Pregnant? Congratulations! The next 9 months will be joyful, challenging, and altogether life-changing. Get ready!
Take it from me, being pregnant can have some ROUGH days. But taking great care of yourself makes alllll the difference. Being healthy and careful about what we put into our bodies is important all the time, but if you ever needed a little extra motivation, pregnancy is just the ticket.
You’ve got a whole person in your belly to root for you as you make the switch! You got this, Mama!
Start with the obvious:
Stay away from alcohol, smoke, drugs and medications that haven’t been approved by your doctor, and anything else that has negative side effects for any person, even outside of pregnancy.
Then of course there’s food:
If you’re in your first trimester you may be getting nauseous at just the THOUGHT of eating, so I won’t go into much detail here. But keep in mind that diet and exercise are more important than ever for the next several months.
Remember, everything you put into your body (and your baby’s) is either nourishing it or tearing it down. If you EAT better, you’ll FEEL better. There’s major truth to this, but more on that another day.
Natural Products for Body and Home:
Today we’re focusing on everyday products. All the many things we put in and on our bodies on a daily basis. We often don’t really think twice about the ingredients in these products or what they might be doing to our bodies, let alone the body of the sweet little human growing inside.
To put it simply, every ingredient that goes into making a product (often ingredients that are put in so that it can be sold CHEAPER) will affect how you feel during pregnancy, and even more importantly how your baby develops.
Choose wisely!
WHY Choosing Natural Products in Pregnancy is SO Important
Real quick, can I share proof from my own life of how important it is to know EXACTLY what is going into your body, especially while pregnant?
While I was pregnant with my first baby, I had TERRIBLE heartburn. My doctors recommended I take Zantac, an over-the-counter medication, daily as needed. I needed it A LOT. I took it multiple times a day for my ENTIRE pregnancy. I literally popped one in the waiting room before the nurse walked me to my delivery room to give birth.
Fast forward 3 years…
Zantac has now been linked to some extremely scary side effects, especially in babies whose mother’s took it during pregnancy. It has been recalled and removed from shelves. I’ve even seen ads prompting me to take legal action if my baby was affected.
I blindly took something without thinking about what was in it! I was uninformed and a little lazy because I was uncomfortable (aka: in serious pain from the heartburn, but still) and I didn’t even read the label.
Ugh. NEVER AGAIN.
Thankfully, my baby is perfectly healthy, but it could have ended differently. We have to be sooo careful.
All Natural Pregnancy: A Beginner’s Guide
And that’s just ONE little example.
Think about how many products we use every day! Toothpaste, vitamins, shampoo, soap, lotion, detergent, etc.
Seriously…take a second to count how many products you used yesterday. Do you know what was in them or how they may affect your body and your baby?
If you haven’t already, being pregnant is the perfect time to make the switch to safer, more natural products. It will affect your entire life and you won’t look back.
You want to look for fewer ingredients, fewer fillers, and fewer words that sound like they don’t belong outside of a lab.
To make it easier for you, I’m sharing a list of natural personal care products that work just as well as the brands you may be used to. You won’t regret making the switch!
9 Natural Pregnancy Must-Haves
Prenatal Vitamin – Let’s start with the basics, shall we? You’ve GOT to take a really great prenatal vitamin during pregnancy to give you and your baby the important nutrients you both need right now. I love this kind. It’s in a gummy form which makes allll the difference if you struggle with morning sickness and gagging down a huge pill seems impossible.
This vitamin contains natural ingredients and focuses on many important prenatal needs such as: folate, vitamin D3 & B12 which help boost immunity and energy, omega-3 EPA/DHA, and vitamin K for bone health. This prenatal also has Beta Carotene, Vitamin B6, Vitamin K2, Choline and is free of most major allergens. They also taste MUCH better than a lot of the other vitamin options out there.
Shampoo – Did you know your shampoo is probably filled with gross ingredients that you definitely DON’T want affecting your body, especially while pregnant? Try this better option. I like it because it smells fantastic and is much less expensive than most all-natural shampoos on shelves. It’s a certified organic, plant-based formula that’s made with organic botanicals and essential oils. And best of all it contains NO parabens, harsh preservatives, GMO’s, synthetic colors or fragrances, phthalates or sulfates.
Conditioner – This conditioner is made with organic ingredients and contains none of the harsh fillers of most popular branded conditioners. It’s inexpensive for a safe, natural product and it works great combined with the shampoo I mentioned above. This kind is a really good option for mamas working to ditch the junk and go natural during pregnancy.
Deodorant – Ok, I HAVE to tell you about this deodorant. I decided to switch to a natural deodorant after learning how dangerous my usual brands are for my health. I was actually using a different brand and my husband started using Schmidt’s. Then they sent him a tiny sample of the women’s deodorant and I fell in LOVE. Their scents smell SO good and it works sooo much better and longer than the previous natural brand I tried, and for the same price!
Best of all, Schmidt’s contains no aluminum salts, propylene glycol, or parabens, and phthalates. It’s also scented with NATURAL fragrances and it only takes a tiny bit (like 1 or 2 swipes) to be effective. Yes, please! This is a great option for pregnancy and especially for switching to long-term.
Laundry Detergent – Hopefully you’re already planning on switching to a natural, baby-safe laundry detergent after Baby comes (FYI Dreft is NOT it,) but why wait until your little bundle is born to protect both of you from the awful chemicals in most detergents? This stuff is awesome. It’s made with simple, natural ingredients and is safe for skin or fragrance sensitivities, allergies, eczema, even newborn baby clothing and bedding. It works extremely well (even on stains,) pretty much every review is a rave, and it’s not just safe for people, but also for our planet. Win win win.
Belly Oil – Y’all. This belly oil is legit. It’s 100% natural, smells amazing, and can be used on any part of your beautiful growing body, not just your belly. Instead of using weird chemicals to try to mask stretch marks and blemishes that come with pregnancy, this stuff actually promotes relaxation for Mama while also comforting your skin, supporting skin elasticity, and preventing signs of stretch marks. This has no hormone-disrupting chemicals (aka: safe for you and Baby,) no synthetic preservatives, no synthetic fragrance, and no harsh acne treatment ingredients. It’s also nourishing without being oily or sticky at all, which is a big plus.
Sunscreen – We all know how dangerous the sun can be, but did you know pregnant women are even more sensitive to sun exposure dangers? UV rays, which catch us when we’re not directly in the sun, can be just as dangerous, even in less sunny seasons. Look for a broad spectrum sunscreen, preferably oxybenzone-free, that is at least SPF 30. This sunscreen has no biologically harmful chemicals and is highly effective (SPF at 50+) plus it has the highest water resistance out there. It’s very thick, which may take some getting used to, but knowing it’s natural and actually working is totally worth it. They also make a great sunscreen for Baby!
Detox Mask – Many expecting mamas experience a lot of skin changes in pregnancy, particularly in the face. Not cool. Between hormones and makeup, it’s pretty common to start breaking out. It can be so unpredictable and hard to manage. Be careful with cheap facial cleansers and masks. Your skin is sensitive right now! Many questionable ingredients could cause even more damage to your skin, or worse, introduce scary chemicals into your body while you’re pregnant.
This really great detox mask was created especially for pregnant and nursing mothers. It detoxifies pores and heals breakouts and clogged pores with natural ingredients like activated charcoal, Dead Sea salts, and Kaolin clay. It even uses natural spearmint to prevent nausea and morning sickness. YES! This is a favorite and totally worth the splurge.
Facial Cleanser – Another excellent skin care product worth mentioning is this clarifying serum. If you have red or oily skin or are prone to hormonal breakouts, this natural cream is gentle and specifically formulated to work with your body’s hormonal cycles. This uses tea tree oil and witch hazel to treat the bacteria in our skin that cause breakouts. It’s also free of salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide, unlike many face creams and cleansers. If skin care is a big part of your daily routine and you’re looking for a more natural option while pregnant (or long term,) try this out.
More Natural Products for Pregnant Women
Mama, I’m super proud of you for making this choice for you and your little one. You’ll only grow more and more happy that you did as you grow closer and closer to the big day. These first steps will definitely get you going in the right direction.
If you’re wondering about other great natural products, leave a comment below. Be on the lookout for more tips on how to transition to an all natural lifestyle while you’re pregnant and once Baby comes. Having a natural home will give you so much comfort and confidence as you raise your sweet new baby. Take it one step at a time and keep at it. It’ll be worth it!
