After a first trimester of nausea and miserable weather in New York, I was so ready to be on a plane to the Caribbean as soon Spring hit.
I’ve been lucky to have an uncomplicated pregnancy, so my doctor cleared me to travel. But there were still extra steps I took to ensure I was as safe and as comfortable as possible on my vacations to Antigua and Puerto Rico. Beyond travel, all of these things are helping me through pregnancy during a very hot and humid New York summer.
Here are my favorite things that I’ve made traveling and summering while pregnant comfortable — and stylish.
Shop my pregnancy travel and summer essentials
Coola Organic Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30
I’ve tried a lot of sunscreen. Prior to pregnancy, I mostly used chemical sunscreen because most of the mineral sunscreens I’ve tried left a white cast. But because mineral sunscreen is recommended for pregnant women, I made the switch. After some research, I found Coola, an organic brand that offers a variety of sunscreens. I really like the Tropical Coconut Body Lotion. It goes on really well, doesn’t leave a white cast, and smells really good. Most importantly, I didn’t burn while using this in the Caribbean sun.
Vacation Shake Shake SPF 50 Mineral Milk Face Sunscreen
When it comes to face sunscreen, I’m extremely picky. I have sensitive skin and a lot of face sunscreen will cause my skin to breakout or leave me extremely greasy. I wasn’t really optimistic when I ordered the Vacation Shake Shake SPF 50 Mineral Milk because from experience, mineral sunscreens always leave a white cast and give me flashback in photos. But with this, I was pleasantly surprised. It rubbed in really well without a lot of effort. Also, it has hyaluronic acid, squalane, ceramides, and polypeptide in it, so in addition to sun protection, you’re getting skincare, too. I was able to layer light makeup on top of this and it came out great in photos.
Hatch Belly Oil
I’ve had my eye on Hatch Belly Oil even before I got pregnant. I religiously moisturize and I knew pregnancy would come with a lot of changes to my skin. While there is no real way to completely prevent stretch marks (genetics play a huge role in if you will or won’t develop them), I wanted to be proactive. Dry skin can contribute to stretch marks forming or make them more visible, so it’s important to keep your belly moisturized and hydrated. I use the Hatch Belly Oil every night after showering, and layer on a lotion on top. When I was traveling, I put some in a travel container (they do sell a travel version), making sure to put it on after a day in the sun.
Hunza G Bikini
Even though I was excited about my body changing, I was kind of sad about eventually not being able to fit into my favorite bikinis. I’m not a huge fan of most maternity swimwear, so I was really happy when I found the brand Hunza G, which sells one-size fits all crinkle bikinis and one-pieces. I was skeptical about the one-size fits claim but Hunza G isn’t new to this. The brand has been around since the 80s and is designed to stretch and shrink back, no matter the body size. Though it’s pricey, this is easily the best quality and most secure bandeau bikini I’ve ever worn. The top never slipped and the bottoms never rode up. The best thing is that I can wear this bikini after pregnancy and for years to come!
Travel Pop Up Mosquito Net Tent for Beds
Mosquito bites are annoying for everyone but are especially dangerous for pregnant women where mosquito-borne illnesses like the Zika virus are present. Contracting Zika while pregnant can cause severe birth defects, so it’s important to protect yourself and your baby. Though the Zika risk is low in Antigua and Puerto Rico, I didn’t want to take any chances so I brought along this pop up mosquito net tent on Amazon. It was extremely easy to set up and was honestly life changing. I slept comfortably without mosquitos buzzing in my ears and woke up with no bites. Folding it back up was not easy but I won’t be traveling to the tropics without this ever again.
Portable Handheld Misting Fan
Summer in New York has just started and we’ve already had a pretty bad heatwave. This portable misting fan has been a lifesaving for me while waiting for the subway. Being pregnant in the summer is not easy. Hang in there mamas, we got this!
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