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| Photo Credit : Hoffmeier |
Can I just say that being a pregnant mother is REALLY hard? I don’t want to sound like a wimp, but no one warned me. Everyone is so tight lipped about how exhausting it is the second time around. Every time I think the urge to constantly sleep is behind me, I’m “resting my eyes”. I’m starting to think that I’m anemic or something. Anyway, the good news is that I’ve made it through the first trimester! Wooohoooo. I’m still waiting for the burst of energy that the second trimester is supposed to bring before the wrath of the third trimester, but the nausea is gone and that’s a huge win for me.
That said, I’d like to share with other pregnant mamas some of the things that got me through the first trimester. It’s pretty unfair that we feel so gross, but we’re not supposed to tell people that we’re pregnant yet. We also don’t look very pregnant yet it’s obvious to us that a human has invaded our body, taken over our taste buds, enhanced our sense of smell and rendered our bladder pretty useless.
So, here’s what got me through it.
Ginger
During my first pregnancy, I ate A LOT of Gin Gins from Trader Joe’s. Those things are amazing. This round, I felt too gross to go out and get it myself, so I sent my husband to find them. Instead, he got me a variety of ginger snacks. Turns out, dehydrated ginger works just as well.
Soda Water
I stocked up on soda water. I would add a whole lemon to it on the bad days and it helped so much. Something about lemon that just settles my tummy.
Ginger Ale
I have bottles and bottles of this stuff. I don’t drink soda, so I diluted it with soda water and even added some lemon to it. These are the things that I’m forced to do when on a liquid diet.
Lollipops
Honestly, any hard candy will do. I went with organic lollipops because they are delicious and trick me into thinking that I’m still eating healthy when I have a lollipop for breakfast. A lot of pregnant mamas have mentioned Jolly Ranchers being their go-to.
Water
So. Much. Water. I always have my water bottle filled and with me where ever I go. If you don’t already have a water bottle, I recommend a Camelback with the straw. Very convenient and low spill factor.
Mother To Be Tea by Yogi
There’s peppermint in it and it was my coffee replacement in the morning. I also like to add a little bit of almond milk and agave.
Smoothies
I was seriously on a liquid diet and smoothies were my friend. I would make them very simple — frozen banana, strawberries, almond milk and a little bit of vanilla extract. On days that I felt adventurous, I would add spinach or kale. I omitted protein powder because some are bad for pregnant mamas. I got a plant-based one, but it tasted like crap. If you find a good one, please tell me about it.
Sleep
You really need to nap when your kid is napping. This is essential. If you are working, then nap when you get home. At the very least, get to bed early. It helps so much.
Frequent Meals or Snacking
I know you don’t feel like eating, but even having a cracker settles the tummy. On days that I made it a point to eat every two hours, I felt my best. It’s tough to remember, so try to keep snacks around.
