I’ll be honest with you. I am 7 months pregnant and I have yet to buy a single piece of maternity wear. While it’s been a little challenging, I have managed to get through the past wintery months wearing big sweaters and leggings practically (uh, literally) every day. It has been winter here since I started showing, and now that it’s finally getting really warm, I am just going to transition into flowy dresses (Zara, etc….) and sandals. Beyond clothes, I really haven’t needed to buy much either, but what I did purchase has saved me. From books to beauty to better sleep strategy, these are my mama-to-be necessities that have gotten me through months 0-7.

Compression Leggings 

Doctors in Switzerland can write you a prescription for two pairs of compression socks that are meant to last you through your entire pregnancy. Here is what goes down. I told my Dr. that I feel like my legs are retaining water, so he wrote me a prescription for these tight fitting medical leggings. I went the pharmacy, stripped down, and the pharmacists measured my legs (as if this is something they do every day). A few days later, my custom pair was ready for pickup. I opted for the thigh-high toeless version and MAN! they are tight. But surprisingly comfortable. I legit wear them from the moment I hop out of bed to when I take my evening half-bath. Why? Well, they help with just about everything from swelling to water retention to helping to prevent varicose veins.

Beauty oils

I’ve already done a whole post on this, but basically I have never been so into lathering, or I guess I should say lubing, my entire body in oils and creams until now. I swear by Pai, Tata Harper and Susanne Kaufmann.

Pregnancy Pillow

My husband bought this for me because he couldn’t help but notice that once I’d hit 20 weeks and was told to start sleeping on my side I had become a restless sleeper. The u-shaped pillow is everything and makes the uncomfortable process of going to sleep with a growing belly so much better.

Lulu Lemon Wunder Under Leggings / Belly Bandit Bump Support Leggings

I have lived in these two leggings for the past few months, so I had to get multiple pairs. Lulu’s don’t cover my whole belly, but they really suck everything in from the butt down. I use these for yoga and generally all day long. I actually ordered Lulu’s in a size larger than my normal size and they fit perfectly. Belly Bandit’s bump support pair are ultra-comfortable, smooth out my stomach and keep everything in its place. I wear these at night or when I am wearing something tighter on top. I wear both pairs on top of my compression leggings.

Wild Nutrition Plant Based Vitamins

Whether you are pregnant or not, vitamins are your friend. While I had to drop all the excess vitamins I was taking pre-pregnancy, I order exactly what I need on a monthly subscription so I never have to worry about running out. I love Wild Nutrition because they are completely natural, plant based and not filled with unknown chemical ingredients. The also have vitamins specifically for fertility (both for the man and the women) and for pregnancy. Not a lot of brands can say the same. This is what my monthly order looks like: 1 Food Grown Folic Acid, 1 Food Grown Pregnancy and 2 Omega 3 (Henry takes these two).

Vitamix

I wouldn’t say that my diet has changed that much since getting pregnant – I actually just eat even healthier. I am really psycho about what I put in my body, always thinking to myself first, “how will this effect the baby?” Not including the first 3 months, which was a weird time for me diet-wise (nothing appealed to me), I have observed the following food cravings: cottage cheese, smoothies, avocado, pureed soups, gluten-free bread, raw protein balls and chocolate. I’m making a lot more of my meals, so I end up using my Vitamix a few times a day. This helps me know exactly what is going into my food and in to my body.

Books I love

I have ordered and cruised through more books over the past six months than I have in as long as I can remember, covering a wide spectrum of topics, from pregnancy diets, natural childbirth, breast-feeding, postpartum nourishment, vaccines, managing stress and emotions…the list goes on and on. If someone I trusted recommended something, I bought it. These were my favorites: Bringing Up Bébé by Pamela Druckerman, Brain Rules for Baby by John Medina, Pregnancy and Childbirth Magical Beginnings Enchanted Lives by Deepak Chapra, M.D., Nurture: A Modern Guide to Pregnancy, Birth, Early Motherhood – and Trusting Yourself and Your Body by Erica Chidi Cohen, The First 40 Days by Heng Ou and lastly, Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin.

What were your favorite books? Please send me your mama-to-be recommendations.

Image, Emily Blunt photographed by Norman Jean Roy, Vogue, April 2014.