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Challenge: Pregnancy Secrets

Pregnancy Hacks for the Mom-To-Be

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Some women really do glow when they’re pregnant. They feel great, they look great, and they have an extra kick in their step while they rock that adorable baby bump. Friends, I am not that girl. There’s a good chance, I’m the worst pregnant lady ever. I don’t glow, I feel sick All. The. Time, I can’t sleep for more than an hour or two, and that whole “you can’t even tell you’re pregnant”—yeah, totally not me. But even though pregnancy and I don’t work well together, I can’t deny I’m a big fan of the big present at the end: a baby! So even if you’re having a magical pregnancy and feeling fabulous or you’re limping to the finish line (I feel you, Mamma), here’s pregnancy hacks that will help you survive those nine months until your bundle of joy arrives.

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While the Old Wives Tale says your baby will have a lot of hair if you have a lot of indigestion during pregnancy, Granny Smith green apples work wonders for giving you relief from pregnancy induced indigestion. Buy those green apples in bulk!

If you’re trying to make your pre-pregnancy shirts stretch over your bump but you’re coming up a little too short, you can create a DIY belly band to give you a little more length and it won’t make you hot when layering. Just take an old tank top and cut the off the straps and neckline in a straight line. Fold the tank over your belly and pants and pull your other shirt.

Not quite ready for maternity jeans? Looping a hair tie though the buttonhole and onto the button will let you stay in your favorite pre-pregnancy jeans for a few more weeks. If the zipper start to fall, just wrap another hair tie around the top of the zipper and attach to the button.

If you’re sitting at a desk at work and your feet are swollen at the end of the day, grab a milk crate to prop your feet up. It will save you from painful swelling and wondering when your ankles disappeared.

Rather than buying new bras during your pregnancy, you can find bra extenders at a craft store. They are easy to attach and save you money on bras during and after your pregnancy.

Prenatal vitamins are important to for you and your baby’s health, but taking them in the morning always made me sick. So try taking them before bed to ease nausea. Plus seeing the pill bottle on your nightstand will help with the dreaded pregnancy brain.

Hack a pregnancy pillow by placing a travel neck pillow under your belly. You’ll get some relief and much needed sleep without having to buy an expensive and bulky pregnancy pillow.

If you’re desperate to sleep on your belly or stretch out your back, grab doughnut shaped pool raft, cover it with sheets and blankets, and prop your belly inside the raft. Perfect trick for belly sleepers who miss their favorite sleeping position.

Doctors appointments: you’ll have a lot of them. Try for appointments early in the morning so you aren’t hanging in the waiting room for way too long.

Leave room temperature water and crackers on your night stand. A few sips of water and a cracker or two before you get out of bed can help keep morning sickness as bay—at least for a little while.

Using Kineso tape can really help relieve aches and pains for carrying around that heavy belly.

If you’re pregnant and you have a toddler at home, sometimes you have to get creative. Make busy bags for your little one for those times you aren’t feeling well and teach them how to climb stairs on their own to save your back. Just be sure to hold their hands while they climb!

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