Top 10 Hacks for Expecting Moms
February 2, 2020
Mommin’ ain’t easy, and any tips that can help expecting mothers feel more comfortable, confident and healthy are certainly worth considering. From belly bands to prenatal vitamins and more, we’ve compiled a list of maternity hacks to help expecting moms cope with some of the most challenging physical demands of pregnancy.
1. Remember to Take Your PNVs
Prenatal vitamins, or PNVs, can help supplement the nutritional needs of expecting mothers. During pregnancy, your body needs a boost of calcium, folic acid, iron and more to help promote cell growth, maintain energy and promote an overall healthy pregnancy.1 Even if you’re usually a healthy eater, taking a prenatal vitamin can be beneficial.
Of course, prenatal vitamins aren’t very effective if you forget to take them. With the guidance of your health care professional, find a prenatal vitamin that works for you and try these suggestions for keeping your PNV routine on track:
- Take it in the morning. Set your PNVs near your toothbrush, coffee maker or other place you’ll likely notice them. The toothbrush is a particularly good one. Since you (we hope) brush your teeth twice a day, you’ll likely remember to take your vitamin in the morning or at worst, when you’re getting ready for bed.
- Set an on-going alarm on your smartphone. Most people these days are not without their phones for very long, if at all. Go into your phone’s alarm settings and set up a daily alarm for the same time every day and name it “vitamins” or whatever you will associate with taking your PNVs.
- Download a medication management app. Some are free, some require a fee to download, and some may require a subscription. Browse the web or your device’s app store to find one that you think will work for you. A few examples are Medisafe Medication Reminder, MyMeds and Dosecast. All are available for free on iOS and Android devices. Dosecast is also available on Amazon devices and offers a free and upgraded “Pro edition.”
2. Use Kinesiology Tape for an Inexpensive Belly Band
Lower back pain is an uncomfortable yet normal side effect of pregnancy. As the weight of the baby grows, the lower back muscles must endure the strain. Over time this can cause quite a bit of discomfort. One method for treating lower back pain associated with pregnancy is the use of a belly band.
A belly band is a support garment used by pregnant women and new mothers to help support their growing bellies while also extending the life of pre-pregnancy clothing by hiding unbuttoned or unzipped pants. Some belly bands offer mild compression, giving a bit of extra support to the hips and lower back. Higher quality belly bands can be costly, ranging from $35-$70; however, there is a lower-cost alternative that may provide the same benefits.
Kinesiology tape, or Kinesio Tape®, is a hypoallergenic, elastic, adhesive tape used to help treat musculoskeletal and sports injuries, inflammation and yes, back pain associated with pregnancy. The benefits of using kinesiology tape are that it’s affordable, can be worn for days at a time and the material is very similar to human skin in both thickness and elasticity, making it far less restrictive than most maternity support garments.2
Additionally, kinesiology tape is a safe, drug-free treatment for lower back pain. It also can be used with doctor-approved pain medicine to deliver greater relief. This was documented in the results of a randomized, controlled study that compared the effectiveness of pain reduction in two groups of pregnant women. One group received kinesiology tape therapy in addition to the classical analgesic therapy of paracetamol (acetaminophen), while the other group received paracetamol alone. The study found that women who received both treatment methods reported a more significant reduction in back pain when compared to the group that only received the pain medication.3
3. Retrofit Pants to Make Room for Your Belly
If you’re pretty handy with a sewing machine, you can retrofit your pre-pregnancy pants to make them more comfortable for your growing belly. The internet has tons of tutorials and how-to articles to use as guides. Or if you’re not the sewing type, you can enlist the help of a seamstress or alteration shop. Another option is to go up one or two sizes and skip the maternity section of your local clothing store.
4. Keep A Survival Kit on Your Nightstand
Grab a simple box, basket or bag to keep by your bedside and fill it with whatever feel-good, comforting items you may need during the night. Some ideas might include packs of crackers (having a light snack may help prevent nausea, as morning sickness can be more intense on an empty stomach4), small water bottles (staying hydrated is a must), ginger candy (again, for nausea), and antacids.
5. Try a Bra Extender
Some women find their tried-and-true brassieres no longer fit or feel comfortable once they’re in the later stages of pregnancy. Instead of spending the extra cash on a new set of bras, buy a few simple bra extenders (available on Amazon.com, Walmart.com and probably many other retail websites). It’ll save money, not to mention the hassle of going to a store and getting fitted.
6. Keep Bananas and Coconut Water in the House
Leg cramps are a common discomfort during pregnancy. To help alleviate them, eat a potassium-rich banana and drink a glass a water. Likewise, coconut water is a good source of potassium and it contains magnesium, another nutrient associated with easing muscle cramps.5
7. Keep Tongs in the Shower
Sound silly? Trust us, once you drop something in the shower during your third trimester, you’ll be glad you have them.
8. Switch Out Old Shoelaces with Elastic Ones
As pregnancy progresses, you’ll find it gets a lot harder to complete basic tasks like bending over to tie your shoes. A set of elastic, no-tie shoelaces like Xpand® (available on Amazon.com for about $10) can make your life a lot easier.
9. Use Hair Ties to Hold Pants Together
You might’ve seen this making the rounds on Pinterest. It’s a very simple hack that involves slipping one end of an elastic hair band through the buttonhole on your jeans and then looping it through itself, securing it. Then take the long end and slip it over the button. The elasticity of the hair tie allows the waist of your pants to stretch but will keep everything in place.
10. Cut Pantyliners in Half to Use as Nursing Pads
You’ve likely already got a pack or two of disposable pantyliners in your home, and if so, you can cut them in half to use as nursing pads. The adhesive backs will stick to the inside of your bra or shirt and they’ll cost less. Win-win!
Prenatal Vitamins for Your Growing Nutritional Needs
We hope you’ve enjoyed reading about these helpful maternity hacks. As part of our commitment to providing expecting mothers with the tools and resources for a healthy pregnancy, we invite you to get to know our Prenate® Family Line of Prenatal Vitamins. Speak with your doctor about the benefits of taking a daily prescription prenatal vitamin and consider choosing Prenate® to enhance and support pregnancy health.
