My Top 6 Favorite Maternity Items

Here are the items and activities I have enjoyed using during the course of pregnancy:

1. Stretch Mark Creams

The women who have had children in my family have stretch marks, so I assumed that I would get them as well. I haven’t had any stretch marks and I give kudos to these two brands for keeping my skin looking healthy. Of course, I don’t know what condition my belly would have looked like had I not used them at all, but I’d like to think that they made a big difference.

1. Weleda Stretch Mark Massage Oil
   Right before I take a shower, I dry brush my belly. Then, after my shower, I put a generous amount of this on. I usually shower right before bed so it’s a nice nighttime routine.

2. Arau Baby Maternity Cream
   This one I use sporadically, either right after I’ve exercised (but haven’t showered) or whenever my skin feels a bit dry/itchy. I like to keep it on my nightstand if I get itchy in the middle of the night. I feel like the oil above is the most effective but I don’t want to put oil on every time there is a minor itch, so this cream has been great. Also, even though it’s called “cream”, the texture is more watery like a lotion.

2. Uniqlo Maternity Wear

Uniqlo has been a godsend for maternity clothing! They’re inexpensive which is great given that I don’t want to splurge too much on items I won’t be wearing for a long time, and they have a great mix of staples for both outer and inner wear. While I have found some clothing (maternity or not) from other brands, I have found it hardest to find maternity bottoms so Uniqlo has been perfect for filling the gap!

Here are the items from Uniqlo’s Maternity collection that I recommend:

• Black Pants (great for work)

• Denim Jeggings (feel like leggings, look like jeans) One great feature of these is that there are some button expanders on the sides. I grew into these during months 5-8 and I can already tell that I’ll start unbuttoning the expander for extra comfort in the remaining weeks.

• Heat Tech leggings (great for cold weather under loose pants or dresses). Couldn’t find a link to this since it’s a warm season now

• Regular maternity leggings (I like lounging in these at home)

• Airism leggings (These are perfect for working out and also in the summertime since they’re cool to the skin)

• Maternity Underwear (‘nuff said)

3. Naturelo Prenatal Vitamins

I got these Naturelo vegetarian prenatal vitamins off of iherb (a great online platform for healthy food items that ships easily to Japan). You don’t hear much about people taking prenatal vitamins in Japan (my doctor didn’t mention anything either), so it’s easier to find recommendations for foreign brands.

I don’t have anything to compare them to since they’re the only prenatal vitamins that I’ve been taking, but they’re easy to swallow, don’t have a weird aftertaste, and my blood tests have all looked good.

4. The Sculpt Society Maternity Program

I love The Sculpt Society (TSS) app! If you’re new to it, the workouts are kind of reminiscent of Pilates meets dance movements (so you have more dynamic movement and use your own body weight or light weights). There’s a program called “TSS Mama” which includes a 40-week prenatal program and a 12-week postnatal program.

TSS is a great alternative to The Tracy Anderson Method. I used to be a big fan of The Tracy Anderson Method, but I found over the years that the workouts were getting more and more inaccessible (multi-step login process online (and no mobile app), recommendations to use a heater and bouncy floor in your room for best results, long workouts that can be 70 minutes long + a need for watching a separate breakdown, and repetitive workouts).

The woman who founded The Sculpt Society, Megan Roup, used to work for Tracy Anderson so there are a lot of really effective moves incorporated in TSS that I’ve grown to love over the years, with nice combinations and sequencing. Plus, there’s an easy-to-access mobile app, a calendar of recommended workouts, and the prenatal/postnatal programs have workouts that are anywhere from 10-30 minutes long so they’re super doable.

5. Maternity Body Pillow

I also love this Gyutto 4-Way Maternity Pillow. In the second trimester, I was finding it hard and hard to sleep on my side due to the weight of my belly. What I found through using this pillow is that the key is not necessarily to support your belly, but actually to support your knees. When your top knee is elevated using the pillow, it creates a more comfortable space for your belly to relax.

This pillow can be converted into a back pillow, nursing pillow, and seat cushion so it’s great to use not only for pregnancy but beyond!

6. Maternity Belt

I’m so grateful for my maternity belt! It’s kind of like wearing a back brace when you have back pain, only the aim for the maternity belt is to help support the weight of your bump. I also feel it’s great to wear to give your skin a break from holding all of the weight of the baby (I imagine the belt helps prevent stretch marks, but I’m not 100% sure).

I couldn't find the exact one I'm using online, but here is something similar. I bought mine directly at Akachan Honpo (the Gotanda branch).

That’s all for now - any other items you enjoyed using?