13 First Trimester Must Haves for Surviving Pregnancy (from a Mom of 5 Who’s Been There…A Lot)
Baby hand in parents
First trimester must haves, first trimester nausea, first trimester pregnancy tips — I’ve googled them all at 2 a.m. while clutching a Saltine cracker and praying the room would stop spinning. I get it, mama. The first trimester is magical, but it’s also brutal. The exhaustion hits like a brick wall, the nausea comes in waves, your boobs feel like bruised bowling balls, and the anxiety of the unknown can creep in quietly when the house finally gets still.
And yet this is your body’s sacred season of unseen work. While no one else can see the bump yet, God does. He’s already knitting together a soul inside you.
I’m pregnant with our fifth baby in six years. I’ve carried a baby at some point every year since I was 20. I’m 27 now and have basically earned a PhD in surviving the first trimester. I know the heartburn. I know first trimester nausea that makes brushing your teeth a survival sport. I know dragging yourself off the bathroom floor to go make breakfast for a toddler who only wants heart-shaped pancakes.
And because I love you, because I’ve been there, I made this list of first trimester must haves that are actually worth having. Not fluffy nonsense. Just the real, life-saving things that make the first 12 weeks survivable... maybe even beautiful.
This post is all about first trimester must haves, first trimester pregnancy tips, and everything you need for surviving the first trimester with grace, naps, and Jesus.
1. Ginger Tea
If I could only choose one first trimester essential, it would be ginger tea. Ginger is a superfood when it comes to fighting off first trimester nausea. I start every morning with a steaming mug before I start the kids breakfast. It settles my stomach just enough so I can function — because as a mom of four other kids, staying horizontal isn’t really an option.
Not all ginger teas are created equal, though. I’ve tried so many across five pregnancies. My absolute favorites (which I’ll link on my Amazon storefront) have that perfect balance of flavor with 0 artificial taste. A little honey, a little lemon, a deep breath… and I can make breakfast without gagging into the sink.
2. Compression Socks or Cozy Fuzzy Socks
Look, I know socks don’t seem like a first trimester pregnancy tip — but hear me out. Swollen ankles and circulation issues don’t wait until the third trimester for some of us. By baby #4, I finally ordered compression socks and GIRL... game changer. No more puffy ankles. No more throbbing calves after grocery shopping.
And if compression socks feel like too much? The classic fuzzy socks are an act of self care and survival.
Because here’s the truth: just because your belly hasn’t popped doesn’t mean you aren’t working HARD. Your body is building a brain, organs, a beating little heart. You don't need to justify sitting down. Throw on cozy socks, make tea, and rest. You are making a human.
Snuggled in a blanket
3. A Thick, Cozy Blanket
Morning sickness + exhaustion = blanket season. I keep one on the couch, one in my room, one in the playroom. When the wave of sleepiness hits — or when I just need to hide from the world — I crawl under a soft blanket and breathe.
If you have littles, this becomes a beautiful invitation: “Come snuggle, let’s read books under here.” Or, on especially rough days, “Let’s make a blanket fort and watch a movie while mommy rests her eyes.”
Soft things matter when your body feels like a war zone.
4. Under Eye Masks
My face holds a lot of water during early pregnancy. Puffy eyes, dark circles, the whole shabang. Enter under-eye masks. I’ll stick them on, lay back, and give myself ten minutes of peace while the Lord knits together a soul in my womb and the collagen tries to resurrect my face.
It’s not vanity — it’s survival. It’s permission to care for yourself while you care for everyone else.
5. Lounge Sets
If I had a uniform for surviving the first trimester, it would be a soft, stretchy lounge set. I LIVE in these. They’re cute enough for school pick-up, forgiving enough for bloating, and cozy enough for couch naps. Whether I’m running errands or lying dramatically on the floor, at least I look somewhat put together.
I’ll link my favorite one — the one that made me believe I could be cute and nauseous simultaneously.
6. Seamless Bras
This needs to be said: throw away your underwire bras for the next 12-40 weeks. Or burn them. Or donate them to the brave women who wants them.
I wear a 34H, so I understand needing structure. But weeks 4–12? Absolutely not. Seamless bras are soft, stretchy, breathable, and don’t make you want to cry when someone hugs you. Trust me your boobs will thank you.
7. Prenatal Vitamins
If your prenatal vitamins make you gag? You’re not alone. I’ve tried them all. Most made me sick — until I found the Olly prenatal gummies. They taste like candy and don’t send me running to the bathroom.
But even if those don’t work for you — PLEASE at least take a folic acid supplement. Your baby needs it in the first trimester to help develop a strong brain and spine. This is one of the most important first trimester pregnancy tips I can give.
8. A Cute Water Bottle
Yes, technically any water bottle works. But hydration is everything in the first trimester — and I’m 10x more likely to sip water when my bottle is cute. I love the big ones that come in pretty colors and have straws (because tipping a bottle when you’re nauseous is basically a vomit trigger).
Water helps with headaches, digestion, swelling, fatigue… literally everything. So drink up, mama.
Water Bottle
9. Liquid I.V.
I drink one Liquid I.V. packet a day during the first trimester. It has electrolytes and helps my body actually absorb the water rather than peeing it out immediately. When I’m too nauseous to get enough food or water down, Liquid I.V. helps me feel human again.
Especially on those days when plain water is triggering — this is one of my top first trimester must haves.
10. A Knee Pillow
Everybody swears by full-length pregnancy pillows — but honestly, I don’t love them. They’re bulky and make me feel trapped. What I do love? A small knee pillow. Slide it between your knees, and suddenly your hips don’t scream when you try to sleep.
Five babies in six years… my hips have seen things. This pillow helps.
11. Belly Butter
I’m not here to promise zero stretch marks. I have a few — but surprisingly few for five pregnancies, and I credit it to staying moisturized.
I use belly butter once or twice a day in the first trimester. Your skin is stretching faster than you realize, preparing for what’s ahead. This isn’t about vanity — it’s about giving your skin support while it works overtime.
And also—stretch marks or not—you are beautiful. Scars from miracles are not flaws.
12. Vomit Bags
Keep them in the car. In your nightstand. In your purse. In the kitchen. Those little travel vomit bags (the kind nurses use) are lifesavers. You can puke with dignity and minimal cleanup.
Especially if you’re like me and have a kid who gets motion sickness AND a body that decides to vomit in the Chick-fil-A drive-thru line.
13. Preggo Pops + Ginger Drops
I rotate between Preggo Pops and Ginger Drops throughout the day. If I have the same flavor over and over, my stomach revolts. But switching? Magic.
They help me keep something in my stomach so I don’t get shaky or overly acidic — and that means I can actually eat real food later. Little lifesavers.
Baby bump
Other First Trimester Survival Tips (From a Tired but Seasoned Mom)
Small snacks > big meals. A handful of almonds, grapes, crackers. Just keep fuel coming.
Let the screen time happen if needed. A little more screen time for a season is not the enemy. Vomiting surrounded by toddlers in the bathroom is.
Go to bed early. 8:30 p.m.? Lights out.
Ask for help. You are growing a soul — you do not need to also scrub the bathtub today.
Don’t compare pregnancies. Every baby is different. Every body is different.
Rest is holy work. You are not being lazy. You are being faithful.
The Quiet Miracle Happening Inside You
The world might not see your bump yet. People might expect you to keep up, keep hustling, keep normal. But heaven sees what’s happening. Right now, inside your body, God is whispering life into existence. Cells are multiplying. A spine is forming. A heartbeat is flickering, quiet and strong.
“For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb.” — Psalm 139:13
The Lord is knitting together eyelashes, fingerprints, a soul that will one day laugh and cry and call you mama.
So here’s your permission: drink the ginger tea. Wear the stretchy pants. Nap under the blanket. Order the Liquid I.V. and the Olly vitamins. Believe that this hidden work matters.
You are doing holy work in the everyday mundane.
You are not alone.
I’m praying you feel His peace when the nausea hits. His strength when the exhaustion comes. His joy when you feel nervous. And His hand over your belly — reminding you this is sacred.
I will link my entire First Trimester must Haves here!
You’ve got this, mama. One sip of ginger tea at a time.