Are you pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant soon? I’m currently 22 weeks pregnant with my first child. I’ve been a Women’s Health Physio for a few years now and over the years I’ve developed a little list of different products I recommend to my clients. Since becoming pregnant myself, my list has changed a little, so I thought I’d share with you what products I think are worth spending your hard-earned cash on as both a Women’s Health Physio and fellow prego lady.
- Butterfly Maternity Pillow
I have always recommended this pregnancy pillow to my patients and have always received great feedback about it. Now trying it myself, I have to agree that it is soooo comfortable! During pregnancy, you are forced to sleep on your side which can be an unnatural and sometimes uncomfortable position for someone who isn’t used to it. This pillow is shaped like a butterfly with a flat section in the centre. You lie on the flat section and then have the fluffy side bits cushioning and supporting your back and your belly. It means you can sleep slightly rolled forward or backward without worrying that you might end up on your back or tummy. You are therefore, not forced to lie 100% on your side all the time. A big plus is that it can also be used as a nursing pillow once bub comes.
https://www.butterflymaternity.com.au/
- SRC Pregnancy Leggings – Over the Bump
Don’t bother wasting you money on more affordable maternity leggings like I did – these are worth every cent. I bought a different brand early in my pregnancy with the intention of buying these a little later when I had less expenses to worry about. I wish I just purchased them from the get go. The reason I feel these are the best maternity leggings on the market is because they do everything. The provide compression around your legs to prevent varicose veins and swelling. They provide compression around your perineum to prevent vulval varicosities. The over the bump leggings also provide compression around your growing belly which can help relieve pain from stretching abdominal muscles, can be relieving for back pain and can also help to decrease tummy separation. They are on the pricier side at $199 but are worth every penny.
https://srchealth.com/collections/pregnancy/products/src-pregnancy-maternity-leggings-over-the-bump
- Tubigrip
This is an extremely cheap and affordable alternative to over the bump leggings if you are looking for abdominal compression. Useful for days when you want to wear something other than leggings, it has the benefits of abdominal support to decrease tummy/back/pelvic pain and help to prevent tummy separation. You can pick this up in the clinic for $12 but it does need to be fitted by a Women’s Health Physio so ask about it at your next appointment.
- Water bottle
Drinking enough water when you’re not pregnant is a challenge but it’s even more important during pregnancy. Your bladder is functioning differently than normal due to all of the pregnancy hormones flowing through your body, not to mention the fact you have a whole baby sitting on top of your bladder, so it’s important you are drinking the right amount of water to optimise bladder function. Of course, drinking water out of a glass or any drink bottle is totally fine, but if you are like me and need motivation to get your H2O in, then this drink bottle is for you. Not only is it so pretty that it can be considered its own fashion statement, but it also has a guide to how much water you should drink each hour. It provides a different guide for pregnant women, postnatal women and nursing mums. You also have the option of the straw top if you prefer to drink from a straw.
https://binkmade.com/products/mama-bottle
- Stratamark stretch mark prevention gel
I’ve been using this gel on my belly since the start of the second trimester. It isn’t the kind of product that smells amazing and has pretty packaging but so far I don’t have any stretch marks! We know that some people are more prone to stretch marks than others but my opinion is that if there’s something I can do that might help prevent them then I want to try it!
- Forever mum Preconception + Pregnancy Multivitamin
Before I started planning my pregnancy, I had an appointment with my GP to see what kinds of things I needed to do to prepare myself for the journey ahead. We discussed things like going off my contraception, doing some blood tests and swabs and updating my private health insurance. The other thing my GP recommended I start doing 3 months before trying for a baby, is taking prenatal vitamins. The thought of having to swallow an enormous tablet was terrifying to me. I searched high and low at a couple of different pharmacies to find something that I thought I’d be able to swallow. You can imagine my elation when I found the Forever Mum soft capsules. Not only do they just slide down your throat but they are also tasteless which is a big positive! Even if you are OK with swallowing tablets normally, when you are in the thick of morning sickness and gagging just from your toothbrush getting to close to the roof of your mouth these are a real godsend!
https://forevermum.co.nz/product/pre-conception-pregnancy-multivitamin/
I hope you find these products as useful as I have! I’ll write up another blog in a few months time with all of the things that get me through the postnatal period!
If you would like to book in to see Emma A or any of our Women’s Health Physios, book online here or call us 99683424.
