First Trimester Weeks 4-14

*Little Baby Cashew is the size of a large lemon or nectarine*

In pregnancy it’s always best to wait to announce until after they say 12 or even 14 weeks. That’s because during the first trimester your body is extremely sensitive. There are a ton of changes your body is adjusting to, hence why morning sickness is so common. Your hormones are at an all time high. Each hormone in your body is refiguring itself for the baby you will grow inside you. It’s miraculous when you think about it. The body knows exactly what to do. But in those first few months you have to take it easy, physically, but a tough thing to do mentally.

First Trimester Weeks 4-14 Glows and Woes

Telling close family and friends is ok but I think it’s more superstition than anything else about keeping it a secret. Some people don’t mind telling people early and then if something does go wrong they have the support. But either way I think it’s really up to the woman’s discretion. I chose to wait because I’m clearly superstitious naturally so I only told a very small group of close people.

During the past 14 weeks I did document what I felt, craved, how I slept, how I didn’t sleep and so on. I didn’t want to leave out any detail. I’ve been on every baby forum there is looking up weird symptoms and feelings basically making me a champ at google. If there was an olympics for google-er, I think I would win some sort of metal.

I knew I was pregnant at week 4. I took the test two days before I was suppose to get my period. Because I’m such a hypochondriac I can literally feel when my body changes. I felt my body was different and I think what gave it away was one night I broke out in a cold sweat. This happened to me in my last pregnancy and it’s a cold sweat I never forgot because it’s so different and makes me feel utterly sick. That was the first tell tale sign for me, leading me to take the test to begin with.

Weeks 4, 5, 6– Week 4 I just knew I was pregnant. I didn’t have any odd feelings or sensations at this point because it was still so early. I wasn’t even able to see my doctor until I was in the middle of my 6th week. But let me tell you, once you know you’re pregnant you instantly feel like you’re 5 months and gained the entire 35 or so pounds. (LOL or maybe that’s just me)

After having a baby you kind of feel like you have so much room in your belly. At the beginning of week 5 I started to feel a bit bloated, I wasn’t feeling sick yet but I felt like stuff was shifting inside me. When I would lay in bed if I switched from laying from one side to the other I felt like everything inside moved to one side too. It was an awkward feeling and maybe more so in my head but I still know I felt it.

In week 5 I had this dull throbbing pain in my lower right side. It felt exactly like I was ovulating. It scared me because I thought ectopic pregnancy at first. When I asked my doctor what it was with a little bit of good ole google, I found out it was quite normal and a lot of woman experience this during this time of pregnancy. And if it’s a second pregnancy then it’s even more common. I also had the distant taste of pennies in my mouth which was weird.

In week 6 I noticed my upper lip hair was growing at an alarming rate. I remember thinking “why won’t the hair on top of my hair grow this fast?” LOL. Although I noticed the hair on my head felt and looked thicker (now if it will only grow). This is the week I had my first prenatal visit with my OBGYN. In that visit they took 7 vials of blood from me. Everything came back good except I was anemic and I wasn’t in my last pregnancy. But I know this is due to my lifestyle of being plant based so I started a new iron supplement. When you find out in the beginning of pregnancy that you’re anemic you want to take care of it right away because as you move along in your pregnancy the anemia can get worse. I take 7 different supplements to balance my nutrition, hormones, and vitamin and mineral levels (a blog post on that to come). I had to find what worked for me and my body as everyone is so completely different.

Then there was Insomnia, Insomnia, Insomnia! I legit couldn’t sleep at all during these weeks. My mind was on overdrive! I felt exhausted.

Mentally for the first two weeks I lost myself. My mind went right back to 2010 and I had forgotten how far I’ve come in my life. I was suddenly overcome with fear and anxiety. I was happy I was pregnant, it’s what we wanted, but then I became so afraid. I let the negative thoughts of what could go wrong take over. I couldn’t sleep, I was up all night having irrational thoughts about labor and delivery, having a c-section, it was tough. I had to pull myself out of that funk because these are happy times and I’m not the same person I was in 2010. I no longer live that way, I changed for the better after having my son and I wasn’t about to spiral out of control, but that’s what I felt was happening. Everything I learned the past 5 years left me and I was that vulnerable woman who hadn’t a clue once again. I can’t control everything but I can control what my mind thinks and focuses on and I no longer am a prisoner of my own mind. The tools I learned a long the way with mediation and prayer, yoga, etc came into play and I worked through that difficult two weeks. I reminded myself that I deserve happiness, it’s ok to love and be love. I don’t like feeling like I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop or the rug is going to be pulled out from under me at any moment. I made those things up in my head and was believing what wasn’t even true or happening. But this is the beast of Fear, Anxiety, and Depression.

Weeks 7, 8, 9- Morning Sickness!–In full blown effect. That’s why I was so positive I was having a girl at first because I was so sick. My face broke out with acne and I was in no way “glowing”. Forget eating “healthy”. Greens were out of the question. I typically drink a green smoothie every single day but during the first trimester I was like oh hell no. The thought of anything green made me literally sick. I wanted pasta, bread, and rice. And I couldn’t even eat a lot of that stuff because if I ate too much it made me sick. Then there was the battle of being sick and hungry at the exact same time. Yes, this happens during pregnancy. You’re sick as a dog but also want to eat. I would eat small meals throughout the day to try to keep the morning sickness at bay but some days nothing I did worked, I just had to get through it. I tried peppermint tea, ginger tea, acupuncture, tapping, laying down with one foot hanging off the bed as one does when they’re feeling hungover. The only thing that seemed to ease it was sucking on ice pops and putting an ice pack on my head.

*speaking of cravings*

Cravings are real. Sore boobs are real. These things are not myths! When you’re not pregnant and dieting you get cravings from time to time right? Usually within a few minutes you can get that under control if you don’t want to say eat a whole pizza. When you crave something while you’re pregnant there is no minutes to pass that will make you forget or unwant what you’re craving. As the minutes or hours pass by it becomes like a hunger beast inside you and will not go away until you satisfy it. No. Joke. Some people say it’s mind over matter and choose something healthy if what you crave is junk but it’s real easy for someone to say. Saying and actually doing are two different things. And while it sounds good to say “choose the healthier option” it’s not like that in person. Your mind says no but your body is telling you yes. LOL

I craved: sweet bananas and I usually don’t like sweet bananas at all. Sauerkraut, chocolate cake, cookie dough, enchiladas with very spicy mole sauce and I don’t typically eat anything spicy as it’s uncomfortable for me. Rice, ice, everything bagels, pasta with (vegan) butter and baked potatoes. Oh and brownies were a thing for minute. LOL

Food shopping can get expensive. Only because you eat with your eyes and belly!

Weeks 10, 11, 12, 13, 14– In week 10 my morning sickness subsided to only showing up between the hours of 5-7pm. Every night at this time I had to lie down because the room would spin like I drank a full bottle of vodka. That’s also dinner time so it’s at this time where I would feel my most sick but also think about what I wanted for dinner. It was a real struggle. This just seems to be passing now and I’m in the beginning part of week 14. I get sick but not nearly as bad as the previous weeks.

I’ve had absolutely no motivation to exercise. I want to so bad. I want to get on the elliptical, go for a walk, ride a stationary bike, anything but I just haven’t had the energy. I really focused on my body and it’s been tired so I didn’t want to force it to do anything. I’ve been gaining good weight this time around too. Last pregnancy I remember in a 4 week visit I gained 13 pounds! That’s too much weight to gain in 4 weeks. Now I’m gaining a pound a week. I’m more active this time around too generally because I’m working. I take pictures obviously because I’m a blogger but it’s more so than what I did last pregnancy. And although I don’t have the urge to workout per say I’m still not just laying around all day doing nothing. I have a 5 year old son so that’s nearly impossible anyway.

Another thing I want to bring up is you must always always always get professional medical help and attention. I know the trend on social media, especially Instagram, is following people who broadcast their “natural” way of living. They tell their wonderful birth stories of no medication, pushed out into the ocean as natural and free as one can give birth. That all sounds great but you have to remember, all is not what it seems on Instagram. Just because someone is posting about it, they’re a doula, etc, shouldn’t mean your advice stops there. No one and I mean no one can predict what is going to happen during your pregnancy or how you’re going to give birth. Each person has their own story and you will not be exactly like them even if you live their life to a T. Don’t be so trusting when you’re told natural birth is the only way to go because know that sometimes complications happen and you will need medical assistance. In a perfect world we would all love to be sipping on coconuts, and pushing our babies out into the world au natural but it’s not possible for others to do that and you shouldn’t feel bad about it. Just like some woman cannot breastfeed no matter how raw a vegan they are. Accept this and know this: Everyone is different, no two people are the same. For me I have to have a c-section. Does it suck? Yes but there is no other way for me and I cannot stand when a two bit know it all tells me I should have natural when they don’t even know my health history! Please just always be advised that Social Media people only post what they want you to see and believe. Believe half of it if anything and tread always with caution.

I think that’s the best advice I can give to Moms out there whether new or veterans. You have your own story to tell and don’t feel less than if you’re delivery needs medication. No one, anywhere should be judging you.

Week 12 I found out I was having another boy which I mentioned in my pregnancy announcement last week. I couldn’t be happier. I always felt like I was meant to be a boys mom anyway. My son is even more thrilled because he told me he was happy he didn’t have to play with barbies. Kids, lol.

*Host of the 2017 The Glam Room in NYC*

Today I am in week 14 and feel really good. Yesterday I hosted a glam event in NYC and I basically rocked. Finding an outfit was a journey in itself because at this point regular clothes feel way too tight and I don’t like anything restricted feeling on my belly when I’m pregnant. Even tights have to be lose. Oddly enough though maternity jeans feel super comfy. The elastic on the top is not tight at all and I wore them all day. I don’t mind wearing maternity pants, they are super comfy to me and I’m more about comfort than vanity of “oh i don’t need to wear maternity clothes”. I could literally care less about another moms gratification that she doesn’t have to wear maternity clothes. I just think like get over yourself. LOL #annoying.

Overall I feel healthier this pregnancy both mentally and physically. The small aches and pains I feel I don’t let throw me over the edge into the fight or flight response. I know my body is going through massive change and it has been 6 years since the last time I’ve been pregnant so I need time to adjust and let my body do it’s natural thing.

I know this post was longer than usual but that’s only because I wanted to update you on all the weeks. There was a lot to cover! Moving forward each Monday I’ll post where I’m at week by week covering only that week which will be so much easier for me and for you to read. I’m super excited to be on this journey again and with you guys. I am always so overwhelmed with gratitude for the love and support I receive from you. Also make sure to follow along on Instagram where I post daily in the stories section of what I’m feeling and I answer all sorts of questions too!

Sending you all much love and many blessings…