I'm 11 weeks exactly as of today and quickly coming up on my second trimester. I thought I'd share the items that helped get me through my first trimester. If you have a First Trimester Survival Kit, feel free to share what your essentials are! Here goes my list:

A. What to Expect When You're Expecting!--I'm a FTM and literally had no idea of what to expect going into my pregnancy. I've had this book for a year now, ever since we got serious about TTC last February, and I'm so happy to be able to finally make full use of it!

B. More pregnancy tests!--I'm very paranoid of having a missed miscarriage, so to give myself a little reassurance, I test once a week to make sure my lines are still strong...and not gonna lie, I still haven't gotten tired of seeing BFPs!

C. Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Tummy Butter--I'm already prone to stretch marks, so I figured the sooner I start applying this stuff the better. Also, I like the way it smells and I have my husband apply it for me so he can have some daily bonding time with my growing belly!

D. Nightlight--Since getting pregnant, multiple trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night have become pretty routine. I bought a cheapo nightlight to minimize stumbling around.

E. TopCare Pain Relief PM--I've had some nights since getting pregnant where I've had a lot of difficulty sleeping, usually due to either anxiety, excitement, discomfort, or some combination thereof. My OB okayed Tylenol PM for relief of occasional insomnia, and this brand has the exact same ingredients as Tylenol PM, but for cheaper.

F. One-A-Day Prenatal Vitamins--These are pretty affordable and probably one of the most popular prenatal vitamins on the market. I figured I couldn't go wrong in purchasing them. I've been using them since last February when we got serious about TTC.

G. Equate extra strength antacids--The heartburn, indigestion, and upset stomach are very real with pregnancy! I've been working through these fairly quickly, and my hubby's been using them occasionally too. They're a bit chalky, but don't taste horrible, and they're cheaper than Tums brand.

H. Aveeno Baby Eczema Therapy Moisturizing Cream--Prior to my pregnancy, I had minor eczema, but being pregnant has definitely exacerbated it! This cream soothes my dry, itchy skin without stinging and it's really given me a lot of relief!

I. Blistex Silk & Shine lip balm--Not only has my skin been drier in pregnancy, but so have my lips! This is my favorite lip balm and I apply it twice a day to keep my lips smooth and moisturized.

J. Contigo 32 oz. water bottle--Making sure you get enough water is especially important during pregnancy, so I bought a new water bottle with the ounces labeled on the side so I can easily tell how much water I've had in given day!

K. Celestial Seasonings Jammin' Lemon Ginger tea--I drink this for occasional upset stomach and nausea, and it seems to help.

L. Walgreens brand A & D ointment--So kind of embarrassing, but even prior to pregnancy, I had Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and I thought my symptoms would improve during pregnancy, but they haven't. This ointment helps my butthole hurt less when I have bad poops.

M. Equate brand flushable wipes--This goes hand in hand with item L. That's all I'll say!

N. Bump for Joy pregnancy journal--This was one of the first things I ordered when I found out about my pregnancy. I'm a really sentimental person, so being able to document this special time is important to me, and this journal gives me room and prompts to do so. It also has a little folder for each trimester for you to put little keepsakes, and I LOVE that!

O. Comfy pants--I feel so god damn bloated all the time now and having comfy pants to wear is so important to me! I practically live in PJ pants, sweatpants, or leggings if I have to go out in public! I've already packed away all my jeans!

P. My 2018 Happy Planner!--I've been using a happy planner for the last 3 years, and 2018 is not an exception! I'm a planner by nature and this planner not only helps me keep track of all my prenatal appointments, but gives me space to write my goals for each week and each month! I LOVE these planners!

Also, NOT PICTURED: Comfy nursing/maternity bras--My already enormous boobs are already growing up a storm and my old bras have become uncomfortable, so I've gotten a couple nursing/maternity bras to ease the discomfort!