Baby #2 - My FIRST TRIMESTER:
[symptoms, supplements + Must-haves]
Yep! That’s right.. we’re having another!
Greg and I went back and forth about getting pregnant again. We knew we wanted another, but honestly Bodhi is such an amazing little boy that we didn’t know if we wanted to change anything! We half-joked about it, but deep down we also wanted him to have a brother or sister. Some have asked, and no we weren’t technically trying, BUT we were also not NOT trying loll. And of course, when you least expect it… BAM! PREGNANT.
We honestly couldn’t be happier though. I’m super excited that Bodhi and his new brother or sister will be less than 2 years apart. When Greg and I first talked about having kids, we knew we wanted them to be close in age so that they would have each other to lean on, play with, bond, and so on. I know they’ll be the bestest of buddies.
FIRST TRIMESTER SYMPTOMS
EXHAUSTION:
This is about the same as my first pregnancy. It started around 5.5-6 weeks — I’ll randomly be hit with an exhaustion spell. Sometimes it’s early on in the day, sometimes later in the afternoon. I find myself wanting to rest more, take it easy, and even nap if I have the chance. It feels a bit stronger this time around (from what I remember), but I’m sure that also has to do with chasing a toddler around all day long this go round. I can’t just do nothing whenever I feel like it this time compared to my first pregnancy when it was just Greg and I, and no small human fully depending on us.
NAUSEA / UPSET STOMACH / Indigestion:
This I don’t remember having when I was pregnant with Bodhi. I don’t get nauseous a lot and it’s not usually very strong, but with this little babe, it’ll hit me randomly. Like, the other night (morning) when it woke me up at 5am… Thankfully it doesn’t last long either which I’m very grateful for. Aside from the nausea, I have a lot of indigestion and my stomach with get upset, gassy and/or bloated very easily. I find myself having to eat very small meals, otherwise I feel like a big bloated blob. Try saying that 5 times fast. I may be the only one, or maybe it’s a pregnancy thing and other mama’s know what I’m talking about, but it’s almost like when I feel nauseous sometimes, I can’t tell if I’m actually a little hungry and need to eat, but food doesn’t sound appetizing at the moment…? Anyone?? Maybeee it’s just an Alyssa Thing then LOL.
Nosebleeds
I wasn’t surprised by this, as I had a lot of nosebleeds when I was pregnant with Bodhi. Currently, they aren’t bad; mainly just light nosebleeds. And it’s more so when I go to blow my nose, instead of one just coming on out of the blue.
S U P P L E M E N T S
Prenatal vitamin
I tried and have been using a different prenatal this time around. I have heard a lot of great things about Ritual, so I decide to give them a try. I have to say that I really do love them. [[You can also use the inserted link if you want to give them a try and get $15 off your first order!]] You can read more on their website, but they have all of the essential vitamins you need for pregnancy, and they also have some of the highest counts for certain vitamins used.. e.g. the Vitamin D in Ritual is 2000 IU – which my midwife said is higher than almost any prenatal vitamin she has seen out there. She said we should be getting close to 5000 IU daily while pregnant.
Vitamin D
Going along with what I was saying above with my prenatal vitamin… I’m still not getting the recommended amount that my midwife suggested, so per her recommendation, I also take Vitamin D to make up for the rest.
CBD
If you know me or have been following me for a little while now, you know that I’m a huge advocate for CBD. I’m actually partnered with a local CBD company based out of North Carolina. I have been consistently taking CBD for almost a year now and I can honestly say that it has changed me and my family’s lives for the better. I was and still am breastfeeding Bodhi, and I personally use this broad spectrum CBD which has absolutely zero THC in it. When I found out I was pregnant, I continued my typical daily dose and have never felt better. I truly think it has helped me this pregnancy with keeping some unwanted pregnancy symptoms at bay for the most part. I want to point out that I am clearly not a doctor, and if you have any questions or concerns, please direct them to your OB or midwife! I personally feel extremely and fully comfortable taking CBD while pregnant and I know exactly where it is coming from – a safe, trustworthy, reliable, and transparent source is what you should be looking for! Again, I’m not a licensed professional, but I would still be more than happy to chat with you further if you’d like. I’m an open book.
Ningxia Red
My dear friend turned me on to all things Young Living. I do not sell their products, but I am completely hooked on so many of their items! I am all for non-toxic, natural, holistic alternatives (hence the love for CBD), so Young Living is also right up my moral + ethical alley. Ningxia Red is filled with so many antioxidants + nutrients, that it was a no-brainer to take it during pregnancy. It has also been said by many midwives that they can tell when their patient was taking Ningxia Red during pregnancy by how beautiful and healthy their placenta looked after delivery! I know I’m filling my body and giving my baby what he/she needs, and that makes me extra happy.
COLLAGEN
I have been taking this for years now. I took it prior to getting pregnant with Bodhi, during pregnancy #1, after having Bodhi, and now with Baby #2.. you get the point lol I love this stuff and I truly think it makes a difference for me personally. Collagen is great for skin, hair, nails, digestion, and so on. I don’t know for certain, but I honestly believe it helped my body and skin expand for baby without leaving stretch mark behind. They say stretch marks are pretty much genetic, however my mom and sister both got them when pregnant, and I have not. I may get them with this pregnancy, but we will see!
B a b y #2 M U S T H A V E S:
pregnancy journal
I currently using this one. It’s a different journal than what I used while pregnant with Bodhi. They are definitely different styles, but I honestly love different things about each of them. They both make you think and reflect on different parts of being pregnant; how you’re feeling, ways your body is changing, how you’re sleeping, important moments to document, and so on. I would recommend either one! This is the one I used when pregnant with Bodhi.
Digize
Another Young Living product that has been essential for me during this pregnancy! Any bloat, stomach discomfort or indigestion stands almost no chance against it. It’s a mix of oils designed to help digestion (ginger, peppermint, fennel, etc.). I place 1-2 drops under my tongue when needed and honestly within 5-10 minutes I’m feeling some relief. I’m only mad that I forgot I had this until near the end of the first trimester!
O V E R A L L –
Weight Gain:
<5lbs
Mental State:
Overwhelmed. Emotional. Tired. Happy.
This is not to say that I am not over the moon about this pregnancy. But in all honestly, it was different than the first time we got pregnant. We were trying, really really hard for the first pregnancy. With this one, as I stated at the beginning, we weren’t NOT trying, we just weren’t actively trying like we were for Bodhi. And when I initially found out I was pregnant this time around, it felt like it came at the most complicated of times. I was worried, anxious, overwhelmed. But when that all passed, and it passed fairly quickly, I was tired, BUT very very elated, happy, ecstatic. Pregnancy, does strangeeee things to our hormones, so to say I was all over the place initially, is putting it softly LOL.
Workout Regimen:
This hasn’t changed much. A few months prior to getting pregnant, I got the Peloton Bike+ and was doing a lot of rides as well as the strength, cardio and boot camp classes that come along with the subscription. When I found out I was pregnant, I continued to work out as normal, although I took a few extra rest days as needed as I was more tired than usual.
Diet:
I feel very in tune with my body and try to keep a well rounded and balanced diet. I don’t restrict or cut anything out, and I like to enjoy all foods in moderation. I haven’t had any food aversions thus far, so everything has pretty much stayed the same!
I think that’s about it for now… lol it’s been a bit since I’ve written a post, but I love to have these for myself as well so that I can look back and reminisce whenever I want. I know my future self will be glad that I kept notes and details on this pregnancy just as I did when I was pregnant with Bodhi.
If you ever have any specific questions, feel free to reach out and ask! If you’re made it this far – thank you! Your love and support is so so appreciated.
Xoxo, Alyssa