A lovely reader and new Thriving Wife, Jessica, requested that I write about my favorite baby products after seeing a picture of me with BK and our Baby K'tan. I realized I know quite a few Thriving Wives and Wives-to-be who may be Thriving Moms in the near future, so I decided to round up a few of my favorite products for pregnancy and beyond. I'll continue to post more of my "picks" as BK and I continue to grow together!

Nic's Picks for Pregnancy:

1. Bio-Oil - First things first, no topical product can prevent stretch marks, regardless of how convincing their marketing is. I love this product though because a growing belly gets rather itchy, and this oil smells like heaven! It's a great moisturizer/massage oil, and I have such pleasant memories of rubbing the stuff all over my big belly, thinking about the sweet little baby growing inside!

2. Snoogle by LeachCo - Hated by husbands, loved by preggos. At a certain point I got big enough that sleep was quite a challenge, especially because I couldn't lay flat on my back. My shoulders began hurting and my belly was so heavy I began to get pretty bad round ligament pains and cramping every time I woke up. Snoogle to the rescue! There are a lot of pillows like this, but I like that this one seemed the least "intrusive" in our bed. It also isn't too pricey, I think I paid around $45 for mine, but other pillows can get pretty expensive. Problem is, it still takes up some room in the bed and can create a "barrier" that impedes evening cuddle time, much to TH's dismay. A small price to pay in my opinion though...

3. Old Navy Maternity Clothes - Shopping for maternity clothes can be quite frustrating. You don't want to spend a lot of money because you are only wearing them for a short time, but I found the less expensive brands to be quite ill-fitting. Luckily I found that Old Navy's maternity clothes fit rather nicely (despite me not caring for their regular line). Favorites include their ribbed tanks, hoodies, and jeans. Bonus is that they are almost always having a 30-40% off sale online!

4. Yoga Ball (or Birthing Ball) - Em was kind enough to give me her yoga ball, and I have to say it was a lifesaver at the end of my pregnancy and during delivery. I even thought about bringing it to work to sit on, since my office chair was becoming quite uncomfortable given my ever expanding shape. The only problem was the one I had was quite small, so I suggest getting the largest one so you can sit on it comfortably.

Check back soon for my faves for post-partum and the newborn stage - or as it's sometimes called, the fourth trimester!

Disclaimer: The product endorsements for Nic's Picks are just our personal opinions, we are never compensated for mentioning any of these products.