My Maternity Essentials: Clothing, Medicine, Sustenance, Resources & Comfort

I've found there were a lot of things I needed (some I didn't know about!), and lot of things I thought I needed that I honestly didn't. Before Beckett arrives, I wanted to take some time to post this in case it helps someone else - here goes - my 5 Maternity Essentials:

1. Clothing: My Approach . . . 

• I chose a palette focused on gray and black to keep it simple. 
• My favorite brands were Pea in the Pod, Gap Maternity, and Motherhood Maternity. Pea in the Pod fit the best, but was pricey. Gap fit pretty well, too, and was middle-of-the-road price-wise but some of their sales made them the BEST, and Motherhood was good for basics and was the least expensive. (I got Motherhood stuff at Macy's and at Destination Maternity).
• Definitely think texture: super soft materials; fit: comfortable/on the looser side/longer tops to go over leggings/definitely don't do 'tent tops' - make sure they fit along the belly so it's clear you're pregnant!, and quality: think high-quality/thicker (no see through or your belly panels or belly button will show!). 
• I personally wore my non-maternity clothes as long as I could, especially babydoll dresses and tops and pants from when my weight was 'up.' 
• Everyone is different, but I vowed to be cozy and was pretty much in all maternity clothes by 16 weeks. So, 24 weeks in maternity clothes pregnant, and from what I hear, you need maternity clothes after baby, too, while your body gets back to normal.
• I designated a 'maternity section' in my closet to avoid crying every day because nothing fit. As things get too small, I moved them to another area of the closet and bought as needed. Here is a snapshot of my maternity section as of today:

What's Fitting Today: dresses on left; leggings/tights/pants in middle; then tops; then all of the Zara vests/outwear! I also recommend a 'maternity drawer' for your underwear, bras and PJs for the same reason -  so it's separated from the 95% of your things that no longer fit!

Looking back, this was what I needed/would recommend:

Bottoms
- 2-3 pairs of black pants (bootcut trouser pant; skinny leg twill pant; get twill pants in 2 sizes); Gap & Motherhood
- 1 pair of gray trouser pants (to alternate); Motherhood
- 1 pair of stretchy skinny jeans you love that you can grow into; Pea in the Pod
- 1 pair black tights; 1 pair gray tights; 2 pair black leggings; 1 pair gray leggings; Gap tights and Pea in the Pod leggings

Pea in the Pod Leggings - they ran a buy one get one free so I got black and gray!

Black Gap pants; skinny twill

Tops

- 2 solid 3/4 length shirts: 1 black and 1 gray; Pea in the Pod
- 3 printed 3/4 length shirts: stripes in blacks, grays and color pop; Pea in the Pod
- 2 sweaters; Gap/Motherhood
- 2 tops for work (dressier; blousey)

Got 5 of  these shirts from Pea in the Pod  - they fit GREAT and were easy to dress up or down

Nicer work top to weare wtih black trouser pants; Motherhood

Dresses/Tunics
- 7 - 8 dresses (think solid black, solid gray, a couple of other solids in favorite colors and a few printed dresses to mix it up); Gap, Pea in the Pod & Motherhood
- 3-4 tunics (to go over leggings - think solid black, solid gray and a couple of prints); I also wore the leggings a lot on the weekends!

This Gap dress was originally $60; I loved it and bought 1 on sale for $45. Then it went to $16... I then bought  4 more to give me 2 Gray ones (size S and M); 2 Black ones (size S and M) and 1 Red one; wore to work and to holiday parties/showers

Gap; got this in 2 colors for work and weekends

Underwear; Loungewear

- maternity underwear (normal underwear truly didn't feel right, especially by the third trimester); Motherhood and Pea in the Pod
- Bigger bras (thankfully I borrowed from my sis; I went up a cup size)
- 2-3 maternity night gowns to grow into; Motherhood
- 2-3 pair maternity lounge pants in black and/or gray; Gap
- 4-5 maternity long sleep shirts; Motherhood
- A neutral-colored robe (non-maternity - you'll want this for lounging and, from what I hear, later at the hospital!)

Most cozy Gap pants ever; I will wear these after pregnancy!

Outerwear/Shoes
- Non-maternity knits - 4-5 sweater vests and cardigans from Zara that fit over everything throughout my entire pregnancy
- 1 coat
- 1-2 pairs of black and/or gray slip-on flats (you won't be able to do heels in the third trimester! I found Born to be a super comfortable brand); make sure to have flipflops and slippers, too - think slip-on/easy

Not me - only pic of the Zara vest I could find online! I have this in black, tan and gray (on sale for $10 each); I also got a long-sleeved gray one as well as a tan/non-hooded one - wore them the entire pregnancy - belly just popped out!

These  Shoes - but in black of course. They're cozy, stretched but kept shape and will (hopefully) be worn post-baby, too!

Other

- I had some great friends who loaned me their maternity clothes! I used their basics where I could, and mixed in their "fun stuff" with my basic wardrobe above. Definitely take the loan if it's offered - I can't thank them enough!

A borrowed top from Karly!

- GOOD sale stuff (e.g., I snagged a pair of Gap teal cords for $14 - wore them with the aforementioned black clothing) For stuff like this, I wouldn't pay the retail $60, BUT for crazy cheap it can be a fun addition to the maternity wardrobe, especially if you have parties or showers you want something different for. I wore these to work on Fridays, too!

2. Medicine Cabinet. No, you don't need a lot of medicine because you can't take a lot of medicine whilst preggo! However, these were things I used, especially towards the end:

• TUMs + Zantac; my heartburn was BAD towards the end (think being awoken from sleep to throw up); Zantac before dinner and 2 Tums after made this MUCH better
• Tylenol: I never took more than one a day, but headaches got back in the second trimester, and lower back pain got bad in the last weeks so it came in handy.
• Prenatal vitamins: Duh, take one every day. Have your doctor call in a prescription (better medicine and way cheaper than the storebought ones; also ask for samples so you can see which you like best; and remember, you take them afterwards too, especially if you're breastfeeding). 
• FiberOne: Do yourself a favor and stay regular - there is enough stomach pain going on without this problem, too!
• Not to be TMI, but also make sure to stock up on liners (ya know) and Goldbond medicated baby powder (for real; especially if you don't wear maternity underwear at first, or if your maternity tights are too big at first, or... well...the list goes on... you'll thank me). 

3. Sustenance. For me, every day was different. Meal planning didn't work well as I wouldn't want the food I made - appetite was way too  unpredictable. BUT, there were some things I needed/wanted/had to have on hand at all times:

• Fruit: specifically the pineappple/strawberry/kiwi pre-cut bucket 
• OJ: had never been a fan but I craved it and my iron was a bit low so I always took iron with it. Also good if you haven't felt baby kick; take OJ, wait 30 minutes, lay on left side and there she goes!
• Milk: again, had never been a fan, but during pregnancy I had 1 - 2 glasses a day, especially in the morning and at night (soothed my tummy)
• Cheese & Crackers: thin crisp deli crackers and deli baby swiss - amazing snack and always good and filling
• Clif bars: I ate a clif bar every day on the way into work with a big glass of milk; there was no way I could make it to breakfast, and yet didn't want 'breakfast food' at 6 a.m. - so this was perfect.
• Water: TONS of water; invest in a CamelBak if you don't already have one, and consider having water bottles on hand. I would go shopping and bring 3 water bottles with me and drink. them. all.
• Chocolates: After meals I would crave something sweet. Having little Dove chocolates on hand  helped a lot (probably saved me a ton of sugar - could have eaten a whole piece of cake had it been available!) It was also nice to have frozen yogurt or ice cream around - great nighttime, you-made-it-through-the-work-day treat!
• Cravings: Everyone has them, mine were definitely: all things Italian/tomato-based (pizza, tomato soup, spaghetti); Mexican (chicken tortilla soup; enchiladas); Asian (fried rice; egg-drop soup); sandwiches (clubs, grilled cheeses; you name it!). Just avoid buying in bulk or making big batches of a food - you may not want it the next day!

4. Resources. I know books aren't for everyone, but I really enjoyed having some on hand, and can't thank my sis enough for the loan on several! Here were my favorite resources:

All about Pregnancy

- Your Pregnancy Week by Week - liked having the option to see each week vs. month - was fun to follow along and learn about my baby and body each week. (linked to the older version I had)

- What to Expect When You're Expecting - good 'baseline' book - learned a lot from it. Some say it freaks them out, but I liked the index and found the detailed knowledge comforting! (linked to the older version I had)

- The Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy - definitely nothing 'new' than the above, but very funny, real and just keeps it light. Good to read early on IMO.

- Online: Join BabyCenter - nice to get the weekly emails and see the forums and what not.

If you only want to buy one: Get the Week by Week

Naming Your Baby

- Baby Wizard - very organized; will come in handy for siblings as it recommends 'brother' and 'sister' names; is categorized well into categories like 'Antique Classics' and what not; found Beckett's name in this book!

- Cool Names - 

- Blog: Swistle Baby Names

If you only want to buy one: Get Baby Wizard

Preparing for Your Baby

- What to Expect the First Year - VERY detailed; am enjoying the month to month snapshot

- Baby Owner's Manual - got this for Austin; cute, good overview/baseline

- On Becoming Baby Wise - all about scheduling/parent-directed feeding (not for everyone!; linked to my review!)

- Happiest Baby on the Block - almost done; all about techniques to soothe your baby

- New Mother's Guide to Breastfeeding - name speaks for itself. (linked to my review!

If you only buy one: Too soon to say! I'll let ya know which is the most beneficial here in a few months. :)

Other than the books and sites above, I took an online breastfeeding course through my hospital, and me and Austin took an in-person Newborn Essentials course through my OBGYN. Both were beneficial! I also received great tips, potential schedules, etc. from my sister and friends which were invaluable. Lastly, we're having Moms on Call come out to our home after a week. From their site, the focus during the consult (and additional help afterwards is on: 

• Sleeping from 9 pm to 6 am with one 30 minute feeding in the middle of the night 
• Feeding instructions that help to naturally regulate the GI system (great for GI reflux!) 
• Personalizing daytime routines and napping guidelines 
• Establishing a better understanding of baby behavior especially as it pertains to fussiness and crying
• Essential basic care from bathing to nail-clipping 
• Illness guidelines 
• Time saving tips to help families sleep, feed, laugh and love being together

I've heard amazing things about them from so many friends I trust, and can't wait to have them out. The consult comes with a book as well that I'm sure will come in handy (also comes with their swaddle blanket, and 6 months of unlimited email correspondence).

5. Comfort. No, you don't need these things, but OMG did I love them.

• Pedicures: About once a month i'd go during my lunch break for a pedicure - great on the feet and lord knows towards the end I couldn't have painted my toes if i'd wanted to.
• Chiropractor Adjustments: I would get SO misaligned, my appointments were twice as long as normal and I always felt better when I left.
• Prenatal Massage: I tried for every 3 weeks beginning at 20 weeks. Between the extra weight and general discomfort, it felt great to do something for myself and Beckett LOVED them - she moved more during my massages than any other time!
• Heat: I used this Brookstone heat/massage chair Austin had gotten me years ago - definitely needed heat on my lower back, especially in the last weeks. A heating pad would totally work.
• I also did a few accupuncture treatments and got a few foot massages - both were well worth it, but the above was the trifecta of comfort for me!

What I did NOT need:

• swimsuit (pregnant May - February; wore mine until then)
• different socks or shoes (wore mine until the end; did get a pair of black Born flats and wore those almost every day, especially towards the end)
• skirts (I preferred pants or dresses; skirts just seemed like too much trouble and tops looked weird with them)
• activewear (just wore bigger t-shirts over the same shorts; if anything go up a size in shorts)
• button-down shirts or twin sets (I was told to get these and am glad I didn't - no patience for buttons and twin sets, I feel, would have been too limited)
• a maternity/body pillow (my sis loaned me her Snoogle pillow and honestly, I just couldn't get it to work for me; the dogs were scared of it and I had a hard time getting it under the covers!)
• shapers (I had no desire to be 'shaped' or where anything that required a shaper underneath!)
• stretchmark creams and oils (I was wary of these, didn't use them, and didn't get marks; I hear you either get them or you don't and it has nothing to do with cream so I just threw caution to the wind!)
• morning sickness pops, bands, etc. (thankfully, this didn't ail me much therefore I didn't need it)
• a fetal doppler (I relied on counting kicks vs. listening to a heartbeat; I worry if i'd had that I would have been hooked up 24/7 and freaking out if i'd done it wrong)

I hope this compilation helps! And yes, I'm sure some women do fine with much less (and some may need much more!), but this was, here at the end of my pregnancy, what I feel I needed/wanted/loved having! 

Q: What are a few of your maternity must-haves? Did I forget anything?

Q: Anything you got that you didn't need? Or something you wish you'd gotten sooner?

7 Dresses, 4 Skirts, 3 Cardigans, 2 Workouts and 1 pair of Shoes

Hey! Hope you're having good weeks so far! Mine has been busy, busy, but not too, bad. Yesterday was an a.m. 2-mile run, 1/4 mile walk and then work, work, and home to the fam. Today was an a.m. 1/2-mile run, Turbo Fire HITT 15 and Turbo Fire Sculpt 30, and then work, work, and now i'm home with the fam! Tomorrow should be busy, but then things will (hopefully!) calm down. I will say I had a WONDERFUL Sunday! While I wasn't able to get in the movie with Mon & Steph, I got way caught up at  home/chores/work, and had some GREAT shopping. Try not to judge me on the horrible iPhone, self-taken, headless pictures, but ultimately I got a new pair of shoes, 7 new dresses (2 i'm on the fence about...), 4 skirts and 3 cardigans (black, white and tan!). Time to upgrade the closet!

Nordstrom Halogen skirt in this color - very versatile!

Nordstrom bright red pencil!

Via Spiga shoes - in more of a nude color but same shoe!

This skirt in khaki - super versatile like the 'mushroom' colored one above!

Maxx Studio Dress - pink and navy blue - floral with bow tie and cap sleeves

maybe better pic?

Vince Camuto Dress - love all of the swooping/bright pattern- need to get a better pic! Link to better pic

This one is similar to the one above - didn't photograph well. :(

With a new cardi to make it even more work appropriate

new red skirt with new cardi and Zara animal print top

Maggie London color block dress - love it - super cozy and the drawstring is great

Maybe my favorite - Vince Camuto - one shoulder and pleated - mint green and gray/black - love in person! Link to better pic

Added a cardi to wear to work

Thinking of taking this one back - Maxx Studio - just not very flattering and didn't realize the gap at the bottom of sheer? Just not a fave - thoughts?

Not a good picture; Vince Camuto; loved in store; pleats at neck, draw string, silver/beige but at home it's hard to match up and didn't seem to do me any favors. Help?  Link to better pic

Q: What cha think?! Any new spring clothes in your closet? Any advice on which dresses to return?! (only needed to replace about 4 - don't need 7!)

Q: How's your week going - good workouts?!

Spring Fashion, Tuesday Two-a-days Back in Action

While yesterday kind of sucked in that I find that i'm really, really stingy with my free time, I was also happy that I brought back Tuesday Two-a-days. Yes, I WILL lose a few pounds this spring. No letting my sinus and allergy problems drive me to mass quantities of comfort food!! Yesterday morning I ran 1.5 miles, walked a 1/2 mile then did a bit of stretching. Then I worked, then around lunchtime Stacy and I headed down for a 3-mile walk. Nice day! I ended up working late, but got home to a yummy dinner, happy family and a new episode of the Good Wife. Not too bad!

So spring fashion. I've already embraced a few of the trends including BRIGHT - I got a few tops at Zara last week, including these two:

Bright orange open jacket (in stretchy material)

Bright yellow ribbed T with zipper back (wore to Dane's party with navy skinnies!)

Other Trends i'm excited about:

• Pleats - I hear they're back!
• Black & White for Spring - yes, bring it - so easy!
• Draped pencil skirts - have one and will definitely get more (so flattering)
• White and florals (duh - LOVE to break out the white, and what's more springy than florals?)
• Tangerine - see above - i'm clearly a fan! (and War Eagle to that)
• Peplums - eeee! I can't wait to get top with peplums - I wont' get be getting skirts with peplums - just not me!
• African/safari - love the neutrals and think this looks great with tangerine! 
• color blocking - duh - although hasn't this kind of run its course?? Whatever - i'm on board.

What I WON'T be getting on board for:

• Pastels - they just don't work for me. I'm envious of those they work for and may try some - like the light blue.
• Colorful camouflage - no. The end.
• Shorts Suits - just can't do it - think it's a cute look but not on this chica.
• 1920's look - drop waist is no friend to my boxy shape.
• The sporty/dressy look - hmmm I just don't know about this - it seems like a reach. Especially the "fancy track pants."
• Exposed midriffs - the cropped shirts will definitely be lost on me. although it is reminding me of Carrie Bradshaw circa Season 2 of SATC which is fun!!

Q: What trends are you going for?! Any that you're avoiding?

Dane is ONE!; His & His Watches?

Happy Monday! I hope you all had great weekends - we did!! Thursday and Friday I was in a work/offsite team-building - this meant LOTS of working on Monday - Wednesday to make sure I didn't get too far behind. It was a long work week with more changes that have led to more work (ugh), but at least I had the weekend to recharge! Friday I was in PJs by 6 p.m. with a glass of wine. Just exhausted. Thursday & Friday had felt like group therapy and while it was good and will likely lead to stronger partnerships on the team, it was emotionally draining! Saturday we woke up early and got ready - time for little Dane's first birthday party! Still can't believe he's a year old - crazy! 

We had a wonderful time at the party (pics to come!), and it was great to see my mom - it had been too long! Afterwards we hit up Nordstrom where Austin did some SERIOUS damage - he just needed all kinds of stuff and in guy style bought it all at once - a new suit, new sports coat, new sunglasses, a new watch, new golf shirts, 2 new pairs of shoes - again, you name it, he got it! He also got me a Michael Kors watch. :) 

It's one of those oversized boyfriend watches, but I just love it and think it's perfect for all of my casual stuff!! It was REALLY hard to find one that wasn't gold - I'm like "I just want brown!" - and this was the winner. :)

I also really liked Austin's new watch:

It's the Nixon Spencer watch - loved the woodgrain and the digital inside the analog - fun! 

Then it was home to pack and off to Athens for a family get together! We had dinner with Austin's parents at Five and Ten, then bar hopped to the Royal Peasant Pub, Trappeze Pub, and to The Pub at Gameday. VERY fun and great to see them and catch up - hard to believe we hadn't hung out since the ski trip! Sunday we got up, had brunch/lunch at Clocked Diner - roasted garlic burger?! Yes. :)

Q: How was your weekend?

Q: What is your take on watches? Wear 'em? Like oversized ones? I NEVER wore them and now I can't move without it - I could see myself wanting a watch wardrobe!!! haha (no, this won't happen - they're too dang pricey - but I love them!)

Winter Wardrobe Wednesday: 11 Looks I'm Loving!

I SERIOUSLY love combining brown & black....

mixing these two is just fabulous to me

Love the booties, the striped dress, the cape - love it all so much!

Love the mustard + sparkles + destroyed denim

color pop? layers? stripes? yes!

Plaid + knit + black skinnies + brown bootties = cute

Obsessed with her layering

And lastly... seriously... can I have all of these in my size?!

I think I need her attitude, too -she appears to be a confident little nugget  -love it!

Hope you're having a good Wednesday! Mine started with me being trapped at a gas station this a.m. for 30 minutes - more on that later - GRRRR. And backing up real quick: Monday started with an a.m. P90X workout (chest & back), followed by work and a 3-mile walk during lunch. That night I just bathed little Reuben and hung out with the fam! Tuesday started with an a.m. 1-mile run followed by 30 minutes of P90X plyos (was late - slept in!). Then I worked through lunch, worked all afternoon, went to an offsite, got home late and cooked a few new recipes!

Q: What winter looks are you loving?

Q: What's the best workout you've done this week so far? Mine was probably my chest/back workout - I swear I would never do a push up if P90X didn't make me.

Healthified Creamy Cajun Chicken Alfredo; 4 Skinny Finds!

First of all, thank you for your support following my car accident! I would be lying if I said I wasn't totally freaked, but I appreciate your thoughts and thanks to your ideas and comments i'm definitely going to see a doctor this week and, pending our conversation and my talk with Geiko this evening, seek a chiropractor and/or massage therapy. Thank you again for your kind thoughts and wonderful suggestions! And oh my - just reading some of your notes about your accidents made it even more scary and real - it's just not that safe out there - eek! :(

On a WAY other note, towards a MUCH happier place, BEFORE the accident, I did have some good luck at the boutique sale on Saturday a.m.! In fact, I found 4 skinny finds! Well, technically it's 6, but I could only find pictures of 4! Here goes...

Work Custom Jeans; skinny/gray 

Citizens of Humanity Avedon Skilly in Dark Ivy (like a DARK green) 

Citizens of Humanity Avedon skinny in Absolute 

Blank NYC black corduroy skinny jeans

I also got a pair of Esley olive green thick leggings (with pockets) and a pair of Be 1 super thin skinny dark gray jeans/leggings (skinny) with white stitches - classic! Couldn't find pictures of either of these online - boo. And as far as non-skinny finds, I am now the proud owner of a cute top and a dress (pics to come!). Stacy has luck too with a dress, a cool vest, awesome purple corduroy pants and earrings!

Outside of buying skinny pants, i'm still trying out skinny recipes! Here is a new non-paleo dish!

Creamy Cajun Chicken Alfredo
Recipe adapted from Food Network
Makes 6 servings

Nutritional Information: 392 calories, 46 carbs, 11 fat grams and 28 protein grams.

Great dish! Very spicy, but not too spicy. It was definitely a cream sauce, that tasted very sinful and like something I wouldn’t order at Olive Garden for fear of it being calorific. All in all, a new favorite around here. Very filling, sinful-tasting and something I would make for guests for sure!  (and note: I froze a serving of this to test it - it reheated SO well - just as creamy!) Check out the recipe on Healthified Kitchen!

Q: Skinny pants: yay or nay?! I'm a HUGE fan, especially of the stretchy, soft ones that feel like maternity pants/leggings. hehe


Q: How has your Monday been so far? Mine has literally been up and down - i'm definitely happy that I got in 2 workouts though! woo!

I Can't Wait...

To see this:

To wear these:

New Citizens of Humanity dark green skinny jeans!

To be reunited with these two people:

My mom, my sis & me from my mom's birthday dinner last month at Dante's Down the Hatch

For my fridge to look like this:

Well not EXACTLY like this but you know what I mean - i'm still looking to attempt  pseduo-paleo in February!

 To have a whole lotta this:

YES - things are slowly calming down at work!

Not much has been up with me - just work. Monday the office was closed but I worked from home preparing to be out for 2 days for a company event. I did P90X arms. Tuesday I was in meetings from 9 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. I got home exhausted and cranky! Wednesday was said event. I did get up early and go to the gym first, but only had time for a 2-mile run + 5 minutes on the stair climber + P90 ab ripper. We had an AMAZING company event (that my team was responsible for putting on), and afterwards I went out with some of my co-workers for dinner at Cinco  Mexican Cantina. The portions were HUGE (i.e. I split guacamole and fajitas with 2 other people!). Thursday I was a freaking zombie. Just totally spent. Foggy. Exhausted. And behind at work, life, etc. Totally cranky. So I rested. I worked. I went to bed EARLY. Friday I was determined to feel better! I slept 8 hours, got up early, ran 2 miles and worked! Then I hit up Zara to return a few things and had SO much luck (must take pics!), then I went by the grocery store and got ready to host book club. My sister, Monica, her sister Steph, Stacy, Danielle and Shana all came over and we discussed A Soft Place to Land. Mostly we just had a few glasses of wine, caught up, and talked everything from diets and skincare to babies and TV. SUCH a fun evening. Although it got late quick!

Q: How is your weekend going? 

Q: Fill in the blank: I can't wait... ________________________!