Comfort Essentials During Pregnancy

If you've had it with the aches and pains of pregnancy, you won't regret stocking up on these items to relieve your discomfort.

• A body pillow helps reduce muscle discomfort during sleep. It can provide support under your tummy and behind your back.
• Acupressure bands can reduce nausea. People normally wear them for seasickness, but they're also helpful for mild morning sickness. They're worn at your wrist's acupressure point, or pulse point.
• A heating pad will relax the muscles wherever it's applied. It can help your back, neck, legs -- wherever it hurts.
• Flat shoes can ease the back pain associated with pregnancy. You might even want to invest in one pair of shoes half a size larger and/or wider than you normally wear.
• Cocoa butter keeps your skin soft and supple. It can also help relieve the itching that comes from your skin's stretching.
• Scented essential oils can also ease morning sickness and tired legs. Rose oil helps relieve backaches, tangerine and geranium invigorates achy feet and legs, and relaxing lavender helps you sleep. Pregnant women should stick to floral and citrus oils, such as rose, lavender, chamomile, jasmine, tangerine, neroli, and ylang ylang.
• Support bras can ease breast tenderness. A maternity bra or a larger-size athletic bra will often be comfortable for sensitive breasts. If you experience breast discomfort during the night, you might want to try wearing a bra while you're sleeping, too.
• A handheld massager can fill the body with endorphins -- feel-good hormones -- that can soothe both mother and baby. Use the massager on your feet as well as on your neck and shoulders to ease tension throughout your body.

Additional reporting by Evan Forster

All content here, including advice from doctors and other health professionals, should be considered as opinion only. Always seek the direct advice of your own doctor in connection with any questions or issues you may have regarding your won health or the health of others.