Pregnancy & Birth Must Haves

I've been thinking a lot about the things that made pregnancy and birth more bearable, and things that I wish I'd done differently. Here's my list.

Body pillow. I waited forever to get one because I thought it was so expensive at $40, but that was the best $40 I've ever spent. It made sleeping so much better during pregnancy and during recovery. I don't know when I'll remove it from my bed.  

Night cheese. I started eating a piece of cheese every night before bed when I had morning sickness at the beginning and end of my pregnancy. The protein in it kept me full and made it easier to sleep longer. 

Walmart Memory Foam shoes. I had sciatic pain at work, and my feet were larger during pregnancy. I went to Walmart and got some memory foam shoes a size up and they were a lifesaver. My sciatic pain almost went away completely, and I still felt cute in my shoes. They're too big now, but I got great use out of them. 

Maternity leggings with the giant waistband are the best. You can roll it to whatever height is comfortable, and they made me feel somewhat like a normal human. 

Things I'd do differently 

I'd buy more maternity clothes. They're made to fit your body and the few that I had made me feel great. 

I wouldn't bring a ton of my own clothes to the hospital. I was a gross mess and stayed in the gowns the whole time. My duffel bag was so full of robes and pajamas and cute items that I didn't even touch. 

I'd start taking a stool softener a few days before my due date. 'nough said. 

I'd pack way more snacks than I brought. The middle of the nights were rough when the kitchen was closed and Sammy was passed out so I couldn't even get something from the vending machine. 

I would have made sure Sammy had slippers so that he didn't have to keep his shoes on while sleeping. When I teased him about that later, he told me he had to because there was blood on the floor a few times. My bad.