Baby H. & First Trimester Must-Haves

Never did I anticipate my next blog post I would write would be about pregnancy. It has been a little too long since I’ve written a blog post anyway…I've been just a little busy...and lazy (but I promise it's justifiable!). So, here we are, excited and extremely surprised! I wanted to start this post out by just re-telling the short story of how we found out we were expecting, told family, etc., and then I wanted to share my first trimester must-haves. It felt like in the blink of an eye my first trimester was over and done with and I hardly remember much of it. I think we spent most of time trying to take everything in and realizing that we are going to be parents!

To answer the most asked question right away: we weren’t necessarily trying, we just weren't preventing.

It made for a nice surprise when we found out on Christmas morning…the best gift of all! We were unsure of how far along I was because I am very irregular by nature, but an ultrasound a few weeks later confirmed we were at 6 weeks (our little thumbprint, as they called her).

We told our families right away because we were so excited and overwhelmed we had to share the news. To say they were all overjoyed would be an understatement! My husband’s side has been waiting for news like this since we got married almost 6 years ago, and my family was excited to add to the line up of grandkids.

Next most asked question: what saved/helped you the during the first trimester?

I can very vividly remember on Christmas day once I found out I was pregnant (4 pregnancy tests later...), getting online and purchasing stretch mark cream. After some research I landed on a whole kit that I thought would be perfect. There are some out there that can get quite pricey, but I believe if you’re religious enough with it, it all works just the same. However, with this particular cream, it did say it was non-scented which is great in the first trimester if you can’t handle smells. For some reason, this non-scented cream still got the best of me. I had to have my poor husband apply it on me whenever I needed it done. I will go ahead and link the kit below because it came with some other great products, but if you are at all sensitive to smells, this one might be tough for you. I can say though, I had not visualized any NEW stretch marks while using it. Following that stretch mark cream, I landed a collab with Palmer’s and their stretch mark cream and lotion. This one is by far my favorite and about half the price of the other; I haven't noticed any stretch marks with their products, either! I will link both of them below....I also forgot to talk about prenatal vitamins (another immediate purchase), but I assumed majority of everyone know the importance of starting those ASAP. I will link my favorites here.

In regards to morning sickness, I count myself pretty lucky. I was mainly just nauseated and only a handful of certain foods actually sounded good to eat. I know that’s not the case for so many and my heart goes out to every one of you. It was very sad, though, when I could no longer drink hot coffee; even the smell made me nauseated. Eventually, I found a tea I could handle and then I was able to move onto a small cup of cold brew in the morning, but even being in my third trimester now, I still can't handle hot coffee. Every part of me is hoping that comes back after I deliver because I miss it so much! Anyway, one item someone shared with me to help with nausea came from Amazon and they truly helped if I needed to get over a nausea spell at work or while I was out and about. It was a quick fix, but did the trick. Disclaimer: depending on how bad your nausea/sickness is will depend on if these work for you. I’d say go ahead and give them a try if you’re desperate or need something small to carry in a purse.

As for clothing, this one was tough because your belly is starting to grow a little, but you’re also experiencing a lot of bloat. Maternity clothing is hard because you don’t quite fit into it yet, so it’ s just an awkward time. Oh, and I would like to mention (if this is your first time being pregnant like it is for me), your boobs will be growing at a pretty rapid pace too, so be prepared for that as well! A clothing item I found extremely helpful at this time was a maternity support belt. It was really nice because you can wear your normal jeans, and this just slides over top so you don't have to try and button them. I also went ahead and purchased some cheap, comfortable nursing bras to try as well since I needed some new bras anyway. The ones I linked here have been perfect, and great for growing!

Another really important piece of advice that might seem silly now...go ahead and get a baby registry started. I started making one really early on so that if I had recommendations from family and friends I could just add it there and not worry about it last minute. It has been so helpful and such a stress reliever for me.

Lastly, remember to take photos! I started taking progress photos at the beginning and every 4 weeks to follow and it has been so much fun. Below I will include my first trimester bump progress photos so you can see. Not too much change happens, but its great to capture the in-between moments and see your body change!

4 weeks 8 weeks 12 weeks

I hope you found this helpful. I tried to narrow it down to just a few items that would be at the top of my list. I learned early on to give myself grace during this time; you don’t feel well, you’re gaining weight (or for some losing because you’re so sick), you don’t feel like you look good, but keep reminding yourself why your body is changing and what it's preparing for! It’s all worth it in the end to get to see that precious little one!

Lots of Love,

Payge