just for now.

I’ve been reminded a lot recently of some of those products/food items/clothes that are absolute gifts from heaven for the 1st trimester pregnant woman.

So why not compile a list? With pictures? It is also one of my favorite things!

>>For the first trimester nausea, I love crackers.

These are like Ritz, only better– as in organic and no trans fat. You should be able to find them at grocery stores like Harris Teeter, Ukrops, and Bloom.

>>This ginger ale is super-gingery and pretty natural. Levi found it for me when I was first sick with Zoyenka’s pregnancy, and I loved it!

>>It is, however, a bit expensive if you’re going to be downing a couple a day. SO here is what I’m doing right now: fresh ginger slices in my coffee cup with hot water. I let it steep just like tea and then drink it…either straight or watered down or mixed with something else. This is just great for digestion, period. So you don’t need to wait till you’re pregnant to try it. And you can get about this much for under $1 at any grocery store. Oh and candied/dried ginger is also supposed to have similar affects (although I wouldn’t think that sucking on sugar-crusted ginger is such a great habit to pick up while growing a baby). Use discretion with herbs and things like this, though, I read that you shouldn’t exceed 3 cups a day (at 3/4 teaspoons ginger per cup).

>>Preggie Pops. They’re little cough-drop-like things each individually wrapped. I just had one of these for the first time at the office where I got my ultrasound. Fantastic. I wouldn’t want this to be my solitary source of anti-nausea but they’re great for when you’re out or on-the-go! Available at Target.

>>Also available at Target or Vitamin Shoppe is this specially-formulated prenatal. It has ginger and probiotics to help prevent the extra nausea some of us experience when we take our prenatals. I have some other prenatal vitamins right now but I struggle to take them regularly because they kind of make my stomach churn…

I don’t think it’s every to early to start conditioning your abdomen for the quick stretch to full-term baby.

>>Coconut oil is an amazing natural oil. So good for you internally, too. I don’t have room to go into it now, but if you research it you’ll be amazed. It’s not as cheap as olive oil, but it will last a good amount of time as straight body lotion. I have always found the best price at Vitamin Shoppe as opposed to other health food stores. They have their own brand, too, which is usually the best price. Note: you want UNREFINED, organic coconut oil. The stuff you may have seen at Wal-Mart is yellowish (refined), not pure white, and it is not the same thing!

>>Your local baby/children/maternity consignment sale. These are usually seasonal Spring/Fall and many YMCA’s and church’s host them. The mom’s I wish I was like descend with their spotless, lightly-used items/clothing/toys and you get to come in a few days later and buy them at drastically reduced (from retail) prices. This is an excellent way to buy designer maternity clothes, quality toys and brand name baby clothes affordably.

>>The Bella Band. (Something to look for at those consignment sales!) Ingrid & Isabel has just a few maternity items but based on the Bella Band I’m guessing they’re all gold. I would highly recommend that if you get one from a brand other than Ingrid & Isabel that you only choose higher-end maternity brands (their bands will cost a similar $20+) in order to get a really high-quality lycra. The stretch-hold is everything with this little wardrobe extender. Picture tells all.

(But just in case you can’t tell, my favorite part about the Bella Band is that you can wear your pre-maternity jeans longer by leaving the top unbuttoned and wearing the band over it to smooth out and hold up. It just looks like you’re wearing a long layer camisole under your shirt. This same principle works postpartum with your pre-pregnancy jeans that don’t fit yet.)

>>Ready-to-go lasagna. Seriously. Everyone is so sweet to bring meals after the baby is born, when it’s impossible for you to cook at all, but the first trimester can be almost as bad. I’ve been exhausted, ready to go to bed as early as 6pm some nights, and the afternoon nausea that is my body’s way keeps me from really wanting to get cooking around dinner time.

Of course, on days when you’re feeling better or maybe even pre-pregnancy, it’s a GREAT idea to make a double amount of one meal and freeze the other half– much cheaper than a frozen lasagna from the grocery store. But either way, I’m a fan of frozen meals (the real food kind! I’m not talking about tv dinners!).

>>Children’s books. Dr. Sears and his wife have a lovely little series of children’s books about “Baby on the Way” and “What Baby Needs” and “I’m a Big Brother.”

I also found this book at my library.

It needs to be bought, though, because it’s meant to be used through the entire pregnancy. Each page is a drawing outline of a belly with a baby inside, developing through each stage (I think it’s month by month). Ingenious, right? You hold it up to your stomach and the kids get a perfect idea of what’s going on inside.

>>Comment if I’ve left anything out, you have a personal favorite, or any thoughts in general…