While pregnancy is a time of excitement, anticipation and joy, let's face it, it's also a time of yuck! There's nausea, upset stomach, heartburn, stretch marks and more! But that doesn't mean there aren't some simple products, services and items that can help take the edge off and make pregnancy a smoother ride.

Along with sharing what has helped me during my first pregnancy, I have teamed up with a local spa business to throw a giveaway contest! Keep reading until the end for the instructions on how to participate!


Upset stomach? Trapped gas? Nausea? You're probably experiencing it all! Ginger Ale is my go-to drink! I wish I had access to it during my first trimester in Egypt, but sadly I had to settle for Sprite. Not the same...But now I'm home in Canada and it's been very useful during the third trimester as well! Ginger tea works well, too, but I find the soda bubbles help move gas along and out of your body, which always brings some relief!

2. Plain crackers

If you've read my First trimester experience, you'll know I found it hard to stomach many foods. You also get hungry more often (partially because you're eating less or puking) and I found having either plain digestive cookies or plain soda crackers near by was great to calmly satisfy hunger and not feel sick afterwards. Tip: keep a pack by your bedside, you never know when you might need to nibble on something in the middle of the night to keep your stomach steady!

3. Ice Cubes

I don't know why, but throughout pregnancy (mostly first and third trimester) ice cubes just make drinking liquids much more enjoyable. Some women, I know, even just eat plain ice cubes to help with morning sickness. Stock your freezer!

4.Tums

Need something effective for heartburn and really upset stomach? Tums is your answer. Try to take it when you first feel signs of upset stomach. Based on experience, they don't do much once you are in the middle of full-fledged chest-burning heartburn. But do let your doctor know if you're having to take a lot of tums, because they can prescribe something stronger that won't potentially cause constipation. These are my favourite flavour, and I personally think the smoothie ones also have the best texture. Not so dry and chalky!

5. Body Pillow

Now, I don't have a fancy body pillow, in fact it's really just my standard queen-sized pillow, but it does the trick. Since my husband doesn't use his to sleep, I grab his as well if I need to. I haven't invested in a maternity pillow because of how much space it takes on the bed. But I have heard of other moms who couldn't have survived without one! I use mine to help my shoulders stay aligned, rather than pinching them inward when I lay on my side. This leads to awful neck and shoulder pain! Napping and sleeping well is so crucial to feeling well and fighting against pregnancy fatigue!

Post Edit: During the last month of my pregnancy I started using a breastfeeding pillow as a body pillow because it had more structure. I think I wish I had used it earlier or got a smaller body pillow! That extra support was very essential those last several weeks because by then, you're struggling to get a good night's sleep!

6. Ovia App

If there was one thing I looked forward to on a weekly basis was watching the weekly video Ovia shares as you countdown to baby. Each video gives you updates and insights as to what you should be expecting to happen during that week of pregnancy and how baby is developing. While you can know the actually numbers of approximately how big baby is, it also has the option to compare baby's size to fruits and veggies, or pastries and other options. There are many other features, such as the community questions, calendar, and symptom tracker. This was my constant companion from beginning of pregnancy!

7. Massages

Now, if your hubby is particularly good at giving you massages, great! If not, I highly recommend getting a prenatal massage! You won't believe the muscles that will tense up as your body changes and you put on weight. Not to mention the pressure on your feet! I had one done at Thermëa for my birthday, and it was incredible!

8. Bio Oil

I wish I had this during my pregnancy...because I get stretch marks like nobody's business! I used other butter creams and aloe while pregnant, but now I'm post partum and I finally discovered Bio Oil! It does help, even post partum, but I know it probably would have saved my skin more if I used it during pregnancy. Not making that mistake again!

9. Water Bottle

It's so important to stay hydrated while you're pregnant. It's good for you and baby. When you reach the third trimester you will find yourself feeling VERY thirsty! Having a water bottle or two in the spaces you find yourself the most in will make it very nice and convenient to hydrate yourself. If you tire of water, try adding fruit slices like lemon, cucumber or strawberries. Usually I like mine packed with ice cubes!

10. Lavender Oil

Chances are you will get sore muscles somewhere along the way. Maybe it's sore feet, sore back, sore shoulders or maybe calves. If you're like me, it's all the above! I use lavender oil to massage into my skin, I even massage it into my stretch marks! The soothing lavender helps you to relax and feel a bit pampered for all the work you're doing growing a baby!


BONUS TIP:
As a sort of bonus, something that really helped me during pregnancy was talking to my doctor. Believe it or not, there are A LOT of misconceptions out there regarding all sorts of things related to pregnancy. The best thing is to bring any and all concerns to your personal doctor or OBYG. They will know your medical history, your test results and overall know what facts and data apply to you or not.


Do you have a simple item or life-changing product that helped you during pregnancy? Maybe a hack you discovered and tried out? Which of these did you end up using for your pregnancy? Let me know in the comments below!

"Do not but conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing and perfect will of God." - Romans 12:2

The Mundane Christian Life

"There’s a way in which all our lives are shaped by the commitments we make. But biblical Christianity – which has the gospel of Jesus Christ at its heart – simply doesn’t rest its hope in big, dramatic moments of change. The fact of the matter is that the transforming work of grace is more of a mundane process than it is a series of a few dramatic events. Personal heart and life change is always a process." (Emphasis added)

The Christian life, when lived out biblically, rarely gets acclaimed, applauded or praised by the world. It is not a pursuit of fame, wealth and worldly success. It is humility. It is surrender, diligence, obedience, and growing in the knowledge and wisdom of our Lord. It is a slow, slow process. In fact, it's lifelong.

God works away at a person's heart, mind and character day by day. A person's heart is not changed because of one decisional moment. Apart from God, only those closest to you will see His transforming work of grace in your life as day by day you produce more and more fruit of the spirit.

Don't be deceived by new age philosophies, or "rock-star" speakers in the NAR/Word Faith movement, who constantly 'preach' that Christian success looks like sudden increase of wealth, or that God doesn't want you to live an ordinary life, because you should be as historically pivotal as King David. Or that the role of the church is to gain status, position and influence in the culture. Because otherwise we can completely miss out on the joy and significance of the small, every day grace that works in us.

10,000 Moments of Grace

It is very easy to make the center of our goals about bringing glory to ourselves rather than glory to God. But if we take away the distraction of big, dramatic goals, then we are left with the opportunity to witness God's transforming work of grace. 

I introduce you to the concept of my 2020 project: 10,000 Moments of Grace

What am I talking about? Well, the challenge is to look at our goals for the year, not through the lens of a single grand gesture of proclaimed commitment, but rather through small, numerous, daily actions.

"Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 3:9-14

Our impact, our legacy, our work for the kingdom will ultimately be determined by continual obedience and reliance on God's grace.

Whether you are single, a mother, a wife, student or retiree. Your seemingly mundane life is where God put you. It is where His grace will meet you to meet the challenges, joys and sorrows of day-to-day life. The change will be slow, but steady, and sure enough we will be more conformed to the image of Christ day by day. 


How? Through 10,000 moments of personal examination and conviction. 10,000 moments of humble submission. 10,000 moments of foolishness exposed and wisdom gained. 10,000 moments of sin confessed and sin forsaken. 10,000 moments of courageous faith. 10,000 moments of obedience. 10,000 times of forsaking the kingdom of self and running toward the kingdom of God. 10,000 moments where we abandon worship of the creation and give ourselves to worship of the Creator.

The Project #10000momentsofgrace

So this year, I am setting out to keep track of my moments of grace as God continues his work in me. Every time the Holy Spirit reveals something new, every trial Christ carries me through, every blessing God bestows, every moment I fail, every moment I succeed. When in a frustrating moment I choose patience, when I choose love over fear, or forgiveness over hate. It's all because of grace.

There is no limit to what areas of life we need and find grace in, which is why I will be working with guest bloggers this year to share a particular area of life in which they wish to testify to their moments of grace that brought transformation to their lives.

On Instagram, I am creating a stories highlight to keep track of the people who send in their #10000momentsofgrace to encourage fellow believers and bring glory to God's goodness.

If you are reading this, I highly encourage you to join! I am very excited for this project, and I hope to see many people participate. Be sure to subscribe to not miss new blog posts, and follow along on Instagram if you want to see how God is working in the lives of ordinary people, in His providence and grace. 

Have a blessed year, everyone! Feel free to comment down below, or ask questions! If you are a blogger and are interested in guest blogging and participating in the project, please get in touch on my Instagram or Facebook page!