THIS POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS, WHICH MEANS THAT I RECEIVE A SMALL PROFIT, IF YOU CLICK THE LINKS AND MAKE A PURCHASE. THIS COMES AT NO COST TO YOU, BUT HELPS TO SUPPORT THE COST OF KEEPING A CUP OF KIMS UP AND RUNNING. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THIS SPACE!
Something that has truly shocked me so far since being pregnant is just how expensive maternity and pregnancy-related items are. A maternity bodysuit for over $100? A dress you can only wear when you’re pregnant costs nearly $130? Pregnancy pillows are $60? I couldn’t believe it. For something that you can really only use at certain times of your life, it was shocking to see how high of a price tag some of these things have. I quickly realized that if we wanted to grab some of the things that I will need throughout our pregnancy, I had to either catch these items on a good sale day or consider searching a little bit harder for the best places to buy them for more affordable prices.
In today’s post, we’re going to be sharing some of the budget-friendly pregnancy-related items we’ve purchased (or are planning to purchase) so far that just make sense. I know budget is subjective, so I will disclose that for us we considered things such as the cost, how often I will be using the item, and the quality of it when ultimately deciding whether or not to purchase it.
Isabel Maternity Jeans: I thought for sure that I’d purchase my maternity jeans from Old Navy, but I couldn’t rationalize spending $54 on a pair of jeans that I may either grow out of as our pregnancy progresses and that I can only really wear during pregnancy and postpartum. When I saw these jeans from Target for $30, it was an immediate purchase for me. It was tricky finding which size to purchase because depending on the style of jean you purchase, it can either be too tight or too large, but when I finally found a pair in a size that I felt I’ll be able to grow with during pregnancy due to the stretchiness of it, I was sold. If you are unable to try it on in the store, you will have to purchase different sizes because despite them saying that whatever your pre-pregnancy size is what will fit, that’s not always the case. In one pair, my pre-pregnancy size was way TOO large and in another pair, it was a little snug. It just depends. However, for the cost, it was worth the work it took to find the perfect pair.
Pregnancy Pillow: Pregnancy pillows were something that when I finally began looking for one, I was shocked at the cost of them. Maybe I’m being a little cheap about this, but $64 felt pretty high for me, even if there were features like the fabric being a fabric that keeps you cool. I just couldn’t justify it. I found one on Amazon for a little over $30 and ended up purchasing it instead.
A Portable Fan: As I’m writing this, we’re in the middle of summer where it’s the hottest it’s been in a very long time. We’re in an El Nino and you can definitely feel it when you walk outside. As a result, I’ve been getting hot a lot faster and finally decided to purchase a portable fan I can use whenever I go outside. Sometimes light clothing isn’t enough.
Pregnancy Belt-Extender: This one is an expensive purchase, but it is worth it to me. It wraps around the passenger’s or driver’s seat in your car and allows you to put the belt around your thighs inside of around your waist. It’s tested to be safe, which gives you an added sense of security and makes for a more comfortable ride. I joke that I feel like I’m in a booster seat when sitting in it, but the added peace of mind is worth it. There are cheaper options that you can purchase from Amazon, but I don’t feel comfortable recommending those since we purchased this one (not an affiliate link).
A Pregnancy Bodysuit Romper: This sounds ridiculous, but one of the comfiest purchases I have made so far during our pregnancy is this bodysuit from GAP. I don’t know if by the time I publish this if you’ll be able to purchase it, but if so I HIGHLY recommend it. We got it on sale and it was a bit pricier than what I desire to spend on maternity items, (pre-getting them on sale), but it’s worth it because so far it’s grown with my growing belly. Some other pregnancy bodysuits or biker shorts I’ve purchased so far are entirely too tight around the pelvic and belly region, but this one feels so comfortable. I will say it’s not one I’d recommend exercising in if you’re hoping for more belly support (unless you wear a belly band), but it’s nice for running errands with the romper on it’s on or a jacket or a linen button-up thrown over it.
Pregnancy Journal: While admittedly I haven’t been as consistent as I wanted to be and so far have missed a couple of weeks of jotting down inside of it, getting a pregnancy journal is one of my recommended purchases. As a believer, I purchased one that includes scripture in it that I can reflect on each week, but you can purchase one that’s for exactly what you hope to document throughout your pregnancy. There are journals that have inserts for pictures and some that have prompts. for you to write letters to your baby about.
Polaroid Printer: I purchased this hoping to track my growing belly each week, but I didn’t really start photographing my belly into the second trimester and even then it wasn’t every week. However, as I am writing this, I’m hoping to take a lot more to track the growth. I love this Polaroid printer because rather than risk taking a photo I don’t want on a Polaroid because I end up disliking it, I can take a few on my phone and select which photo I want to print. It IS pricey, but I consider it worth it because I can control which pictures I print as opposed to a Polaroid camera which depends on how well I take the picture. If you don’t want or need a polaroid camera or want to track your pregnancy using polaroids, this is one I’d say that’s skippable, but we love it!
Compression Socks: I actually ended up not having to buy these, because my mom had some that she let me have, which was so nice of her. However, I still wanted to add this because this is a must-have for any long drives you have planned during pregnancy. So far so good!
We know that as our pregnancy continues to progress, God-willing, we’ll likely add more to this list, but so far these are things we’ve purchased or have that we’re really pleased with. What about you? What are some things that were helpful for you during pregnancy?
