Kim Kardashian is pregnant again, which is as good a reason as any to think about adorable, baby-sized things. But while on the topic of babies, why stop at buying the new bundle of joy something miniature? In all likelihood, your friend, the pregnant woman, would like something for herself. And why not? She's about to create a new human—why not treat her to something nice that's all her own. To help us along this line of thinking, we enlisted Courtney Klein, founder of Storq, a site devoted to offering expecting mothers simple, luxurious things they need (and nothing they don't). Take notes:
When it comes to pregnancy, there is a lot to worry about and an unexpectedly giant mountain of crap to buy. When I was pregnant, I'd look at my Amazon cart from time to time and find everything from nasal aspirators to stroller cocoons, continually preparing for what was to come. But in my experience, it’s hard for expecting parents to feel justified spending money on themselves. At Storq, our motto is that pregnant ladies are people, too—and with all the craziness of expecting a new baby, it's important not to forget about the person who’s doing all the hard work. So if you've got a baby shower coming up, maybe skip the Sophie Giraffe (she probably already has one) and consider opting for something special just for Mom. It’s a pregnancy, not a lobotomy, and women still like massages and flowers.
Prenatal Massage
Growing a human can take its toll on your body in a number of ways, particularly in the form of back pain (sad fact, sciatica is not just for old folks) but also headaches, swelling, and cramps. Therapeutic massage and acupuncture can be the cure for what ails you by helping to de-stress and promote wellness. And with services like Motherly Love in NYC, who make house calls, you can subtract the trip to the spa as one of her stress points.
Facial
The archetype of a radiant pregnant lady with perfect skin can be a little misleading, because in reality, hormones can do all kinds of crazy, unexpected stuff to make us look blemished and blotchy. The non-glow can happen to the best of us. This is where a facial can be a particularly wonderful gift. We love Kristina Holey’s approach to facials by balancing the skin from the inside-out and assessing our nutritional and lifestyle choices along with skincare-specific treatments.
Basics Bundle
One of the funny things about getting pregnant is that many of your old clothes won’t fit anymore. Our feeling is that it’s best not to buy too much during this short time, but rather to invest smartly in versatile pieces that blend with your regular wardrobe and get you through all nine months. Giving a pregnant lady the gift of something to wear is a kindness that will likely be repaid in the form of godparenthood.
Sleepy Jones Robe
If you’ve never been a robe person before, pregnancy and motherhood will make you a robe person. Not in a slovenly, giving-up-on-life way, but in a practical, comfortable, and logical way. Wrap yourself in something cozy when you wake up 40 times in the middle of the night. And when you’ve just had your baby and you can’t dream of putting on real clothes, the robe is there for you.
Flowers
Duh. In the midst of diapers and breast pumps, one forgets that the simple act of sending flowers can make a person feel all warm and loved and keep the house or office smelling sweetly. A great option for getting simple bouquets to out-of-town pregnant friends is The Bouqs, which is an easy online option for those of us who don’t enjoy the anguish of Teleflora.
Food52's Round Pillar Beeswax Candles
Some quick facts about beeswax: It’s all natural, it has a very subtle floral scent that is sure to pass even the most sensitive pregnant nose test, and burning it actually purifies the air. So for the lady that loves burning candles, it’s wise to note the paraffin wax found in most candles is a petroleum derivative, which, you know, you may not want to breathe in constantly while pregnant. Problem solved! The things you think about when you have a baby on board.
Lipstick
Re-examining your beauty regimen when you become pregnant is obviously a thing. Worrying about parabens, sulfates, and phthalates happens. But not all natural ingredients are safe either, so everything gets called into question. Ilia Lipsticks use all organic ingredients and they avoid the stuff we’re not into. Plus, Wild Child is our most favorite universally flattering shade of red. It's definitely a quick pregnancy pick-me-up.
Captain Blankenship's Mermaid Sea Salt Hair Spray
This is your initiation into figuring out how to make your hair look great when you haven’t showered. Because we all don’t have amazing hair three days post-shower—some of us just have greasy, limp hair and still no time to shower. This is when non-shower hair enhancers become valuable assets for making us look presentable—even chic—despite having basically having no time whatsoever.
Sugahara Night Carafe
Word to the wise, you should be drinking way more water when you’re pregnant. Like a lot more. In order to make the normally boring necessity of drinking water just a little more jazzy, and because you’re making up for a potentially caffeine and alcohol-light lifestyle, celebrate the water. Make the water more delicious by throwing in some lemon and mint.
Isa's RestorativeBelly Oil
Yes, stretch marks are genetic. But there is a lot of discomfort associated with your skin stretching out to accommodate a human in a place where there was once no human. Insane itchiness, tightness, soreness. All natural belly oil keeps skin resilient and pliable, and frustrations related to said discomfort at bay. You’re happy, everyone around you is happy, win win.
—Courtney Klein
Courtney Klein is the founder of Storq, a company focused on empowering women through fashion during pregnancy. She lives in San Francisco. Images via Getty. Joanna Goddard shares her DIY beauty treatments she switched to while pregnant.
