I’m pregnant! My 1st Trimester
The news is out… we’re gonna avo baby!
The last 14 weeks have been a whirlwind – well 9 weeks since we found out that a tiny baby has taken up residence inside my tummy. Just typing that feels surreal *eeek*! It’s by far the biggest news I have ever received, and I’ll never forget that 5.16pm phone call pre Christmas night out where I was smiling, shaking, and may have sworn on the phone to my doctor as she told me I was pregnant! I’ve been so torn as to when to share this magical news, (if Dale had his way, he’d have shouted it from the rooftops already!), but for me, on some days I wanted to keep this magical news in our own little bubble forever, and on others I couldn’t wait to share it with the world. But today is the special day I share it with you, my incredible online family!
I always knew when I was younger that I’d love to have children, yet over the last year we didn’t know if that would be possible (you may have read my PMS/ endometriosis story), so to now be able to say that we are expecting our first child together is just a dream. I still can’t quite get my head around it, our baby is growing inside me! – and I feel so incredibly grateful to be doing this with my amazingly supportive man, side kick, and bestie by my side.
There’s going to be lots of exciting pregnancy posts coming up over the coming months as share my journey to motherhood with you all. This really is the beginning of a totally new chapter of my life – no doubt full of changes, challenges and emotions (I’ve experience my fair share already, but I’m fully aware that there are lots more to come!). For now, I thought I’d let you in on my first trimester – including the highs, lows, my cravings, aversions, and possibly the TMI (pause if you’re eating your breakfast), but first I’ll answer the most common pregnancy question…’ have you suffered with morning sickness?’
Morning Sickness I fast discovered this doesn’t just happen in the morning. Oh no, it’s an all day event. Yey. For me, nighttimes were often worst, but to be honest I feel kinda lucky – I get queasy when my stomachs empty, so there’s been lots of mini meals, eating as often as every 1.5-2 hours early on, and then there’s the gagging whilst brushing my teeth, but there’s been no physical vomming over the toilet bowl, which for me I’m taking as a major win, and feel pretty lucky about.
Training This has been going strong, which I’m super happy about, as I dread to think what impact it would have had on me mentally if I couldn’t have trained at all. Other than the one occasion before I found out I was pregnant *pause: jumps around eeeekkkk* that I nearly dry heaved after the leg press, ha (this is when I began to question things), I’ve been loving my workouts. I’m lifting 3-4x a week with my other half as my gym buddy, doing a 30 minute cycle and core focussed session, and maintaining my daily walks with our pup dog. Staying active I reckon has definitely helped me cope with all the changes happening in my body right now, both physically and mentally, and I’m keen to continue exercising as much as my body allows. I’m of course being sensible, listening to my body and have had to make a few changes (which I’ll write more about soon), but in general, exercise has really helped me stay energised and banish any queasiness. Side note: I have years of experience strength training and have also completed my pre and post natal exercise qualification which is paying off hugely right now.
Cravings Carbs, carbs, carbs, carbs, and you guessed it, carbs. Plain foods have been my best friend. Carbs are now a stable with basiclaly every meal. Oats, ryvitas, Vogel bread, rye bread, and the ever so moreish family bag sized salt and vinegar Kettle Chips – which I soon learnt after demolishing did not help with my queasiness however yummy they tasted. Eggs and avocados have remained a firm favourite, which secretly I’m so freakin’ pleased about – imagine a life without egg and avo? No thanks! I’ve also had to hunt down Longley Farm cottage cheese on several occasions (and yes it has to be this brand), because this on toasted rye bread is life. I think the most shocking thing thought diet wise has been my aversions…
Aversions Coming from the coffee queen sweet tooth babe, I’m completely off coffee AND chocolate! Who am i?! My mornings are now without Nespresso, and my evening square (or three… okay four) of Lindt chocolate are no more. Green vege has hardly been on my cravings list either, I’ve struggled with this one. The thought of eating a side of broccoli does not entice me, so instead I’ve been eating a lot of other raw veggies rather than stressing about it, and hopefully my love for greeny goodness will return. Last up, meat. I’ve eaten some, but compared to my usual consumption, this has significantly reduced. More on what protein replacements I’ve been having another time.
Symptoms The two C’s I didn’t see coming, or even know could be linked to pregnancy(!!!)… constipation and congestion. Let’s just say pre-pregnancy I was very regular in the bathroom department, but thanks (or no thanks) to my hormones, this has been challenged. It’s improved a lot over these past few weeks, but in the early days it was a pesky problem which made me rather uncomfortable at times. Nasal congestion I’ve always suffered with anyway, but at the moment it wakes me up at about 3/4am which is VERY annoying, but hey, maybe it’s my noses way of helping me prep for minimal sleep
Best Moment So Far The 12 week scan. Two words. Mind blown. The whole concept of pregnancy and childbirth still boggles my mind. It’s just insane. The fact two humans can create another human life together and that life grow inside the woman’s body is just, I can’t even put it in to words. Magical. When we saw the screen of our little Appleseed (that’s his/her name right now btw) bouncing around inside my tummy, I don’t think either of us has ever smiled so hard. I am seriously so in awe of my own body right now, in a way that I never have been before!
This is just the beginning of my journey to motherhood, and whilst there is a long way yet to go, with many hurdles to cross, we are so incredibly excited to be bringing our own little human into this world, and I can’t wait to have you all with me on what is no doubt going to be my most challenging, magical adventure to date!