Realistic Tips for Surviving Your First Trimester of Pregnancy!
If you are in the heat of your first trimester of pregnancy and wondering how the heck am I going to survive this? I’m here for you babe! I just finished my first trimester for a second time and want to pass on some realistic tips to help you in your first trimester as you count the weeks to normalcy.
I am not one of those people who “love” being pregnant! And I absolutely despise the first trimester. As a Pilates instructor, watching people move did not help my nausea. If I tried to demonstrate a move I would get a wave of dizzy spells. My stomach was so bloated I looked 4 months pregnant. ALREADY! Ugh… And the headaches, oh the headaches.
But the good news is I found realistic ways to help my symptoms.
The absolute best advice I can give you is Give Yourself A Break! This is not the time to think about how much weight you’re gaining and sad because you don’t feel like working out. Even worse, Please don’t force yourself to work out during the first trimester unless it makes you feel better. Listen to your body!
Nausea
I had to eat, I know for some eating is not possible. But I found eating something light was super beneficial. My go-to was apples or grapes. Crackers were also good but sometimes they dried my mouth out and made nausea worse. So eat what works for you and in small doses.
Suck on ginger mints. The heat of the ginger helped but after a few weeks, I got sick of the taste.
My next move out of desperation was to get the sea bands and those worked surprisingly well. I really did not expect much from them but the majority of my sickness was coming from movement so I guess that’s why they worked.
I did, however, end up with tan lines on my wrists from wearing them all day long. But who cares I felt better.
Exhaustion
Sleep if it’s available to you, nap when you can! If not eat small meals frequently. Protein pact meals helped boost my energy and keep my levels constant. I did crackers and cheese, apples and nut butter. Small ground chicken patties grilled.
Make sure you are getting your 8 hours of sleep in at night. Your body needs to recoup so you can keep up with the next day.
Headaches
I used cold wet washcloths behind my neck or on my forehead. Upped my water intake. In fact, my sister in law got me a hydro flask and that bad boy helped me drink more water. It was amazing! On a few occasions, I would break down and take Tylenol.
Anxiety
Some people experience this for many reasons. Fear of miscarriage, fear of being a mom. Finances, work, you name it there is a fear underlining. How I battle this was reminding myself, this will all work out for my good. No need to stress about the unknown. I started a gratitude journal and read my bible daily. This actually helped me so much with anxiety, I was astonished.
I believe we are pregnant for almost 10 months for a reason. The first trimester is the time where you work these things out and the stress dissipates by the second. Unfortunately, you have to trust me and just know there is a method to the madness. The fear is healthy to get you prepared. Just be careful to not dwell on it.
Remember the second trimester brings energy and normalcy to most pregnant women. Take care of yourself and keep moving! I encourage you to start a daily gratitude journal. Feel free to use this one if you like.
Stephanie
