First Trimester Tips Archives

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How I Control My Weight Gain During The First Trimester

March 29, 2020 No Comments

Weight gain during the first trimester can be the most troublesome because there really shouldn’t be much weight gained. Aside from a few pounds of water weight, baby is not causing much extra weight at all, yet the first trimester is the hardest for me to eat healthy and exercise. I’ve recently just started feeling better at 12 weeks pregnant, and I gained about 5lbs. Techincally you don’t need to gain much more than 5lbs in the first trimester, but without some of my little tricks I’ve learned after 4 pregnancies now, I’d be closer to 10lbs. I literally just eat and sleep for weeks. I went from eating healthy and running about 4 miles every morning, to eating, sitting, sleeping and eating more. The first trimester, I find myself so sedated and sick feeling, yet so hungry and needing food ALL THE TIME. If you aren’t aware of your eating habits, the whole situation can be very discouraging. I promise I have some tips that will help you feel better about eating all the food and not exercising at all.

How much weight should you gain in the first trimester?

It’s recommended that you gain around 3-4lbs in the first trimester. There isn’t a real need to gain weight during this time because baby doesn’t really weigh anything. There is your expanding uterus, and some extra water, but that’s about it. If you focus on just this point, the whole process of gaining weight can feel frustrating.

How long does the first trimester neausea last?

I think I’ve Googled this every pregnancy. You are probably feeling funny around 6 or 7 weeks, and the peak of the HCG is at about 8-9 weeks. Weeks 9 and 10 were not fun for me either, then I started to come out of it around 11 weeks. That’s when the HCG hormone is leveling out, and you should be leveled out around 13 weeks. I have had pregnancies where I didn’t feel better until 13-14 weeks. If you make it to 10 weeks, just know you are getting close to the end! Just knowing the curve of the hormone levels really helped me stay motivated and survive.

How I Survive Morning Sickness (All Day Sickness)

What to focus on, to control weight gain during the first trimester:

Total weight gain for your pregnancy:

First thing you need to do is remember that you have a long way to go, and just because you gain more than recommended in the first trimester, doesn’t mean you will gain too much in your whole pregnancy. Most of the time, like me, if you gain more weight during your first trimester it is because of the exhaustion and icky feelings. Food makes me feel better, and it might for you too. Because the first trimester is such a survival mode, once you get to the second trimester, you can get back to eating healthier! I can barely eat fruit during the first trimester, and I know I’m starting to feel better when I can eat fruit again. I also keep reminding myself the second trimester is my chance to get healthy again and fix my habits. Usually, this works really well.

My Favorite Foods and Meals For Morning Sickness

Total calories for the day:

I’ve found that by writing down what I’m eating, I realize I’m not eating as much as I feel like I’m eating. Because I eat so healthy most of the time, when I start eating toast, chips, nachos, creamy soups, pastas and foods that are way off my norm, my head can play tricks on me. If you do this, you will realize you aren’t eating a million calories, even though you might feel like it. Mentally, this really helped me!! I saw that what I wanted to eat, didn’t add up to as many calories as I thought it would, and I stayed within a calorie zone, still eating what made me feel better. This is a game-changer mentally!! You will be able to relax and not stress out too much.

Stay as active as possible when you feel the best:

I have evening sickness, so I would do my best to be “active” in the morning. This might be taking my boys to the park, going on a walk or just cleaning around the house. Anything to keep moving for as long as possible, because I knew I’d be laying around later in the day. Maybe you feel terrible in the morning, so you can add some activity in the evening.

Try chewing gum:

This is actually really helpful, especially if it is a minty gum. I found that once I started eating, I had a hard time stopping. I just wanted to eat everything. If I popped some gum after a meal, I could take a break from eating without feeling neauseaus. I was basically chewing gum all the time and numerous pieces in an hour. As soon as the flavor wears off, it doesn’t work, so I had to keep the pieces fresh. Kinda weird, but it worked!

Sipping on a protein smoothie:

I found that sipping on a smoothie was a great way to help myself get in more vitamins and protein. I would slowly drink it, or eat it with a spoon, and it was very comforting. I of course use this protein powder and the pregnancy blend will be out soon. It has the needed folate that is really important for the first trimester, as well as other essential vitmains! Low sugar and high in protein too! Because it lasted longer that way, I felt more satisfied. I liked blueberry smoothies or banana peanut butter smooothies. I LOVE salty in the first trimester, so the banana peanut butter really worked the best most of the time.

Lay down before eating:

Sometimes the neausea tricked me into thinking I needed to eat something. If I layed down to close my eyes, I would actually realize I felt a lot better just resting. Sometimes if I gave myself 15 minutes to rest, I could make it a little longer without eating – again. My struggle was obviously just wanting to shove food in my face all the time.

I finally made it through the first trimester, with three kids, and I am not totally sure how I did it. The past few weeks have been a complete blurr, where I was in a real fog, but it does pass. Just take it one day at a time. Make sure you are taking a good prenatal, and be sure to read my tips to sooth neausea.

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In First Trimester Tips

My Favorite Foods and Meals For Morning Sickness

March 11, 2020 No Comments

Morning sickness, or all-day sickness in my case, can cause some intense cravings and food aversions. One meal sounds amazing one minute, then tastes disgusting the next. I’ve put together some of my favorite morning-sickness foods and meals, plus I have a recipe for the best morning sickness smoothie to help you eat something that actually helps you feel better.

This is my fourth pregnancy, so I’ve been around the block a few times with pregnancy naseaus. As I write this, I am 9 weeks in, and at the height of the fatigue and nausea. If you’ve ever seen a chart of the HCG levels during the first trimester, you will see that the HCG spikes about 8-9 weeks, then slowly dips down as you get closer to 12 weeks. I am literally counting down the days until I feel better, as I eat these same few meals over and over again.

I have an in-depth post on how I manage the morning sickness with tea, supplements and more, but here are a few quick tips to remember:

Eat SMALL, frequent meals. If you feel like you are eating something every hour, no big deal. When your stomach goes empty, and for whatever reason the HCG hormone makes it feel empty fast, the neausa gets worse.
Sip on tea. I list some of my favorites, but a mint tea or peach/ginger tea work really well for me.
Chew on gum in between snacks. I’ve found this to be so helpful during school pick up and drop off, when I don’t want to be stuffing my face in front of ther parents.
Don’t worry too much about weight gain. If you try to skip meals, or force yourself to eat vegetables, you can end up making yourself feel worse. This is a time when it is okay to put the diet on the back seat, and survive. I will have some tips soon on how to NOT gain a million pounds in the first trimester.

Okay, with those quick tips, let’s get into the best foods for morning sickness.

My favorite foods for morning sickness:

Oatmeal:

There is something so comforting and satisfying with oatmeal. I do quick oats and make it in the microwave. I add some Stevia and almond milk, or a little creamer and slowly eat it. Oatmeal is one of those super powerful carbohydrates that offer a lot of nutrients, but still have the comforting affect. With a bland taste, is shouldn’t cause too much upset. During the first trimester, I can barely get down fruits or veggies (which is the opposite of how I eat normally), but sometimes I can add some peanut butter and banana to the oatmeal. Oatmeal can help with constipation too, which is common during the first trimester.

Banana Protein Shake:

Sipping on a smooth, creamy, peanut butter banana shake really helps me. This one has a green color to it becuase I made it with my Bump Dust Protein Powder which is specifically formulated for pregnant mamas in need of nutrition. There are so many superfoods like spinach, blueberries, spirulina and chlorella, it has a green color. Green is always a good color in terms of nutrition. This protein shake also helps me get in my folate (not folic acid!), during the first trimester, and gives me a boost of vitamin B12, which can help with the intense fatigue. The recipe is so simple, and I promise it tastes amazing.

Stop Morning Sickness Smoothie

This yummy smoothie for morning sickness will help ease your tummy, as well as nourish your body and baby.

1 Sccop Bump Dust Protein Powder
1 medium banana
3 tbsp oats (I just use quick oats)
3 tbsp Peanut butter powder (or 1 tbs reg. peanut butter)
4 big ice cubes
1/2 cup milk of choice

Add all ingredients to blender except the peanut butter powder. Put your peanut butter flour into a small bowl, and slowly add a few teaspoons of water at a time to get a nice, creamy peanut butter. Once you have a creamy peanut butter, scoop into the blend to blend all together. If you want to add a little extra peanut butter on top, go for it. If your tummy doesn't want the peanut butter, skip and do plain banana. It is still really good.

Protein Cereal:

Cereal is an amazing, easy-to-eat snack for the first trimester, but many cereals are filled with sugar and carbs and don’t do a lot for you except taste good. I found The Cereal School, and I was really happy with the taste and texture. I have only tried the peanut butter, and I have a couple more flavors on the way to see which one is the best. I definitely recommend trying them to help you stay healthy, yet still eat cereal! What I love is that they have so many flavors to choose from, so you can really ease those cravings!

Dave’s Killer White Bread Done Right:

I have found plain toast to be super helpful, so I choose a better white bread for the toast. Toast is easy to digest, has a very comforting taste, and sometimes it is all you can stomach. Grabbing a better white bread can sometimes really help with your blood sugar levels, so they don’t fall fast and leave you feeling queasy again. If you can stomach a heartier bread, I highly recommend this bread because the sprouted wheat is so much better for you. And because the first trimester is so exhausting, I highly recommend just using Amazon Prime or the Whole Foods Delivery if you are close by. You can grab all the healthy stuff (with your Prime discount to make Whole Foods cheaper!!) and stay resting on the couch. I literally have NO ENERGY for grocery shopping now.

Crackers:

Crackers are seriously a life-saver. I like a bland, salty cracker like saltines, but for some reason I also love white cheddar cheeze its. These aren’t the healthiest, but I just don’t go over board on them, and they really help. I keep a small bag of crackers in my purse, so I can munch on them if needed. Find a cracker you love, and just go for it. Some crackers in between meals, or every few minutes isn’t going to kill you.

Scrambled Eggs (plain):

I can tolerate plain scrambled eggs mid-morning. I actually love them with just some salt, and eggs are high in B vitamins which help with nausea! Sometimes I scramble a couple eggs and put it on a piece of toast. It is so good. I highly recommend trying to get some scrambled eggs down because the protein will help keep your stomach from emptying so fast, and the B vitamins (especially vitamin B 6), have been shown to help with neausea.

Soup:

A nice, comforting soup is really helpful for me. I have been loving the Progresso Light Creamy Chicken Noodle. It has a creamy texture, with the bland noodles and chicken that sits well on my stomach. I can actually eat this for breakfast sometimes because it just feels so good with a few crackers. I get the light versions so I can eat more. Sometimes I just want to keep eating and eating…There are more options of soup on Amazon, and I also get cravings for minestrone soup, tomato soup, and clam chowder of all things.

Chips (Pop Chips):

These have always been my favorite, and I love that they are light and airy, as well as giving a lot of salt and crunch. The plain salted chips do really well for me, as well as the sour cream and cheddar. I literally love them ten times more during pregnancy, and I have found them to really keep my tummy at ease. A good chip can go a long way, just like a cracker. But, these chips are lighter in calories and texture, so you can really eat a ton of them without feeling like a complete disaster in terms of your diet.

These are the top 8 foods I eat to help me feel better from morning sickness.

In all honesty, I try to get down some apples, a light salad or veggies in my eggs, but it doesn’t happen much. I eat the same things over and over again, and as long as you are taking a great prenatal (here are the best choices!), then your body and baby will be just fine.This is the one I take, and I HIGHLY recommend it for nausea because it is specifically formulated with a minty aftertaste, and much easier to digest than any prenatal I’ve tried. I’ve tried a lot in my pregnancies now, and luckily since my first pregnancy over 7 years ago, prenatal vitamins have come a very long way.

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In First Trimester Tips

How To Battle First Trimester Fatigue

March 7, 2020 No Comments

First trimester fatigue is my least favorite part of being pregnant. The afternoons hit me really hard, when my eyes feel heavier and heavier, until I’m literally ready to fall asleep by 5pm. The first trimester is usually the worst for fatigue because your body is dealing with the highest levels of HCG hormones flowing through the body. Because of these increased levels, the first trimester is full of nausea and extreme tiredness.

I will never forget during my first pregnancy, when I worked a desk job at a doctor’s office, and I literally would go to my car during lunch break and fall dead asleep. I could barely get myself to wake up and come back in to work. Since my first pregnancy, and now that I am on my fourth, I do have some great ways you can battle the first trimester fatigue, so you can keep up with life and other little ones if you have them.

How long does the first trimester exhaustion last?

I think I’ve googled how long the fatigue lasts every pregnancy. Rest assured, the fatigue usually starts getting better by 12 weeks pregnant, and completely subsides by 14 weeks pregnant. Once the second trimester hits, most mamas feel a surge of energy that allows them to accomplish all the things they couldn’t for the last few weeks.

How I fight the fatigue during the first trimester:

I drink coffee:

Yes, I still have my cup of coffee every morning. I learned with my second pregnancy, that caffeine is fine during pregnancy in small doses, and it is more the 6 cups a day that medical professionals advise us away from. Of course with my first I gave up coffee immediately, and pretty much hated life. Now I’ve learned that a cup in the morning dramatically transforms my morning, helps me get through it, and isn’t bad for baby. Especially if your body is well adjusted to caffeine. If you don’t currently drink coffee, starting during pregnancy might not be a good idea because your body isn’t adjusted to the caffeine. Here’s a little research to help you decide if drinking coffee is worth it for you,

Due to conflicting conclusions from numerous studies, the March of Dimes states that until more conclusive studies are done, pregnant women should limit caffeine intake to less than 200 mg per day. This is equal to about one 12 oz cup of coffee. (source)

I take power naps:

I allow myself power naps. This is where I lay down for 20-30 minutes at a time. Put a show on for little ones, or while my little ones are napping, I close my eyes. I’ve found this to be super helpful. If you need a full nap, you definitely can take one if you have some quiet time, but I never really do. I have a few moments before my littles are out of preschool, or a few moments here and there before they wake up, and I take advantage of it.

I drink energy smoothies:

My Milk Dust protein powder (and Bump Dust coming soon for the prenatal line!), offers a ton of nutrients, including energy-boosting vitamin b12. This can give you a little boost, and smoothies take some of the digestive work out for your body. Ever notice you may feel completely exhausted after eating? Well your body is spending energy digesting the meal, and smoothies help reduce some of that work by blending the ingredients. I’ve found this to be super helpful for me!

I walk as much as possible:

I can’t workout during the first trimester much. I have NO energy, but I do go on walks for about 3 miles at a time 3-4 times a week. That’s about all I can fit in, and have the stomach for. With the nausea and fatigue, when I do workout its a 15-minute Pilates/bodyweight workout just to help me keep some strength for the second trimester. Once the second trimester hits, I am totally back in action. I’ve noticed that getting out for walks, getting to the park with my boys, and even just walking my yard really helps. I’ve had my kids help me get my steps in and we pretended we were going on a safari around the yard. Anything to help you get more activity.

I don’t read to my kids:

I know this sounds weird, but I can’t read them stories or I fall asleep. Literally, 5 seconds of reading to them and I am out. I have my boys listen to stories on Audible now, which has been so helpful! I can have them listen to stories at night before bed, and it helps me not feel so tired. You can also listen to books on Audible too, to help keep your eyes from shutting on their own.

I sip on iced mint tea:

Throughout the day, I try to sip on iced mint tea. You can make ice tea at home by eating up your water and steeping two tea bags for a few minutes, so it is strong. Pour the tea over a big cup of ice. Some of the ice will melt, then add some more ice in. I have a big reusable cup from Starbucks that I make this in. I’ve found that the mint flavor is great for nausea and helps me feel less tired, without caffeine.

I snack a lot:

The fist timester is the worst in terms of diet and nutrition for me because I want to eat all the chips, nachos and bread. I’ve found that I can keep my energy up with snacks, but if I eat large meals, I’m out. I do eat a bit more than usual this way, but it doesn’t last long. I also try to make sure I get fruits and veggies in, as much as possible. Once I get through the first trimester, I usually jump right into my pregnancy eating clean challenge to get back on track and back in shape. And yes, you can get back in shape during pregnancy! Keep your snacks light, and hopefully you will be able to keep your energy up.

These are the best methods I’ve found to get through the extreme fatigue that hits like a brick wall during the first trimester. I have some other great tips to fight the neausea too, because I get the all-day, icky, car sick feeling that never goes away. I don’t throw up, but have to fight the constant nagging empty stomach sensation that never really goes away.

There you have my best tips to fight the first trimester fatigue. Please let me know if you have any amazing tips too!

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In First Trimester Health

How I Survive Morning Sickness (All Day Sickness)

February 28, 2020 No Comments

Here we are, about 8 weeks into my pregnancy, and I am struggling with morning/all day sickness. Morning sickness comes in many different levels. Mine is the low-grade, “I’m so hungover,” all-day sickness. I tend to get worse as the day goes on. Other’s actually throw up, and have severe sickness that requires medication. Because this is my fourth pregnancy, I’ve learned some tricks to survive the morning sickness stage, so I can semi-function as a decent parent to my other boys!

Every time I get Pregnant, I Google “How Long Does Morning Sickness Last?”

I’m not sure why I forget this every time, but typically morning sickness starts about 8 weeks (earlier for me), and lasts through 12 weeks. Some mamas have pregnancy nauesa to 20 weeks. I unfortunately can’t remember when I started feeling better during my pregnancy. I think I was a bit later, more like 15 weeks. I will update when it actually goes away. So, we have a few weeks of feeling pretty icky, and here are my tips and tricks to survive.

My Best Tips To Survive The Pregnancy Nausea (all-day sickness)

Get a good prenatal:

If you don’t follow any of my tips but one, this is the one. I used to really struggle taking a prenatal (about 8 years ago with my first), because the prenatals made my sickness worse. I tried taking them at night, but I would still feel super icky. With my second I found the drinkable prenatals, and the gummies, which helped, but nothing has been as wonderful as the Ritual Prenatals.

I talk a lot more about these prenatals in my post on folate verses folic acid. This is a really important read before you choose your prenatal vitamins, and I also go over my top choices for a good prenatal.

Basically, the Ritual Prenatals have a minty flavor, and you can take at any time without feeling sick. I can’t take vitamins on an empty stomach, or any pills, but these I can take any time! That is huge for me, so I highly recommend you grab these on subscription to come everything month during pregnancy. I started with their women’s vitamin, then switched to prenatal once I got pregnant. You will thank me!

Anti-Nausea Teas:

I’ve found that drinking a tea with a little milk and sweetener through the day really helps. So far I’ve been really liking this Morning Sickness Tea by Pink Stork. I get a very empty stomack feeling, which causes me to want to eat all day. I basically feel like throwing up when I workout, and want to lay on the couch and eat chips. Great combo for not gaining a lot of weight right? The first trimester is really just a survival period, and I find that sipping on tea really helps.

Fizzy/Bubble Drinks:

Carbonated water (Spindrift is my FAV!), with a little juice really helps me too. I am basically sucking on water/tea/juice all the time. The carbonation with a couple saltine crackers seem to help settle my stomach. I also really like this Sparkling Mama Elixer from Amazon. You just pour a packet and mix with water. I have a video of how I mix it with Spindrift I will get in this post soon. Mix the packet with a Sprindrift flavor you like and it tastes really good, and works for at least an hour. I think the cheapest way to get Spindrift, because it is more expensive is on Amazon. Just order it with the sparkling mama elixer and you will be golden!

Frozen Grapes:

This has been super helpful in the afternoon! Frozen grapes are a healthy, easy snack that you can suck on to help keep that icky feeling away. It is kinda like sucking on a candy, but better for you. More nutrition and less sugar! Just buy some grapes, and pop them off the stem into sandwhich bags. Throw them in the freezer, so you have them ready when you need them. I just had a bunch of these yesterday because I didn’t have an opportunity to lay down, and it helped distract me from feeling sick.

Sour Candies (these are made with Stevia!)

I found these Smart Sweets Sour gummies at Whole Foods, and I think you can grab the at Target too. These aren’t gonna jump your body with tons of sugar, but they do have a ton of fiber in them, so just eat a few a day. I have them in my purse for when I am driving or picking my boys and need to be able to function.

Mint Gum:

Chewing minty gum also really helps me. I keep this in my purse too. I like a peppermint gum sweetened with xylitol. I can’t have sucralose because it causes gas and bloating, Keep an eye on what your gum is sweetened with in case you have a sensitivity too.

Soup and Crackers:

I’ve found that soup and crackers really hit the spot. As I get further into the dreaded 8-12 weeks time frame, a lot of fresh veggies and healthy food does not sound good. I actually just got done with my 10-day reset with my postpartum mamas on Instagram (they don’t know I’m pregnant yet), and it was the hardest 10-days of eating healthy! Now I’m back to some light soups and crackers, and it feels a lot better.

Lay down when necessary:

Sometimes I just need to lay down. I do have three kids running around during this pregnancy, but I have found ways to lay down. I can set them up with colors, legos or a show, which really helps if I can get 15 minutes of laying down.

So far, these are the only ways I am surviving life right now. My pregnancy nausea tends to be worse in the evening, rather than the morning. I starts around noon, and continues to grow as the day goes on. I usually experience headaches as well, but I haven’t gotten there yet. The fatigue also gets worse as they day goes on. I have some ways I deal with that as well, which I will do a full post on soon!

Let me know if you try my pregnancy nausea tips. I’d love to hear your tips too! I’m sure everyone is eager to try anything that’s worked for anyone else!

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