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Pregnancy survival kit – everything you need to survive and thrive through your first pregnancy.
Pregnancy is one of the most life-changing and miraculous events that you can experience.
Finding out that you’re pregnant is a surreal and amazing experience, but it’s not all roses and unicorns! Along with this joyous occasion comes a host of challenges as well, such as morning sickness, aches and pains, heartburn, reflux, sciata and more throughout the three trimesters of pregnancy.
There are some things you can do to make this happy yet trying time in your life better. Here’s our guide to what you need to get through pregnancy – from the first trimester to the third.
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First Trimester Survival Kit and Guide
The first trimester is technically the shortest trimester, by the time you find out you’re pregnant, you probably have less than 10 weeks to get to the second trimester.
But that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Those 10 weeks can seem to go on forever…
What You’re Up Against In The First Trimester
Morning sickness (or all day sickness), fatigue and the inability to keep food down are just a few of the difficulties you might have during this period. The good news is all these symptoms will go away before long, so hang tight!
You might also find you have some weird pregnancy symptoms that leave you wondering ‘is this normal?’ especially if this is your first baby. Chances are you’re fine! But, bringing it up with your care team is always a good plan.
What to Look Forward To In The First Trimester
The first trimester is full of amazing moments too:
- finding out you’re pregnant
- telling your partner the great news
- making your first appointment
- getting your first ultrasound (the dating scan) and hearing your baby’s heartbeat for the very first time.
- you’ll also be thinking about and planning when to tell your friends and family the big news
Tips for Surviving the First Trimester
- Stay hydrated
- Stay active
- Get outdoors for some fresh air and sunshine
- Frequent meals or snacks is a great way to manage your nausea
- Keep snacks by your bedside so you can snack on a cracker or two first thing before you get up in the morning.
- Keep up with your prenatal vitamins.
First Trimester Must Haves
Here’s the essential products you need to have in your first trimester pregnancy survival kit.
1) Morning sickness tea
In the first trimester, nausea and vomiting can be a big part of your day-to-day experience. Morning sickness tea can help settle your troubled stomach – it’s worth a try! Try this one, it’s great!
You can also try plain ginger tea, peppermint tea or ginger ale. Bring some tea bags along to work to keep you going all day, or make up a bottle of iced tea!
2) Prenatal vitamins
If you were trying to conceive, you’re likely already taking some kind of prenatal vitamin.
Keep taking these throughout your pregnancy – pro tip, if you’re finding it difficult to swallow the large pills, look for a gummy version. These look super yum!
3) Cravings-quenching snacks
(ginger snaps, saltine crackers, granola bars, pretzels with hummus are great options)
If you’re experiencing nausea, you probably don’t really want to think about food. But, hunger can actually cause you more nausea. Make sure you check out this list of foods that can help morning sickness.
4) Heartburn medicine like Tums
Talk to your healthcare provider about taking an over the counter medication like Tums if you’re experiencing heartburn.
5) Preggie pops
These delicious lollipops will help you get through the nausea. Or you can get them in ‘drop’ form.
There are also hard candies like this that sound super delish!
Be aware, the packaging on most of these is a dead giveaway that you’re pregnant… so keep them out of sight if you’ve not announced yet.
6) Peppermint
A flavor renowned for it’s stomach settling abilities! You can try peppermint tea, or sucking on a peppermint candy.
7) Pregnancy Planner
Now’s the time to start a pregnancy planner so you can record all the little details of your pregnancy and keep on top of your appointments. You can check out ours here!
8) Sea Bands
Using the power of accupressure points, these sea bands help with nausea relief. They actually seem to work!
9) A Good Pregnancy App or Two
Because who can download just one?! Join a pregnancy app and keep up to date with what your baby is doing each week.
10) Pregnancy Book
If you can’t get enough of pregnancy related stuff, make sure you buy or borrow at least one good book on pregnancy and baby. Here are our favorites for first time moms.
You might also like to read ahead about baby sleep or baby food! Or dealing with toddlers… it may seem like a long way away but it sneaks up on you!
11) Water Bottle
Pregnancy can make you feel super thirsty. Make sure you’ve always got enough water by carrying a water bottle with you. I recommend having at least 2 in different sizes. One large to keep in your car or on your desk and a smaller one that fits in your purse for on-the-go.
12) Citrus Essential Oil
If you’re cursed with the ‘super nose’ pregnancy superpower, you may find masking scents with a fresh citrus essential oil makes life a little more tolerable. This one sounds heavenly!
13) Mint Chewing Gum
This helps keep your mouth fresh and can help reduce nausea with a minty fresh flavor. It’s great to have as a back up to your Preggie Pops.
14) Comfortable Flat Shoes
Fatigue and all those body changes means you’ll likely want to go for comfort in the shoe department. As your pregnancy progresses, your hormones will start relaxing your ligaments, so hang up those heels now!
15) Heating pad
You’ll need one of these for pregnancy aches and pains down the road, but for the first trimester you might find it comforting when you’re feeling nauseous.
14) Hair ties
When you’re feeling sick in the first trimester of pregnancy the last thing you want to worry about is your hair getting in the way. Make sure you get something pretty like this!
15) Fuzzy socks
Because why not? a nice pair of socks can help you feel a little better when you’re fatigued and ill with morning sickness. These ones are perfect!
16) Maternity Bras
Now’s the time to hang up your old underwired bras and transition to comfy soft maternity bras. Just get what you need to get through this part of your pregnancy, you may find your breasts go up several sizes before they’re done!
17) Belly Band
First trimester belly is usually just bloat… but you’ll definitely need this nifty little device later on in your pregnancy to extend the time you can wear your pants before you make the leap to maternity wear.
Second Trimester Survival Kit & Guide
The second trimester is a wonderful time of pregnancy. The morning sickness is likely gone, many of the early pregnancy aches and pains ease up a bit, you’re starting to show a little cute bump, but not so much it’s uncomfortable.
What You’re Up Against In The Second Trimester
Not too much actually! The second trimester is the golden time of pregnancy – make sure you make the most of it!
By the end of the second trimester, you might find that sleep starts to become a little difficult and your size becomes a bit more awkward. You’ll also likely outgrow your normal clothes and start wearing maternity wear.
What to Look Forward to in the Second Trimester
This is usually a time when your baby bump starts to become noticeable and super cute!
You can look forward to these things in the second trimester:
- your baby shower – baby showers are usually held towards the end of the second trimester or start of the third, so make sure you’ve got your baby registry must haves on your list!
- the big anatomy scan – the anatomy scan is such a huge milestone. You’ll get to see your baby on the ultrasound screen and it actually LOOKs like a baby! If you didn’t find out the gender early, you’ll be able to find out if it’s a boy or a girl at this scan.
- gender reveal – if you’re doing one!
- baby movements – you’ll also start to feel baby move for the first time during the second trimester. What a wonderful feeling it is!
Tips for Surviving The Second Trimester
- Keep active, but don’t overdo it. Your body is going through a lot of changes right now.
- Your energy levels will likely increase as well (compared to the first trimester). Yay! This is a great time to get your nursery planned, your baby registry complete and any other big tasks out of the way.
- Do buy maternity clothes – even if you’re trying to keep on a strict budget, a select number of maternity clothing items will help you feel yourself as your body changes. Normal clothes just don’t fit right on a pregnant body, even if you size up (ask me how I know!) A comfy pair of maternity jeans and a pretty top does wonders for making you feel like your cute self again!
Second Trimester Essential Products
You’ll want to add these essential items to your second trimester survival kit:
18) Basic Maternity Capsule Wardrobe
I love the idea of capsule wardrobes – a minimalist approach to clothes where everything matches everything else and you get by with just a few well chosen items. It’s great for losing weight and for pregnancy.
My pregnancy capsule wardrobe included:
- 2 pairs of nice maternity jeans (I lived in these!)
- 1 pair of soft, relaxed maternity pants
- 3 pairs of maternity leggings
- 2 super pretty maternity day dresses
- 4 maternity/nursing tops
I also had an empire waist maxi dress that was perfect for pregnancy even though it wasn’t maternity wear.
Pro tip: make sure you wait until you need maternity wear to buy it – you may change sizes during pregnancy.
19) Compression socks
Combat swelling before it starts with compression socks but do make sure you bring up any swelling you’re having during your regular doctor consultations.
20) Belly Support Band
Give your belly extra support with a belly band. It’ll help save your back as your belly expands. There are several different kinds you can get – this is the one I used most often to give some mild, all over support. There are also more heavy duty support bands you can get if you feel like you need it later.
21) Maternity pillow
This is key for good sleep. If you aren’t having trouble getting comfortable for sleep yet, you will want this for later. Don’t skimp on this item. It can mean the difference between sleep or no sleep.
22) Belly butter
As your belly grows, combat stretch marks with a good belly butter. Incorporate it into your evening routine for a bit of self care.
Third Trimester Survival Kit & Guide
The third trimester is the most dramatic time of pregnancy. You’re likely feeling really big, your skin may be experiencing more dryness and sensitivity, you might have heartburn or reflux going on – all that fun stuff! But fear not! This survival kit will help get you through it until baby arrives.
A few things to keep in mind during this last stage: don’t try anything new if it makes you feel bad (like exercise) and practice some self-care for yourself before baby arrives.
What You’re Up Against in the Third Trimester
Your biggest challenges in the third trimester are from your growing belly. Things start to get squishy in there! Baby is getting heavier and this can cause you fatigue, soreness and discomfort. You may also start to get a little anxious as
Swelling and varicose veins may also become an issue in the third trimester and if you’re pregnant in summer, you may be seriously uncomfortable in the heat.
Moments to Look Forward to in the Third Trimester
If you didn’t already have your baby shower, you’ll probably have this early in your third trimester.
- Finishing up the nursery
- Getting ready for
labor and delivery – you might take a birthing class online or at your hospital. - Actually going into
labor and delivering your baby 😉 the moment it’s all been about!
Tips for Surviving the Third Trimester
- stay cool in hot weather
- make sure you stay hydrated
- stay as active as you can but rest more if you feel you need it
- Use a pregnancy pillow to get some sleep
Third trimester essential products:
23) More Tums
If you’re struggling with heartburn or reflux talk to your doctor about taking Tums to help.
24) Pregnancy support belt
If you’re suffering through lower back or hip pain, a pregnancy pelvic support band can make all the difference. It helps hold you together when your muscles and ligaments seem to have given up the job!
25) Fun pregnancy t-shirt (hands off the bump)
Getting attacked by bump touchers? Wear a cute pregnancy t-shirt to express your no so you don’t have to keep telling people to keep their hands to themselves.
How to Make a Pregnancy Survival Kit Care Package
If you’re not pregnant, but you have a friend, family member or coworker who is, a pregnancy survival kit/care package makes a wonderful and thoughtful gift!
It’s super easy to turn this list of essentials into a care package:
- grab a nice big basket, bag (maybe even a diaper bag?) or box
- fill with a selection of the essentials on this list (you could also add a gift card or two to an online retailer like Amazon.)
- add a magazine, book or DVD or two for entertainment
Make sure you check out our other great gift posts:
DIY Care Package for a New Mom [+ What NOT to Include]
Mom to Be Care Package [18 Gift Ideas for the Pregnant Mom-To-Be]
Gifts for Expectant Moms – Gift Guide for Pregnant Women
The Final Word on Your Pregnancy Survival Kit
You might not be able to anticipate all the changes your body will go through during pregnancy, but you can prepare for them with a well-stocked survival kit. We’ve included some of our favorite products that are designed to help pregnant moms and their partners get through this crazy nine months with as few bumps in the road possible.
Your baby will be here before you know it!