Meet the Mama. My name is Jes and I’m a professional marketer (read: workaholic), self-confessed control freak, a total nerd and, as of ten months ago, a new mom. I used to work with Cammie and when I heard she was expecting, I was so excited for her! But as I read her posts exploring just a few of the zillions of products out there for taking care of a little one, I was transported back in time to about 20 months ago when I was trying to begin building my gift registry for the parade of baby showers to come. I was LOST. Strike that, I was BEYOND LOST. Most of my friends didn’t have children. My mother was helpful, but many of the products out there now weren’t even around when I was born. So I did what any nerd would do—I studied. I read thousands of reviews and forum posts. I did side-by-side comparisons. I tried samples. I took classes. I did everything I could do to build up as much knowledge as I could and then after my daughter was born, I threw everything I thought I knew out the window and started learning through experience.

Over a series of posts, I’ll share with you the products that help me get the hardest, most rewarding job done every day—the job of being a mom.

This Installment’s Category: The Pre-game

A good start into motherhood starts with a happy, healthy pregnancy and it’s no secret that being pregnant comes with its fair share of little discomforts. Here are some of my favorite things for smoothing the way to delivery day.

1. MVP: Snoogle Original Total Body Pregnancy Pillow

As I got bigger and bigger, I had a REALLY hard time getting comfortable enough to fall asleep. I started out just using normal pillows to prop my legs up. When that wasn’t enough, I bought an inexpensive body pillow and I got what I paid for—another pillow and not much relief. It was actually one of my husband’s pregnant co-workers that recommended the Snoogle. I found one at a local baby store and couldn’t believe the price. $50 for a pillow? Seriously?!!! I sucked it up and bought the pillow and I am SO glad I did! As it turns out, $50 is a small price to pay for a comfortable sleeping position when your eight or nine months pregnant. And ten months after having the baby, I still snuggle with my Snoogle nightly.

2. Gummy Pre-natal Vitamins

Thankfully, I didn’t have too many food aversions while I was pregnant. Chicken and mouthwash were the only things that I absolutely couldn’t handle (weird combo, right?) but I did find that my gag reflex was much more sensitive. More often than not, brushing my teeth would send me running for the sink, and not just to spit! So the idea of swallowing pills every day wasn’t especially appealing. I actually went looking for gummy vitamins pretty early on in the pregnancy but I couldn’t find any. Then one day while doing my weekly HBA shopping (that’s health and beauty aids for those of you who spend a less excessive amount of time at the grocery store), there they were! And I’m not the only one who loves them—after reading all the great stuff, my husband started taking them too. As it turns out, the same great stuff for building babies is also great for building muscles at the gym. It’s a win-win!

3. L’Occitane Ultra Riche Shower Cream and Shea Butter Body Lotion

Okay, this is less about the actual product than the idea behind it. I loved being pregnant but it definitely compounded my stress at work. It also made my already dry skin positively parched (having a baby in the desert in the dead of winter will do that to ya) and I hate, hate, HATE applying lotion. I’m not kidding. I’ll postpone shaving my legs for as long as I can simply because I hate applying lotion. For me, the trick was finding a beauty ritual that would simultaneously help me let go of the stress and give my skin the moisture it was craving. Your sense of smell is magnified while you’re pregnant and most of my normal go-to fragrances were suddenly too overpowering. My former boss and dear friend bought me a L’Occitane gift set for my birthday and I was hooked. This body wash and corresponding lotion became a nightly ritual that I looked forward to. It helped me feel calm, pampered and relaxed, and what pregnant lady can’t use more of that? Plus, it’s a great way to force yourself to slow down, enjoy your pregnancy and your remaining quite time before baby arrives.

4. Heart Rate Monitor

This is the particular brand I used, but there are plenty of other less expensive models out there. If you plan on an active pregnancy, this is a great way to get peace of mind during your workouts. Before getting pregnant, I had trained for two half marathons. I ran through most of my first trimester, but my doctor insisted that my heart shouldn’t be sustained above 140 beats per minute. Even in fairly good shape, it is EASY to climb above that 140 mark without really trying. This gadget forced me to maintain reasonable limits to ensure my workouts were safe for me and the baby on the way.

5. 2 Liter+ BPA-free Water Bottle

Yup. I’m that weird woman who carries an enormous water bottle around the office and I make no apologies for this! Why cart around a giant bottle when you could just continue refilling a smaller, more manageable one? Well, if you’re anything like me, you won’t. I used to carry around a much smaller bottle with the intent of refilling it but I found that I would often get busy and that plan would go out the window. That left me way less hydrated than I should have been. The average person needs one milliliter of water for every calorie you consume and this is even more critical when you’re pregnant. You’d be surprised how easy it is to drain a giant bottle when it’s right in front of you. That same urge you feel when you’re staring down a bag of chocolate-covered pretzels or a heaping bowl of chips and guac can be harnessed for the greater good. Give into the urge to consume and drink to your health!

6. MyRegistry.com

You’re going to need a lot of stuff and thankfully there are usually lots of people who will want to buy it for you (who doesn’t love shopping for tiny little clothes and other cute things?). The catch is there just isn’t one single place that’s got it all. That’s where MyRegistry.com comes in. You can build a gift registry full of products from all over the place. There’s even a mobile app that allows you to add items to your registry by scanning a product barcode with your phone. This invention of the internet age makes building your gift registry less fuss and more fun.

That’s the list for this installment of the One Mama Roundup! Be sure the check out the next roundup headed your way in a couple of weeks where I’ll be highlighting my top tools for Nursing and Feeding.