Pregnancy Chronicles: Adventures in the First Trimester!

HANNAH EDEN IN FYR APPAREL NEXT TO HORSES

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Pregnancy Chronicles: Adventures in the First Trimester!

Hey there, fellow moms/mums-to-be and curious readers! Welcome to my pregnancy blog, where I spill the beans on all the crazy, exciting, and sometimes downright hilarious moments of my first trimester. Buckle up and get ready for a wild ride as we embark on this wondrous journey together!

Weeks 1-4

Holy Moly, I was in Austria and partying my booty off for the end of 2022! I caught myself acting weird like not wanting an extra margarita or coffee for breakfast and my energy levels were so freaking low!! I had no idea I was pregnant at this point since Paulo and I had stopped trying so hard.

PS- We tried for a full year to get pregnant which looked like peeing on sticks, scheduling sex and every month I was disappointed every time my period showed up! In hindsight, it was a blessing that the universe had other plans for us. We had just moved to another state, bought a house, and were deeeep into construction… It was DEFINITELY not the right time! I remember going on a morning walk with Paulo after we got back from Austria and mentioned that I thought we should find a fertility doctor “just in case” something was wrong, so we could do what we needed to do… WELP that was the same day I decided to get a pregnancy test(s) because I was feeling off since our vacation to Austria!!

Weeks 5-8

OH SH*T! Guess what? That little stick had two lines on it! But wait, it must’ve been broken. Let me test again… Yep, still two lines…. I’m going to just try one more in case this brand is sketchy… NOPE!! I'm officially PREGNANT! I need to tell Paulo RIGHT NOW!!! I propped up my phone to film his reaction and it was perfect… Face in hands saying…. “NO WAY! NO WAY, HOLY F#$K, REALLY? NO WAY! YESSSSS BABY!!!” I jumped into his arms and sobbed with happiness. We practically flew to the doctor's office to confirm the news. Can you believe it? I had a tiny human growing inside me! It was so early on that the Dr told me to come back in a few weeks and also told me if I start bleeding to call her immediately (wait whatttt, don’t celebrate and scream it from the rooftop just yet??). I had a work trip and sister-laws baby shower to attend in Los Angeles so I flew out smitten but nervous because it was so early. I was desperate for this to be our time. Okay, so I didn't feel any different yet, but it was still mind-blowing! I was so grateful to not experience morning sickness but I was tired and I had the WORST sinus issues. My nose was a running tap starting at 6 weeks till well… it still is. My workouts were still ON POINT at this time but I was fearful that I was doing too much and I felt lost with all of the varying information I was finding online so I knew I had to take it into my own hands and go back to the books. I decided to get my pre and postnatal coaching certification and create my own prenatal strength program to support pregnant mamas through every stage of their pregnancy weeks 1-40.

Weeks 9-12

Still no morning sickness (GRATEFUL AF) but my nose was still running HARD! Sneezing was a constant and my appetite was a perfect match for a pubescent teenager, sourdough toast with butter AND peanut butter! Every. Single. Morningggg! I also was craving things I hadn’t thought of for over 10 years. Like cinnamon toast crunch cereal. This was clearly not a good choice so I have shared some healthier alternatives below! Chick Fil A nuggets, fries, burgers, pizza, any junk food… I WANTED IT BAD! I didn’t stress about it because I had read somewhere that your body will crave what it needs and by the look of things. Mine wanted more body fat at that time…

Coping with the Challenges

Ugh, fatigue was so real! Prior to pregnancy I had abnormally high energy levels, but I found myself a proud member of the nap squad. Forget Netflix, my bed is where all the action is. And let's not forget the STRUGGLES I was facing with my identity. My body was changing rapidly, my energy was off, my food choices were so odd… I started to spiral. But hey, I had done so much inner work leading up to this I knew it was the power of my mind that would help me recenter embrace the chaos and give myself permission to indulge in much-needed TLC. I wrote this IG post that was a turning point for me. You can check it out here.

Getting to Know My Mini-Me

I was craving a deeper connection to the little human that was growing inside my belly but it wasn’t an immediate or natural thing for me. I felt guilt for this but quickly spent some time going inwards to understand why the guilt was there. I recognized this… Everyone's experience is radically different when it comes to pregnancy. Some mamas feel specific symptoms, connections, intuitive decisions but most don’t mirror one another so we must stop trying to compare experiences. We can share, but not compare. I was also waiting for certain symptoms to arrive that the books and others were telling me to expect. This left me anticipating the worst and took away from my personal experience. I quickly switched gears and welcomed any changes along the way but stopped waiting for the worst to happen. As time went on I began to feel a deeper connection to my little munchkin and it happened in perfect time. I talked to my belly like it was the best listener in the world, blasted my favorite tunes (lots of 90’s r&b and Ray LaMontagne), and indulged in some belly rubs.

Important Decisions and Nesting Fever

Choosing a healthcare provider and figuring out the whole birth plan thing felt like planning a covert mission. But I read many books because I wanted to advocate for myself so I knew I needed to be aware of what my options were and leaned into what felt the most aligned for me. I will share more after the birth of our baby! Some great resources for educating yourself on options are below. I also realized that as soon as I got pregnant every single decision I made from what make-up I wore, to what food I ate would not only impact me but the baby too. So I decided to clean up my act when it came to skin care products etc. Pick and choose your battles but remember that our skin is the biggest organ we have and we absorb all that we apply to it into our bloodstream which now belongs to us not just me. My personal suggestions in the resource below!

Closing Thoughts

As my wild and wacky first trimester came to an end, I was filled with gratitude and awe. I decided to share the news early with my family and close friends. A personal decision that went against the googled suggestions but felt right for me. We held off on telling the public till we had a few tests and more time under our belt. This journey is like a rollercoaster ride, but with extra twists and turns. I'm thankful for the support and love around me, and for the opportunity to bring a little human into this crazy world. So stick around, folks, as we dive into the second trimester with even more belly laughs and baby bumps!

Remember, I'm not a medical expert—just a mum sharing her experiences. So, if you have any concerns or need advice, always consult with your healthcare provider. Now, spill the beans in the comments below! I want to hear your fun and funky pregnancy tales. Stay tuned for more pregnancy chronicles, where we'll tackle the second trimester with style and sass. Until then, take care and keep those baby kicks coming! PS- I have added some resources below that I personally utilized in the first trimester!