Our Greatest Adventure: We’re Expecting + First Trimester Update

We’re having a baby! Dave and I are blown away by all the love and thoughtful messages you’ve sent our way. Now that our little secret’s out, I wanted to share my first-trimester recap on the blog. 

Let’s dive into pregnancy journals and what I started doing as soon as I found out I was pregnant. 

My First Trimester Milestones + Experience

Each week has been a milestone. I’m using the Flo app to see how our baby is developing throughout different stages. I love reading about how much he’s growing and learning about all the changes happening to my body. Dave and I waited until I was 20 weeks pregnant before we told our friends/family we were having a boy. As soon as we found out, we couldn’t wait to share the news! We told our parents early on, pretty much as soon as we found out. 

We knew we wanted to have a baby this year, and I wanted to surprise Dave on Valentine’s Day. I peed on a stick, but the timing wasn’t right. I knew I was a few days early but thought I’d see how we’d go. A few days later, I took a second test, and there it was – a faint blue line. I didn’t bother reading the instructions because I figured it would be a clear yes or a definite no. But what does a faint blue line mean? 

We scheduled an appointment with our doctor and went to our first ultrasound the following week. That’s the one where you get to see the baby’s heartbeat. Because we were a bit early (5 weeks), we had to go back a second time. I can’t even begin to explain how nervous we both felt before that ultrasound, and started crying as soon as we saw that tiny heartbeat. 

During those first few weeks, I experienced a lot of doubt about my pregnancy. Even after the ultrasound, I kept having to remind myself that everything was going to be okay.

Always Tired

When I first found out I was pregnant, I thought I’d be nauseous all the time, throwing up in the most random places – but thankfully, that didn’t happen. Instead, I felt tired. ALL. THE. TIME. Naps always seemed like a good idea, and I constantly had to go to the bathroom. I may or may not have been a bit moody too. I felt sick once during my second trimester, but it wasn’t too bad. 

Pregnant During Covid-19 

Want to know what it’s like to be in your first trimester of pregnancy during a global pandemic? 

It’s a bit isolating. I think the hardest part was realizing that I won’t be able to see my family this year, and they won’t be able to visit us. 

We live in Australia, and I’m from California, and I know we’ll make the trip home as soon as we can travel safely. When lockdowns first started, my routine didn’t change much since I work from home. I didn’t begin to feel isolated until Dave had to go away for work for a few weeks, and I struggled to adjust to the idea of being home alone and not being able to see any friends. 

One of the perks of staying home during those first few months of pregnancy was being able to rest a lot. I lived in comfort in my favorite activewear all day. While I missed hanging out in the city, going to the gym, and routine, it felt good to relax as much as I needed. 

Bleeding during the first trimester 

Many of my friends have children, but I can’t recall any of them talking about bleeding during the first trimester. I heard about the morning sickness and cramps, but no one mentioned that part. While my doctor says a few spots here and there are normal, I was scared when I noticed a heavy flow. I called my doctor, and she recommended a third ultrasound to make sure everything was okay. 

Luckily, everything was fine, and the bleeding eventually stopped. I cried a lot, wondering if our baby was okay, and dreaded going to the bathroom during those few days.  

I was exercising regularly in the beginning but took a break after that happened. It was a while before I felt comfortable getting back on my bike and doing at-home workouts. I use the Down Prenatal Yoga app for my pregnancy workout routine.

Miscarriage Resources

Pregnancy Journal 

One of my clients asked me to write an article about “journal prompts and ideas for new moms” during the first few days of my first trimester. She had no way of knowing, but I was excited about the idea. 

Writing milestones and firsts in my pregnancy journal has been one of my favorite things to do during this pregnancy. I use a Google doc instead of a pen and notepad to document how I’m feeling, and what symptoms I’m having so I can share them with my doctor. At first, I started by writing notes and bullet points, but after the first few weeks, my writing transitioned into short letters for our baby. 

One day, we’ll both get to see how I felt, what life was like, and how much our little guy liked to move around when he was growing inside me. 

If you want to start a pregnancy journal, but you’re not sure what to write, use these prompts for inspiration: 

• I feel____, and I’m grateful for ______. 
• I want to remember _____ , because ________.
• We learned that ______ makes us feel _____. 
• I learned __________ about being pregnant and myself. 
• Today was special because ________. 

Related: Pregnancy Journal Prompts: 35 Ideas For What To Write During Pregnancy

What I did as soon as I found out I was pregnant: 

• A lot of research on what I could eat and taking note of all the things you can’t, then googling the same thing again the next day to make sure it was safe. Paranoid, I know. I had a hard time eating vegetables, even though I love them and noticed I started eating a lot slower. I didn’t have any trouble eating sweets, though. 
• Prenatal Vitamins – I started taking those immediately—Blackmores brand. 
• I’m not sure when you’re supposed to start using stretch mark cream, but I made it a habit early on during those first few weeks. I’m using GAIA belly butter, but I’m open to trying something new. If you have one you love, let me know! 
• I bought two muslin wraps. I didn’t want to get overwhelmed with a list of things to buy early on, but I fell in love with the print. 
• Dave and I kept guessing if we were having a boy or a girl, even though I think we both knew we were having a boy! We also started to think about baby names. 
• Pictures – I waited and waited for a bump to show, and started noticing it more and more at 12 weeks. 
• What to now in your first trimester: We talked about the logistics – what hospital, insurance, our budget, getting another car, going back to work, etc. 

Want Gender Neutral Baby Clothes? These Basics That’ll Make Your Heart Melt

Nursery Room Details:

First Trimester Blog Wrap Up 

Time moves so fast. I started to feel our little one moving around more often – mostly at night, after our first trimester. We’re over the moon and getting things ready for his big arrival in a few months. Can’t believe we’ve only got six more months to go!