This spring we sat down with activist, supermodel, and soon-to-be-mom Daniela Braga (@daniela) to talk about her experience so far with her pregnancy. Keep reading to hear her personal stories about trying to conceive, pregnancy, and motherhood.

Let’s start with how you found Stix. What made you use our pregnancy and ovulation tests?

Daniela Braga: I found Stix long before becoming pregnant. I am Brazilian, and when I came to the United States over 12 years ago, I didn’t speak English at all — the only words I knew were “Hi” and “Thank you”. So, when I needed feminine items, I wasn’t able to explain what I needed because I didn’t know the words to use. I had so many embarrassing moments trying to explain what I needed to the men at the pharmacies, haha. After a few years, I learned about Stix, how high quality and safe they are, and that I could order everything online. Finally, no more explanations to strangers!

I started ordering different products as my needs changed, and then last year my husband and I started trying for a baby, and SURPRISE! The pregnancy test came out positive!

Now, let’s dig into your journey to pregnancy. How was the process of trying to conceive for you? Did you track your ovulation?

Daniela Braga: All my friends were telling me that once I decided to have a baby, it would take a few months to actually conceive. I had no idea how it worked, so I believed them. I bought some ovulation tests from Stix, and I actually used them only one time. I was very lucky. I had a very different experience than many of my friends. I got married last year, and we started trying for a baby on the honeymoon; a month later, my period was one week late, which is normal for me. But I did the test anyway, and it turned out that I was pregnant! 

What’s your favorite part about being pregnant?

Daniela Braga: There are a lot of great things about being pregnant, not only that I wake up every day excited that I am one day closer to meeting the boy that will have my heart forever, but I’m also seeing my belly growing more and more every single day. From feeling the baby kicking to being able to eat every single thing I want on any day of the week without feeling guilty.

Even having my husband do all the little things for me, like putting lotion on my legs (which is something I do every day but hate) to getting up in the morning to bring me hot chocolate in bed, has been great. Besides all of these, I think my favorite part is all of the love that a pregnant person receives from everyone. It’s incredible — from children to elders, they all love babies.

What about your least favorite things about being pregnant?

Daniela Braga: My least favorite parts of being pregnant started about a month ago — I got stretch marks over my breasts even though I have been using lotions and oils since month one. My belly is bigger now, so it’s harder to get comfortable to sleep. I’ve also been waking up almost every day around 3 am to go to the bathroom just to realize I am starving, so I have to go to the kitchen and get a snack. And, when I am back in bed, I just can’t seem to get back to sleep – and I love my sleep, especially these days.

Is there anything interesting that you’ve learned about pregnancy and childbirth or something that surprised you?

Daniela Braga: I’ve noticed that women always come together when the topic is maternity. I have so many women who have reached out to offer their tips from experiences they’ve had so that I can avoid the bad ones. It’s really empowering to see a community coming together to help you do the best in this important and special time of your life, where everything is changing so fast and you really have no clue what you are doing.

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A post shared by Daniela Braga Freede (@daniela)

What about something you wish someone would have told you about pregnancy?

Daniela Braga: I didn’t know that your belly and your breasts will itch so much, but that you shouldn’t scratch them. So, you just have to rub them to help ease the itching, but that doesn’t really help so you just have to accept the fact that you can’t do too much about it.

Let’s talk about your pregnancy comfort products. Has there been anything that you always keep with you during your pregnancy?

Daniela Braga: Of course! I have a lot: from stretch mark cream to snacks in my bag to super hydrating lip balms. My favorite products that I carry everywhere I go are:

• Belly oil for stretch marks
• Gold fish
• My prenatal vitamins from Stix! It’s very important to take every day to help the development of the baby and even after the birth to replace all the vitamins you are “losing” while breastfeeding.

What has your experience been like using prenatal vitamins?

Daniela Braga: When I found out I was pregnant, I was already 6 weeks and I knew I needed to take prenatal vitamins — it was actually one of the few things I knew about pregnancy. So, of course, I wanted to take the best, and I did a lot of research about prenatal vitamins and what my baby really needed. I tried 3 different kinds:

The first one I tried was this fancy one that was twice as expensive than the other ones on my list; it had basically all the same ingredients as the other ones, but it was in a fancy bottle. I tried it for a month, but it tasted so much like fish oil that I couldn’t take it anymore! The second one I tried was fine, but the reason I ended up not liking it was that I had to take more than one capsule per day, and the pills were huge!

I luckily found a third one, which I take to this day: the Stix Prenatal Multi with DHA. What I like about Stix prenatals is that it’s only one a day and that it doesn’t taste like fish oil at all. It’s like taking an Advil. It has all the nutrients that my doctor told me my baby needs, and I get them sent to my house every month, so I never have to worry about running out! Stix prenatal vitamins have my heart because it doesn’t smell or taste like medicine, doesn’t make me nauseous, and helps keep my energy up.

Before we wrap up, is there anything you want others to know about trying to conceive and pregnancy?

Daniela Braga: Everyone has different experiences and every body changes in different ways. Your mindset helps a lot in this process. Unexpected things will always happen — what changes is the way you look at the situation.