My Pregnancy Essentials

February 22, 2021

Written by Alexia Maman

These are my 7 pregnancy must-haves, plus an extra 12 that you can technically live without, but why would you?

I love trying new things and products, but there is also something to be said for those go-to’s that you know and love. This list is a mix of old and new. Some things I swear by since my first pregnancy, and other things I just discovered in the last few months pregnant with baby #2.

1. THE Black Leggings I Can’t Live Without

I fell in love with the Blanqi brand when I was pregnant with David. They are a motherhood clothing brand where you can get all your daily essentials for pregnancy, postpartum, and everyday motherhood. Their pieces are made of this incredibly soft, unique, material that’s simply wow.

I’m so thrilled to be partnering up with Blanqi this time around. I had the chance to try some of their pieces and I don’t know how I went through my last pregnancy without some of these pieces.

These black leggings are life. They’re made for mamas at all stages of motherhood. Needless to say, I need to order another one or two pairs to make it okay to wear them every day!! They’re supportive without feeling suffocating – and did I mention soft? Also – they’re 70% off right now (woo!). I wear a Small – the size chart is really accurate.

2. The Belly Butter: for stretch mark prevention and itch relief

Bella B Naturals products are my everything. This Tummy Honey Butter is meant to prevent stretch marks and soothe itching. It feels amazing and it doesn’t leave you feelings oily and sticky.

Stretch marks are scientifically known to be genetic, so I don’t believe that any product can effectively prevent them for everyone. But I do believe in doing your part and hoping for the best! There are products that repair different levels of our skin or promote elasticity so why not pamper yourself and put the odds in your favour. I used it religiously with David and didn’t have stretch marks on my stomach, but I did get some in other places. These products are also natural which is always a plus!

** As far as I know the brand only ships to the US. Walmart Canada has a few of their products online, but not the tummy butter. It’s also available on Amazon but at a higher price – https://amzn.to/2ZzwExP.

Other notable pregnancy Bella B Naturals products I use:

The Cooling Leg & Foot Cream to revitalize my tired legs and feet, and the Skin Lightening Cream that works to prevent what’s known at the pregnancy mask/melasma which occurs in around 70% of pregnancies. The leg cream is also available on Walmart Canada.

3. Bio Oil

Bio-Oil has been a staple in my medicine cabinet for the last 7 years. I’m attracted to the smell and it’s just the product I reach for when I need some more intense hydration or for scars/stretch marks.

This is another great option for stretch mark prevention and treatment and it’s more affordable to get in Canada too. It’s definitely more oily than the tummy butter, so watch out with the clothes you put on right after applying it. I just slather this on everywhere I have or am prone to stretch marks.

You can find it here on Amazon.

4. The Body Pillow

This body pillow is what gets me through the night. Pregnancy sleep is SO elusive. By the time I find a comfortable position and fall asleep, I already need to switch sides or stretch my legs or contemplate life AGAIN.

I used this from month 2 until the end with David. Even early on without a bump, I felt like my stomach needed support because I was nauseous every evening/night so as weird as this sounds, a pillow holding my non-existent stomach eased the feeling of my guts spilling out. Sorry for the visuals.

5. Workout Leggings

Staying active has been a huge part of my pregnancy this time around. I am committed to doing my best to staying healthy and strong which has tons of perks for pregnancy health and wellness, delivery, and recovery.

These Blanqi workout leggings are the same fit and design as the black leggings I live in, but with a sporty look. These are also meant to fit during everyday motherhood and pregnancy. Also – they’re 70% off right now (yay!).

Other Blanqi pregnancy essentials that are worth checking out:

Maternity + Nursing Bra – soft and cooling, it’s supposed to bring down your body temp by 1 degree. I can’t personally attest to that yet, but if that’s true that is just magical for those pregnancy hot flashes and breastfeeding sweats!!
Maternity Skinny Jeans – these are great but the belly support that goes over the bump was too high for my short height. Something to keep in mind for my short people out there.
Maternity Belly Support Leggings – these are also amazing for bump support, but I had the same issue with them being too tall for my height.
Maternity Belly Support Tank Top – really holds the belly which helps with the pull of the extra weight. It’s supposed to be a longer fit over the hips, so at my height (5ft1) it can double as a short slip to wear under dresses.

6. Prenatal Vitamins

I switched to the SmartyPants Organic prenatal vitamins this pregnancy. I used to take Pregvit but I felt like they made me nauseous during the first trimester and I also wasn’t great with remembering to take both the morning and evening one. These are gummies, they taste yummy, and they’re organic. Just keep in mind that they don’t contain iron – which is super important in pregnancy – so if you go with these vitamins you’ll have to find another iron supplement to take daily. They’re available at Nature Santé online or at the store located at 5006 Queen Mary Rd. I also added the Prenatal DHA to my routine to support brain development in babies.

** Make sure to ask your OB/GP before taking any supplements you’re not sure about.