The ultimate Pregnancy Survival Kit – everything you need

So you are pregnant!  Congratulations…  If this is your first pregnancy you might be wondering what next?  You might be wondering why you would even need a pregnancy survival kit – after all that does sound quite extreme. Don’t panic though!  I know that being pregnant is an amazing mix of feelings especially first time round.  It is so exciting, but also can be daunting and that is what this pregnancy survival kit is all about.  I have been pregnant 3 times (once with twins so I have four kids) so read on to find out everything I think you need for your pregnant survival kit based on my experience and the benefit of hindsight.

Why do you need a pregnancy survival kit?

When you are pregnant there are so many things about your body that change and you will feel things you have never felt before.  It is a completely new experience so it is normal to have some concerns and to feel daunted.  That is probably one of the reasons you are reading this post to start with and the fact that you are tells me that you have got this.  Preparation is key!

There isn’t a lot of control during pregnancy; nature is definitely in charge, but by having a pregnancy survival kit gathered together you are ready for everything you can control and you will have your body and mind all set to handle all of the changes that pregnancy will bring.

Creating your pregnancy survival kit is also fun!  It is the first step you can take towards getting ready for your baby.  So enjoy this ultimate pregnancy survival kit guide and let me help you make sure that you are ready for your pregnancy and to make it a comfortable and amazing experience.

What should you include in a pregnancy survival kit?

I am dividing my pregnancy survival kit into sections and these are:

• Books
• Physical Comfort
• Exercise
• Self Care
• Mind

I think that these categories cover off all the bases for making sure that your pregnancy is something that you can enjoy.  You might notice that these categories don’t focus on the baby specifically and that is because I think that you need to focus on you as you move through your pregnancy which in turn will make sure you are calm, happy and in a positive space that can only help your baby.  I do, of course, have other posts that can help you practically prepare for baby’s arrival so don’t miss those.

Practical and fun things to do before baby arrives

The complete list of newborn essentials you NEED

5 things you need to do when preparing for a newborn

Ok now lets get into it…

Books

If you are anything like me you will be tempted to buy every pregnancy and baby book going.  I suspect you might be a bit like that since you are here reading this post and there is nothing wrong with wanting to get information, but my advice would be to not go wild in this area.

Once you start looking at baby books you will soon realise that there is lots of contradictory ideas out there about how to do everything you could imagine with a newborn and I think this can be slightly overwhelming whilst you are pregnant and so I recommend (at least at the start of your pregnancy) focusing on books about what is happening with your body as I found that these really made it all seem real especially in the early stages where there were often few physical signs.

There are also loads of apps out there which help you to track your pregnancy and what is happening to your body.  If you are going for some pregnancy reading my favourite book is the classic

There are some other great books out there as well though and here are a selection of the ones I enjoyed when I was pregnant or like the look of now:

Physical Comfort

This is a big topic for me when it comes to my pregnancy survival kit.  I don’t mean to freak you out, but carrying a baby isn’t always the most comfortable thing to do.  Physically it is tiring and it can be painful at times (not for everyone), but I would say most women feel a certain level of discomfort at some point or another even if its just needing the loo every 20 seconds towards the end of the pregnancy or having difficulty finding a comfortable sleep position.  

I am not a medical professional so for this part I am staying well away from any physical issues that would mean needing to see a GP and if you are in pain or are concerned about anything I would always advise checking with your GP or midwife to make sure you are getting any support that you need.  

With that in mind my pregnancy survival kit physical comfort ideas are about just preparing for the normal discomfort that comes with carrying another human in your belly for 9 months…

Pregnancy Pillow

If there is one thing you buy when pregnant specifically designed for pregnancy then make it one of these…  you won’t regret it!  My pregnancy pillow was actually my best friend…  I used it long after pregnancy for breastfeeding and just for creating a comfy support when watching tv, but during pregnancy I could not have managed without it.

A pregnancy pillow is a long pillow that typically comes in a C shape, a U shape or a J shape.  Mine was simply a long pillow like this which is extremely flexible and supportive.

You can position them in so many different ways to give your bump some support and enable you to prop yourself up in a way that makes you able to sleep more easily even when that bump gets big and heavy.

Once baby arrives they are also great for helping to support baby during breastfeeding or to help you get into a position for feeding that doesn’t hurt your back.  Honestly these are worth every penny!

A Lightweight Duvet or Bed Cover

A baby bump tends to keep you pretty warm at night and so I think it is useful to have a light weight bed cover to hand.  Personally I think it is helpful when pregnant to have a separate bed cover from your partner anyway as you may find you need to change positions more frequently and you may need move of the cover than usual as bump grows.

Maternity Leggings

I am not a leggings type of gal, but when I am pregnant they are my go to item.  I tend not to buy lots of maternity clothes, but I do like maternity leggings as they just provide the best support for the bump.  Feeling that support makes going about the day to day so much more comfortable and they can be worn under dresses too so are a very flexible wardrobe addition.

Pregnancy Support Belts

You can also get pregnancy support belts which either go under the bump or under and over the bump.  They are designed to give you support for that growing bump and alleviate the aches and pains that are common during pregnancy.  I used one of these when I was pregnant with the twins and it definitely made walking much easier when heavily pregnant and when I was struggling with back and pelvic pain.

Mental Comfort

 

When you are pregnant, especially for the first time or when you have experienced losses, there will be a lot going on in your head.  The emotions that you feel can drift from ecstatic to terrified and back again all in a few minutes and that is before we even add in the hormones.  So no pregnancy survival kit would be complete without arming you with ways that you can help your very busy mind and prepare mentally for the ongoing pregnancy, birth and beyond.

I will never forget after having my eldest I was having a bath when he was perhaps 2 weeks old and all of a sudden I was overwhelmed by the realisation that it was my responsibility to keep him safe for the next 18 years…  The enormity of it all just hit me all at once and I was more than a little glad I had these techniques that I am about to share with you, in my pregnancy survival kit.

Guided Meditation

I hadn’t ever tried to meditate before I was trying to conceive, but during that period I was very stressed.  The pregnancy result I wanted just wasn’t appearing (if I knew then that I would go on to have four kids under four I would have relaxed and then probably run for cover) and I was getting very worked up over it.  Someone suggested meditation and so I thought – why not?

There are some fantastic ones avaliable on the itunes store or I also love this audio book that has meditation and mindfulness activities for 30 days and is specifically designed for pregnancy so is perfect for your pregnancy survival kit.

I did not look back and have used guided meditations regularly since that day, but especially when pregnant.  I found guide meditation to be really useful in keeping me calm during my pregnancy and distracting me from my natural worries.  They were also very useful in preparing for labour by enabling me to find my relaxed and happy space.

Book in some spa treatments

Do not under estimate the power of a relaxing day at the spa…  During your pregnancy there are some treatments that are best avoided, but your therapist will be able to advise you on what is suitable.  Taking time for yourself during your pregnancy is an important element of your pregnancy survival kit as a bit of pampering will make you feel great and help you to stay relaxed.

Sleep

Rest and relax as much as you can.  Never under estimate the importance of sleep and rest when you are pregnant.  It is like running a marathon growing a human and you would rest after doing that right??  So sleep and rest is a vital part of your pregnancy survival kit and it is free so yay!

Exercise

I am not suggesting that you run out and start an exercise plan whilst you are pregnant.  You should make sure that your doctor or midwife is ok with whatever exercise you are doing, but if it is safe for you to do so I recommend gentle exercise such as yoga or swimming whilst you are pregnant. 

When I was pregnant with my eldest I went swimming everyday towards the end of my pregnancy and when having my twins I taught baby swimming until I was 35 weeks pregnant and so I can wholeheartedly tell you that swimming or even just being in water when heavily pregnant is such a relief!  You just lose all that baby weight whilst you are in there and it is lovely.  I would suggest a maternity swimsuit though just so you support the bump and it is just bliss!

So that is it; everything you need to navigate your pregnancy in the best way possible.  I hope that this helps you if you are expecting and wish you a fab pregnancy.  Is there anything you would add to your pregnancy survival kit?