36 Week Bumpdate | Pregnancy Essentials

Hey, Lovelies!

I am officially 36 weeks (or 9 months) pregnant today! I found out I was pregnant with baby boy around six weeks…and I thought it was going to feel like the longest pregnancy ever because I didn’t find out I was pregnant with Lilly until I was way further along…but this pregnancy has felt so much shorter than my first.

I think part of that is because when you have another kid, you barely even have time to think about “feeling pregnant”. You are juggling so many hats of motherhood during the day that your body doesn’t notice it’s growing like it does with the first.

They also say every pregnancy is different, and that has been so true for me. With Lilly I didn’t have a ton of cut and dry symptoms at first but had some pretty severe ones by the end. With baby boy, I had morning sickness immediately, but the symptoms have really not been as bad as my pregnancy progressed. I am even able to still run right now…which is a miracle given that I couldn’t run with Lilly past 24 weeks.

So what are my symptoms right now?

Current Pregnancy Symptoms:

• Mild swelling in my ankles/feet -if I stand or sit upright for too long. Given that I was sent to the hospital about four times before delivering Lilly for potential preeclampsia, I consider this a win.
• Tailbone/Pelvis discomfort– Lilly chipped my tailbone when she came out, so now that baby boy is dropping, I am noticing a little more pain there. I swear that focusing on strengthening my hips and pelvic floor this pregnancy has helped with the pain so much though.
• Having to Pee Every Five Minutes– no explanation needed
• Braxton Hicks Contractions– I have gotten a lot more of these than I did with Lilly but they have been really mild and manageable so far. I swear my body just knows what to expect/what to do this time so even if something is a little painful it doesn’t seem to bug me as much because I’ve been through it before.
• Tiredness– Between having to get up every hour to pee and reaching that point of pregnancy where you feel exhausted this has to be my least favorite symptom because I still feel like there is SO MUCH TO DO before baby boy arrives and I don’t have enough energy to accomplish it all like I usually could!

Outfit Details: Dress, Shoes, Clutch

Current Pregnancy Cravings:

With Lilly I craved chocolate chip cookies, and did not hold back. This time as soon as I found out I was pregnant, I knew I wanted to be really mindful about what I put into my body. I read the book, “Real Pregnancy Food” during my first trimester and have really followed the meal plan to a tee. I swear it helped me prevent things like preeclampsia and gestational diabetes and keep my weight under control this pregnancy. I also feel so good about the food I am eating, and try to treat each meal as “what I would want my baby to eat” and nourish both of our bodies.

Of course there have been cravings this pregnancy like:

• Fruit like watermelon, cantaloupe, pineapple
• Fats like avocados, chickpeas, nuts
• Eggs

Update on Baby Boy’s Nursery:

If you follow along on Instagram you know that my house has basically been in demo mode since last July. If baby can stay in for 2-3 more weeks, his nursery will be CLOSE to done. But right now, it has a fan and wallpaper…haha…no trim…no flooring…no closet system. Everything is bought and ready to be moved in though…so hopefully it will be done soon.

Either way I am not even worried about it because baby boy will be sleeping in a bassinet or his mamaroo next to me for the first month anyways!

My Favorite Parts of Pregnancy:

• Feeling baby boy wiggle around is of course my favorite part. He gets the hiccups at least twice a day and it cracks me up. Lilly was the same way.
• Seeing baby boy on ultrasounds
• Maternity jeans- literally the comfiest things ever

Favorite Baby Boy Finds:

Pregnancy Essentials:

Stretch Mark Creams and Oils:

My absolute two favorite products that help prevent stretch marks are Bio-Oil and Mustela Stretch Mark Cream! I used both with my pregnancy with Lilly and didn’t get any stretch marks on my belly. I did get a few on my back and the backs of my legs because I wasn’t good about applying the products there. I swear by these two products. I have very sensitive skin and expected to get stretch marks but I 100% think these products do the trick!

Prenatal Vitamins:

Not all prenatal vitamins are created equal. After finding I was pregnant the first time, I went to the local grocery store and picked up the cheapest prenatal I could find. After doing some research I found that many prenatal vitamins don’t have methylfolate in them which is absolutely essential to your baby’s development. The two best prenatals on the market are Rainbow Light and Ritual both have so many amazing ingredients that go above and beyond your typical prenatal you can pick up anywhere.

I also highly suggest taking a probiotic and I highly recommend this one by Hyperbiotics that is specifically designed for expecting moms.

Real Pregnancy Food Book:

I will be 100% honest with you. The day after I found out I was pregnant with Lilly I had pizza and Mexican food in one day. Then I developed a horrible addiction to chocolate chip cookies. By the end of my pregnancy I had gained a whopping 55 pounds on my small frame. It took every bit of a year and a half of perfect nutrition and daily exercise to lose the extra pounds I gained.

With this pregnancy I knew I wanted to make my nutrition a priority from the start…not just because I wanted to gain less weight but because I wanted my body to be healthier, and to provide better nutrition to my growing baby.

There are so many studies that talk about how essential your diet is to your baby’s health inside and outside the womb. I wanted to give this baby the best start at life possible, and that starts with me and the healthy choices I make daily.

I came across the book “Real Pregnancy Food” when I was about eight weeks pregnant and it has been life-changing. It talks about foods that help prevent preeclampsia, what foods are essential to baby’s brain development, etc.

If you are pregnant be sure to pick up a copy of this book or listen to it on Audible before you indulge in those “pregnancy cravings”.

Bras and Underwear:

I love the soft bralette-style nursing bras that can work as a pregnancy bra too. Towards the end of my first pregnancy, my ribs hurt and I hated wearing a wired bra because it dug in and made things more uncomfortable. Invest in a soft bra that can double as a nursing bra when baby arrives to save some money…and save your ribs from end-of-pregnancy pain. My all time favorite pregnancy and nursing bra is Spanx’s new Mama Bra!

Bump and Nursing-Friendly Pajamas/Loungewear:

Once again, I try to buy things like pajamas that will not only last throughout my pregnancy but will also work for postpartum. I love soft sets from Soma that button in the front so you can nurse the baby when they arrive if you choose to, but also fit throughout pregnancy.

Pregnancy Pillow:

I am a guilty stomach sleeper. If I’m not on my stomach, I’m on my back and both sleep positions aren’t good for a pregnant mama. My hips start to hurt at the end of pregnancy when I have to sleep on my side for too long, and my pregnancy pillow becomes my best friend. It adds a little comfort to those last few weeks where sleeping comfortably seems impossible.

Compression Socks/Swelling Reducers:

I always swell during my pregnancies. I was way worse with Lilly than I have been with baby boy, but I have found some ways to help reduce the swelling like compression socks. I also swell naturally because I have Hypothyroidism so I have found a few things that have really helped me like the compression air massager, ice feet, and the ice roller that I use to help de-puff my face first thing in the morning.

Water Bottle and Nuun Tablets:

Drinking enough water is essential when you are pregnant. You can cause early contractions/labor if you overheat or get dehydrated. I also love the Nuun hydration tabs. They have magnesium in them which is said to help prevent preeclampsia and reduce swelling. I also get really bad leg cramps if I am dehydrated during pregnancy and these seem to help keep those at bay.

Pregnancy Leggings and Bottoms:

Maternity bottoms are definitely more essential than maternity tops. I typically buy more tunic style tops or a t-shirt set that I can layer with and wear open cardigans, etc so I can wear them after I give birth, but you really can’t escape buying maternity bottoms. Definitely invest in a good pair of maternity jeans, leggings, and a pair of joggers. I linked all of my favorites above.

Pregnancy Belly Band:

I found this one on Amazon that I use during my workouts to help support my belly and lower belt, but if there is something I can tell you to invest in, it’s a Belly Bandit band. You can wear it as support during pregnancy and it also helps you feel more secure after giving birth while your uterus is shrinking back to its normal size. I know I felt a little unsteady right after giving birth and loved the support my Belly Bandit gave me.

Pregnancy Flakes:

I love that these epsom salt flakes are designed specifically for pregnant women and to help ease nausea. They also have magnesium in them which eases sore muscles and helps to reduce swelling.

Tea:

Depending on your trimester, different teas might really help. Ginger tea can help with morning sickness and I love the pregnancy tea that has red rasberry leaf for the third trimester because it’s said to help prepare your cervix for labor!

Donut:

At 36 weeks, pregnant, this donut has been my most-used essential during my third trimester because I sit at a desk for work. My tailbone kills me at the end of the day without it! If you are buying a Boppy for your baby, you can use it as a donut too!

For Dark Spots:

If you are like me, your skin has gone through the hormone ringer with pregnancy. With Lilly I had horrible acne, but this time it seemed to even out during the second trimester. However, I have struggle with Melasma/Dark Spots this pregnancy and LOVE this product from Murad to help keep them at bay!

Pregnancy Essentials:

I hope you find this post helpful! Thanks for following along.

xoxo,

Kalyn