Getting Through That First Trimester
Ladies! Those of you who are expecting a little bundle of joy here soon, CONGRATS! I have many friends who are expecting around the same time as my husband and I so it is fun to go through the journey together. The one thing can be challenging to some women is the first trimester. Some get sick, others feel extremely tired, and most are plagued with worry and doubts. If this is you, you are not alone!! Don't be afraid to talk to your friends and family about small issues that can get into your head in those first couple of months..
I want to specifically address Morning Sickness, or All Day sickness in some cases. When you are in the thick of the first 12 weeks it can seem never ending and be quite a struggle. Some people get sickness for their entire pregnancy, while others just get it during the first 3 months. For me, I was sick and nauseated for months on end. It felt like it was never going to stop. It was mentally really hard for me to deal with, and I had to take every ounce of positivity in my body and let it shine out. The "dark hours" for me were around 9:00 am to about 12:00pm (sometimes into the afternoon) each day for about 2 months solid.
Let me just tell you, it does get better and you do forget! I am only weeks away from delivery, and I cannot remember how bad the sickness was... I think that is God's way of blocking it out of our minds :) Hang in there, it will go away for the majority of you! While I wish I could give you the magic formula for getting the sickness to go away, I cannot. I can however give you tips and tricks to make it more manageable though for those weeks and months you deal.
Some Tips To Get Through The Morning Sickness
1. Figure Out Your Pre-Natal Vitamin
I use the HONEST company Once Daily and love it. For me, I thought I was golden taking my important pre-natal vitamin in the morning. That was until I found it was making me very sick, causing me to throw it up each day. I don't know about you, but I was in a panic that I was not getting enough vitamins due to my stomach not agreeing. Not only that, but have you ever thrown up one of those things? It is a TERRIBLE experience...... If this is you, try switching it up to night time. I take my pre-natal vitamin right before I hop into bed for the night, and I fall asleep which helps me to NOT throw it up!
2. Go Easy With Foods
Listen to your body. I was force feeding myself in those first few months, and boy do I regret it. Your baby is getting EVERYTHING he or she needs from you regardless of what you are eating. Just be gentle with your stomach, and eat small bland meals and focus on staying hydrated above all else. I was putting so much pressure on myself to have well balanced snacks and meals each day, and it only left me wasting food and feeling guilty. The baby will be FINE in those first months. Just focus on getting little bits here and there, and avoid was truly makes you feel sick.
3. Fresh Air
I read blog post after blog post about exercise taking away pregnancy sickness, but that just was not the case for me. My favorite exercise while being prego has been hiking in the trails by my house. Even when I would be out on the trails getting exercise, I would throw up but it was still worth it to me to be out there. No matter what, just try and get some exercise and fresh air even if you feel crappy and tired. It will be a good habit to get into throughout your entire pregnancy.
4. Sour Candy!
I tried prego pop drops, peppermint, fruit snacks, and sour patch kids when I would need a little mouth quencher. They all seemed to be "fine" but nothing will take away that nauseous feeling lets be real. They did knock a small edge off however, and tasted good, so don't hold back in this department if you can stomach it.
5. Rest.
You will hear this throughout your pregnancy, but rest truly does help especially with sickness. Your body needs the extra ZZ's, after all you are creating a human. Being well rested amidst having to get up to pee every 2 hours will do good for your sickness, and keep you from catching pesky colds.
I wish you the very best in getting through this time..... it will go away and you will feel better than ever... good luck!
xoxo Lauren Nicole
