If pregnancy isn’t a great time to indulge in some beautiful ‘me’ products, then when is? There are SO many products out there, all claiming to do one thing or another. Some of them are perhaps more useful than others, but pregnancy is the time to treat yourself. Below are some of my favourite products from pregnancy. It’s not a conclusive list, but these are the items I found ultimate enjoyment or support in.
This stuff was an absolute life saver for me! I was very active throughout my entire pregnancy and during the last few weeks I was walking around 10k a day. My mat leave had started and I wasn’t comfortable running anymore, so long walks were my exercise and provided me with some brilliant headspace. However, these lovely walks left my feet, ankles and legs in rather a state. Swollen to the point that no shoes fitted, they were sore to walk on, hot and puffy… not pretty! Although this gel didn’t take away all of the visual displeasure of looking at my puffy hooves, it sure did make my legs and feet feel a WHOLE LOT BETTER. It has a wonderful cooling effect and it’s even better if you’ve someone to rub if on for you J. Slap it on, put your feet up and enjoy the tingly relaxation.
Before pregnancy, I was never a bath person. That quickly changed once I hit my second trimester. I felt drawn to the bath like a moth to the flame. I just wanted to soak for long periods of time, inhaling the scents of a beautiful bath oil, reading my favourite pregnancy book and watching candles flicker. A friend brought me this Neal’s Yard Mothers Bath Oil and I loved it. It has a gorgeous scent and is full of brilliant natural oils, perfect for easy those aching muscles and replenishing your skin. It’s completely safe in pregnancy (unlike some essential oils, always check!) so you can use it regularly with no worries.
Back pain is common in pregnancy. Your body is growing a human and the adjustment of carrying that extra weight in the front can take it’s toll. I had quite bad back pain, especially when I had been walking a lot, and I struggled to find a pregnancy safe, natural pain reliever… that is until I found this magnesium oil. It’s sprayed on to your skin and is then absorbed right in to your aching muscles, helping to alleviate aches and tension. It was a wonder find for me during pregnancy and I still use it now. Absolutely recommend if you’re looking for natural relief from any pregnancy aches and pains.
OK so these aren’t strictly a pregnancy product, but Neom candles are absolutely beautiful. They’re on the pricey side so I consider them a treat, but if you’re looking for total relaxation then lighting a Neom candle is the way to go. Their ‘de-stress’ range is particularly effecting in helping you relax, but I also love their ‘happiness’ range as it’s so uplifting. If you’re looking for scents for your homebirth, it’s well worth checking Neom out. They also do an AMAZING pregnancy massage at their store in Wimbledon.
I absolutely believe that stretchmarks should be warn with pride. They are a beautiful reminder that our bodies have grown and birthed a human. However, if like me you a very prone to stretch marks, you might be looking for a way to slow their growth down and that is completely normal! Every woman in my family had a lot of stretch marks from pregnancy and I did too. I also have keyloid skin, so scarring is really a speciality for me. I used this product to try and minimise them where I could. It’s not cheap, but I actually just enjoyed the process of rubbing it in to my tummy every morning and feeling like I was doing something pro-active in my quest to prevent me having too many large tiger lines.
If you’re happy with your stretch marks, I solute you. If you would like to decrease them a little, there is absolutely no shame in that either – give this product a go if so. Your body, your choices. Don’t let anyone tell you how to feel about your body.
NB – There are definitely other cheaper stretch mark creams on the market, this one just came highly recommended and definitely had the desired result for me!
What were your favourite products during pregnancy? Let us know!