If you’re interested in reading baby bump/pregnancy updates like I am, I thought it would be fun to write a post about my pregnancy so far. I also think this will be fun to look back on. I had originally planned to do month by month posts, but that didn’t happen, so I’m just going to do each trimester in a separate post and maybe do the last few months/weeks in their own posts. FYI - it's a lengthy one!

I’m pretty open about everything and will mention symptoms/body changes I’ve experienced as well. If you have questions, feel free to ask! I’m not really one to give advice unless it’s asked for, but I absolutely love to help when I can. At the bottom of the post I also have some of my must have items for the first trimester!

How Far Along: The first trimester is through the 13th week of pregnancy, which was the last week of November!

Guess Date: June 1st, 2020

Size: At 4 weeks baby is the size of a Poppy Seed, growing to the size of a Lemon by 13 weeks!

How I Found Out: I found out I was pregnant on Saturday, September 22nd (at approximately 3 weeks 5 days pregnant). Matt and I went to brunch that morning, then after he went to look at motorcycles with his dad (and ended up buying one)! I took a couple pregnancy tests while they were out, since I had been having breast tenderness for the past day or so (which I never have). It was still a few days before my cycle, so I figured it was a little too early to test, but thought I’d check. The first test came back POSITIVE(!!!) with a faint pink second line! I proceeded to take a couple more tests (maybe 4?) that all came back faintly positive as well. I was so excited and nervous. I wanted to tell Matt right away, but also wanted to find a fun way to announce it to him (more on that below). I was still skeptical the next morning, so I purchased the digital tests that said “pregnant” or “not pregnant”, along with another type of test that shows a “+” or “-”. Probably a lot of overkill, but I wanted to make sure! I think I took 8 or 9 tests total…haha!

How I Told Matt: As I mentioned, I found out I was pregnant on Saturday and knew I wanted to get Matt a little gift to surprise him instead of just showing him the test or blurting it out. I had purchased some things on Etsy that were customized for Baby Reis, but after waiting just a couple hours, I knew I wasn’t going to be able to wait for the items to arrive. I could hardly even wait one night! On Sunday morning, while Matt was out taking a ride on his new motorcycle, I went to find a cute onesie and a pregnancy/baby book for dads. This was a little harder to do than I thought. I wanted to find just the right book, not just go out and buy the first one I saw, and wanted the onesie to be something special. I presented the gift to Matt as a belated anniversary present, which we celebrated a couple weeks earlier. He had NO IDEA. When he opened the gift he looked at me and asked if I was serious (knowing I was). It was such a happy, tearful, and special moment. :)

Gender: At this point, we didn’t know. We saved the gender reveal envelope to open during our Hawaii trip and did a little gender reveal during our photoshoot)! Almost everyone thought baby Reis was a boy, which made Matt and I think it may be a girl. I didn’t have any sort of feeling either way though.

Appointment Updates: 6 Weeks - Pregnancy Confirmation. Matt and I went in for our first appointment to confirm the pregnancy (via urine test), have bloodwork done, and went over some initial information on future appointments, safe medications while pregnant, etc. This was one heck of an appointment! At the beginning of our appointment my OB was across the street at the hospital delivering a baby. We were told she’d likely be back shortly, so we waited for her. After a while they asked if I’d like to get started with bloodwork, etc. while I waited, and while I was getting my blood drawn, my doctor had come back. We chatted just a little (since I was still in the lab area) and she chatted with Matt a little while he was waiting in the room. By the time I was done with lab work, she had to go back to the hospital for another delivery! At this point, we waited and saw a different doctor. We actually never heard the words “you’re pregnant”, or anything actually confirming the pregnancy, likely since we had a lot of back and forth!

8 Weeks - Viability Ultrasound. We were both so nervous going into this appointment, but it was so fun to see an itty bitty baby up on the ultrasound, see the heartbeat, and confirm everything was in the correct locations.

10 Weeks - Initial OB Exam & Genetic Screening. Week 10 is the first week they say baby’s heart can be detected with the doppler. My OB tried to find baby’s heartbeat for about 30-45 seconds (which seemed to last forever), but said she didn’t want to try for too long because it was still so early to detect and the doppler can heat things up quickly (she said the heat from the doppler goes straight to baby’s heart - yikes). She sent us to get an ultrasound to check and thankfully we didn’t have to wait long to have the ultrasound done and confirm baby’s heartbeat. Once we saw baby’s heart beating away, we were able to relax a little and it was fun to get another peek at Baby Reis! Another part of this appointment was bloodwork for genetic screening to check for chromosomal abnormalities. Matt and I decided to do genetic screening since we both like to have as much information possible, to prepare for any outcome. While we definitely didn’t do this test to determine if baby was a boy or girl, it was a bonus that we’d get to find out before our 20 week anatomy scan. We decided to have them give us the gender results in an envelope and bring it to Hawaii. We got the tests back (with good results) about a week later. It was so nerve-wracking to wait a week for results on these tests! It was also hard to wait another few weeks to know baby’s gender when we had the envelope in our hands! I had to hide it from Matt!

12 Weeks - Nuchal Translucency Screening - Another ultrasound at this appointment! So fun seeing Baby Reis grow! As I mentioned, Matt and I like to try and be prepared, so we decided to do this screening as well. The Nuchal Translucency ultrasound looks for chromosomal abnormalities (specifically Down syndrome) by measuring the base of the neck. Baby Reis was so wiggly, they were only able to get a “sub-optimal” measurement, however since the measurements they were able to get were well within normal range, and our genetic screening from the couple weeks prior was normal, they determined we didn’t need to try again and overall gave good results. We were able to see a lot more of baby’s anatomy at this appointment than previously, which was exciting! Since they knew the gender already, I’m really glad they were so careful not to let it slip, even though it was too early to detect via ultrasound.

Other Appointments - Prior to pregnancy, I was going to monthly (or so) to acupuncture appointments for the past year and a half to help regulate hormones, support fertility, reduce acne, and help with sleep, among other things that would pop up. Once I got the positive pregnancy test, I started weekly appointments to support pregnancy and help with any symptoms. In general, I also have chiropractic appointments about once a month, so I’ve kept these up as well.

Body Changes/Symptoms: The biggest “side-effect” or symptom early on was horrible quality of sleep. Starting while we were in Colorado mid-September, I couldn’t sleep through the night like I usually had and started getting tired much earlier in the evening. I’ve always been a pretty solid sleeper and would go to sleep quite late, so this was a big change. I thought it was a little odd, but I just figured it was due to being busy, in a different time zone, and not in my bed.

Feeling bloated all the time also started early on, around 5-6 weeks. It made it hard to fit into my pants, even this early on! Thank goodness it was warm enough for dresses during most of this time.

Shortness of breath lasted from weeks 5-7 as well, which made me pretty anxious, as I have congenital heart disease and always have some anxiety about my heart if I experience any abnormal breathing. Shortness of breath in early pregnancy is fairly common (I have been told and have read) and was likely related to both a surge of progesterone and bloating. My anxiety about it only made it worse. When I was busy, it wasn’t really an issue, but if I was able to think about it, it would get worse again. I didn’t feel like I was gasping for air at all, but it felt like I needed to take a deep breath and couldn’t. I was very happy when that symptom went away (for a few months, at least). A few nights I even slept propped up so I hopefully wouldn’t wake up feeling like I needed to take deep breaths. I also felt like I couldn’t eat much, because if I did I would get even more bloated/full and it would be even harder to breathe.

Once the bloating started to settle down and I felt like I could finally eat a normal amount, food aversions kicked in. I didn’t have too much nausea, but I did have a couple instances of vomiting randomly, all times after I had eaten and in general felt too full.

Breast tenderness lasted from right before I found out I was pregnant (late in the 3rd week) and lasted until about week 8. This was definitely manageable, but only added to the poor quality of sleep. Overall, I would say my first trimester went fairly well with minimal symptoms, but I did lose about 10 lbs from bloating, food aversions, and likely a better diet. I also definitely could have gone without the trouble breathing, since it is something that had an impact every second of the day.

Food Cravings: Overall anything sweet, sour, citrus, fresh fruits, and veggies. The only thing out of the norm was the sweets - I usually prefer salty snacks over sweets. I stocked up on jars of pickles and olives, grapefruit, clementines, fresh berries, and raw veggies with ranch. So good!! Gummy bears were my top pick for sweets. Eggs were a definite no-go in all forms except hard boiled or deviled, the texture was just so unappetizing. This was difficult, because I typically eat eggs at least a couple times a week. Meat was also sometimes difficult with my food aversions, I think especially because it made me so full.

It was also hard trying to figure out what I could and couldn’t eat. I went down a rabbit hole of all the stuff you can’t eat while pregnant and felt like I couldn’t eat anything anymore. After talking with my doctor, she assured me that things like ranch, mayo, etc. were all okay if I felt the restaurant served fresh, quality food. Sushi was also still possible - just choosing rolls with shrimp (which is always cooked) or any other cooked fish/roll, and asking for it without the roe or sprouts, if that’s something they use.

Favorite Pregnancy Item: While it’s not specific to pregnancy, my large pink 30oz Yeti tumbler with a silicone straw helps me drink SO much water!! Water is so important during pregnancy and having a large container with a straw that keeps my water cold even overnight has been very helpful.

First Trimester Must Haves:

Prenatal Vitamin Supplement - This Ortho Molecular Prenatal with DHA is the prenatal vitamin I’ve been taking for the past year and a half or so (I tried others before this one as well and liked this one best). It’s fantastic. I love that it has high quality nutrients with real ingredients (such as folate instead of synthetic folic acid), which means the minerals are bioavailable (your body can actually process/absorb them) and they are gentle on the stomach. They only need to be taken once daily, the daily dose comes in its own foil strip that I can toss in my bag if I don’t take it right away in the AM, and comes with a DHA fish oil supplement that doesn’t cause any “fish burps”. Due to the high quality ingredients and bioavailability, it is a more expensive prenatal vitamin, but I feel that it’s one of the biggest sources of nourishment for my body and my baby, so it’s 100% worth it. I get it from Sunu Wellness, where I go for chiropractic care and acupuncture. It looks like it’s available on Amazon, but at the moment it’s quite a bit more expensive than what I buy it for.
- If you’re looking for others to compare, these are the others I’ve tried or heard are decent, but do your own research: MegaFood Prenatal Multivitamin (this version has folate, but they recently came out with a new version of their capsule which has folic acid - so always check labels)!, Ritual Prenatal, Nordic Naturals DHA Supplement (fish oil to take in addition to a prenatal vitamin), Smarty Pants gummies (likely the least bioavailable of all these, and I haven’t personally tried them or done much research, but they do have folate instead of folic acid and I’ve seen them recommended a few times).
- Overall, when looking for a good prenatal vitamin (or any supplement, for that matter), don’t just grab whatever is on the shelf at the store. Do your research, because often the supplements aren’t bioavailable and/or don’t contain the appropriate amounts you need of the nutrients, which basically makes them useless and you’re just wasting money.
Peppermint Oil - Helped immensely with any nausea and especially helpful with turbulence on the plane (not just while pregnant, FYI)!! I carried around a bottle of peppermint and also had a diffuser bracelet that I put a few drops of peppermint oil on so I could have it on me. Another option for a more casual diffuser bracelet here. This didn't necessarily help me be able to eat more with my food aversions, but it definitely helped me feel better almost instantly. Personally I only use Young Living oils because they have no additives/toxins and have a Seed to Seal promise. If you’re getting any essential oils, make sure you do your research and they are 100% the oil they say they are, especially while pregnant!! Often oils from Amazon, Target, Whole Foods, etc. can have toxic additives, which you definitely don’t want to be inhaling or putting on your skin.
Magnesium Supplement - Magnesium can be helpful for bloating, constipation, anxiety/stress, and sleep. I take this in the form of a powder mixed in water - I have the unflavored kind and it tastes a bit like a sour citrus? It’s less sour when mixed with enough water. I still have a lot left (I bought a 2 pack of fairly large containers), however knowing now that it comes in capsule form, I think I would have preferred that option. Often I forget to take the supplement because it needs to be mixed in water and I don’t have a glass nearby. I recommend following the instructions and slowly increase your dose until you reach the recommended dose after a week or so. If you take too much too quickly, it can have a Milk of Magnesia effect - aka, diarrhea. This specific supplement is Magnesium Citrate (helpful for bloating, slow digestion, and constipation and may help with anxiety/stress and sleep), however there is also Magnesium Glycinate which may have less of a laxative effect and possibly more helpful with anxiety, sleep, and restless leg syndrome than the Citrate form. Sunu Wellness had a great combo option with both forms of Magnesium, which I was hoping to try when I ran out of what I have, but it’s taking forever! I will add link to that option if I can find it online, once I know what it’s called.
Bellaband by Ingrid and Isabel - This is a band that you put over your pants and belly when you can’t button your pants anymore, but it’s definitely too early for maternity jeans (like when you’re boated at 6 weeks pregnant like I was)! There’s also the Maeband waistband extender, but I felt the Bellaband was better because it had more coverage, seemed more comfortable, and would last further into my pregnancy. I got the white and black colors. It either completely hid under my shirts or looked like I was wearing a tank if it was peeking out the bottom, which is why I got two colors.
Spiral Hair Ties - These are my favorite hair ties because they keep my hair in place, don’t leave a crease, and help my pony tails have lift. I think they’d be especially helpful if you need to throw your hair up quick if morning sickness hits. These Gimme Beauty ones are great too, I mainly use them for sleep.
Mama Natural Week by Week Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth - This is pretty much the only pregnancy book I’ve read and it is so good. I will definitely recommend this to any newly pregnant mama. While it mentions “natural” in the title, don’t let that steer you away if you don’t think that’s for you. I love this book because it talks about what to expect each week, as well as a topic for the week (sometimes something health related, other times something like a baby registry), it goes over all the possible tests throughout each trimester, ways to support your body and your baby, gives you power and knowledge to make your own decision about your pregnancy, labor, etc. and isn’t fear inducing, which I feel like so many are.
I stopped reading any of the “June 2020 Baby” forums, etc. shortly after becoming pregnant because it always made me more stressed and fearful to hear about potential problems. I already know they exist and it doesn’t serve a purpose to make me more stressed and concerned. I’m a researcher and have been interested in women’s health and pregnancy for many years now and I knew once I got pregnant there would be SO much to learn in a short period of time, so over the last couple years I’ve slowly been reading about different aspects of preconception, pregnancy, and childbirth. I feel like I was pretty well informed, however this book really gives detailed information at the time you’re going to need it. I also really like to have accurate information and I feel like many of the forums are just spreading so much inaccurate information.
50 Things To Do Before You Deliver - This is a fun, quick read. Like many books, it’s separated into 3 sections for each trimester and mentions things to do accordingly, such as downloading pregnancy apps, things to do while you’re still kiddo-free, etc.
Ovia Pregnancy App - Speaking of pregnancy apps, this is my favorite! I used the Ovia Fertility app to track my monthly cycle and get a general idea of when I’d ovulate. I also used it for general health tracking, such as weight, water intake, if I had certain symptoms, etc. I downloaded the Ovia pregnancy app right when I found out I was pregnant. It gave me an estimated due date, along with some info right away, which was so fun to read since I wouldn’t be having my first doctor appointment for a couple weeks. I find it helpful to add my symptoms to the tracker so I can keep track of when it started, how long it went on for, when it resolved, especially because it can be a couple weeks before going to the next appointment. Obviously if it was something concerning I’d call, but in general they were just something I wanted to keep track of and discuss at my next visit. The app also gives week by week updates on how baby is developing, how big he/she is, what symptoms or body changes I may be going through, etc. It also has a lot of info/articles available to read. There are a lot of pregnancy apps out there (and I actually use many of them from time to time), but this is by far my favorite due to the information, layout, and design of the app. If you want to use just one, I’d choose this one.
Pregnancy Journal - It took me a while to find one I liked. I actually have two. I bought this one after doing a quick search on what’s out there. It’s cute and fun, but less journalistic. After a bit more searching and wanting to write more (can you tell 'I’m long winded?) I chose this one. They’re very different, but I thought they were both good options.
Gentle Babies Book- I’m not going to go into detail here, but if you use essential oils, this book is great to know what oils to use to help support your body and baby during pregnancy, help with specific symptoms, and what oils may be best to avoid.
Epsom Salt - I like taking baths, especially while I’ve been pregnant. They’ve been a great way to wind down before bed and help me sleep. Epsom salt is Magnesium Sulfate. Adding this to your bath can help with the Magnesium benefits I mentioned above: promotes sleep, stress reduction, helps with digestion/constipation, muscle recovery, can reduce pain and swelling, is great for the skin. Epsom salt baths are great all the time, not just when pregnant, but I remember to use them more frequently now. This drain stopper is also a game changer for baths to get the water in the tub nice and high!
Clothing - These Core 10 leggings from Amazon and these leggings from Aerie have been my go-to. I’ve had them since before pregnancy, but I can tell they’ll stretch well with a growing belly, as they’re stretchy and not compressive at the top. I also love these joggers from Aerie. This has been a great top (also since before pregnancy) and will hopefully work well throughout all or most of pregnancy, and I’ve heard it’s great for postpartum too since it is loose and nursing friendly (comes in tank, short sleeve, and long sleeve)!
Overall, Aerie and Target have been my go-to places to shop for non-maternity clothes that fit well while growing a bump and hopefully for postpartum too. Things like flowy tops, longer sweatshirts, cardigans, and dresses all work great. Old Navy has been a great source for maternity items such as tank undershirts and other basic tops (I either get maternity or “long” non-maternity tops).