LIL Baby: First Trimester Update

Before I run on about how excited we are about our little one, I want to take a minute to acknowledge those of you who are in the midst of struggling with infertility. I think about you often and pray for you every time that I pray for our baby, which is every single day. As exhilarating as this time is for us, there isn’t a day that goes by where we don’t thank God for this miracle and ask Him to comfort those who were in our shoes just a few months ago.

If you are one who can relate to the struggle, I also want to tell you to keep the faith. Everyone may not have the same ending, but there is an ending that is right for every one of us, no matter what that is. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and if you are yearning to be a parent, you will be. One day. Somehow, someway it will happen. Try to remember that you aren’t going through this alone, and that you have so many people rooting for you — whether you realize it or not.

And I’m sending so much love your way. <3

 

Today I’m recapping what the first twelve weeks of pregnancy was like for me.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

To be honest, I didn’t document much throughout the first trimester. In fact, the first pregnancy related post I drafted came in Week 13. The first time I was pregnant, I drafted at least a handful of posts by now, but I just didn’t feel like approaching it the same way this go around. I knew that I wanted to cover the first trimester, but I didn’t want to do it in real time. For that reason, you’ll see everything in this recap in past tense.

If there’s anything I’ve learned from the two and a half years that it took us to finally carry through the first trimester, it’s perspective. There are so many women and families out there who just can’t get pregnant or carry a pregnancy – no matter what they try. That’s a fear that I have thought about many times, and something I still have hanging over me to this day. That said, I do my best to tuck that fear far, far away and enjoy the process and where I am as much as possible. It feels amazing to make it into the second trimester, and there’s a lot to update on how everything went along the way.

So with that, let’s dive into the first trimester!

 

Baby was the size of a…

(Referencing the comparisons in my Glow Nurture and I’m Expecting apps)

 

Week 4

tomato seed

Everything was so new! It was hard to believe that I actually had a few positive pregnancy tests. At this point, Scott and I were the only ones who knew our baby was finally on its way.

I actually had a fun outing the very next day after we found out I was pregnant! I modeled a toilet paper wedding dress for my friend Susan, and I remember standing for hours and feeling a little faint — but I just tried my best to hydrate and take in the experience. At least I had a reason to feel slightly nauseous, right?

I also got my hair done the night before. (Now I remember!) I left work around 7:30pm to make a hair appointment because I desperately needed the color touched up before this event. That’s the last time that I’ll get my hair done for a bit, so I guess the timing couldn’t have worked out better. I bought a box of pregnancy tests on the way home from that appointment, and I told Scott later that night!

I remember waking up the next morning, getting ready for the day with an extra large smile on my face. It was the best feeling.

 

Week 5

red lentil

Took it unbelievably easy. At this point, I viewed taking care of our baby as my number one priority and that’s exactly what I did! Rest, rest, and more rest when I wasn’t working.

 

Week 6

chocolate chip

Did somebody say chocolate chips? (Loved sweets, got turned off from them for a few weeks, then started loving them again towards the end of the first trimester.)

 

Week 7

blueberry

Hello morning sickness! It didn’t happen every morning, but I felt extremely nauseous on a daily basis. To combat this, I tried to stay as hydrated as possible and snack often. I ate breakfast as soon as I woke up in the mornings and always carried snacks with me. Like a true pregnancy cliche, I turned to saltine crackers and sparkling waters on the regular.

Also, nightly activities turned into “club couch”. Luckily, Scott was down for a lot of movie nights and ordering in when I wasn’t feeling that great!

 

Week 8

jelly bean

So, so tired. It was hard for me to get through the day without a nap! Even 10-15 minutes of rest did wonders.

 

Week 9

green olive

Craving Subway. A lot.

I had only gotten a sub a few times since we moved to New York, and since there is a Subway located on the street where we live, I walked past that famous bread smell every day and wanted it. Since I was well aware that I couldn’t order deli meat, I opted for veggie sandwiches or grilled chicken strips instead of my regular choice of smoked turkey.

 

Week 10

kumquat

Hormones started coming and going all over the place! I specifically remember seeing this Amazon Prime commercial and crying. I mean, c’mon. It’s a dog that the dad turns into a lion so the baby likes it and they can all be a part of the new family. Andddd I’m crying again. I might just have to get one of those lion manes for Roadie!

 

Week 11

lime

I started to feel the bloat. With the absence of regular fitness activity and the growth of the bebe, I started to get a permanent bloat belly.

 

Week 12

clementine

We had our 12 week doctor’s appointment and it went so well! The strong heartbeat brought tears to our eyes and it felt more real than ever. It was time to tell all of our friends!

 

How I Changed & Weight Gain

I gained about 5 pounds in the first 12 weeks.

Thanks to my job in the fitness industry, I wore sports bras and leggings for the majority of my days, unless I needed to get dressed in “regular” clothes for something special. In that case, I could get away with wearing my regular jeans for a bit but towards the end of the first trimester I had to turn to boyfriend jeans and overalls. The bump is growing!

It’s crazy how much my belly changes throughout the day. When I woke up, it just looked like I had a little too much pizza the night before. By the end of the day, however, I felt like I looked at least 16 weeks preggo!

My sleep started to get iffy. (Notice the bags under my eyes?) Since the end of the first trimester, a full night’s sleep happens every so often, but I usually get up at least a few times every night.

Also, the girls are ginormous. TMI?

 

How I Felt (Symptoms)

Fatigue has been my biggest symptom thus far. I couldn’t stay focused for a long period of time, and I just felt like I was a beat behind. I also experienced nausea off and on throughout the day.

I had a serious spell of morning sickness around Week 7 at work. I felt awful the whole day and almost lost my lunch on potential members. A few times. I had to let my team in on my secret early on, since I had to disappear to get sick every so often. Fun stuff!

To help combat the nausea, I packed plenty of snacks with me on-the-go and turned to a sparkling water to help settle my stomach.

Since I’m off of caffeine, I tried to fit in a nap once a day, even if it’s short. I usually started crashing around 3 p.m. and was mentally ready for bed by the time I got home from work at night.

The best way to describe how I felt during the first trimester is hungover! (Clearly, not the case, but that’s the best way I can put it into words.)

 

Fitness

To put it all out there, I was terrified to work out and raise my heart rate with this pregnancy. After the day I found out, I limited my daily activities to walking to work, taking longer walks with Roadie in the park, and taking on all of the normal stairs I encounter living in a fourth story walk-up, in the subways, and at work.

After 12 weeks, I slowly got back to working out and will probably do what feels best like power walking or using the strider at Orangetheory, bodyweight workouts, and taking barre classes for the rest of the pregnancy.

 

What I Ate/Drank

Decaf iced coffee almost every day.

WATERMELON and ALL the carbs!

I couldn’t get enough bagels, English muffins, and slices of toast in the mornings or in the afternoons as a snack. Also, meats. I normally go for it, but Baby likes red meat for sure! While it was frustrating that I didn’t crave healthier foods, I did try to carry a bottle of water at all times. So at least there’s that.

I eventually started craving eggs and I developed a serious obsession with turkey jerky. I tried to keep a bag of it in my gym bag for when hunger strikes and I don’t have time to eat a full meal. I also loved natural energy bars, protein bars, and larabars.

Save a big spot on the list for orange juice all day every day! I started to enjoy and even crave fruits (besides watermelon) again towards the end of the first trimester, and I finally started wanting salads again. (Thank goodness) I missed them!

In true pregnancy form, I had (and still have) a pickle or two every night before bed as a post-dessert snack. I’ve always loved them, but now I crave them. I also craved pizza. A lot. It’s a good thing that I like to load my pizzas with vegetables, right?

 

What I Didn’t Eat/Drink

Early on, I gave up on salads and crunchy, raw vegetables like carrots, celery, and cauliflower. I had zero interest in them. So sad!

I immediately switched to decaf coffee the morning after I found out, and I don’t judge anyone who has their allotted 11 ounces of regular coffee per day while pregnant, either. Personally, I’d rather have a big cup of comforting decaf coffee and enjoy it longer.

Also, alcohol. Obviously.

I spent a good amount of time researching everything “unsafe” for pregnant women and steered clear from deli meats, soft cheeses and dairy that isn’t labeled pasteurized, sprouts, raw juices, raw meats, egg yolks, etc.

 

Some highs …

• Sharing the news with Scott! You can read about that story in the LIL Baby: Questions & Answers post.

• Our first official doctor’s appointment together and seeing our baby at 8 weeks via ultrasound!

• Seeing my belly grow and sharing the news with our family and friends.

 

Some lows …

• Experiencing some concerning spotting at 5.5 weeks.

Given my history, I freaked out and cancelled all of my plans for the weekend. I called the on-call OB/GYN and he made an appointment for me to come in for an ultrasound that next Monday. Scott was in London, so it was extra nerve-wracking going into that appointment without him. My OB/GYN was also out of town, so it was weird for me to see my baby for the first time with a stranger. He knew my history, but he didn’t know me like my regular OB/GYN.

The good news is that we were able to see the tiniest baby and heartbeat flicker early on at 5.5 weeks! He assured me that everything looked normal and the spotting only lasted a little over an hour. All seemed well!

• I was terrified when the spotting came back at 6.5 weeks.

Once again, I put myself on bed rest and laid low as much as I could. Of course, Scott was still out of town. I called my OB/GYN and she wanted me to monitor the spotting and go from there. Thank goodness it only lasted for about an hour again, so I did my best to simply rest the next day and decided to make my next OB/GYN appointment as soon as Scott got back in the country. That was a really long week and a half, but I’m so glad I waited for Scott to see the little one together!

• Feeling sick

Morning sickness isn’t the best part about pregnancy by any means, but I will say that it was comforting to feel symptoms.

 

Pregnancy/Baby-Related Purchases

Nothing yet besides this “Made In Brooklyn” onesie for our announcement!

 

Stories From The Weeks

I don’t have many stories since I didn’t blog in real time for the first trimester, but I’ll be sure to document more for the next trimester recap.

All in all, I will say that my favorite memories of the first twelve weeks include having our own little secret to keep to ourselves, then being able to slowly share the word with family and friends. It was so great to share the news over and over, and now that it’s officially out in the open, I am looking forward to sharing the journey here on the blog with you guys!

 

Thank you so much for popping in and reading about our lil one.

Talk soon!

 

***

 

Previous LIL Baby Posts:

Totally Worth The Wait

LIL Baby Questions & Answers