The nausea, exhaustion, heartburn… Ugh. Not the funnest parts of pregnancy, but these first trimester must haves will help you sail through a little more smoothly.
First trimester morning sickness is no joke. As I type this out, my body remembers what it felt like to simultaneously feel like throwing up and eating a giant cheeseburger with a little acid reflux thrown on top. At times I wondered how I’d survive that first trimester morning sickness, but these first trimester must haves definitely helped.
Nausea, exhaustion, back pain. These are just some of the lovely symptoms of pregnancy. The first trimester can be brutal, and I know from experience! While writing this I officially crossed into the second trimester of my second pregnancy and I wanted to share with you my first trimester survival list. The items that were essential to me making it through the last 12 weeks with my sanity marginally in tact.
These were the first trimester must haves that actually helped me out during pregnancy and I recommend to every pregnant person.
(This list contains affiliate links, meaning if you purchase these items I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you!)
As a quick disclaimer… be sure to check with your midwife or doctor before using these items. I personally used all of these in consultation with my midwifery, but each pregnancy is unique.
Food Delivery Service for Easy Meals During First Trimester
You’re probably not going to feel great during the first few months of pregnancy, so simplifying life is essential.
Since just getting off the couch or the bathroom floor can seem like a Herculean task while dealing with morning (or all day) sickness, going to the grocery store is almost impossible. That’s why this definitely one of the first trimester must haves to add to your list.
Luckily, you can have a plethora of foods delivered to your door. Of course, you can see if Über Eats or Door Dash operates in your area, or you can have groceries delivered right to your door!
Personally I have used Amazon Fresh in the past to have groceries delivered and loved it! I’ve tried meal delivery kits like Hello Fresh, but I ended up not using a lot of the contents of those boxes and preferred to just make my own recipes, plus all the best snacks that my weak stomach could handle during the first trimester.
Learn more about Amazon Fresh here.
Sea-Bands are First Trimester Must Haves for Nausea
Sea-bands actually helped some with my constant nausea during the first trimester, and lots of moms swear by them. So they totally make the list of first trimester must haves to help with nausea.
They work by stimulating pressure points on your wrists that help alleviate the nausea.
Reed’s Crystallized Ginger Chews Remedy for First Trimester Nausea
Ginger helps with lots of belly problems including nausea and heartburn. These chews in particular do work, but they are also very spicy! So if spice isn’t your thing, you may want to skip these. When I was able to get over the flavor (I’m not a huge fan of ginger), these totally helped me get some relief from constant nausea. However, lots of pregnant people are obsessed with ginger for helping with morning sickness, so it’s gotta be on the list of first trimester must haves.
Real Ginger Ale Nausea Relief in First Trimester
We have all heard about ginger ale is great for an upset stomach, but a lot of the sodas you see out there don’t have REAL ginger in them. The soda I recommend as one of the first trimester must haves does have real ginger in it and is organic!
My favorite ginger ale is a brand called Sipps, but I couldn’t find it when writing this so I’m sharing Reed’s Real Ginger Ale as an option on Amazon.
Saltine Crackers a Must Have for Morning Sickness
How could I leave this off the list of first trimester must haves? Especially when you can get a huge box on Amazon. I spent almost all day every day snacking on these babies, and these mini’s are the best. Seriously just stock up, you’ll thank yourself late.
Pregnancy Tea Feel Better in the First Trimester
My heartburn wouldn’t allow me to drink much besides water and my nausea wouldn’t allow me to drink too much water. But sometimes I need to mix it up a little. So I made some sweet tea with honey out of this Pregnancy Tea. It was delicious and has all the recommended herbs for pregnancy.
One thing to note is it does include raspberry leaf, which some doctors don’t recommend in the first trimester. My midwife was fine with it for me, but you may want to check for yourself.
Preggie Pop Drops a Remedy for Nausea in the First Trimester
Sour candies are a great remedy for morning sickness, and Preggie Pop Drops helped me so much during certain periods of my first trimester. For a while, I didn’t let these little candies leave my side! I even drove out of my way to get them if I ran out.
Leachco Back ‘N Belly Countoured Body Pillow for Better Sleep During Pregnancy
You wouldn’t expect a ton of back pain this early in pregnancy, but for me, I started having sciatic and round ligament pain at around 8 weeks. Since this is my second baby, everything seems to move and stretch out a lot sooner than the last time. I had this amazing pillow during my last pregnancy and had to break it out for this one by about 9 weeks!
Unisom and B6 Vitamins to Survive the First Trimester
The combination of these two was like magic for me. (Again check with your doc or midwife before taking medication.)
I take Unisom at bedtime and B6 in the morning. This combo has even been used as a prescription for morning sickness. The downside is it did make me a bit groggy, but I would take groggy over nauseous any day.
New Chapter Prenatal Multivitamin to Start Prenatal Vitamins during First Trimester
Starting prenatal vitamins is a pretty standard recommendation during pregnancy, and you should double-check with your doctor or midwife to make sure you are getting the right vitamins for you personally. But New Chapter was my favorite prenatal to take during pregnancy.
Papaya Enzymes to Help First Trimester Morning Sickness
Papaya Enzymes were a first for me this pregnancy. A friend of mine in the medical field, who is also a fellow mom, recommended these to me. I had never heard of them before, but decided to give them a try, and these were a game changer!
I take them after meals and they helped a ton with acid reflux and nausea.
Magnesium Oil Flakes a First Trimester Remedy
Magnesium is super helpful to a healthy pregnancy, and it can also be a great first trimester remedy for morning sickness. Whether it is the Magnesium or the relaxation of a warm bath, I didn’t care. I used a cup or two of Magnesium flakes in a nice bath and it made me feel so much better. So I had to add it to the list of first trimester must haves.
Besides Just First Trimester Must Haves, Let’s talk about First Trimester FAQ’s Too
What are the best things to do in your first trimester?
Relax and take care of yourself. You’re probably not going to feel like yourself, and may even feel just awful. So make self-care your number one focus if possible. This article will give you some ideas on how to get through the first few months and the best things to do. (And share this with your partner so they can best support your too.)
What should I avoid during my first trimester?
First and foremost, avoid anything that makes you feel worse. Self-care during the first trimester is the most important thing to focus on. So feel free to clear your calendar as much as possible and just relax for a couple months. But for a full list of things to avoid during the first trimester, check out this article.
What are the best foods to eat in your first trimester?
Eat whatever makes you feel good! While there are some foods you should avoid during pregnancy, don’t worry about having the most balanced diet these first few months. If you have to live on grilled cheese and cantaloupe for a few months as I did, that’s ok.