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In a world where you encounter constant pregnancy-related marketing from the moment you buy your first pregnancy test (if not before), we try hard not to go overboard when recommending products for this uncomfortable and anxiety-inducing period of life. This year’s Pregnancy & Postpartum Moms Who Get It Awards feature everything from dependable prenatal vitamins and maternity wardrobe basics to comfort items that can make all the difference post-birth. Read on for all our picks.
Of course, be sure to clear any supplements, exercise equipment, or medical products on this list with your OB or pediatrician as necessary before use.
Feeling Your Best
Favorite Prenatal Vitamins: Naturemade Prenatal Multi + Choline
Considering you’ll need to buy around a year’s supply of whichever prenatal vitamin you choose (at least), we appreciate that Naturemade offers this affordable and comprehensive set that addresses the choline gap in some prenatal vitamins.
Favorite Funny Pregnancy Book (& Gag Gift): The Big Fat Activity Book for Pregnant People
We could recommend a Serious Pregnancy Handbook, one that gives you week-by-week instructions on what to expect (and gets you 10x more worried about everything in the process). And while there’s a time and a place for such volumes, we need to share this delightful activity book, too. One anxious Skimm’r received this as a gift during her first trimester, and spent a much-needed evening giggling at the little jokes and activities inside — then started paying it forward and gifting it to all her newly pregnant friends. Trust us when we say that any nervous, uncomfortable mom-to-be deserves these laughs.
Favorite Pregnancy Pillow: BabyBub Bub's Maternity Pillow™
Not everyone wants a massive pillow taking over their bed for the duration of their pregnancy — and this compact pillow, designed to support your body and prevent you from rolling from your left side to your back at night, is the ideal discreet solution. It’s easy to adjust and also pack for all your last-minute pre-baby adventures.
Favorite Maternity Underwear: Bodily The All-In Panty
So buttery-soft that you’ll likely keep them in your closet long past your maternity days, these also have enough stretch that they seem to magically fit even through major changes in tummy size over the trimesters. Made from 93% micromodal, these high-rise undies work well for C-section recovery, and come in sizes S through 3XL.
Favorite Exercise Ball: Gaiam Balance Ball
A balance ball is a great tool for pregnancy, birth, and postpartum — to help you get comfortable, stay fit, and even calm your crying baby once the endless feeding-and-sleeping cycles begin. This one is durable and affordable, and comes with a manual pump.
Favorite Hydration & Anti-Nausea Product: Needed Hydration Support
Staying well-hydrated while pregnant is no easy task, and this electrolyte supplement (with nutrients like magnesium, chloride, sodium, and potassium) is designed to help with just that. The vegan formula (with no added sugar) can also come in handy postpartum, especially if you have trouble staying hydrated while nursing.
Favorite Skincare: Bio-Oil Body Oil Serum for Scars & Stretch Marks
Is this a magic oil that will ensure your body never sees a single stretch mark? No, and no such product exists. But it is a dermatologist-recommended product for moisturizing skin and reducing the appearance of scars and stretch marks, made with plant oils like rosehip oil, chia seed oil, and chamomile oil. One Skimm’r swears by it, saying it’s “the only thing that was part of my after-shower pregnancy routine the entire time.”
Favorite Stretch Equipment: Lianjindun Resistance Bands
There’s no need to invest in special new workout equipment for pregnancy, but if you’re looking to build a low-impact at-home exercise routine, tools like these can help you with pilates and resistance training workouts, all while taking up virtually no space. This resistance band set has five bands, each with a different level of resistance. Consult a doctor to make sure your at-home pregnancy exercise routine is safe for you.
Clothing & Accessories
Favorite Overalls: Quince Organic Cotton Maternity Overalls
A cozy, stretchy pair of overalls is a maternity must, and equally great postpartum when it’s easy to pull down for nursing. These cotton overalls from Quince are well-priced and turn any top into an instant outfit. Choose from seven colors, and don’t be surprised when you start wearing them multiple times a week.
Favorite PJs: Little Sleepies Women’s Pajama Set
Good-looking and cozy without the over-$100 price tag you can easily find for this style of PJs, this Little Sleepies set is perfect for a treat-yourself moment (and also makes a cute gift). It works for pregnancy, postpartum, nursing, and your general post-pregnancy life, and is made from a super soft bamboo viscose/spandex blend.
Favorite Slip-On Clogs: Rothy’s The Casual Clog
A mom shoe if we ever saw one (in a cool way, though), this machine-washable clog is made from recycled plastic bottles and merino wool, and has a comfortable contoured footbed. Whether you want an animal print, crochet design, or soft “ReVelvet” neutral, these are perfect for just stepping into on your way out of the house, and since they run large, they’re great for pregnancy-related size fluctuations.
Favorite Slip-On Sneakers: Kizik
Step-in sneakers are great at any stage of life, but they’re particularly useful when your belly gets so big that it’s physically difficult to tie your shoes. (Once your baby arrives, you may also appreciate the ease of stepping into sneakers while your hands are full.) Kizik offers a full range of styles, from stylish full-grain leather sneakers to more athletic options and even hiking boots.
Favorite Flip-Flops: FitFlop iQUSHION Ergonomic Flip-Flops
We come back to these year after year — even when not pregnant — because they’re some of the most comfortable and supportive flip-flops we’ve ever owned. They’re nice enough to work for even semi-nice summer occasions, and more importantly, you can walk in them for days at a time without issue (one Skimm’r wore only these for an entire five-day cruise involving tens of thousands of steps). They’re also perfect shoes to bring to the hospital for walking around, showering, etc., because they’ll still fit even if your feet are swollen.
Favorite Undershort: Thigh Society The WhispAir Cooling™ Anti-Chafe Slip Short
We really can’t sing the praises of these undershorts enough, although over the years we’ve certainly tried. Lighter than tights, they offer coverage without compression, helping you prevent thigh chafe, and stay dry and comfortable even on the hottest days. Choose from three lengths (the 7” is our go-to), and lots of different neutral colors, although keep in mind they’re essentially see-through.
Favorite Dress: Gap Maternity Knit Tank Dress
It really doesn’t have to get a whole lot more complicated than this basic black tank dress, which is why we’ll understand if you either wear it on repeat or stock up on a couple to keep in rotation. Fitted without being skin-tight, this is the perfect outfit on its own, or base layer if you want to layer sweaters or button-down shirts on top.
Favorite Compression Stockings/Socks: Comrad Knee-High Compression Socks
“I went bold with my compression socks because I had to make the fact that I was wearing compression socks somewhat fun,” one Skimm’r writes. And while you can easily choose a more neutral design, we like that philosophy. Comrad compression socks come in light, medium, firm, and targeted-arch varieties, so there’s really something for everyone.
Favorite Maternity Jeans: Madewell Maternity Darted Barrel-Leg Jean
These on-trend barrel-leg jeans have an elastic waist and maternity side panels to help them fit throughout your entire pregnancy, and while they don’t fully qualify as “hard pants” due to these modifications, they will help you feel like you’re not existing in *only* leggings once you’re in the third trimester.
Favorite Tops: Embrace Soft-Ribbed Nursing Tank
These stretchy supima cotton tanks come in five different colors, and are great for use both during and after pregnancy, especially if you’ll be breastfeeding. With just enough support to keep you comfortable but not overly constricted, they’re an ideal base layer for your entire pregnancy and postpartum period.
Favorite Bra: Kindred Bravely Every Stage Crossover Bra
This sleep and lounge bra won’t be the most supportive one in your closet, but is ideal for a light, nursing-friendly layer you can wear throughout your pregnancy and beyond. It’s wire-free and made from a comfortable modal spandex jersey.
Favorite Sweats: Old Navy Maternity SoComfy Crossover Nursing Tunic Sweatshirt
For a sweatshirt that’s cozy but also won’t make you feel like you’re wearing a tent, look to one of our favorite maternity clothing resources, Old Navy. This one’s designed to fit throughout pregnancy and also offer easy nursing access, and since almost everything at Old Navy is on perma-sale, you won’t feel like you’re making a huge investment in a temporary wardrobe addition.
Postpartum Recovery
Favorite Nipple Butter: Lansinoh Lanolin Nipple Cream
This single-ingredient cream is fragrance-free and safe for newborn ingestion, so you can apply it to chapped nipples without needing to remove it before each feed. It’s not a bad idea to stock up so that you can keep a little tube in your diaper bag and anywhere you regularly sit to feed the baby, so there’s always some at arm’s reach in case of an unplanned contact nap.
Favorite Nipple Cups: Silverette Nursing Cups
For sensitive nipples that need protection and healing support between feeds, these endlessly reusable sterling silver nursing cups are just the thing. Use them inside a nursing bra to protect your skin from irritation. Made in Italy, they come in three sizes and they’re easy to wash and care for between uses.
Favorite Pads: Frida Mom Instant Ice Maxi Pads
Your teenage self might have been shocked to learn you’d one day get really excited about buying maxi pads with an “instant ice” component. But they really are that good. For those first days of post-birth recovery, these absorbent pads with built-in ice packs feel like a little bit of luxury — which makes them a great gift for anyone about to go through childbirth, too.
Favorite Nursing and Pumping Bra: Cake Lingerie Croissant Nursing Bra
Cake Lingerie’s Croissant Nursing Bra has cooling, breathable fabric, an underwire for support, and 100% cotton lined cups for maximum comfort. Kindred Bravely’s pumping and nursing bra — like the nursing-only version, which we also love — is a two-layer, wire-free option that lets you pump and feed with ease, and is extremely size-inclusive, with band sizes up to 48 and Regular, Busty, and Super Busty versions fitting up to a K-cup.
Favorite Recovery Bra: SPANXsmooth® Bra-llelujah!® Unlined Bralette
For light compression without wires or hardware, this Spanx bralette is a great addition to your lingerie collection. It comes in four colors and sizes XS-XL (fitting up to an H-cup), and offers smoothing support that’s not uncomfortably tight.
Favorite Bralette: Hatch Skin to Skin Bra
Hatch is known for beautiful but pricey maternity wear, but we’ve long thought one of the least expensive things they sell (this bra) is one of their strongest. It’s not the bra to buy when you’re looking for support, since it has next to none, but it is the bra to buy if any nursing issues are making the rest of your wardrobe too uncomfortable, since the 94% pima cotton material has a barely-there quality you’ll appreciate.
Favorite Postpartum Kit: Bodily Care for Birth Bundle
Keep this on hand (or gift it to an expecting friend) for the big event, and you’ll feel as comfortable and prepared as possible when the time comes. With everything from extra mesh underwear and grippy socks to an angled peri bottle and inflatable donut pillow you can sit on, this thoughtfully put-together set is a great package deal.
Favorite C-section Recovery Item: Frida Mom C-Section Kit
Frida also sells great post-birth care bundles, including this C-section specific kit. With incision-friendly disposable underwear, an upside-down peri bottle, scar patches, an abdominal binder, and more, this is a good buy for anyone prepping in advance for C-section recovery.
Favorite Comfortable Postpartum Underwear: Gap Breathe High-Rise Bikini
While there’s plenty of specially designed pregnancy and postpartum underwear to choose from, it’s understandable if you want to start investing in “regular” underwear again post-birth, and these Gap bikinis are a good place to start. Made from jersey knit fabric with an elastic waistband and leg openings, they’re forgiving without being overly baggy and loose.
Favorite Cooler: Ceres Chill OG+ Breastmilk Chiller/Warmer
This easy-to-tote tumbler is an ingenious solution for keeping breast milk cool during office or travel days. It’s fully dishwasher safe and can chill 28 ounces of milk for up to 24 hours. If you don’t have access to a freezer but do have access to ice (for instance, at a hotel), just fill one of the tumbler’s chambers with ice to keep milk cold; if you have freezer access, freeze the inner chamber instead. When it’s time to feed, you can attach a nipple to the chiller itself, and either feed your baby chilled milk or warm the milk up by filling the outer chamber with hot water. Did we mention you can also pump right into this thing?
Favorite Muscle Relief Cream: Tiger Balm Extra-Strength Pain Relieving Ointment
Between birth itself and all the various associated discomforts — endless bottle-washing sessions over the sink, hauling strollers up and down stairs in the subway, and oh yeah, carrying that baby around everywhere — it’s reasonable to expect some soreness. This extra-strength Tiger Balm is one of our all-purpose go-tos for real relief. Just make sure you only apply it in areas where it won’t transfer to your baby’s skin.
Favorite Hair Treatment: Nutrafol Postpartum
This breastfeeding-friendly supplement is specifically designed for use during the first year post-birth. A four-capsule daily dose includes ingredients ranging from marine collagen, theanine, and shatavari extract to DHA omega-3s, and if consistent use doesn’t lead to noticeable results, you may be eligible for a refund through Nutrafol’s Real Growth Guarantee.