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Thoughts on the first trimester…
Now that I’m out of the first trimester I’m able to look back, reflect and say…thank goodness that part has passed.
This first trimester was rough for a number of reasons.
To sum it up, I felt sick, tired and hungry.
First, I had terrible, terrible nausea and couldn’t stand the thought of healthy food (this happened during my first pregnancy as well). But what made it worse was that I have been eating extremely well since having my daughter and have actually eliminated certain food groups (you can read about Dairy/Soy Protein Intolerance here) and haven’t been able to add dairy and bread back in without digestive discomfort.
And guess what my strongest craving was during the 1st trimester? Bread, cheese, pizza, mac & cheese, quesadillas, grilled cheese – ALL THINGS CHEESE & BREAD. I tried to avoid it but it was the only thing that made my nausea go away. In turn, the foods started messing with my digestion and I was left feeling really bad at the end of every day. It was an unfortunate cycle.
In the midst of it, I tried to remind myself that it is temporary and a short amount of time in the grand scheme of life but it was hard day-to-day.
One day I got sick with terrible flu-like symptoms and then knew that no matter how strong my cravings were, I had to choose foods that wouldn’t cause my body to revolt. I had to stick with what I knew I could digest well. Thankfully at this point, my nausea was starting to lighten up and I was able to manage it a bit better.
Second, I didn’t realize how hard it would be to start gaining weight again after having just finished losing the baby weight and weaning my daughter. I felt like I had just made it through the postpartum season and was feeling great – then all of a sudden, here we go again…
The first time around I was ready for the weight gain; not too worried about it.
This time I have been surprised by a) how quickly I filled out in all the old places I held weight (booty & thighs) and b) how attached I had gotten to the idea of having lost all the weight. I had been feeling great and now my clothes are tight again.
I know that weight gain a good thing and it’s part of the process, but I was reminded of how intentional I need to be about keeping the right perspective and mindset as I go through this whole process again.
You can read my declaration about how I am not going to give into the pressure to look like a pregnant fitness model by clicking here. Can I get an amen?
Now that I’m entering the second trimester and able to eat like myself again I’m feeling better about things.
Don’t be fooled, I’m still starving all the time and eating more than usual. I also still have waves of nausea that just about knock me out. But all in all, things are looking up.
My energy is slowly increasing so I am able to exercise more and make it through the day without a nap which is nice. 🙂
Here’s hoping the next few months continue to improve. On that note, I’m off to enjoy a prenatal massage!
Have you been pregnant before? What was your first trimester like?
xo,
Robin Long
Robin Long, founder and CEO of Lindywell, certified Pilates instructor, Nutrition Therapy Practitioner, and author of 'Well to the Core,' blends 15 years of expertise with a lifelong commitment to holistic health.
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22 thoughts on “Thoughts on the first trimester…”
Hi Robin! Wondering if you have any advice on weaning (or maybe you don’t want to live in the past lol that’s ok too!
Hi Whitney!
My weaning journey was a long one. I thought I would start the process around 12-13 months but my daughter showed absolutely no interest, in fact she showed a lot of resistance. So I put it off for awhile. She was still nursing 5x per day. I think I was able to drop the first feeding (her 10am feeding) around 16ish months. It was hard, she would still expect it but during the mid-morning I was able to distract her with a snack and an outing. The next feeding that I dropped was her mid-afternoon feeding. Again, I did the same thing, as snack and a walk or errand. It was hard though. We went through a few weeks of her crying and begging and it made me feel terrible. But I had read that “weaning” is a mother’s job to transition their baby off of breastmilk and on to food as a part of their natural growing up, so keeping that in mind helped me to feel less guilt. I sometimes had to leave the house and leave her with my husband. Then she was much happier. Her next feeding to go was the pre-nap feeding. I started feeding her on the couch (rather than in her room) and then playing with her for about 10 minute before heading back for a diaper change and a nap. That helped to break her association with nursing/napping. I changed the routine at bedtime as well. We were eventually able to drop her morning feeding while we were on vacation because she was so distracted. She would wake up and play with her grandparents and didn’t even think of nursing so we took advantage of that. Finally around 20 months I was able to drop the bedtime feeding. We had changed up her routine a month earlier. I went out of town for the weekend and she did great. (she has never taken milk so we were never able to substitute with a bottle). She wanted to nurse a little bit when I got back into town but I was able to tell her we were all done and move on fairly easy. So all that so say, when she was ready, she was ready. It was just later than I had envisioned! I intended to be done nursing before getting pregnant again but she nursed until 20 months so I was pregnant and nursing for about a month. Hope this helps Whitney – I know it’s a hard thing! xoxo
First trimester was so horrible for me! I like you, craved only things I normally wouldnt eat…and it did nothing good for me except relive the nausea for an hour or so.
My second tri was amazing! So amazing I think i remember declaring I would have 100 children if it always felt like this ha. Now into my third, I am having weird cravings again and slacked on my workouts so my body is hurting alot more than i am used to. And I think about my weight every single day, which has been difficult.
But…I have been craving all the things I ate as a child…Poptarts, crazy cereal, gummy everything, icecream, pixie sticks, pickle juice….I read somewhere that this happens a lot to pregnant women…have you noticed that at all? Its so crazy! If i see a jelly bean i have to run far far away! And I havent eaten ANY of this stuff (well minus pickle juice) in years and years and years!! I am so hoping everything returns to normal once I give birth! 🙂
So true! That’s why I felt like I had to eat ALL the time. I’m feeling SO much better now and grateful for it that’s for sure! I do think that the foods I’ve been craving are foods from my childhood – good old comfort foods! Quesadillas, grilled cheese, and pizza. The only thing that worked to satisfy my cravings in a healthy way was soup (still comfort food). So I ate A LOT of soup. 🙂
Don’t worry, things will go back to normal and you will be able to get back to your normal self when the pregnancy ends. Hang in there mama! xoxo
Amen Robin!! Gaining the weight can be a very mentally/emotionally challenging piece of pregnancy for women (it was for me). Being intentional about your internal self talk will help immensely (you know this, you taught us this). Also, remembering you are growing a HUMAN being in your body; a true miracle! This time will pass all too quickly and you will longingly look back on it! I’m a year past the birth of our second, and my body took a little longer to bounce back into shape, but I’m getting there! (thanks to the sisterhood!) My diastasis was a 3 and now it’s a 1 1/2!! I’m proud of the little victories. You have so much muscle memory and good habits built, they will be there along the way and right there when you are ready to get back into your “new normal” routine! You are such an inspiration to many; thank you for being real on this journey and showing many of us that we aren’t alone in our thoughts/feelings but that we can also empower ourselves and overcome!
Jennie
Thanks Jennie! That’s awesome that your diastasis is healing so well! 🙂 That is really, really wonderful. Thanks for sharing your thoughts & encouragement. xo
Good luck! Glad you are feeling better. That feeling of nausea and vomit was my entire 9 months of pregnancy. Nothing healthy appealed (or stayed down) those 9 months, leaving me in rough shape post partum. I ate a lot of starbursts & sweetarts (there’s a lot of scientific evidence that support sugar helping your brain fight nausea), and now if I look at them I want to be sick! It has given me a whole new appreciation for my body and for healthy foods. It also changed my perspective on weight loss! I never had trouble losing weight pre-baby, so the journey of the past year has been humbling & challenging. I tell mommas all the time that there is no guilt in getting through – you cannot change what you cannot control. But there is hope for a healthy, happier you on the other side. our journeys are never wasted.
Oh, Chrissy. I feel for you! I can only imagine how hard it was to deal with for 9 months. It’s funny – sweet tarts tasted SO good to me a few weeks ago. We randomly had some in the house. Who knew? I am with on the “no guilt” it’s a lot to go through and there are a lot of factors out of our control. Thanks for your encouragement. 🙂
Congrats Robin!!!
Thanks Jodie!
Oh, Robin,I do feel your pain/nausea!! I have three children from three pregnancies and the youngest is just about to turn 23 this weekend. But I still remember the awful nausea like it was yesterday. With each of my pregnancies I was sicker for more of the day and for longer into my pregnancy. With my third I was still vomiting up until 21 weeks and it began to subside. When I made it to the third trimester I began to feel sort of like my normal self. There are still certain foods that can trigger that remembrance because of the association with that time. My pregnancies were uncomplicated as were my deliveries, for the most part, and my babies were healthy as was I. Those times are not fun but they are well worth the sickness. It is helpful to remind yourself of the end result, a precious little person! I am also reminded by your posts that having children, getting and being pregnant is a blessing. Those of us who have not had difficulty with infertility and miscarriage should be grateful and gracious to those who have.
I agree wholeheartedly Nita. I am both grateful and gracious as it is not always an easy road. And it’s amazing how that nausea can stick with you isn’t it? During my first pregnancy we went to a beautiful spa/resort but I was so nauseous at the time that even the thought of the vacation makes me sick! Haha. I think I need to go redeem it because it was a beautiful place. 🙂
Robin – This is my first pregnancy and I wish I had seen this a few months ago I am just entering my third trimester, but my nausea lasted until week 20 and I was basically beside myself. It was like a feat to get through work every day. And, the only foods that sounded good to me were vanilla soft-serve and everything bagels with butter – I rarely ever eat bagels! It was a rough time. Like you said, I tried to force myself to make better choices once I realized that foods with little or no nutritional value weren’t really a solution. I appreciate the encouragement. I feel so huge these days. Yesterday, I had a near meltdown at the sheer size of my legs – I feel like I am looking at someone else’s body and having to adjust to the reality that it’s actually mine. I appreciated what you said about all of this being temporary and the affirmation that it isn’t easy (feels like I should be less wimpy) — helpful inspiration for my last 8 weeks!
Girlfriend. I felt like I was reading an entry from my own diary. I’m about 12 weeks along with my 3rd baby and the weight came on faster than it ever has. I’m a Pilates instructor and avid exerciser too, and some complications forced me to take weeks at a time off from being active and that only made it harder to watch the numbers on the scale climb and feel my clothes getting tighter–so early in my pregnancy! I have always loved being pregnant and have embraced my pregnant body, but this time has just been different. I craved all those foods you talked about and although I still crave and eat them from time to time, I like you had a moment of realization that I could not afford to only eat what I was craving. It’s a hard change to make but I’m feeling better. Here’s to hoping for a healthy, happy pregnancy for both of us! What really matters in the end is a strong, healthy baby. Like you said, it’s not something to take for granted. I have to keep reminding myself that so many women would happily go through weight gain and all the discomforts of pregnancy to have a child but they aren’t able to. My heart goes out to those deserving women.
I appreciate your post and perspective! I am in a similar situation having just lost my weight from two previous pregnancies and getting into the best shape I’ve ever been in. I am 15 weeks now and I struggle daily with the gaining and how it’s ny all in the belly like I’d hope 🙂 You are right-the fat finds its old home…for me that’s arms and back and booty!!
I feel your pain! I’m 10 weeks pregnant and in the thick of it!!! I do take unisom and b6 to take the edge off… But most days I feel like a zombie! I have 3 little boys aged 4.5 and under, so my energy gets drained fast. The worst part this go around has been trying to maintain an exercise routine. I’m so tired and nauseous I’m lucky to get 30 min in. I teach barre classes and for some reason when I teach I feel better! I think it’s just the distraction and knowing it’s time to “perform”. I just keep thinking ” only a few more weeks and I should start feeling better”. Congrats on your #2! It’s so fun seeing your children interact with their siblings (except when they’re fighting
Hi Robin! Congrats on your pregnancy! You look amazing 🙂 I have 4 children and each pregnancy was certainly unique. You do have to listen to your body and feed it what it wants, when it wants. There is a direct relationship between you and the baby. Even when not pregnant, if I feel nauseas (which is not often!), I do not want my normal fruits and veggies, but need the starches. The starches settle the acids and bind. Eating differently and a slipping exercise schedule is normal now and for a very, very good reason! Cherish it all! As your children grow, there will be plenty of time for regular workouts, yet you will miss the special days when they are so tiny. My children now are 7, 8, 11 and 13 yo. While I miss a lot of aspects of when they were younger, my time for me (Pilates, my treadmill, painting my nails!) has increased so much. I love being able to share my healthy habits of great food and exercise with my children and inspiring them to follow along. I know you will do the same!
I had 3 episodes of nausea and didn’t show until my 7th month during my first pregnancy. I slept through labor until it was time to deliver. My second was shocking! I looked pregnant by 10 weeks, I was sick for 14 weeks, and felt every single contraction. Thank God it was only 3 hours! With my last it was the same as the second accept for delivery, 15 contractions and my little girl was born. With such a quick delivery I had an audience of parents to be touring L&D before their bundles arrived. My nurse whispered “stop joking around. Make this look harder. These Dads have no idea what they are in for.” Sometimes you need to crack a few jokes. Praying you have a smooth remainder of your pregnancy. Congrats again!
Robin, I recently came across your YouTube videos and love them! I’m trying to start getting back into more exercise after giving birth to my first baby 6 months ago.
My first trimester was similar! Prior to pregnancy I was an active, green juice loving almost-vegan. Then pregnancy hit and suddenly my husband was making runs to the Whole Foods buffet to get me mac & cheese several times a week! I craved cheese like crazy, and veggies grossed me out. Also I couldn’t do my normal barre or yoga and just committed to lots of walking when possible.
Congrats getting into trimester 2 and hope this is a much better one!
Hi Robin! Just wanted to send a quick shout out and encouragement to you in your now second trimester! I am currently in “recovery” from the birth of my second baby who was born last Thursday! As a fellow fitness blogger and mom, I totally remember being shocked at how fast I gained weight as well, and sure my nutrition could have been better, but getting past that freed up my life! Eating better made me FEEL better and in turn made me a better wife/mom to my loves at home. Now on the other end of things it has gone so well , I am just so grateful that I can be a better person without feeling the guilt or pressure of not bouncing right back into my skinny jeans :). Here’s to a fantastic pregnancy and delivery for you as well! May you abd your husband enjoy your little blessings!
I recently found out that I am expecting! This is my first! My husband and I have been on an awesome healthy living journey together and have been eating very healthy I specially lately. However, as soon as I found out about the pregnancy, I’ve basically gotten grossed out at the thought of the healthy foods I was enjoying just a few days ago! What do I do? I so want to keep on with my healthy eating choices but my appetite is gone when I think about trying to eat healthy. All I want is basically junk food. I feel like eating (even if it’s not so healthy) is better than starving myself! Oh dear. I’m trying to muster the motivation to eat better but I’m really struggling. Suggestions? TIA!
Hi Sarah!! Congratulations – we are so excited for you! We totally understand, several members of our team, including Robin, felt like that during the first trimester. Try to find some ways to include fresh fruits & veggies in your diet (we love smoothies!), take your prenatal vitamins and give yourself lots of grace. We are cheering you on!