Alternative Pregnancy Essentials

When you get pregnant it seems that you open yourself up to be marketed at by what feels like every company in the world, ever. And if you’re anything like me you are so over the moon to be pregnant that you will LOVE each and every last bit of literature or product you are given and will treasure it, reading from cover to cover. See: Bounty Packs, Boots/Tesco/Sainsbury’s Baby Club, The Baby Show, Emma’s Diary… it’s a relentless cycle of marketing and information.

Most of these sample sized products and leaflets will end up in a basket or drawer somewhere, because you don’t actually need that much crap when you’re pregnant. Check out this list: I have never needed nor purchased a full body pillow, tennis balls or peppermint hand lotion. There are some things that have been lifesavers, however.

Here’s my list of Alternative Pregnancy Essentials:

Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream – my skin has been all over the place since I got pregnant, in the last trimester specifically. I’ve had dry patches that my usual moisturiser hasn’t even been touching, so I’ve been putting 8 Hour Cream on these bits at night. It’s worked wonders. Plus once Elfie scraped her palm falling down and I used it to heal her booboo, she now requests mummy’s special cream on her hand every morning.

Sudocrem – ditto, my zits have been out of control in these last couple of weeks, particularly on my jawline. Sudocrem really helps clean up these spots and again I put it on before I go to sleep at night. Plus it makes your face smell like a baby’s bum.

Crappy literature – I read four parenting books in a row and it just about sent me cross eyed from boredom and information overload. So I moved on to The Hunger Games trilogy, 50 Shades Of Grey and most recently Me Before You. The light relief these books have brought me when I’ve been slightly freaked out about having two kids and giving birth has been wonderful.

Ready Meals and Ice Cream – cooking is one of the last things on my mind at the moment so low-maintenance meals are my friend. Ice cream? Well, it’s just nice to eat ice cream.

Something nice to rub on your bump – I swear by L’Occitane Almond Supple Skin Oil. I seem to have inherited my mum’s magic genes as we’ve both been through two pregnancies with no stretch marks to show for them so I don’t use the oil for this purpose, it just smells divine and always feels like a special treat.

Spray bleach – I have had a big ‘thing’ for the smell of bleach this time around, especially in the second trimester and now as I’m coming up to the end of the pregnancy. Spray bleach for me is the only thing that makes me feel that my desired level of clean has been achieved and my favourite brand is Flash. Also, Cillit Bang polishes nasty stainless steel sinks up a treat.

Great accessories – as I’ve written about, it can get a little depressing when your favourite clothes no longer fit. Accessories will always fit, maybe with the exception of rings or shoes when you swell up like a balloon. Stick with bracelets, or necklaces. They’ll always fit. Ditto handbags.

Nice comfy pyjamas – you will be wearing them a lot if you are anything like me.

A decent foundation and concealer – these days I NEED to wear makeup before I go out but I don’t want to put a full face on, so I stick with foundation and concealer only. I have found Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum paired with MAC’s Select Coverup works really well for me, perhaps with a bit of BeneFit Coralista blusher for colour .

Maternity vests, jeans and leggings – these ARE essential. I recommend H&M leggings and jeans for comfort and staying-up-ability.

Some smart retorts – for all the crap people think it’s ok to say to pregnant women.

And finally, this website – HaveYouHadThatBabyYet.com.

Sidenote: can you believe that I have made the finals of the MAD Blog Awards??! Thank you so very much to everyone who nominated me and for all the support I’ve received, I was over the moon to have even been considered so to be a finalist is just amazing. I would love for you to consider voting More Than Toast in the Best Pregnancy Blog category, which you can do here. Thank-you!