Having my babies 4 years apart, I realized there were some things I still needed, others I didn’t, and still other products that I didn't know I needed! While I’m sure things will keep changing as far as best pregnancy practices, these are my current recommendations based on my own personal experience as of June 10th, 2019. I created this post to send to newly pregnant friends who had questions about how to exercise, what to eat, and what to buy during pregnancy. This is my no means a comprehensive list, but I hope it serves you as you research best options for you and your child!

Healthy Pregnancy Books (That aren’t “What to Expect”)

The Mama Natural Week-by-Week Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth by Genevieve Howland : Step-by-step, she takes you through pregnancy with some helpful natural remedies that you can take or leave. My favorite was the lactation cookie recipe. My least favorite was the part about eating dried placenta pills.
The Healthy Pregnancy Book by Dr. Sears: I was surprised by this book. Filled with sound knowledge but also easy to read, this one is a great middle-of-the-road informative book on pregnancy.
Waiting for Birdy by Catherine Newman: If you need some comic relief from all the crazy pregnancy symptoms (and especially if you have a toddler while you’re pregnant), this book is hilarious and helps you feel like you’re not alone.

Healthy Pregnancy Eats

Definitely start out with a prenatal vitamin as soon as you start considering trying to get pregnant. Make sure your vitamin contains the recommended amount of folic acid and DHA.

Outside of supplements, the following foods are great for pregnancy to nourish you and that growing baby. I wrote them out and put them on the fridge, so when I couldn’t think of what I wanted to eat, I would look at the list and see if anything sounded appetizing that day:

Organic yogurt
Legumes
Sweet Potatoes
Salmon
Eggs
Avocado
Broccoli and Dark, Leafy Greens
Lean Meat
Berries
Whole Grains
Water (this reminded me to keep drinking more!)

Other palatable pregnancy food hacks:

During that first trimester when everything seems gross, but you’re worried that your baby can’t subsist on boxed mac and cheese and you’re too tired to make everything from scratch, here are a few options.

Overnight oats
Zucchini bread
Granola clusters
Smoothies, smoothie bowls: Add Vega Protein & Greens Vanilla to a blender with a frozen banana, cup of your milk of choice, a handful of spinach, and voila! You’re eating vegetables that taste like dessert. Half the amount of liquid to make it a smoothie bowl, add some almond butter and granola and you have yourself a full-on meal.
Ginger Hard Candies when you feel like you’re about to toss your cookies. Or just to suck on to keep you awake.

Prenatal Exercise Programs

Exercise is so important to get the oxygen flowing to the developing baby, and to improve your mood, sleep, and stress levels, which we all know affect baby too. The first trimester, I did all my normal physical activity, just low impact to protect my pelvic floor and abs since I had issues for my first pregnancy (see more on diastasis recti here). These were my favorite movements and programs throughout pregnancy:

Walk
Swim
Youtube workouts
Refit Rev dance videos
Knocked-Up Fitness Membership: All-in-one membership for prenatal workouts, push-prep method for easier delivery, pain releases, trimester guides, and a recipe section for more food ideas
Olivia Cagle FiTabulous Mom’s Club: Diastasis friendly boot camps and pregnancy program
Mommastrong: $5 monthly real-life workout videos and perinatal care

What to Buy for Pregnancy Self-Care

Here are some of my favorites (and a few suggestions from my sister, who is more recently pregnant!)

Safe beauty and skin care products free of additives, like Belli lotion
Cleaning products can affect you too, so stick to brands you can trust like Seventh Generation
V2 Pelvic Support Strap: Looks ridiculous, but if you have any vulvar varicosities, it’s a life saver.
Compression socks: For vein health! If you’re pregnant in the summer, you can just dress like a soccer player every day (see above picture).
Bbaobei probump: it’s like a sports bra for your belly
Foam roller: To roll out all those achy tight muscles (5 ways to foam roll for pregnancy)
Wedge pillow: For belly support while sleeping
Big water bottle: Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!
Ice rollers for face or eye/face masks in the fridge: Really nice to put on especially during the 3rd trimester when you don’t sleep at night and want something refreshing in the morning
Heating pack: Feels so good for lower back pain
Eye pillow: Helps you get to sleep. Anything helps when you have pregnancy insomnia!
Recliner: For 3rd trimester sleeping with all that heartburn, and can double as a rocker for when baby comes

To Buy for Baby (When the Options are Overwhelming)

These are a few items I absolutely used and was so glad I had, besides diapers and wipes, of course. I love the Honest Company and Seventh Generation products as far as those go. I recommend all my pregnant friends to get these items!

Haakaa suction cup: This is a pumping game changer. When nursing, put this on the other side and it will collect the extra milk. It all adds up! I only pumped when I was away from baby for a weekend, and gathered enough milk to feed my baby and donate milk too. I definitely recommend getting one with a suction on the bottom and a top so it doesn’t spill. I speak from experience.
Miracle swaddle: The ONLY swaddle that holds my babies.
Bouncer: Doesn’t need a lot of bells and whistles, but it’s nice to have somewhere safe to put baby down! My babies loved the vibrating feel and watching the attached mobile.
Diaper bag that doubles as a purse: You’ll carry this thing everywhere. Might as well love it (and I love this one)!
Car mirror: Being able to turn on lights or sounds with a remote from the driver’s seat has been a game changer. Startles baby enough from crying and focuses her attention!
A variety of pacifiers
Diaper changing pad liners
Portable white noise machine
Organic crib sheets: I couldn’t decide whether or not we needed an organic crib mattress, so I opted to let the mattress de-gas for a few days outside, and got organic crib sheets.
Rocker / recliner: For 3rd trimester pregnancy sleeping, for nursing baby, and for falling asleep while nursing baby!

First Two Weeks postpartum Survival Kit

Tap light: Just enough light to nurse baby in the middle of the night that won’t wake you up fully
Lactation cookies: Great middle of the night (or any time) wholesome treats that benefit baby too!
Sleep mask: Helps you get back to sleep!
Silly socks (not the same as pictured Target socks, but still pretty great): Make you smile while you’re rocking that baby (and keeps your feet warm of course)
Journal: Even if you haven’t had a wink of sleep, it’s so sweet to journal what you can in the moment so you can go back and remember those foggy days.
Lavender essential oil (not Doterra, but still a great brand!): Sleep aid and overall relaxer, put on bottoms of feet or in a diffuser!
Rose spray bottle: Spray this on your face to wake you up with a pleasant scent in the middle of the night.
Earth Mama products for breast and pelvic area care
Ubereats to deliver food because Lord knows you won’t have time or energy to cook every meal!