautiful. Again, this comes at a higher price tag, but I felt so beautiful every time I wore it, it was worth it. Buy it here.
Since I didn’t want to buy too much maternity wear, I repurposed items in my current closet as I mentioned before. Basically midi and maxis with a jacket or layered tee/tank was my pregnancy uniform. My absolute favorite brand was Free People since they have a more generous cut. I could wear a medium or large and still feel comfortable. Below were some of my favorite items. Basically if it was loose, knit, and comfortable, I was about it. Two of the dresses had smocking details, allowing the garment to stretch with my body. Plus, all of these items look just as great with or without a bump.
- Fulton Jumpsuit
- The Getaway Midi Dress
- Baby Please Eyelet Slip
- Embroidered Fable Midi Dress
If you need ONE item, I would highly recommend in my opinion, the best legging in the world. This is the Align Pant from Lululemon, a buttery, high waisted legging that makes you feel like you are wearing nothing. I own at least 5 pairs since I wear these so much. Available in several colors and lengths, you can get a pair here. I bought a size bigger than I normally wear and these stretched with me through the entire pregnancy.
Beauty
I tried multiple lotions and creams to prevent stretch marks. The smell of cocoa butter made me sick. Mama Mio Tummy Rub was pricey and I was unimpressed. My ultimate go to ended up being Kopari’s Coconut Melt. I loved that it was 100% natural and organic. It melted so easily on the skin and smelled amazing. I only wish I would’ve discovered it earlier in my pregnancy.
Especially near the end of my pregnancy, I was all about getting as much sleep as possible. Now I like a full face of makeup, so I prioritized what was important to still make me feel like myself, but without so much of the effort.
- Foundation: YSL All Hours Longwear Natural Matte Foundation became my holy grail foundation. A full coverage, matte foundation that lasted all day on my oily skin. The finish was matte but not flat with build-able coverage to cover up my imperfections so I didn’t have to worry about concealer. My shade is Warm Sand.
- Dry Shampoo: Ain’t nobody got time to wash their hair everyday. In fact, during my pregnancy I think I pushed it to the limit with the days between washes. Enter my new favorite from IGK, First Class Charcoal Detox Dry Shampoo, a powerful dry shampoo with oil absorbing charcoal which helped me extend the days between washing my hair.
- False Lashes: I saved so much time going without eyeshadow, however I just feel more comfortable with a more dramatic eye. My go to was popping on a little eyeliner and false lashes which made my look insta-fabulous. House of Lashes has a mini collection that are perfect for my smaller eyes. No need to cut to fit your eye, just pop on. You can get them here. I would recommend Velour’s effortless collection as well. They are also in a small length in more natural silhouettes. My new favorite!
Would love to hear about your favorite pregnancy style must haves!
X – B