First Trimester Recap!

I cannot get over the excitement that we have experienced as the result of our news – baby nugget Reynolds-Corden is SO loved already + we couldn’t be more grateful if we tried. It still feels surreal to be writing a recap of my first trimester of PREGNANCY + getting to share it with so many people who care about me. I’m incredibly glad you’re here + so overwhelmingly excited to walk through this next chapter with you.

But before we move forward into present day, let’s jump back + walk through the first trimester together! And man, it was a doozy!

Our pregnancy journey + how we found out:

I always wanted to be a mom when I was little. I was the girl who was changing her brothers diapers by age 5. I worked as a nanny for countless families through high school, college and beyond. I can make a bottle one handed + burp a baby with the best of them.

But, as I got older, my feelings about babies became a little more…mixed.

I don’t know if it’s because I was SO experienced with babies + little ones that I somehow wasn’t able to be blissfully ignorant about the realities of parenthood as so many of my first time mom friends were or what, but I just couldn’t make my mind up about how I felt + I really couldn’t imagine my life with a baby in it. But, I also couldn’t imagine my life without kids. It was very confusing, ha!

My husband Mark and I have been married for 4.5 years, and we’ve been talking about having kids for the last 2 maybe? We decided that we did want kids, but we just always came back to the same refrain: “It doesn’t feel like the right time. We aren’t ready.” Money, work, international families – there are just lots of factors at play here.

In December of 2020, we decided that maybe we’d just go for it + loosely “tried” (read: stopped actively preventing pregnancy) for about 2 months before we got cold feet + decided we still weren’t there yet.

For those of you who don’t know, I’m about to be 33-years-old, which is not too old for babies by any means, but my age has been a conscious factor for Mark + I because of my endometriosis. My disease has felt like the pregnancy wild card. And really, I know that anyone can struggle with infertility, to no fault of the parents, whether or not they have a disease. However, a portion of women with endometriosis DO struggle with infertility caused by their disease. This fact weighed on my mind. (In fact, I’m going to do an entirely separate blog post on this topic.) Would we wait too long + then not be able to get pregnant when we tried?

In February of this year, I turned down surgery for my endometriosis. It was SUCH a hard choice, but one I’d prayed so much over. I knew I didn’t need it to cope with my symptoms, but I was so afraid of having issues with my fertility. I almost got surgery just because I was scared there would be a possibility of a problem with getting pregnant. But Mark + I ultimately decided we were going to trust God with babies if we were meant to have them + give the surgery spot to someone who actually needed it.

All of that to say, it’s been a journey.

Because we weren’t actively trying, I have been tracking my cycles as we’ve done for the last 2 years as a means to prevent pregnancy. It has worked so well for us so far. And then I ovulated 9 days early.

You read that right – 9 DAYS EARLY.

And friends, I knew it as soon as I woke up. I am hyper in-tune with my body + know the signs of ovulation like the back of my hand. I remember thinking, “I’m going to get pregnant, aren’t I?” But really, the chances of getting pregnant on your first try, even when ovulating, are like 1/10. So…surely not, right?

Well, almost exactly a week later, my boobs started KILLING me. I got hit with a wave of nausea and fatigue that lasted for a few days + then passed. I even joked to Mark that maybe I was pregnant + I remember him laughing + rolling his eyes. (I’d said that before in the course of our marriage, ha!)

I waited a few days, but at this point, I was still WAY too early to test positive on a pregnancy test, but I decided to pee on one of my HCG test strips I had at home just for the heck of it. And wouldn’t you know it…the faintest pink line appeared.

Friends. I am not sure if I can adequately describe that feeling. I thought I was going to pass out or cry with joy, I wasn’t sure, ha! My heart was RACING. I, of course, ran to google + did all of the searching + it appeared a false positive wasn’t likely. However, I still wasn’t ready to tell Mark. I wanted to be sure sure + technically, I was too early to be able to have a definitive answer.

And y’all, I WAITED A WEEK! I don’t know why, but there was something so precious about knowing what was happening and having time alone with this precious secret. I went on my morning walks + held my belly + talked to this little imaginary baby. I savoured that week, while also dreaming up all of the fun ways to tell Mark after I had a test that actually said “pregnant”. It was honestly such a fun week, although I didn’t get much work done. I did immediately read a book on pregnancy + food because, it’s me + I would 100% recommend: Real Food for Pregnancy by Lily Nichols.

Telling Mark

Oh man, I could cry just writing this part. This was such an emotional thing for me. I don’t know why, but I was so nervous. I think because we had had so many conversations about not being ready, I honestly wasn’t sure how Mark would react. But I did know I wanted it to be special, so here’s what I did:

I ordered Mark these pair of bright green Adidas sneakers he’d been looking at for a few weeks, but would never buy himself. I wrapped them up as a gift with a card that said, “I thought you could use a cool new pair of dad sneakers…”

I waited until after work on a very regular day + surprised him with the gift. It is so funny to think about it now because he just had no idea. He opened the sneakers, loved them + then opened the card.

I’m SO glad that I recorded this moment because it was just too good. He read the card + it takes a moment before it clicks + ya’ll…HIS FACE! I’ll link the video here for you + it is 100% worth the watch.

And I hate that I ever worried because he was just as excited as I was + we basked in those raw, crazy, overwhelming, “omg, we’re going to be parents” emotions together. Honestly, all of our fears + reasons “why not” went out the window the second we found out.

We kept the secret for almost my entire first trimester (except for 2 friends I told to help me when I was feeling crappy) + it was SO fun. I’m so glad we didn’t tell friends of family for awhile. There was this real sense of togetherness as we dreamed about our “little nug” baby + just navigated all of it together

Since then, we’ve told our families + it has been equally sweet. This journey so far has been the biggest blessing + gift that I never knew I needed…although, it hasn’t come without it’s challenges too. So, let’s get into the nitty gritty:

First Trimester Recap

How far along are you?

It depends who you talk to, ha! My doctors in the UK have me dated at 15 weeks. However, I had an ultrasound a week ago in the US + was dated at 16! So either baby is growing quickly or I really am closer to 16? I’m sure they’ll tell me more at my next and final ultrasound on September 1st!

When are you due?

So, this is contingent on the above, ha! It appears sometime between January 11 + the 18th, 2022, however most first time moms go an average off 8 days late! That being said, my mom delivered all of her babies weeks early, so there’s no telling. I’m going to be prepared by Christmas + just expect a baby by the end of January, ha!

Did you get sick?

I would say that I have been both lucky + a little sick. I am so incredibly grateful that I haven’t thrown up at all my entire pregnancy so far. Throwing up is my LEAST favorite thing in the entire world + something I prayed against. I was honestly willing to eat every single hour if it kept me from being sick + it did! I know some women get so sick + my heart goes out to them.

But, that being said, I have had some symptoms that weren’t that fun + some that were just weird.

• sore boobs: this was one of my first symptoms – like a week after ovulation symptoms. They just ached so much + were so sensitive to the touch – like even taking off my bra, ha. This continued through my entire first trimester, but has started to subside over the last 2 weeks! I’ve also grown at least one cup size already, ha, so I’m starting to look into some new bras. If you have a fave maternity bra or nursing bra, I’d love you forever if you left it in the comments below!
• insomnia: when I was only 4-5 weeks pregnant, I suddenly would be awake for hours in the middle of the night. This has continued randomly throughout my first trimester, maybe once a week? I just wake up + feel WIDE awake. Super strange, but from my reading, it happens to lots of women! It’s (mostly) passed now, which I’m so happy about, ha!
• frequent urination: oh my gosh, this is so real. I now wake up to pee anywhere from 4-6 times a night + constantly need a bathroom during the day. This is partly because I drink a lot, but also because your growing uterus is pressing on your bladder. They SAY this will improve in trimester 2 + get worse again in trimester 3 as baby gets big.
• food aversions: I’ll chat about this a bit below, but I couldn’t bring myself to drink coffee or really eat any of my normal foods. I didn’t want to cook at all + the idea of eating meat most days made me SO nauseous. This was really strange for me, ha. But I also was prepared for this since so many people experience it.
• fatigue: the first trimester fatigue is real! There were days when getting off the couch was just too much. I had to totally change my routines + just have so much grace for days when I couldn’t get much of anything done. The fatigue is improving, but I’d say that overall, I’m much more tired than I was pre-pregnancy. I’m waiting for my second trimester energy to kick in!
• leg weakness: this is perhaps the weirdest, scariest one for me. I’ve really struggled with weakness in my legs – like my endometriosis cement legs feeling, but way worse. I’ll try to do a lunge or change my pants + my leg will give out. I’m actually booking in with a physical therapist to figure out if this is a pelvis issue + what I can do to strengthen my body before I have a belly.
• constipation: constipation has been my worst symptom, by far. If you’ve read any of my story, you’ll know I struggled with chronic constipation years ago + this was almost as bad. I wouldn’t go to the bathroom for days + was just so uncomfortable. I tried multiple stool softeners from my doctor since the issue was so severe + finally found one that helped. I might have to take it for the duration of my pregnancy, but it’s so much better than the alternative. (Also, I learned this is actually your body’s doing! It slows down digestion so you can grab more nutrients for baby! Cool, right?)
• bloating: holy moly, the bloating was INTENSE, like endo belly intense. I remember at 12 weeks getting a bit emotional because I felt SO pregnant already, but a week later, it was gone, ha! Just bloat. Apparently, it’s common to look more pregnant in your first trimester than even in some of your second from the bloating that happens with hormonal changes.
• nausea: I had a few weeks of really intense nausea where I had to eat constantly and spent a lot of time on the couch. However, it passed after about week 10-11 as long as I eat as soon as I get up in the morning + every 2 hours after, ha! Snacking has been my saviour.

What did you eat?

Because so many of my normal foods were not at all appealing, I literally just ate whatever I could + what I wanted. I’d done enough reading to know that what you eat during your first trimester is actually not that important. The little baby is actually fed from your past nutrient stores since there is no placenta or anything yet! (Plus, I supplemented with my Binto prenatal vitamins + supplements, so I knew my body was having it’s needs met regardless of what I ate!)

For a month or so, I couldn’t do anything but takeout. I craved burgers, Thai food, cereal, all of the things I normally don’t eat, ha! I would get an insatiable craving for Five Guys + not be able to eat anything else but that, ha. I did maintain my gluten-free diet, but actually have added back in full fat dairy. I read a lot of research about the benefits for baby + haven’t seemed to have trouble with it.

I also lived on avocado toast with eggs, lots of bread, yogurt with berries and granola and bone broth soup for a few weeks.

I really tried to not stress about this too much. I did have to actively battle with the thoughts of “you’re not doing best for the baby” while downing ice cream when it’s all I could eat, but I have since realised that actually, eating ANYTHING was a win. (That doesn’t mean I didn’t cry about it to Mark a few times, ha!) Now that I’m past the food aversions, I’m eating much more like I usually do!

Did you exercise?

Yes and no. Up until week 6 or 7, I didn’t even feel pregnant. I was able to continue my normal routine. But around week 6 or so, I got hit with the fatigue and nausea and really couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t walk like I normally do or workout at all. I took a full 6 weeks off. Right before coming to the US, I spent 3 or so weeks trying to get back into working out + it felt really good. My strength is not at all what it was + I’m going much slower than normal, but I’m going to continue to workout when I get back to the UK because it really is so helpful in managing pregnancy and preparing for a healthy labour. And quite honestly, it’s good for my mental health! I’ve learned through my chronic illness to really listen to my body, and I’ll continue to do the same here!

Although, I do want to say – there are times when working out isn’t advised. While in the US, I experienced a few days of cramping and was told to rest as much as possible, which I did. If there is ever a risk to you or the baby, obviously listening to your doctors is the right choice.

Did you drink caffeine?

This has been really easy for me + the answer is mostly no. I didn’t drink caffeine before getting pregnant because of my endometriosis. However, when my coffee aversion kicked in, I did switch to matcha to maintain my morning drink ritual + matcha does have a small amount of caffeine (35mg a cup instead of the 75-100mg in coffee).

Are you drinking alcohol?

Nope! But again, I wasn’t a drinker before pregnancy, so this has been easy for me! The only TINY bit of alcohol I am consuming is in kombucha occasionally. I talked to my midwife + felt comfortable continuing to drink it on occasion, but you totally don’t have to if this freaks you out.

Are you finding out the gender?

We went back and forth + I know that everyone has really personal feelings about what they would or wouldn’t do here. But, as of this week, we decided we are NOT going to find out the gender. There is just something so incredibly wholesome + sweet about the idea of the moment when my husband will yell, “It’s a boy!” or “It’s a girl!” on the other side of labour. We also are hoping it will help us to buy less stuff, ha!

We’re going to keep the nursery really neutral + just add more baby items once the little one comes as we need them! I will say though, gender neutral baby clothing is slightly harder!

Have you gained any weight?

In full transparency, I don’t normally weigh myself + really haven’t in years. After my eating disorder days, it just became a not helpful measure of health to me. But, I have gained 5 or so pounds (I know from doctor’s visits) since I became pregnant, which is actually right on track with where I currently am in the journey!

I know I am going to gain weight + really do welcome that in a healthy way. I know that my goal is a healthy baby + a healthy baby requires momma to gain weight!

Are you starting to show?

This changes day to day, ha! I think that what is “showing” for me now is still just bloat, because it goes away overnight, ha! I can feel a hard little ball at the bottom of my pelvis, which is my uterus. It hasn’t migrated up into my abdomen yet (which it will do as it gets bigger), so not much of a bump! That being said, my shorts are getting tighter as I bloat during the day, ha! My mom said she was always in maternity clothes by 14 weeks, so I think snagging a few things is on the agenda here soon.

As I close out this recap (I’m sure I’m forgetting things, ha!), I thought I would leave you with my husband’s thoughts about this baby, which have just been so sweet to hear. He said that God just knew we would never pull the trigger on our own + so he decided to give us a baby on HIS time. We know our lives are about to radically change + we will be pushed and pulled in ways that we never have been before, but we’re so excited.

I’ll keep you updated on what’s happening over on instagram + will be back with a 2nd Trimester Recap in like 10 or so week!

What I’m working on in trimester 2:

• scheduling work with a pre-natal physical therapist. I can tell I’m already having some issues with my posture and back + want to nip them in the bud! I may continue to work with her postpartum too to ensure my pelvic floor is healthy!
• re-visting my therapist. I haven’t continued therapy throughout the last year since my therapist and I felt I was in a really good place. But with a life change this massive, I want to be proactive. Mark and I are budgeting in funds for me to be able to work through some fears and things before baby comes. I’ll probably start this soon!
• a baby registry. Baby showers aren’t a thing in the UK, but I think I am going to be lucky enough to have one while I’m home visiting the states in September! If anyone wants to check out my list + let me know what I’m missing, feel free, ha! It’s a work in progress!
• remembering to take my prenatal vitamins: prenatals are important for all of pregnancy, but I really don’t want to be deficient in the second trimester! I’m actually setting an alarm on my phone these days since my normal morning smoothie routine when I’d take them hasn’t been happening. I’m taking Binto + they help me coordinate exactly what I need during each season of pregnancy. I took them before I conceived + will continue after too! You can take a quiz to find what’s right for you + save 20% off with the code JESSICAEATS
• having grace: I’m working on letting go of expectations for myself now in terms of work or exercise or anything. I think learning to go with the flow a bit more will serve me well when baby arrives, ha!

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