Month 5 Diary

My energy is significantly better and yours is off the charts. You love to wiggle and thump, and your kicks have gotten strong enough that we can see the skin of my belly protrude out as you explore your boundaries. I had a scare a this month when you were stiller than usual for two consecutive days. I missed your early morning dance wake up call and your evening dance session. Fortunately you were back to normal and feeling heavier than ever after those days passed. Maybe you were tired from a little growth spurt?

You seem to like when I sing along to songs in the car, or maybe you’re trying to tell me to knock it off. Either way it’s funny to feel you activate as I am driving to work or serenading your dad. Some days I look down at my belly and can’t believe you are in there. It is still surreal to me that you are having your own independent experience of life, right there tied to mine yet completely different. I asked your dad recently what could you be thinking. My theory is that you’re in the womb, present in a way that will be lost after some time earthside. Just experiencing each moment, not lost in the past or pondering the future. It’s comforting for me to believe.

This month you also went on your first road trip! Your auntie and uncle, Alissa and Saleh, came to visit and we have a fantastic time. They love you so much already. Although it seemed that anytime anyone other than me touches my belly you like to stop moving! Trolling us maybe? Eventually Alissa did catch your thumps after about a week of trying. It’s like whale watching, patience patience. All in all it was a wonderful vacation. We can’t wait for you to meet all of your family and to take you on road-trips when you’re here.

Month 4 Diary

What a big month for us all. We made it through the first trimester together, a feat I truly wasn’t sure of at times. This month I started gaining my weight back, all in the belly. I finally began to look pregnant although my little bump has been easy to hide. I take each day as it comes, many are good but some are tough, and this new found pregnancy insomnia has appeared out of nowhere. Regardless, I feel more like my self and incredibly grateful to have most of my first trimester symptoms lessening.

Around 17 weeks I was pretty sure I felt you moving around down there. You felt like little bubbles popping and eventually tiny little thumps. Our doctor confirmed that I have a posterior placenta so I was indeed feeling you moving around (and not just hallucinating your quickening!).

This month (well really week 19) we had our second trimester genetic screening and anatomy scan. And you are doing amazing, we are so relieved and even more proud. I never thought the parental pride could kick in so soon, but I am swelling with it. During the 7am scan you were so active, my fault for scheduling it during one of your most active periods. And I am sure the orange juice I drank that morning didn’t help. But the tech was still able to get pictures of every part of you. We did realize that the placenta is a little too low, so we are watching that, but I am optimistic it will resolve itself.

Month 3 Diary

This month has been another tough one. But the biggest highlight has been getting our NIPT test and NT scan results back! You are looking healthy and we found out your gender, you’re a boy! I like to joke that you’ll be just like your daddy, another Capricorn man will be living in our home and I am not mad about it. Hopefully you’ll grow to be an amazing person just like him.

As for me, I am still suffering from nausea, vomiting, aversions, fatigue, and weight loss. It’s tough, but knowing that you are well and thriving keeps me going.

First Trimester Must Haves

Hello from the other end of my first (and second) trimester! This spring I went MIA because I was super sick, but sick for the best reason possible. I am expecting! My husband and I are over the moon excited but we’re also utterly unprepared for the reality check my first trimester had in store. I had very severe “morning” sickness, aversions, sensitivity to smell, and fatigue. Honestly fatigue is an understatement in comparison to what it felt like. Needless to say it was tough and my life became focused on basic survival. Eat, hydrate, work from bed, and sleep with a desperate shower thrown in there somewhere.

Now that I am on the other side of that (knocks on wood) I have a reflections on what made those first months a bit more bearable.

If this is your first time pregnancy (or know a newly pregnant person) the first thing you should invest in is a pregnancy pillow, and invest in it early. Sleep is such a precious thing throughout pregnancy, a precious but fleeting thing. Don’t think you need to have a full blown belly to start using one. I love my bbhugme body pillow and wish I had bought it even sooner. I spent countless hours in bed sick and this pillow gave me the extra comfort I needed to rest in different positions comfortable. And my husband has already called dibs on it postpartum!

My Oak Essentials Dew Oil, was a savior for my dry skin and growing belly. I had very severe aversions to smells and this was one of the few products in my bathroom that I could stand during the worst of my first trimester nausea. You can get 15% off all Oak Essentials and Jenni Kayne products with my affiliate code GINAS15 at jennikayne.com.

Because I was in bed and unwell for so long, my airpods became my best friend. I loved having them at my bedside to take calls, listen to music and audiobooks, and simply keep me company during my misery! I can’t tell you how incredibly boring it was for my to be physically unable to do anything so having reliable and comfortable headphones was essential.

On the topic of entertainment during the first trimester, I found the book Nurture by Erica Chidi to be a gentle and reassuring introduction in to pregnancy and partenthood. Chidi emphasizes trusting your intuition and body, and not falling into the trap of comparison. This is a great gift for new and experienced parents alike!

Another most loved item was a cozy robe to hg my body as it underwent so many rapid changes. I actually ended up getting one heavyweight robe for cooler days and a lightweight one for warmer ones. My favorite brand for robes has been Coyuchi and I highly recommend the waffle robe and solstice robe. And if you use my referral link, you can get $60 off purchases of $300 (and I’ll get a $60 credit too!).

Lastly, a foot massager was absolutely essential for me. Despite actually loosing weight in my first trimester (so no extra weight from baby adding pressure) and rarely being out of bed, I experienced some severe foot pain. The practice of daily reflexology became one of the few self care activities I had the energy for and if made such a difference. Before bed I would just roll my feet along the device and suddenly the stress began melt away and I could climb back into bed.