Oh pregnancy.  I forgot how you are both glorious and yet terrible all at the same time!  I’m hear to tell you ladies that pregnancy amnesia is the real deal.  There are so many things I forgot happened when one is pregnant … both the physical and emotional changes.  I was reading Jellybean a bedtime story and got all chocked up.  It took everything I had not to turn into a blubbery mess in front of her.

We were fortunate to have a two ultrasounds during the first trimester.  It was beyond exciting to see Kiwi {nickname for baby #2} on the ultrasound machine.  I can’t say for sure what Kiwi was doing in the first scan because the baby kind of looked like a little blob, but Kiwi was very active during the second scan.   And seriously, there is nothing like hearing your baby’s heartbeat for the very first time!  GAH love that little swishing sound!!

Pregnancy tracker, first trimester, baby bump progress, 13 weeks pregnant | Life's Tidbits

**Note: This post was drafted in early September**

First Trimester in Review

Craving …

Fruit and green veggies! Watermelon and strawberries specifically are my favorites.  I admit craving green vegetables is definitely a strange ones.  Asparagus, yum!

Food Aversions …

Meat of any kind.  While it won’t make me sick to eat meat, I really don’t want it at all right now.  I could also do without eggs.  Do eggs count as a meat or just a protein?  Either way, yuck.

Feeling …

Nauseous ALL DAY LONG and headaches are the biggest first trimester culprits. The morning sickness has been pretty bad and unfortunately eating doesn’t fix the problem (with Jellybean I would eat carbs and feel okay for a while at least).  We did so much traveling in August, it was hard to tell what was exhaustion due to pregnancy and what was jet lag.  Either way, recovering from jet lag was a lot more challenging while simultaneously growing a baby.  Shocker.  I know.

Missing …

Wine. There.  I said it.  I missed wine for about the first 4 weeks of my pregnancy and then I decided all alcohol smelled nasty — with a capital N!

Wearing …

All my normal clothes.  Wardrobe go-to’s include: shorts, yoga pants and baggy t-shirts.

Random Tidbit …

The dog absolutely knows I’m pregnant.  Fairly early on – we are talking maybe a week after I found out – we were expecting Sophi started becoming extra clingy.  Though she has always followed me around the house she is now, well, attached to me.  She sits on me or next to me on the couch, always.  If I leave the room she’s never far behind and, dare I be so bold as to try to use the bathroom alone, she looses her mind.  It’s gotten so bad Jellybean has been telling Sophi to get off me because I’m ‘HER mummy’.

Excited About …

The nausea being over. Being done with the first trimester also means we’ve been telling people about our little bundle of joy that’s on the way.  The more people we tell the more exciting and real it feels that we will be a family of 4 in just a few short months.  Also, I’m looking forward to finding out if this little munchkin is a boy or a girl!

Nervous About …

Zika.  When we found out I was pregnant I was a bit concerned about traveling to the States where Zika was more prevalent than it was (or at least as I understood it to be) here in Bangkok.  No sooner had we arrived back in Bangkok did reports start surfacing indicating Zika had made its way here.  I’m trying to stay calm and lather the whole family in bug spray, but generally I feel very paranoid about it.

First vs. Second Pregnancy …

So far the my pregnancy with Jellybean was very different than the current one with Kiwi.  The only real similarity has been I was nauseous with for both pregnancies, though this time around has definitely been rougher.  I often hear each pregnancy is different, but it wasn’t until I experienced it myself did I truly understand it.  A review of my first trimester with Jellybean can be found here.

How does your first trimester compare? What was the best and worst part of your first trimester?

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Each pregnancy is different and everyone has their own list of must haves for being pregnant.  I really appreciated all the tidbits my friends, coworkers and family shared with me on what I need or will need to help me enjoy being pregnancy.  Let me be honest; I have good days and bad days.  Sometimes I LOVE being pregnant and other times December can’t come soon enough.

It’s a roller coaster ride for sure, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.  It took some trial and error in the first trimester, but I slowly identified what “stuff” was essential to a “happy pregnant Nicole”.

So here are my pregnancy essentials … at least so far! :)

Pregnancy Must Haves and Essentials for all trimesters |  Life's Tidbits

{1}  Snoogle Total Body Pregnancy Pillow with Jersey Knit Cover
After sleeping SO well the first trimester I was shocked at how uncomfortable I was in the second.  While maternity clothes shopping, my mom made friends with another grandmother-to-be and her daughter.  The woman swore by this pillow and after a 5 minute conversation on “why this pillow is a-mazing” I was sold.  I LOVE this pillow … I’m not sure the husband does though as he keeps joking he has been “replaced”.  I should have invested in a pregnancy pillow sooner!

{2}  Kashi Chewy Granola Bars
I keep at least two granola bars in my purse at all times. I learned the hard way in the first trimester that if I skip a meal or wait too long to eat I start to feel horrible. Granola bars have been a life saver when we are on the go!

{3}  Manis and Pedis {I love the OPI colors!}
A little pampering for the Mom-to-be never hurt anyone, right?!?!

{4}  Cotton Lace Waist Thong
Comfy underwear is a must! I purchased these a size larger than I normally wear to give the tummy room to grow.  They have a good amount of stretch and I probably could have stuck with my normal size (at least so far … we shall see how the 3rd trimester goes).

{5}  What to Expect When Your Expecting
To quote myself from an older post … “This book is a classic.  It comes in handy when I have questions like “is this <insert pain/ache/feeling> normal?”.  Unlike Goggling it doesn’t give all these horror stories …”

A lot of moms and moms-to-be have mentioned Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Lotion is a pregnancy must.  I just started using it about two weeks ago when the belly started getting itchy.  Luckily my friend warned me this was on the horizon so the lotion had already been purchased before the itchiness began.  I’m not sure if it will make it onto my pregnancy essential list, but will definitely keep you posted.  :)

What are/were your pregnancy must haves?

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