My Favorite Pregnancy Items

Experiencing pregnancy a second time was a tremendous gift. I felt more confident, kind to myself, and certain of my desires and needs having already been pregnant with Sullivan. I more intimately knew what I needed to feel nurtured and safe, physically and emotionally. When I learned I was pregnant, I vowed to speak lovingly to my expanding body, for example, because I now have a very personal, rich understanding of how hard it works to grow and sustain an entirely second human. This is a one-person role, a grower and sustainer of another human life, for nearly ten months, and I wished for my words to match this honorable position.

I also happened to see this video, posted by Dr. Samantha Ellis, at the beginning of my second trimester. Dr. Ellis shares:

“Think of all the beautiful sunsets you have ever seen in your life. You take a picture of {a sunset}, and you look at the photo, and you think, ‘This photo really doesn’t do this sunset justice.’

You are the sunset. You are beautiful, and just because the photo doesn’t do you justice, it does not detract from any of that.”

When reviewing what I wore or how I cared for my body and skin throughout pregnancy, it’s most important to remember: all pregnant bodies are inherently powerful, impressive, and beautiful.

Photo by: Zachary Gray

My Favorite Clothing for Pregnancy

Similar to the wedding industry, I find maternity wear is priced more highly than expected. Throughout my pregnancy, I most often wore Elizabeth Suzann clothing, Jared’s t-shirts, and hand-me-downs from my sisters and close friends, including this jumpsuit. I also pursued clothing partnerships with my favorite maternity brands, including Bumpsuit, Hatch, Ilouity, and Quince. I wrote each brand a detailed email, including a simple vision board I created, and pitched a mutually-beneficial partnership.

Ultimately, I invested in only one maternity-specific piece of clothing: The Monica Maternity Dress in Powder Blue. The additional items I chose to purchase, outside of my and Jared’s current clothing, hand-me-downs, and partnership pieces, are non-maternity and will work well postpartum. This includes an oversized t-shirt from Anine Bing, as well as pieces from Dôen and Shona Joy.

It’s most important to wear clothing that fits well, as obvious as this may sound. At least twice, I squeezed my larger body into pieces that were too small or not well suited for pregnancy, and I felt distanced from myself. Again, I was very kind to myself this pregnancy regarding my body image, but in moments when I did feel more self-critical, I was in a piece that did not fit well. For example, when I wore The Monica Maternity Dress, I was nearly 40 weeks pregnant and quite swollen, and I should have sized up, as well as given myself time to get it hemmed. I am 5’3”, and it is quite long on me. However, self-kindness prevailed. A body that has grown, sustained, and loved a pregnancy for 40 weeks deserves—and has earned—praise and admiration, despite any piece that might imperfectly clothe it.

Once our baby is born (at any moment!), I look forward to passing this clothing to fellow mothers.

View a full catalogue of my favorite clothing for pregnancy below or on ShopMy here.

You can also view my favorite accessories for pregnancy here, as well as my most-used items for physical support here.

My Favorite Skincare for Pregnancy

It is my understanding that stretch marks are genetic. No matter the products we use, we will not avoid stretch marks if we are genetically predisposed to them. Therefore, my goal with skincare was not to avoid stretch marks, which I have (read: earned!). It was to care for my skin and muscles, as well as connect with my physical body throughout pregnancy.

The product I used most, above all, was coconut oil. I used this after every shower. It will transfer to clothing, so it’s important to wear older t-shirts or pajamas that can be lightly stained. After first applying coconut oil to my belly, chest, and hips, I added Summer Silk Nourishing Body Lotion by Summer Fridays as a second layer.

When washing my face each day, my first step is to massage coconut oil into my skin to loosen my make-up before cleansing and rinsing. Once my coconut oil is applied and before I rinse it away, I add Head & Shoulders with Eucaplytus (trust me!), massage it into my skin with the coconut oil, and fully rinse. I then apply La Mousse by Chanel to fully cleanse and rinse my face a second time.

Finally, toward the end of my pregnancy, I was gifted Revitalizing Stretch Mark Cream and Nourishing Belly Oil by Nemah and genuinely loved each. I flew through them! This set in particular is a wonderful gift for pregnant mothers.

View a full catalogue of my favorite skincare for pregnancy below or on ShopMy here.

My Favorite Hospital Bag Items

Comfort and warmth are key when in the hospital. I packed only pajamas, a robe, joggers, a sweatshirt, and cozy socks. Of course, my cameras are charged and packed, as well as a handful of essential items I wished I packed when I gave birth to Sullivan, such as my own breast pump, nursing pillow, and water bottle.

View a full catalogue of my favorite hospital bag items below or on ShopMy here.

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