A Handy Pregnancy Guide

our babies and kids editor (and new mom)

Joanna Goddard

shares the 10 maternity pieces she swears by.

• 1
  a pretty dress

  When you're feeling very tired and very round, you sometimes need a reminder that you're still sexy. I always felt pretty in a maternity dress, which I wore to brunches with friends and dinners with my husband. (Isn't this GAP dress sweet?)

• 2
  a belly band

  You'll be able to wear some of your regular tops (and your husband's button-downs) if you have a BellaBand. They keep your bump from peeking out under your shirts!

• 3
  maternity spanx

  At first glance, I thought that maternity Spanx sounded odd—would the tights squish your growing belly? But they were actually genius: They leave ample room for your baby bump, but lift and shape your thighs and bum, which, during pregnancy, is a godsend.

• 4
  stretchy jeans

  When I was pregnant, I wore a regular pair of jeans a couple sizes up—but by my ninth month, they were horribly uncomfortable! In hindsight, I wish I had splurged on a pair of skinny jeans with an elastic waist. This Boden pair is adorable.

• 5
  nursing bras

  A beautiful bra to support you while pregnant (and nursing) is this Elle Macpherson nursing bra. (I also love how the lace peeks out from tank tops and cardigans.)

• 6
  organic lotion

  Like many mamas-to-be, as soon as I found out that we were expecting a baby, I took a closer look at all my beloved beauty products; I wanted to know exactly what ingredients were used and whether they were pure and safe. Switching to organic body lotion felt like the right choice (and helped with stretch marks!), and I also loved this natural sunscreen, nail polish, and shampoo.

• 7
  cotton briefs

  Want to hear a little tip? Many pregnant moms secretly buy a few pairs of larger underwear, to avoid stretching out their pretty lingerie while pregnant. (Apparently panties can get saggy afterward!) I adored these soft cotton hipsters from Calvin Klein.

• 8
  slip-on shoes

  As your belly gets bigger, it gets harder and harder to bend over to tie your shoes. Luckily, there are some adorable slip-on shoes out there—like these French Bensimon sneakers.

• 9
  maternity pillow

  This crazy seahorse-shaped maternity pillow was a lifesaver in my middle months of pregnancy—I would have tossed and turned without it. I even took it on vacation with us!

• 10
  red lipstick

  A dash of lip color to make you feel glamorous.

  
  
  

  Finally, most of all, congratulations! xoxo

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