10 Must-Haves You Need To Get Through Your First Trimester

Post miscarriage, my first trimester was scary. It was not the excitement one would typically think to have. However, I am here (currently in my 2nd Trimester) VERY EXCITED for you! This might be the hardest time of your pregnancy, and I am here to give you some pointers that helped me. Before we get started take a look at the FREE pregnancy tracking template I have here!

Disclosure: This blog post may contain affiliate links. This means, should you click on the links, I may receive a commission at no cost to you. For more information please review the disclosures here.

What I used to survive My First Trimester of Pregnancy

Surviving and thriving through your first trimester will, in my head at least, set you up for success in the coming trimesters. I have compiled a list of things that I loved during the first trimester that worked for me. Hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

Top 10 of My First Trimester Must-Haves

1. Ritual Prenatal Vitamins

If you haven’t already done so, or you’re reading this before even getting pregnant. I highly recommend Ritual Prenatal Vitamins, they do not taste gross, their customer service is amazing, and they have everything you need during your pregnancy! If you have not started taking your prenatal vitamins and you are in your first trimester be sure to get on it ASAP!

Helpful tip: for taking these prenatal vitamins: take them at night before you go to bed, morning sickness is a THING during your first trimester and it is important to keep these down to help give your little/s one nutrients! They do have an anti-nausea formula which is great, and just so you know – I started taking these about a year before we started trying since they have biotin in them! Who doesn’t want amazing hair and nails?

2. Cozy Bralettes

Your boobs…will hurt and look different during your first trimester – for most!! But guess what, it is totally normal! If you’re anything like me your ladies will be in extreme pain and any small touch will make you want to cry. I was so uncomfortable I could not wear a regular bra and I definitely took it upon myself to get myself into Calvin’s!

Helpful Tip: Size up! Your ladies will grow probably till the end of your pregnancy, and these will be super cozy and comfortable during your whole pregnancy. The only downfall is they are not breastfeeding-friendly, but we will get to that in a later post! I saw that the pack was more worth it, but if you want to try one first click here.

3. Modern Mommy Pregnancy Book

Everyone, RUN, DO NOT WALK!! To get this book! I know everyone reads ‘What to Expect when Expecting’…I read it during the first 8 weeks of my last pregnancy (found out I miscarried at my 8-week appointment read my story here). Now, this Bumpin’ book is AMAZING! So real and very informative, you can follow along by trimester, but if you’re like me I can’t put it down since it is very interesting and the writing is easy to read and take in. First-trimester education is really important to keep your nerves down, and just to know you’re already crushing it!

Helpful tip: This book is driven by evidence-based practices with real research articles cited and provided as an additional reading resource *if you want to get down to the nitty-gritty.* I learned a great amount from this book and I honestly will read it and go back to it when during my whole pregnancy and in my next one (hopefully!).

4. Cozy Pants!

Raise your hand if you are feeling extra bloated during your first trimester?! I am fortunate enough to work from home, so the team I worked in these super soft joggers and pajamas most of my first trimester…let’s be real I still do the same during my second trimester.

Helpful Tip: get yourself some of these to lounge in at home, or hit the grocery store. I wish these were office-appropriate (they may be for some individuals!), but I live in these and they have a tie waistband, so perfect to grow with your bump throughout your pregnancy! I purchased a medium (normally a small) just to have some extra room!

5. Belly Oil or Belly Butter

My skin started itching early in my first trimester, and I needed to make sure I was hydrating my tummy for good measure. The belly oil is probably my favorite, but it is a little steep on the $$. Hatch makes the belly oil and it is full of good ingredients to use during your pregnancy, linked here. The belly butter is also made of yummy organic ingredients that nourish your skin (Shea and cocoa butter), only downfall is that you have to claw the butter out and rub it in your hands to become more of an oil consistency for easy rubbing on the belly. The price of this belly butter is great and it lasts for a long time, get that here.

Helpful Tip: USE BOTH TOGETHER! I typically use the Belly Butter post-shower, allll over…and then I add the Hatch Belly Oil on top after. I like using it at night, but if you do find yourself itchy during the day feel free to use it then too! It is super important NOT to scratch your itchy skin (belly and chest especially) because you will be more prone to stretch marks.

6. Ginger Candies

Although I did not have aggressive morning sickness, during my first trimester, I did get super nauseous in the mornings before eating and if I had an empty stomach for too long. I found that these ginger candies, in an assortment of different flavors, were the most beneficial for me and they didn’t have bad ingredients in them! I saw that the ‘tummy drops’ were meh in my opinion. The candies I chose I saw helped a lot more since they were soft, and I could chew them (which helps make saliva, which then helps with nausea).

Helpful Tip: Keep a few of these EVERYWHERE! Your nightstand, car, purse, in your desk at work…whatever it may be. You never know when you will either start to feel sick or if you get a little woozy and need a little sugar kit. I personally like the Mango flavor the best, but they are all yummy! Plus if you are vegan these are a vegan option!

7. Water Bottle

Hydration is key throughout your pregnancy, and as much as your bladder will need to be released… a lot (during your first trimester especially) it is important to drink at least 96 ounces of water a day. I drink more only because I am very active during my pregnancy and with the release of sweat, I want to ensure I am replenishing. Since your blood volume increases during pregnancy make sure you are sipping throughout the day! I found this bottle very helpful to track and filling it up (3x total for 96 ounces) allowed me to get up and move too. Talk about a win-win!

Helpful Tip: Keep the lid open, and just take baby sips every few minutes. You will be surprised how quickly you will be able to get the 32 oz. of this bottle! I use the time markers a little different since I get through about 4 of these in a day. I section them off into 4 quadrants and go from there! Happy hydration!

8. Mineral Sun Screen

It is important to have a good mineral sunscreen in your medicine cabinet these days, especially during your first trimester. Your skin does become more sensitive during pregnancy and it is important to protect it! I found that Elta MD was my favorite, no scent (the first trimester makes you sensitive to a lot of things, the smell is a big one!), super simple and it could be used on my face and my body. A huge perk, it is water-resistant up to 80 minutes, so if you want to hit the beach or take a dip in the pool this should be your go-to!

Helpful Tip: Get this ASAP! Chemical sunscreen has been seen to cause birth defects in little ones and as much as having a soft ghost appearance while your sunscreen rubs in, it is important for you and your baby! I did find that this sunscreen was easy to apply and the white glow faded pretty quickly!

9. Real Food Pregnancy

The first trimester and any trimester, to be honest, is an important time to nourish your little one. I do get that it is really hard during the first trimester to even keep food down for most, but I do believe this book helped me get over the morning sickness hump since I didn’t really have that much of it! Like I said above, during my first trimester I was nauseous if I didn’t eat right away in the morning, but if I kept my belly full with good nutrients I was fine!

Helpful Tip: Highly recommend getting this book in your first trimester or if you are just trying to get pregnant there are some really good tips inside the book to help you prepare for pregnancy! You can even get the book on audio, which I got both (I love a hard copy of a book). The audio was nice so that my husband could also listen with me and we learned together. I will say I am pretty knowledgeable in health, nutrition, and fitness but I still learned a few things! To keep things honest, I don’t use this book as my food bible by any means but it is nice to have to look back on to see what nutrients I should be eating from what foods during each phase of pregnancy.

10. Jeans Extender and Belly Band

Feeling bloated during your first trimester and can’t really wear your joggers out? This is the next best thing. I didn’t want to buy anything maternity till I started showing, so being able to wear my jeans when heading out to dinner or date night made me feel…normal I guess you could say? I was so uncomfortable in my first trimester that getting dressed up (yes, in jeans) helped me feel better and less groggy and gross.

Helpful Tip: Get these ASAP! They pretty much grow with you. I will say the belly band itself does still show the bulging of the unzipped pants (I am showing at this point and still use it, could be why), but for the most part, it is great. I like that it comes with 2 different extenders and they are super functional and easy to use.

Lots of love, Heids

Hopefully my tips and faves for my first trimester will help you just as much as they helped me! I would love to hear what you loved and what you did not, and if you have any tips or items you would like to share that helped you! Please put some love in the comments below and be sure to sign up to be a part of the extroverted clan, and don’t forget your free pregnancy tracker here! <3