Oh Baby! My First Trimester + Pregnancy Favs

We’re Having A Baby Boy!

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It’s been a really wild ride the past few months and I’m so happy to finally share what’s been going on behind the scenes. Cliff notes: a lot!

I had this weird, intuitive knowing that I was pregnant a few months ago. And guess what? I was right. Sure enough, a few days later, a pregnancy test confirmed the news. I was too excited to plan some elaborate and/or funny way to tell Scott, so I showed him the test and we both could not believe our eyes. For the longest time, it really hasn’t felt real. Now that I have a little bump, baby boy is making his presence known! I have to admit that the immense joy of expecting a little one has also come with a few challenges.

I want to acknowledge that my heart goes out to all the women that are struggling to get pregnant, I know it’s a sensitive topic and I keep you in my prayers!!

With that said, I wanted to share my REAL experience on how things have gone thus far. It has certainly not been the easiest summer/first trimester. Within 6 weeks of being pregnant, I developed the worst morning sickness imaginable, throwing up all day everyday, not being able to keep water or ice cubes down. Many tears were shed as I was so frustrated that I was so so sick. I was averse to just about everything, including but not limited to all skincare and body products, all green healthy foods, coffee (ah, my beloved morning ritual!), the list could go on and on. I spent many many days laying in bed. It was very isolating as not many people knew I was pregnant. And yes, I tried everything to help: B6, Unisom, ginger, eating small meals, eating all the “beige” food possible. The only thing that helped me stop throwing up was Zofran which I was able to start near the end of my first trimester. I’ve still felt sick most days, and it’s been hard on my physical and mental health as I’m used to being a go-go-go person. It’s been a humbling experience in surrendering to my body. As I approach week 23 this week, I’ve slowly been integrating more and more food, though my appetite is still not back to normal and coffee still isn’t tasting quite like it used to. However, I’m MUCH MUCH better than I was in my first trimester. I’m grateful that things seem to be getting incrementally better each week! It is also comforting to know that there is an end date to my nausea, even if it is in January!

While I never expected to want to know the gender of our baby, I felt as though this was something exciting to look forward to during those dark days of intense morning sickness. I’m so glad we did as I feel a lot more connected to our little boy! I can’t wait to be a #boymom—we are so grateful he is healthy and growing. I’ve even started to feel him move around! It’s such a crazy but amazing feeling to know that there is a tiny little baby inside of me. He even gave a little thumbs up to us during one of our ultrasounds—perhaps telling his Dad he’s ready to play some basketball or golf with him!!??

Also worth mentioning:

I also wanted to mention that there is SO MUCH PRESSURE to have THE PERFECT pregnancy—you know, eating all the greens, exercising and staying super active— all of it can be a bit much and overwhelming. I want to stress that as a holistic nutritionist/health coach, I pride myself on eating nutrient dense foods. My first trimester has been FAR from that as my morning sickness forced me to basically live on all beige foods. I also want to mention that giving myself some grace in terms of perfection has helped me. I have listened to my body in terms of what I want to eat. I have occasionally eaten some eggs from our CSA, while still eating 90% plant-based. This has been a good learning experience about letting go of expectations and just allowing myself to go with the flow. Which surely is important as I approach motherhood. What I’m trying to say is: do what you have to do to stay sane. For other pregnant moms-to-be, here is a short list of things that have helped me feel more like myself during my first trimester…

What I’ve Found Helpful:

-Tuning in to what feels good to ME and not obsessing over the “shoulds”

-Prenatal Massage (Contact me if you want a great massage therapist in MKE, I love mine!)

-Leaning into rest: Not feeling guilt to rest and listen to my body

-Seeing a Naturopathic Doctor to cover all my bases with supplements, lifestyle, and a plant based diet, etc. I love Dr. Aponte at Lakeside Natural Medicine if you’re in the Milwaukee area

-Working with an amazing pregnancy coach to talk about everything and anything related to pregnancy (more on this special lady soon!)

-Buying nice maternity or maternity friendly basics (see below) so that I still feel comfortable but stylish

-Eating carbs! All of the carbs. I love these sprouted whole grain english muffins with an egg or hummus, nut butter, vegan cream cheese, etc.

-Water! Hint water has helped me drink more water later!

-Connecting with other young mom’s and meeting new people! It’s nice to connect with other women that are going through this transition into motherhood OR who have kids already and can share some wisdom

Pregnancy Favorites Thus Far:

STYLE FILES

  • DRESSES! This basically applies to those pregnant in summer although I plan to wear some with tights this winter too. I have found lots of maternity-friendly dresses at Target!

  • AYR tops: I love the french fry shirt (hello Parisian stripe vibes) and this super classic white button down. Both of which I can wear post-pregnancy! A real win!

  • Cardigans from H + M. I especially love this style for layering with a classic crewneck shirt, leggings and tennis shoes! I also picked up a pair of these joggers for lounging around the house. They’re so comfy, especially when your belly gets a little bigger!

  • What I’m still looking for: Awesome bras, leggings and jeans. All of which I haven’t found amazing options for as of yet, stay tuned on that front!

CLEAN BEAUTY + BODY PRODUCTS

  • When I couldn’t handle the smell of anything, I purchased some products from Osmia Organics, a beautifully crafted clean beauty brand. Love this soap, body oil for stretch marks and body mousse.

  • On Sunday evenings, I’ve been using this facial steamer which is SO RELAXING! Highly recommend!

  • For a few hormonal acne spots that have popped up during pregnancy, I’ve been leaning on my Beautycounter Counter+ Overnight Resurfacing Peel and their SOS Acne Spot Treatment!

  • For overall skincare, I’ve been loving Beautycounter’s Countertime Collection! I especially love the Lipid Defense Cleansing Oil from that line! All safe for during pregnancy which is a real win. I also sometimes double cleanse with the Countermatch Refresh Foaming Cleanser—this is a great upgrade if you use CeraVe products. It’s very similiar! Super foaming as the name states.

  • When I look tired (which is a lot lately thanks to my many trips to the bathroom during the night and constant switching sides) I love using this under my eyes before I put on my makeup. You can also use it as a highlighter. I loveeeee it!

  • I recently wrote a post on my favorite Beautycounter makeup and all of that still rings true with the addition of their new primer!

  • My ALL TIME favorite body oil that I will start using again now that I’m not averse to all my skincare scents: Osea Undaria Algae Body Oil. Perfect for stretch marks and amazing hydration. I could bathe in this stuff I love it so much. Do yourself a favor for your fall/winter skin and pick up some of this liquid gold.

RESOURCES, PRODUCTS, ETC.

A few gems from our baby announcement shoot with our dear friend Ian of Noonday Studios. Thank you, Ian!

Here’s to baby boy Cayo, we love you so much sweet boy! Onward to the rest of my second and third trimesters!

Maddie x

 
PregnancyMadeline CayoComment