First Trimester Update

I cannot believe how quickly this pregnancy is going by. I am now 16 weeks pregnant which means we’re already almost a month into the second trimester. YAY! I am very grateful to finally be out of the first trimester and to have some of my energy back. It definitely helps that the kids I nanny are back in school for the fall now as well. So, I feel I need to take advantage of all this extra time and energy I have right now. 

As for the blog, since you may have noticed that I’ve rebranded over the last few months, to myself. It seems only fitting that as I grow in my role as a Christian, wife, and new mom to be, that I will be taking you along for this journey too. This is still a Christian Lifestyle blog, you can still expect the same sort of posts about navigating through life according to God’s Word. You can also expect a lot more lifestyle thrown in as I talk about trying to have a healthy pregnancy, my transition into motherhood, and what that means to me as a Christian woman.

The first trimester FLEW by. I mean I feel like I blinked and it was over. I don’t know about you, but I feel like the second half of the year always goes much quicker than the first. Therefore, with all of the fall festivities and some of the biggest holidays of the year approaching, I have a feeling it’s all going to pass by pretty quickly.

Here are some common questions we’ve been asked lately and our answers 🙂

Was this pregnancy planned?

Absolutely. I’m sure most people aren’t real quick to share that they’re trying for a baby, and we weren’t any different but we definitely have wanted this for a while and are both over the moon excited to welcome this bundle of joy into our lives. 

When did I start showing?

Well, I saw my first discoveries of a bump around the end of week 10. My pants stopped fitting around week 8/9 and I needed to order pants extenders and a belly band so I could get a few more weeks of wear out of my summer shorts. By the time I received both in the mail I was starting to spot a little bump if I wore tight clothing.

Will we find out the gender? And do we have a preference?

Yes! We cannot wait to find out who we’re welcoming into this world. Yes, we’ve already settled on names which we plan on sharing once we know who is in there. As far as preference, as long as Baby is healthy I have no strong preference. Evan somewhat hopes for a boy, as most dads do, but would be thrilled for either as well. We find out what we are having mid–October, so be on the lookout!

When is Baby’s due date?

Baby is due March 2nd. Based off of Evan and I though, we both came a few days early. So we could potentially be looking at a February baby, possibly even on leap day! Sort of praying Baby comes before or after February 29th though.

How am I feeling?

All of the things. HA! Seriously mood swings are pretty hilarious. One minute I am crying over something ridiculous and the next I am laughing uncontrollably. I have had a fairly mild pregnancy as far as nausea is concerned, only a few bad days during weeks 10-12. I have been craving ALL of the salty and greasy things which I thought for sure would cause me to gain a ton of unexpected weight during the first trimester. Thankfully, I weighed in at 12 weeks only having gained 1 pound. 

Now that I am out of the first trimester, the nausea has subsided a little and some of my energy has returned, I have been able to start exercising again. I downloaded this really cool app, Baby 2 Body, which gives me safe workouts every week tailored to each stage of pregnancy. Additionally, now that the weather is cooling down, I have been able to enjoy walking the dog at work and taking walks on the BWI trail during the weekends with my husband. I haven’t been able to run since getting pregnant, partially because the nausea was tough, but also because it gets my heart rate too high which can actually be more harmful than good. 

Eating healthy when you are craving anything but fruits and veggies can be difficult, but it’s definitely something I am still trying to do, but also giving myself a ton of grace when it comes to giving in to the cravings. If the baby only wants to eat french fries all day, I’m pretty okay with that.

Any Cravings or Aversions?

Yes, so far my morning sickness is brought on by smells and just about anything strong, both good and bad, will send me running for the toilet. But, some of the biggest offenders this trimester have been coffee, apple juice, and garlic!

As far as cravings, I am pretty sure I am having a boy because I certainly have been eating like a teenage one! All I the foods that I have wanted for the majority of this pregnancy are: pizza, mac and cheese, chicken noodle soup, spicy chicken sandwiches from Chick-Fil-A, and either Five Guys or McDonald’s french fries!

Weight Gain or Body Changes?

So far I have only gained 1 pound since I found out I was pregnant, even with eating all of the junk food! I definitely have a bump now, even though it’s small. Some people have even tried to touch it in public already… ugh! Currently researching ways to avoid this from happening again.

What Apps or Books am I using?

The Bump, BabyCenter, Baby2Body, and Babylist have been my go-to apps lately. I love how detailed The Bump is about baby’s development and all of the question forums available on BabyCenter. Baby2Body has been great for keeping me motivated for having a healthy pregnancy so both myself and my baby will be healthy during labor and delivery. And Babylist has been AMAZING for starting our registry. We’ve been able to research all sorts of different baby items with their guides and I love that it’s a one-stop–shop for baby items. We can add our favorite items from any store or website right to Babylist and Babylist will even compare prices for each item at all the major stores they are sold at. 

For books I have been reading, What to Expect When You’re Expecting, and the Christian Mama’s Guide to Having a Baby. Both books have been super helpful! I love how informative What to Expect has been, all of my pregnancy questions seem to have the answer right inside those pages. The Christian Mama’s Guide has been really fun to read, I love Erin’s take on pregnancy and how she has a way of making it feel more exciting and less scary. Sometimes all the information out there can be pretty overwhelming so it’s nice to know that even if you choose different options from someone else, you’re still likely to have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby at the end!

Okay, well I think that’s all the big stuff! Let me know in the comments if you have any other questions for me 🙂