Money Well Spent.

I've been thinking about all the stuff you think you need with your first baby. There are seriously thousands (millions?) of things people/blogs/Pinterest tell you that you need. Like those baby lounge pillows, shoes for newborns, a diaper stacker, $100 maternity jeans and $60 nursing covers... It's stressful! Like if your baby shows up and you have diapers, a carseat, and a pack-n-play but no Sofie the Giraffe teether, he/she is going to be in therapy for a good portion of his/her adult life.

That said, there are some things that have been nice to have. Beyond the basics, we've loved those velcro swaddlers from SwaddleMe, the Bumbo, a video monitor, and the Baby Bjorn for our little lovebugs.

And pregnancy has been no different. This time around (since I knew I would be huge/uncomfortable/tired/sick) I decided to spend a little more on ridiculous-but-useful things. I got some maxi dresses and maternity clothes to keep me comfy and feeling not-totally-frumpy, but I also spent a little on a couple of other random things. Here are the things I'm most glad I bought:

First trimester:

Waffle Crisp ($3.50/ea). This was something that consistently tasted good and stayed down during the long weeks of morning sickness. I had to order it from Amazon, and it came in a 4-pack for $14. Totally worth it. I averaged two bowls per day.

Second trimester:

Belly belt ($30). Talk about Sexy Back, right? This little beauty is super ugly but WONDERFUL for my back, which has a hard time holding up the belly. I've been using it more and more as the third trimester has progressed and my width has started approaching my height. I just wear it at home, but I bet I could sneak it under a flowy dress next time I hit the grocery store...

Diaper stock up (~ 12 cents--or less--each). I'm honestly not sure how much I actually paid for diapers, except that it was MUCH less than I would have paid without sales. I just kept getting my reward dollars from CVS and combining them with multiple coupons & sales to get them for super cheap. AND lucky for me, Nicole, Becca, and Christie threw me a diaper shower, so I should have plenty to get us through the first few months!

Third trimester:

Body pillow ($8). WHY did I wait until my third pregnancy to get one of these? I had a coupon for Target body pillows & they had sale, so I didn't even have to pay the full $10 they usually cost. But much, much more would have been worth it. I haven't slept so well pregnant... ever! Though it does cause a bit of crowding. Steve has been very patient with the pillow nest that has slowly taken over our bed.