Welcome to the final few weeks of pregnancy with baby number 4! I have been pregnant and/or breastfeeding since November 2017 and my body and mind are starting to feel a little crazy 🤪 Here are a few things getting me through this season. – Elisa
Belly band– 4th babies don’t hide, in fact they come in real real hot and have left this mama struggling with back pain and varicose veins (in all the places 😬). I am the type of person who wants to take a spin with a dupe or a lower cost item before fully committing and this $20 belly band has been doing its thing since around 20 weeks. I don’t know how the higher price brand names compare, but being my last pregnancy this felt like a great option since I only need it to go the distance once.
Small batch chocolate chip recipe– I am a cookie LOVER. Things I don’t love are taking batches and batches in and out of the oven when I just need a quick fix! This recipe makes about 8 cookies and it has been my go to for years, before I was even pregnant and just needed a small batch for my husband and I. Three babies later, this still fits the bill and satisfies the craving without any extra.
YW&F sand and play doh kits – after a summer of tv thanks to first trimester woes, these kits are guilt free entertainment for my littles. My babies, ages 5 to 1.5, will spend an hour or more playing with these kits– I would call them perfect if they were self cleaning (working on that with the kids too, lol)!
A bigggggg water bottle– current rotation is a Stanley but I love a Yeti or Simple Modern as well. This helps me get my water intake in since I don’t need to constantly refill (but I do have to constantly pee 🫠). I will say, the Stanley not being spill proof really is NOT IT at all right now with three littles running around.
Hallow app- I love this app! I use the free version but there is a subscription version available as well. I just love being able to turn on a rosary or a homily and have that as my background “noise”. It grounds me and calms my racing mind (wayyyyy better than that Cocomelon intro). Perinatal anxiety is a thing for me and this is one of the ways I can calm the beast.
Blanqi– support tanks and leggings! I love the supportive biker shorts in the summer as well. The tanks have always been a pregnancy staple for me and this go round I have actually favored the leggings as well (in previous pregnancies I will say the leggings were not my favorite but for some reason this pregnancy they have been my go to).
Aerie– shirts, long sleeves, sweatshirts, boot cut leggings… all the things, consistently comfy and there’s nearly always a great sale! My body has changed and fluctuated considerably over the last 6 years, so I love that I can switch up a few things in my closet to feel trendy AND comfy AND not terrible because the cost is reasonable (especially when you navigate the sales!). My current live in faves are these high waisted flare leggings, a waffle plush tee, and this cargo jogger and wrap top matching set.
Protein– Feels nearly impossible to get in between prep and limited stomach capacity related to a whole baby squishing up my internal organs. I have tried a few but love this one. I’m not going to say it tastes like ice cream…that would be a lie. But it’s not chalky and the flavor is mild so it goes down easy.
What are your pregnancy must haves?
