Hello again and happy October, everyone!
As I mentioned before in my previous blog post (I'm Back, linked here), I've been away from the blog for a while and part of the reason for that is because we are expecting our first child!
Along with almost every other woman out there, I've heard horror stories of what the first trimester of pregnancy can be like, so when I found out I was pregnant I started preparing for the worst case scenario.
Luckily, my first trimester wasn't horrible, but it does certainly come with it's own struggles and there's a lot of changes going on in your body that you need to adjust to quite quickly. It can be overwhelming to have all those beautiful pregnancy hormones pumping (and probably making you feel a little crazy) and to suddenly feel, in many ways, not like yourself anymore.
At least that's how I felt.
Now that I am fully through my first trimester and well into my second, I thought I would write a quick post about the tips and tricks I learned through my first few weeks of pregnancy so hopefully other pregnant mama's out there can not only survive their first trimester but thrive!
Invest in bra extenders!
One of the first signs of pregnancy can be enlarged (and tender) breasts. Those wonderful pregnancy hormones are helping to not only form and grow that beautiful baby but they are already helping your body change and adapt to feeding and caring for your little one after they are born! Pretty amazing, huh?
I found my chest growing and changing in size very quickly and it was SO uncomfortable that most days I could hardly stand to put on a bra! Call me stubborn, but I knew my chest wasn't done growing so I didn't want to invest in new bras just yet. And so I suffered (needlessly) day after day with tight, tender breasts that were squished into bras that were too small. I also learned later on that it's not just your chest that expands, but also your ribcage to prepare to accomodate your new little bundle of joy!
One day I was perusing the aisles of Joann's, looking for something completely unrelated and I stumbled across a wonderful invention - bra extenders.
(I'm adding a link to something similar to what I used for convenience, but I'd highly recommend shopping around and using in store coupons and discounts to get them even cheaper!)
They are only a couple of dollars (often for a set of three or four) and they simply attach to your existing bra hooks and extend the size of your bra by an inch or so. They are very adjustable and it helped give my aching chest the room I needed to make my bras last another couple of weeks or so until I was ready to move up a size.
moisturize, moisturize, moisturize
Another uncomfortable symptom I struggled with during those first few weeks (and still do, though not as badly!) was DRY SKIN. And really, dry EVERYTHING. Hair, skin, nails, etc. So I set to work finding products that helped to bring moisture back into my skin and hair again and made a point to make time to actually use them!
It may sound dumb to some of you, I'm sure, but when you don't feel well and that first trimester exhaustion is setting in, there are many things you become willing to overlook. Self care and basic hygiene can be one of them, but try not to fall too far into that trap!
Although not everyone struggles with dry skin, my point here is to be proactive about finding solutions to the issues that bother you the most!! Don't assume that suffering is just a part of pregnancy and you are doomed to be miserable and uncomfortable forever!
Not only will you probably find some relief, but you'll feel more confident because you will feel more like yourself again - something that can be hard to reckon with in that first trimester (sometimes even throughout your entire pregnancy!).
Simplify your meals
Food is probably the last thing you want to think about these days (gotta love that "morning" sickness) but it's still a crucial and necessary aspect of staying healthy and strong during your first trimester.
Go easy on yourself during this difficult time and simplify your meals. It will help give you some peace of mind and your sensitive tummy some relief too. Simple meals consisting of two or three simple ingredients is perfectly fine! Crackers and cheese with a simple protein of choice is PERFECTLY acceptable for dinner!
Ask your partner to take over meal planning for the rest of the family while you focus on yourself, if you need to. Pasta with marinara and a quick protein are wonderful to throw together (even older children could probably manage this!) on the stovetop or even into a crockpot to make dinner a breeze. I don't know what I would have done without my crockpot during my first trimester!!!
For your own meals, try to focus on consuming healthy foods whenever you can! Even if it's just a bite or two here or there. Your body is amazing at converting even a small amount of nutrients into the energy needed to grow that lovely little one! Don't obsess about trying to eat healthy if that's just not happening for you right now.
Eat healthy when/as soon you can stomach it!
Enjoy spoiling yourself and your little one with McDonald's if that is what will get you to eat.
My doctor told me eating something every day is more important than eating healthy every couple of days (DISCLAIMER: This doesn't replace the advice of your own doctor or medical team! Follow any instructions your doctors give you regarding your own pregnancy!) and that advice lifted an enormous weight off my shoulders!
DO WHAT YOU CAN, WHEN YOU CAN and trust your body to handle the rest.
Surround yourself with positivity
No matter your first trimester experiences, whether good, bad or ugly, it is SO important to take care of our mental state THROUGHOUT our entire pregnancy!
Try to surround yourself with happy, lighthearted and positive things in every aspect of your life that you can manage!
Watch happy movies and TV shows.
Listen to music that makes you happy or relaxed.
Find positive and uplifting corners of the internet to huddle in and stay away from content that stresses you out or makes you angry or upset.
Play cozy and stress free games on your phone or computer.
Probably most important of all, surround yourself with friends and family who are your biggest cheerleaders! You have everything you need in you to grow and raise a wonderful baby, but don't be afraid to ask for help and support when you need it.
There will be hard days along the way, often due to circumstances outside of your control, but take control of what you can and stay positive, happy and keep your eyes on the prize! Pregnancy won't last forever and you will get through this, you amazing mama!
TREAT YOURSELF from time to time
It can be so hard to keep up your morale during those first few months of pregnancy! You feel tired all the time and a bit nauseous and just downright terrible at times.
Over the years, I've realized that my self confidence and overall mood can nearly always be improved by making sure I'm keeping up on my personal hygiene. Showering regularly, brushing my hair, taking care of my skin, etc can make such a difference in how I feel. Doing these things doesn't necessarily make all the bad feelings go away, but it helps me feel a bit more put together and confident.
For myself, I discovered that keeping my nails done made me feel a little more put together, even when I couldn't muster up the energy to change out of my pajamas or wash my hair. I'm a frugal girly so I did some research and found a dip manicure kit as well as a gel nail kit on Amazon for super cheap (less than $20 each) to try.
Now I'm hooked!
I can get salon quality nails for a fraction of the price and I don't have to sit in a stinky salon filled with overpowering smells (something I could NOT have handled during my first trimester!). I can do them from the comfort of my own couch or bed and it gave me a way to not only boost my self confidence a bit, but it also distracted me from the discomfort I felt when I was sick or feeling a bit down.
Plus, I only needed to do them once a week or once every couple of weeks so it wasn't a burden, but a pleasure to turn on a good movie or show and give myself a good manicure!
BONUS: IF YOU're worried about anything, please Talk to your doctor
Ladies, our bodies are truly amazing!
We can grow an entire human being inside of us over the course of a few months and live to tell the tale! 
But just because pregnancy is a natural process doesn't mean it's without hardships or complications! Especially for first time mamas, there are a lot of new and strange feelings, sensations and physical changes happening that we have never experienced before!
If something is worrying you, PLEASE TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR as soon as possible. Even if it's before your first appointment with your OB, don't be afraid to reach out with questions or concerns! This is what your medical team is there for and you aren't bothering anybody by doing this! No question or concern is too small or stupid to ask about!
My best friend of 25 years is an experienced labor and delivery nurse and she now works in office with expectant mamas and she has said countless times that she'd rather her patients call with a "dumb" question 100x and have it be "nothing", than have someone not call because they are afraid to bother someone and it ends poorly for mom or baby or both!
Talking with your doctor can bring you mental and/or physical relief sooner than expected and help you return to a relaxed and positive state of mind which should always be the goal so you can enjoy your pregnancy to it's fullest!
Pregnancy is a precious gift, but that doesn't mean it is always easy. I hope you found some ideas to help you through your first trimester (I promise, it does get better!!) so you can focus on other more fun and important things to come!
Until next time,
Kins
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