FIRST TRIMESTER DOWN, only two more to go!

If I had to sum up the first trimester, I would use two words… roller. coaster. Between finding out I was pregnant, embracing the changes my body is experiencing, managing the distance between Tommy and me, accepting that I would have to cut out things from my usual diet, it was a change to say the least! I have heard so many different stories and opinions throughout my life of what pregnancy is like but I think even with all that, everyone’s experience is different. I’ve heard all about the morning sickness, the exhaustion, the cravings, now I finally get to see what it’s like firsthand!

Finding Out.

We found out about the pregnancy very early on, just about five weeks along. My body made it pretty obvious. Whenever I get my period the symptoms come 7-10 days before, always. The app I use to track it is on point so I know when it’s coming but also when the symptoms should begin. I was getting closer and closer to the date and no cramps, no back pain, nothing… hmm. Then once the start date came, a day went by, another went by, still no visit from my monthly friend. I needed a test…

I think I’ll go more in depth behind the test and finding out in another blog 🙂 That’s a story!

Once I took the test, I could not tell you the shock, yet excitement that came over me… I’ve always known I wanted to be a mom, I just never put myself on a timeline to determine when it would happen. Believe it or not, one thing I didn’t feel was nervous. This felt right. I am with the person I am meant to be with, I am happy with the person I am today, I knew I was at a point in my life that this was meant to happen at the time it did. Finding out I was pregnant might have been a shock but there wasn’t any doubt.

Symptoms.

From what I have heard the first trimester is no cake walk, and they were right. I was all over the place with my symptoms. I was experiencing fatigue, lack of energy, acne (oh boy, the ACNE), my boobs were constantly sore, disrupted sleep, abdominal pain, and the morning sickness. UGH, the morning sickness! Sometimes they would creep up on you and other times there was no warning.

Fatigue/Lack of Energy.

The fatigue and lack of energy is no joke. I have not experienced THAT feeling of tiredness ever before. I would have a list of things to get done and only be able to mark off a task, maybe two. Breaks were much more frequent. There would be waves of tiredness all throughout the day, and when they came I just wanted to lay down and nap. And I have never been one for napping.

Acne.

Acne was one that developed a little later in the first trimester. Once it came, it was here to make a statement. This has been the worst case of acne I have experienced in my whole life. Puberty and adolescence had NOTHING on pregnancy! My chin had it the worst, it was constantly red.

I finally started to get some relief when Tommy’s aunt provided me with this sulfur powder and clay soap that I used on a daily basis.

Morning Sickness.

As for morning sickness, this one came at me hard! I will tell you I was LUCKY considering what I have heard some women go through but this was not a symptom to just brush off. I was almost constantly nauseous; if I didn’t eat frequently, if I didn’t eat enough, if I was sitting upright too long. It would be hard to make it through a meal, I would need to lay down sometimes just a few bites in. Even if I needed to eat from already being nauseous, I just couldn’t keep myself up to actually eat a meal.

Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer.

Of ALL the symptoms I could have experienced and will going forward, I can tell you this is the most bizarre one of all. In the beginning of this trimester, I noticed my nose was getting red. It didn’t let up either. As the weeks went by, my nose was constantly red. I looked it up, as I did with each other symptom, and it was another one of them! This was due to the blood vessels expanding due to pressure. So if this happens to you… it’s a thing, it’s normal!

Umm… No Migraines?

Something that came as a pleasant surprise was no migraines! If you don’t know, I’ve been very prone to migraines over the past couple years. The last few months, even prior to pregnancy, they vanished… I hadn’t changed my diet, it couldn’t have been the matter of stress, sleep schedule was the same. It was a big mystery to me but it wasn’t something I wasn’t going to question!

In addition to the symptoms, there were some rough nights. Whether it was bad cramps, nausea or just adjusting to pregnancy as a whole, I was very emotional. It made it even harder because this was before Tommy and I had moved in together. I was alone at my apartment and he was at his. We would be Facetiming and he would see how difficult it was for me. He HATED the idea of me going through this alone. With him on Facetime, that was some means of a connection but it just wasn’t enough.

There were quite a few nights, no matter how late he would make the commute from the city so we could be together. It really did help me get through. This may not have been an easy three months but his love and support was just what I needed to ease me through each day.

Twins?!

In the very beginning, about two to three weeks after finding out we were pregnant, we were told there was a possibility of twins! Twins run on both our sides of the family so it wouldn’t be too farfetched! When we were told that we would possibly be having twins… we were both in complete shock, like anyone would be. I was never upset at the fact, it wasn’t something that I ever said I don’t want. There’s obviously more of a commitment, and much more that comes along with having two babies, especially at the same time.

Going into deeper thought about it when I let it sit with me for awhile… I thought about how happy it would truly make me because not a lot of people do get to experience something like this. It’s amazing for the people that do get to experience being pregnant and giving birth to a child, but to be able to say I’m one of the people that got to experience carrying and giving birth to twins… that would be something in its own!

Looking Ahead…

I’m really hoping that people are right, “the second trimester is the best”. It’s hard to see now since the first trimester was so rough but I’m keeping high hopes. With six more months ahead of me… I am really looking forward to what’s in store.

It will be exciting to start buying all the baby necessities, doing research on what is to expect in the upcoming months and watch our little Peabody (our nickname for him/her) grow and grow into a little person!

See ya,
Samm 🌻