my pregnancy essentials

your first time being pregnant, you literally have no clue what to expect. you can't even fathom the changes your body goes through. emotionally, hormonally ( << is that a word?), physically.. it's an experience, that's for sure. you'll get a ton of advice from lots of people, which might be helpful and might not be. that's for you to decide. your second pregnancy, in my case, you kinda know what worked for you the first time, what you loved, what you hated, whose advice you will listen to but will immediately throw out the window because they're bat shit crazy, etc.. you know. 
so i've compiled my pregnancy essentials that i've needed (and still need) along the way. the good, the bad, and the totally disgusting.. you're welcome.   stretch mark lotion - we'll start with this one. there are tons and tons of lotions out there for you to pick from that will "help reduce the appearance of stretch marks!".. but i wanted one to avoid them altogether. guess what? doesn't exist. i remember when i was pregnant with drey and talking to my doctor about stretch marks and he said did your mom get stretch marks? because it's genetic and you will get them no matter what lotion/cream it is or how much of it you use. and damnit he was right! i did get stretch marks. BUT after baby, they faded almost immediately. my skin bounced back to where it was and there wasn't any 'loose' looking skin. so i concluded (to myself) that it was the lotion i lathered on 500 times a day. i'm hoping i'm as lucky this time around as i was the last..

coconut oil - i didn't do this with my first pregnancy but i h i g h l y recommend it! the belly itch. you moms know, right? you know that belly itch! and i refuse to feed it with scratching. so whenever my tummy starts itching, i rub coconut oil on it and cover it with a belly band or a stretchy tank made out of the same material. so good, you guys. it works like a gem. scouts honor. i also sometimes put it in my bath water and let it soak into my skin. you can find coconut oil pretty much anywhere, but i prefer to use trader joe's brand. it's organic, it's virgin, it's only $6.. haha seriously though, i've tried others and that's the one i like the most.
panty liners - oh ew gross, you don't want to know, right? too bad. because all the other disgusting stuff that comes out of you while pregnant, i have one more. and it's pee. i know i'm not alone on this! ya'll can scoff and judge me all you want but i have dribble issues. and if i sneeze or cough or laugh too hard, it's a little more than dribblage. so i keep pads with me at all times and i call each one thee elephante, with the french drawl included. i just.. i need them, okay. and you probably do too.
granny panties - while we're on the subject.. granny panties are a staple in everyone's pregnancy (tyler 100% disagrees and i think he secretly throws my grannies away..). i don't care who or what you are, you need them. you might just not know it yet. there comes a point in pregnancy where it's just not comfy anymore to wear a lace thong or your favorite cheeksters from VS. but you're in desperate need to feel like you again so you put them on anyways. 2 hours later you find yourself in a walmart bathroom ripping off your cute lacy undies, throwing them against the wall while yelling no! and putting on a new pair of oversized, florescent grannies you hastily snagged because your vagina was dying for air. and then the awkward stare down from the teenage cashier as he rings up your opened underwear package, secretly knowing. judging. but you don't care because you feel soo much better. or was that just me? whatever.. i'm just saying you need your grannies so you feel comfy at all times. and so your elephante will fit better.
flip flops - i know this sounds like a want rather than an essential.. but i can assure it's very much an essential! your feet are swollen and they only get worse. and the shoes you wear with those swollen toesies will forever be re-sized. and your post pregnancy feet will be like whaaat is going on here?! my advice? get some flip flops that you don't love (cheap, plain, think old navy..) because they will stretch giving your chubby feet temporary comfort. and then afterwards, you don't feel bad about never wearing them again. and if you're the preggo lady who wears wedges and heels until the very end, well... you're in the wrong place. i have nothing for you. except hatred.
hot baths - i will never deny myself a bath. even if it's a short 15 min take the pressure off the back and read my book kind of bath, i'll do it. and baby girl loves them, too! she goes buck wild when i'm soaking in the tub. my belly seriously looks like popcorn is popping inside me. and to make my bath a little more soothing, i will add a packet of aveeno's colloidal oatmeal bath treatments. and then break apart some of the floating oatmeal clusters and rub them on my belly to help relieve itching. it's that good good, i'll tell ya.
tums - tums for breakfast, tums for lunch, tums for dinner. tums after i drink water. tums all day.
my pregnancy app - i can't keep track of what day of the week it is or remember anything i'm supposed to be doing.. so my 'progress app' is very helpful in reminding me where i'm at during these 9 months. people will ask how far along are you?! and i'm supposed to shout back 7 months and 12 days! wahoo! but instead, i stare at them with a blank look like whaaa-umm? i don't.. hold on...  i told you guys what i thought about that dumb "pregnancy brain" study they did. it's. real. i'm living proof of this. i swear i'm a somewhat smart person, but i've been struggling. it's a miracle we come out as we were after all this.
water - staying hydrated is very important. when you're pregnant, i feel like it's even more important. getting all those fluids in you everyday is sometimes a task, but you have to do it. i have water with me pretty much wherever i go. i'm always thirsty and if i'm downing water i don't feel tempted to get a giant fountain dr. pepper. okay, i'm tempted, but it's less likely i'll do it. only downside, i always have to pee. which is where my elephante comes in handy. haha..
maternity leggings - i don't know what i ever did in my life without these. i've said it before, i will never wear normal leggings ever again. they are the whizzle to my wazzle, love at first sight, my mistresses (<< yea, plural), my everything. every woman, pregnant or not!, should own at least 2 pairs of maternity leggings. this is not a drill! your body will bow to me, and i'm prepared to accept these bows. namaste.
so what about you guys?! i know there were things you just couldn't live without when you were pregnant and i want to know what they were.