Five Things That Will Make Your First Trimester of Pregnancy Better + Easier

…and let’s be honest – survivable.

Although every pregnancy is different, a lot (most) women have first trimester struggles at least a little bit during those first twelve weeks. Once the excitement begins to wear off, there’s a good chance that those hormones kick in leaving you feeling nauseous, exhausted, and like you’ve been hit by the crazy train.

Don’t get me wrong. Pregnancy is a blessing. It’s joyful, exciting, miraculous, and incredible…yes, but growing a little human ain’t easy! (Poor grammar intended.)

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I’m 25 weeks into my second pregnancy and these things have been lifesavers so far:

Coconut oil

You read that right. Coconut oil. It keeps your skin moisturized and super hydrated to help avoid stretch marks. Not so important during the first trimester, but just get in the habit of rubbing it onto your belly (and any other area of your body) every night throughout your pregnancy.

I have used a liberal amount of this coconut oil every. single. night and still have more than half of the jar left.

Unisom*

*Talk to your doctor before taking anything!

This has helped me SO MUCH with morning / all day nausea and sickness. It’s an over-the-counter sleep tab, but also helps curb that morning sickness and is safe to use during pregnancy.

I take ½ tab at night (which is 12.5 mg) and not only does it help me sleep, it keeps that nausea at bay!

***Please, please, please be sure to talk with your doctor first though!***

Flintstones vitamins

Are those prenatal vitamins contributing to the nausea? Even if you take them at night? My doctor suggested that I take Flintstones vitamins (with iron) instead.

***Again, please make sure to talk with your doctor first!***

Bellaband and maternity clothes

The Bellaband helps your current wardrobe go a little further until you can invest in a few staple maternity pieces…and really…just go ahead and get yourself some maternity clothes. Comfort is key.

Even if it’s not in the budget or you just don’t want to spend a ton of money, there are a few basics that go a long, long way. There are tons of maternity capsule wardrobes out there like this one:

Year Round Maternity Capsule Wardrobe
by Anna Bruce Blog

If you want some more ideas on maternity fashion, you can follow my Pinterest board here.

One more tip here – DO get dressed. Even if you don’t feel like it. Even if you are a stay-at-home mom. Or if you work from home. Believe me, you’ll need all the help you can get in the being comfortable and feeling cute department. Look good, feel good, and be comfortable…or fake it until you believe it. 😉

Take out

Not kidding. At least for the first trimester. And that’s coming from someone who likes to cook and only eats out like twice a month. If you don’t do take out, at least recruit someone else to do the cooking for you. Grocery / meal delivery services are a good idea too.

For me, eating at regular intervals and smaller, frequent meals throughout the day helped control the nausea. Having snacks on hand was crucial. A snack meaning anything I could think to tolerate eating. These instant mashed potatoes were my go-to.