Being pregnant was one of the hardest for me. I had piercing migraines, extreme hypertension, vertigo, nausea for weeks, tiredness, and it all ending in an emergency c-section, and now very healthy baby!
Throughout my pregnancy journey I was constantly retargeted with ads about different “essential” pregnancy products. Some I purchased, and some of those were actually useful.
But 2 things I highly recommend investing in for pregnancy is a good pregnancy pillow, and a good belly cream.
Are pregnancy pillow worth it?
Absolutely. Pregnancy pillows have been designed to provide you the comfort, and support needed throughout the different areas of your body. I preferably preferred using the U Shaped pregnancy pillows as it conforms to the natural contours of your body so resting on them feels intuitive.
I found that using a U shaped pregnancy pillow throughout my pregnancy helped ease the discomfort I felt as my body was growing (another little body!) in particular my lower back, and prevented me rolling onto my back which is a big no-no after 28 weeks. I naturally sleep on my back, and previously we had tried to just prop a pillow behind me which didn’t stop me rolling onto my back while pregnant. Sleeping on your back after 28 weeks is not recommended as it “puts pressure on major blood vessels. This can reduce the flow of blood to your womb, and restrict your baby's oxygen supply.” We actually chose to get the U shaped pregnancy pillow instead of other pregnancy pillow shapes (eg wedges) as it could be a combination comfort, and sleep aid.
U shaped pregnancy pillows are also perfect for those like myself who change sleeping position through the night. Both “legs” of the pillow offer support through the contours so you’re able to wrap your legs around it, hug it, rest your belly, lay your feet upright, and more while still having optimal support for your head, and neck.
Can pregnancy pillow be used for breastfeeding?
One of the great things about U Shaped pregnancy pillows is that they have multiple uses: sleep aid, back support while seated upright, breastfeeding pillow, and can be used to assist your baby during tummy time!
Can you bring pregnancy pillow to hospital?
Yes! I stayed in a private hospital in NSW, and most of the other women brought their own pillow, including pregnancy pillows for their stay in the maternity ward.
Another thing I brought to the hospital was belly cream to help with my stretch marks.
Do all women get stretch marks during pregnancy?
Stretch marks are a common skin condition that first appear as red lines on the skin which later fade to white lines. These lines are scarring of the dermis, and affect over 90% of pregnant women including myself. What you see when you look at stretch marks are linear bundles of collagen lying parallel to the surface of the skin, and is the eventual loss of collagen, and elastin. Pregnancy related stretch marks are most commonly found on the lower half of the belly, inner thighs, breasts, buttocks, and hips as your body expands to cater to the needs of the growing baby inside.
Does genetics play a part in whether you get stretch marks during pregnancy?
In a 23andMe conducted study from 2013 which studied 33,930 people, they found that there are 4 genetic variants which are associated with developing stretch marks.
Can you fully prevent stretch marks during pregnancy?
Short answer is no. There are multiple reasons why you will develop stretch marks during pregnancy such as the rapid expanding of your body, genetics, and cortisol levels. However, you can try minimise the amount of stretch marks, or the severity of your stretch marks through the adequate consumption of water, and regular application of moisturising cream to keep your skin moisturised as it expands.
Will pregnancy stretch marks fade?
Yes. Just like any wound, the scarring does fade with time, and you can speed the process up with a good moisturising cream. There are belly creams on the market such as the YoMama Stretch Mark Cream that contains ingredients like Jojoba Oil, Olive Leaf Extract, Vitamin E , Hydrolyzed Collagen ,and Shea Butter which are known to reduce the appearance of new, and existing stretch marks.
If you’re interested in purchasing anything from Pregnancy Pillow Co, you can use the code happy10 for 10% off.
This post has been sponsored by Pregnancy Pillow Co. All opinions stated are my own, and all research has been linked where possible.
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