Second Pregnancy First Trimester Experience

It’s no secret that Kevin and I have been trying to grow our family and suffered a devastating setback earlier this year. While I haven’t touched on it much on the blog, I did let everyone know what happened briefly on Instagram and Facebook. It’s a hard topic to discuss but I do want to talk about it more on here one day. However, you have to move forward. And we’re very thankful and grateful to be pregnant again. So, today’s post is dedicated to my first trimester experience during this pregnancy.

Before we dive in, I want to send love to my fellow pregnancy warriors. It looks different for everyone. Getting there isn’t always the easiest and once your there, it doesn’t necessarily get easier. My inbox is always open if you need someone to chat with, sister.

Week 2: The Feeling

Differently this time, around, I had a feeling I was pregnant before it was too soon to test. We visited friends in Wisconsin shortly after I passed my ovulation window. I could just feel unwarranted cramps and general discomfort in that lower back area and knew I was pregnant. Due to my strong gut feeling, I didn’t drink all weekend or thereafter. Good thing, because that positive test came less than a week later!

Week 3: Finding Out We’re Pregnant

For anyone unfamiliar with a pregnancy timeline, the first day of your last period actually begins the clock on your 40-week pregnancy. Given you typically ovulate two weeks after that, you aren’t able to find out if you’re pregnant until late in the third week of your first trimester, which is what happened with us both times.

This time I got a bit antsy and took a test a few days before my app recommended, but it still showed me that my suspicions were justified, twice. The top test is VERY hard to see, but there’s definitely a faint line there. I took that at 8am and knowing that hormones are constantly growing during pregnancy, took the bottom one at 2pm the same day. A huge difference in just 6 hours but there’s no such thing as ‘kind of’ pregnant. If there’s even the faintest line there, you’re pregnant.

Week 4: Let the Cramps Begin

While not nearly as terrible as your usual PMS cramps, these cramps were still noticeable. Nothing a little relaxing and a car seat warmer doesn’t remedy. Seriously, having seat warmers in our cars has been CLUTCH! They’re a built in heat pad, even in the summer they still feel great when you have pregnancy cramps.

Also, while this may be too TMI for some of you, I have another quirk that I’ve noticed consistently throughout both pregnancies so far. In the early stages of pregnancy I find that I’m extremely… regular. But hear me out, it’s actually amazing. I wake up, and instead of morning sickness, which I’ve yet to see during either pregnancy, I have to go to the bathroom and I’m good for the day. It’s like clockwork. Definitely not the worst quirk to have, but worth mentioning because there’s definitely a theme.

Week 5: The Scare

We found out this week that my mother in law tested positive for COVID, just days after she had us over for dinner. She was already vaccinated but brought it home from her recent trip to Florida. Kevin and I take COVID protocol very seriously, even more so now that I’m pregnant, so we kept to ourselves and didn’t venture out (thankfully, we already had groceries and Hello Fresh delivered so we were really set on food). We did get tested shortly thereafter and thankfully, we were negative.

Aside from the big scare, breast tenderness showed up to the party. This is another big symptom of pregnancy. It happened last time too, before I’d even taken a test, and I thought something was wrong because I’ve never felt that before. It’s so weird!

Week 6: Eating Every Two Hours

Out of nowhere I found myself hungry even just one hour after a meal sometimes. As I write this I’m snacking on some 3 pm taquitos.

This doesn’t mane I’m eating full meals every few hours, that’s just not necessary, but sometimes the mood strikes me heavier than others. Some of my regular snacks on rotation have been chocolate covered raisins, bananas, taquitos and sometimes even a cheese and tomato sandwich… which we’ll talk about shortly.

Week 7: The Exhaustion is Real

This happened right around week six last time, I’m just physically exhausted most of the time. Exhaustion is a very normal symptom of pregnancy, especially in the first trimester. While every pregnancy is different, the exhaustion timeline has been similar with my first pregnancy.

Both pregnancies I’ve elected to avoid lunchmeat due to the increased risk of listeria. As such, my sandwich options are much more limited. During my first pregnancy I was hooked on these Frito filled sandwiches, but this time around I’m snack on these toasted cheese, mayo and tomato sandwiches. It’s wonderful because my tomato plants are fully mature and giving fruit right now so everyday I pick a fresh one for my sandwich. You can’t beat that level of fresh!

Week 8: Our First OBGYN Appointment

On Monday of week eight we had our first OBGYN appointment and it was perfect! I was thrilled to see my friendly NP’s face again and she answered all our questions. We also talked a bit about what happened to us last pregnancy, but I’m planning to save that for a future post.

Week 9: Tired AF

Most mornings I’m able to sit at my desk and get a good amount of work done, but the majority of the week I took to the couch in the afternoon with my laptop in tow. It’s more comfortable, I was still able to get some work done but the exhaustion was REAL. I was able to get 1-2 bigger things done in the morning time and the rest of the day I took it easier. Listen to those bodies, mamas!

Week 10: Trying to Eat Better

I seriously hate how my body wants to eat during the first trimester. It’s like a fried food carb country. I almost become a vegetarian (minus the veggies) for a few weeks because the texture of meat was so unappealing to me. But I do my best to sneak some veggies and proteins in where I can. While it’s not the most traditional way to get your veggies and meat, the Bowl at Panda Express has actually been an amazing way for me to get in some greens and meats.

It’s not the worst thing I could eat, and it’s certainly more than my body normally allows, so I’ll take it! Disguise that chicken and veggie dish in orange sauce, at least until were out of the first trimester, please!

This week I also had a quick check up appointment and baby has certainly grown! Baby had a strong heartbeat and even did a little somersault while we were doing the ultrasound; we’re in love.

Week 11: Pizza, Pizza

Despite feeling a little less fatigued and wanting to eat healthier, all I can think of is pizza this week. Frozen pizza, take out pizza, pizza by the slice at the shop down the street. Cheese, bread, sauce, repeat.

Pizza by the Slice First Trimester Cravings

I tried to have a delicious chicken salad sandwich on a croissant for lunch this week, but after the first bite there was a weird aroma in my mouth. I still couldn’t do chicken. Not cold chicken, anyway. And food is no good to me or baby if I get sick after eating it. My doctor has assured me that my crazy cravings and aversions are perfectly fine and as long as long as I’m taking my prenatal vitamin and feeding my hungry body, baby is in good care.

Week 12: The Big Anatomy Scan

We couldn’t have asked for a better week 12 appointment! Baby was all kinds of active, so much so it was a mini chore to get the heartbeat. This baby is constantly moving around in there, and while I can’t feel them yet, that makes me so happy!

Week 12 Ultrasound Anatomy Scan First Trimester

The night before, however, I started having some CRAZY gas pains. Disclaimer: I take regular fiber gummies and eat a good deal of fiber, but none of that matters, these can just happen during pregnancy and it’s incredibly normal. It’s mostly discomfort but this bought really was borderline painful. Gas-X, Milk of Magnesia, MiraLax and more are remedies my doctor okays during pregnancy, but all I had home was Gas-X and that did literally nothing (which she warned could be possible).

Kev ran out that evening after work and picked up MiraLax and Milk of Magnesia for me to try, and some Fiber One Brownies per my mom’s recommendation. I had a post-dinner brownie and the smallest serving of Milk of Magnesia and found it really helped me overnight. I woke up feeling SO much better! Always consult your doctor, but this is how I remedied that nagging gas pain.

Week 13: End of the First Trimester

Energy is starting to come back as I’m nearing the end of my first trimester, so we ventured out to Heap’s Giant Pumpkin Farm for a day of Fall fun. Not pictured is Bickell! He’s allowed at Heap’s and even takes a hayride with us out to the patch to pick our pumpkins. It’s my favorite part of the whole trip! Highly recommend this place for locals who love to bring their dogs to things like we do.

In other news, I’m still eating like I’m a child, with the return of Lunchables coming this week. My favorite were always the nachos. Planning to share a post about my first trimester cravings in the future, so stay tuned for a walk down nostalgia lane because its almost alllll food from a traditional Millennial childhood.

Thank you for your support as always. I hope you’re as excited for the news as Kevin and I have been. I’d also love to answer any questions or help/provide advice in any way I can in the comments. Leave me all your first trimester and pregnancy questions below!

xoxo, Ashley