This post is long overdue but better late than never - am I right? I’m currently at 35 weeks in my pregnancy journey but realized I never got around to doing a first or a second trimester recap and Q&A! Time is seriously flying by and what I thought would never be here in the beginning is going to be here before we know it - I wish time would slow down!
The first trimester was exciting yet nerve wrecking not only because this is our first pregnancy but going through it during a pandemic! I’m not sure what’s considered “normal” for appointments but we had our first appointment at 10 weeks and then once a month from there which was a mix of telehealth appointments and in person appointments. Notable moments during the first trimester was finding out the gender (which we waited to tell) and telling our family and friends we were pregnant! we also did a photoshoot for pregnancy announcement at City Hall in Philadelphia which was alot of fun.
Dress: ASOS
A few notable milestones during the second trimester included the anatomy scan at 20 weeks as well as a 32 week growth scan (this one was optional but we jumped at a chance to get more ultrasound pictures!). We also did a gender reveal around Labor Day weekend for our families which was soo much fun! We are both the oldest on both sides so this is our parents first grandchild on both sides. Other notable moments have been feeling the baby kick and having the hubby see and feel baby kicking as well.
Although there have been so many good moments, COVID-19 has brought about another level of stress and unknowns. Luckily we were able to do a virtual shower for our family (blog post HERE) and a baby shower for our local family/friends in Philly (blog post HERE). It has been disappointing that the hubby is not able to attend any appointments which can be scary as a first time mom not knowing what to expect! It was disappointing that he was not able to attend the big scans (anatomy and growth scan but at least I could facetime him).
My Outfit: Dress: ASOS Maternity / Jewelry: Teardrop Earrings
First and Second Trimester Q&A
How and when did you find out? When are you due? We found out together in April and it was sort of un-eventful as we were both working from home as the pandemic was at its peak. For the second piece, I am due in December - less than 5 weeks left to go!
How are you feeling? I’ve been feeling really good! I am a firm believer that no two experiences are the same and everyone will give you a different answer when they are asked this. I’ve been blessed and did not experience any nausea during the first trimester. I was a little tired during my second trimester but nothing too bad - a nap here or there was what I needed to combat fatigue. I also believe that keeping up with a workout regime and eating well balanced meals help. Lastly, make sure to have a good prenatal vitamin and iron.
Do you have any food cravings? Any food aversions? I’m actually really surprised with myself that I haven’t had much food cravings. We make it a point to plan a weekly menu ahead of time on Sundays evenings and we cook mostly Monday-Fridays. Weekends are usually a combination of cooking, ordering in and leftovers. If we order in I like to get pizza (from Angelos of course), ramen (especially if it’s a chilly day) or tacos. I haven’t had any food aversions. I have also read that if you are craving strange items you may be lacking certain nutrients in your body. Also, the hubby has been SOOO great with making sure I am eating properly. My breakfast is usually eggs with veggies and toast. Lunch is usually a wrap or salad. Dinner we plan ahead and we usually pick a cuisine (we switch it up between Indian, Mexican, Asian, Italian, etc).
Also the entire “you’re eating for two” is totally inaccurate (I should move this down to the pet peeves section but thought it fit good with the food cravings section!). If you look at the amount of calories you need by trimester it’s actually not THAT many and it also depends WHAT you’re eating - choose to focus on nutritious foods that keep your energy up while supporting your baby's development is the best advice I can give! Although there’s nothing wrong with a cookie or donut here or there… lol.
What is your skincare and beauty regime while pregnant? What are you using to prevent stretch marks? Once we found out I went through my face and body creams and put away any products that contained harmful ingredients - this I mostly found in eye creams. As far as makeup goes I have been wearing less since I’ve been working from home pretty much my entire pregnancy and don’t need to get dressed up. It’s more on the weekends I use makeup if we’re shooting content or going out to eat. For stretch marks I am using: Elemis Body Oil (recommended by my friend!), Bio Oil and Palmer’s Cocoa Butter.
What exercise routine do you follow? Workouts look ALOT different from what they used to be. When you’re pregnant you can’t workout at 100%, no doing ab exercises and avoid exercises in which you could trip/fall. There’s a few videos through Youtube I use if I’m working out inside such as Prenatal HITT and Prenatal Barre. Sometimes we’ll go out for a walk - there’s a park a few blocks away so it’s always nice to get out and get some fresh air. Regardless if I’m inside working out or outside I aim to get at least 30 minutes of exercise per day.
Where do you shop for maternity clothing? I’ve been wearing my non maternity shirts and sweaters so far. I have bought maternity jeans and leggings for the growing belly. Some of my favorite places to shop for maternity clothing is: H&M, ASOS and PinkBlush.
What are some must have items to get through pregnancy? A good stretch mark cream (your skin will be feeling itchy since it stretches), comfortable clothing such as a good pair of leggings, water bottle and a pregnancy pillow. Also keep snacks with you if you’re going out such as a protein bar, nuts or fruits.
Biggest pregnancy pet peeves? With the pandemic and not going out much, I haven’t “normal” pregnancy things that irritate people - such as strangers touching your belly, commenting, etc. What I don’t like, however, is unwarranted advice and advice that doesn’t have any rhyme or reason.
Are you take any classes to prepare for childbirth? All classes are virtual and essentially are limited but we are taking a childbirth class through our hospital which is offered online and I also recently took a virtual breastfeeding class.
What are you packing in your hospital bag? EEEK!!! I haven’t gotten around to packing a hospital bag but at #35weeks I know I have to get on this! I’ll be doing a separate blog post on what we are packing in our bag so keep an eye out for that!