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Are you a first-time pregnant mom? Or are you generally tired of the stress that comes with pregnancy?
Well, who doesn’t love a good pregnancy hack?
Being pregnant is more than the baby showers and the pregnancy glow.
(PS: If you just found out you are pregnant, I recommend digging into this amazing pregnancy planner my readers LOVE for first time moms!)
It can be a rough process, especially during early pregnancy and late pregnancy.
The second trimester is often a relief for most pregnant women in anticipation of the last and most stressful trimester.
Luckily, with pregnancy hacks to make life easier, pregnancy will be a less stressful experience for you.
Below is a compilation of all practical pregnancy hacks for first-time moms and generally to make pregnancy easier.
Surviving the First Trimester…
Generally, pregnancy is divided into three trimesters. (although, we do recognize the 4th trimester too)
1st Trimester Pregnancy Hacks
Eat Whatever You Can, Whenever You Can Stomach it
(my go to snack for 1st trimester)
One of the significant reasons that morning sickness can worsen is that having an empty stomach brings it on. Feeding yourself helps you feel less nauseous. (these smoothie recipes are super great for the first trimester)
If you are a first-time pregnant mom, you might feel especially concerned about what to eat and maintaining healthy nutrition.
Luckily, most doctors recommend eating whatever you can stomach during the first trimester. You can focus on eating healthy later during the pregnancy.
Stock Up On Prune Juice for Constipation
There is a good chance that the terrible pain your feeling in your stomach’s lower left is poop.
Pregnancy experts recommend stocking up on prune juice or coconut water to help manage the situation.
Start Pelvic Floor Exercises
When you are pregnant, you start to place much weight on your pelvic floor—the ligaments and muscles supporting your pregnancy.
You can begin incorporating pelvic floor exercises in your first trimester.
Choose Sleep Over Any Other Leisure Activity
During your first trimester, your body will go through lots of changes. You might be tempted to add hundreds of activities to your to-do checklist now that you are pregnant.
However, it is vital that you listen to your body.
Fortunately, sleeping during your first trimester might be uncontrollable. Generally, allowing yourself to sleep during pregnancy leaves you feeling better.
Ginger and Mint
Mint and ginger help with nausea.
You can buy ginger mint lozenges like these in both flavors.
Cookies, candy, tea, or anything you can stomach in ginger and mint flavor will help you manage nausea common in the first trimester.
Sea-Bands Motion Sickness Bracelets
These bracelets put pressure on acupuncture points, helping relieve nausea. Generally, sea bands bracelets are marketed for sea sickness/motion sickness.
They are effective in maintaining the typical morning sickness common during your first trimester.
Wear a Comfortable Bra
One of the first symptoms during the first trimester is nipple tenderness and breast changes.
Therefore, if you are experiencing sore breasts and nipples during your first trimester, try wearing a softer, more comfy bra.
Tight clothes tend to be restricting and may cause more pain.
The First Trimester is Your Time to Plan Ahead
It will be easy to forget even the most basic tasks at some point in your pregnancy when your emotions are all over the place.
Once you have come to terms with your current situation, prepare for the journey ahead.
You will also need plenty of necessities before the major day, especially if you are experience morning sickness during your first trimester.
Fill a toiletry bag like this one with:
- snacks
- ginger candies
- chewable antacids
- lavender essential oil
- and anything you will need to get through a rough day
Keep the bag in your purse at all times.
Additionally, book all your prenatal appointments now.
Book them all at once so you can plan accordingly.
here is what to expect at your first prenatal apt if you have not gone yet.
2nd Trimester Pregnancy Hacks
The second trimester is perhaps the most enjoyable and magical moment for a pregnant mom. You are no longer experiencing morning sickness, and you are generally pumped to get through the day.
Below are a few pregnancy hacks to get you through the second trimester in a breeze.
Finding out The Baby’s Gender
Not everyone likes a surprise when it comes to the baby’s gender.
Unless you were lucky enough to get the blood draw during your first trimester to determine the sex of your baby, the first task on your second-trimester to-do checklist is to discover your baby’s gender via ultrasound.
It might not seem like it, but finding out your baby’s gender does a lot for your mental health.
Invest in a Belly Band
A belly band is a stretchy support band and a total lifesaver.
Ordinarily, you wear it around your belly to support your pelvis, abdomen and lower back.
Belly bands like this one have a slight compression that helps with circulation and reducing aches, especially when you are super active.
In addition, belly bands are also ideal if your pants are a little small and you need to pop the top button for some breathing room.
You can use this in conjunction with this cool pregnancy jean hack here:
It hides that button, so no one has to know. The band bridges the space between elastic waistbands and zippered pants.
Get A Body Pillow
A full pregnancy body pillow is perhaps one of the best investments you will make during pregnancy.
As the baby grows, so does your belly, which ultimately reduces your comfort.
The baby’s and the uterus’ weight combined makes finding a comfortable sitting and sleeping position almost impossible.
A pregnancy pillow like this one allows you to lie down more comfortably.
Moreover, it helps distribute the weight of the growing uterus evenly. The pillows come in different shapes and sizes.
Wear Comfortable Maternity Clothes
The second trimester is when your baby bump starts to show.
Early in your second trimester, you may still get away with a few clothing hacks.
However, the chances are that by the end of your second trimester, you may want to add a few new clothes to your wardrobe like the ones shown above.
The second trimester is a time to get comfortable too though…
Get comfortable versions of almost everything you want to wear!
Most pregnant women will recommend wearing maxi dresses and oversized tees, especially if you are mainly an indoor person.
3rd Trimester Pregnancy Hacks
The third trimester is not the best place to be in.
On the bright side, you expect a cute little bundle of joy and nothing at this point matters.
The third trimester can also be tiring, especially if you are bed-bound, plain bored, or have swollen ankles.
However, since it is inevitable, below are a few pregnancy hacks that will make 3rd trimester life easier for you.
Get Some Kitchen Tongs
Kitchen tongs like these make an amazing third-trimester hack.
They are perfect for picking up things that you accidentally dropped on the floor or unreachable surfaces.
Moreover, kitchen tongs are great for when you are in the shower since you won’t have to bend down all the time.
Fortunately, kitchen tongs come in different shapes and sizes, meaning you can get whichever length you desire.
Soak Your Feet in Epsom Salt
A common symptom you will likely experience in your third trimester is swollen hands, ankles, and feet. It is a highly uncomfortable situation and makes life more difficult. But it doesn’t have to be.
Epsom salt soaks has always been leading when it comes to pregnancy hacks to make life easier.
Generally, Epsom salt has been used to relieve swollen limbs and muscle pains for centuries and is common among athletes. It is crystallized magnesium and sulfate that help reduce or manage your swollen feet.
Invest in Silk Bedding
It gets difficult to put yourself up from sitting or lying down in bed during the third trimester.
Invest in silk sheets that will help you slip off the bed much easier.
It might sound like an absurd idea, but it is one of the small pregnancy hacks that makes life easier.
Bra Extensions
Generally, with pregnancy comes bigger breasts, which can be slightly uncomfortable.
Invest in some bra extensions to make life easier if you are dealing with such a situation.
Instead of buying a new maternity bra, add a few bra extensions to your favorite bra, and you are good to go.
Hydrate Often Throughout the Day
Hydrating is a common rule to live by, especially during pregnancy, more so during your third trimester.
Although drinking water is essential, it can be strangely hard to drink sufficient water due to its supposed effects on your body.
Drinking water constantly equals frequent urination, which can be extremely tiring when you are in your third trimester.
Moreover, drinking water often causes nausea and pain, something which is not entirely welcomed.
Therefore, to help with the situation, try consuming water-filled fruits such as watermelon to help with water intake, you can also get one of these to encourage yourself to hydrate more during the day.
Wear Leggings
During the third trimesters, you will probably not want to wear anything. However, experts advise ladies to at least put on some clothes, especially if going out.
A good pair of maternity leggings like these will help make things easier for you.
The best pair of maternity leggings are those you can comfortably wear pre-birth and post-birth.
Stretch Your Hip Flexors
The hip flexors are the muscles at the front of your thighs. Your quads tend to become tight, leading to back pain since your posture changes from your body’s new weight distribution.
Stretching your hip flexors is a major hitter for eliminating back pain and boosting recovery post birth.
Download a Contraction App Timer
In childbirth classes, you will cover details on how to count your contractions.
If you can keep track of your contractions, you can labor at home longer since keeping a close watch on your contractions can help you know if it is your time to go.
A contraction app timer enables you to predict to some degree when it is time.
Pregnancy Hacks for First Time Moms
If this is your first pregnancy, you will be overwhelmed with emotions and information.
However, part of having a smooth experience is learning what to filter from the plenty of information you receive.
Some of the common pregnancy hacks for first-time moms to make life easier include;
A prenatal care regimen is highly recommended.
Prenatal vitamins have iron and folic acid, which many people don’t get in their regular diets.
The vitamins help your baby grow as well as give you nutrients and energy. In addition, B-6 vitamins help combat morning sicknesses and should top your list.
· Eat small and frequent meals
Eating small meals frequently is suitable for the compressed size of your stomach.
It reduces symptoms of constipation and heartburn.
· Relieve itchy skin using cooking oil
Itchy skin is common during pregnancy. If you don’t have any special baby oil, cooking oil does the trick and relieves your dry, itchy baby bump.
You can use olive oil, grapeseed oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil, which are safe for your skin and help calm the itchiness.
· Use an inner tube
An inner tube like this one on Amazon is essential to lay your belly on if you must sleep on your belly.
It can help relieve pressure from your back and relax your shoulders.
· Alleviate Leg Cramps with water and Bananas
If you struggle with leg cramps, try a glass of water and bananas.
Bananas are filled with potassium and are popular for stopping leg cramps.
· Get Kenosis Tape for Back Pain
A kinesiology tape functions just like a belly band.
It reduces swellings, alleviates back pains, and helps with body posture.
Final Thoughts
It is not every day that you get to be pregnant.
Pregnancy tends to interfere with your comfort and peace of mind.
Generally, it is a rewarding process.
But it takes sacrifice, intense body pains, and uncomfortable situations to carry a baby to the point of delivery.
The above pregnancy hacks are ideal, especially for first-time moms who don’t know where to get credible information.
Consult with your Dr. also to help you discover more pregnancy hacks to make life easier. This post is for informational use only.
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