When you're busy growing a tiny human, it can feel like you're in a grueling endurance challenge. Whether you're suddenly up at night tossing and turning, experiencing constant lower back pain or leg aches, or have an irritatingly itchy belly, it's easy to go down a Google hole looking for some much-needed relief. But what's hard is sorting through all the pregnancy gear out there, and trying to determine if it's a gimmick or worth the investment. To help, I've rounded up the maternity items worth buying, no matter how silly them seem or look. It turns out, some of these strange contraptions are kind of awesome.
Of course, it's worth noting that no pregnancy is the same, so what works for one pregnant mama might not even be necessary for the next. It's actually pretty fascinating to compare pregnancy notes with other women who've gone through the pregnancy gauntlet. For me, the one pregnancy item I couldn't live without was a full-length body pillow. Swinging my leg over it was the only way I could get comfortable enough to sleep. It took up a heck of a lot of space in my already cramped Brooklyn bedroom, but worth it. Totally worth it.
So if you need some relief, here are six items that might make your pregnancy experience just a little more manageable — because 40 weeks (give or take) is a long time. Plus, all of these items can be used after childbirth during the postpartum/breastfeeding phase so you really feel like you're getting your money's worth.