#First Trimester

[queenbeaver69]

How am I progressing at 7 weeks?

I won’t find out how the baby is actually doing until 10 weeks.

Hope you’re alive and well in there, kiddo!

[all-the-stars-hills-milky-way]

🍂 18-11-2024

Revised Philosophy

TOOK THE LAST TEST OF THE TRIMESTER

Went out for a run

Took a shower

Practiced a Psychology presentation with my father

🕓 Total study time: half an hour

🎧 Listened: Dog days are over by Florence + the machine and Stephanie by Joker out

📺 Watched: football

📖 Read: a little bit of Book lovers by Emily Henry

👣 Walked/ran: 6,2km

[heyrene]

Tips for dealing with first trimester symptoms that I wish I had known earlier

I have developed a theory that pregnancy symptoms are somehow designed to help you be ready for motherhood. Maybe the constant morning sickness is supposed to desensitize us to body fluids? Perhaps constipation helps prepare us for the big PUSH when that day finally comes? Is it not possible that we must wake up to pee at least once each night so that we have long forgotten what a solid night of sleep feels like by the time our little ones arrive?

Even if this theory is proven true, I think we can all agree that juggling these symptoms (plus many, many, many more) while simultaneously growing out of all our clothes and preparing for the incredible life change of parenthood that is only months away is quite enough to be dealing with...

Unfortunately, it is all just a part of the process to create new life... one that comes with a real steep learning curve. So, after going through it myself, here are some tips for dealing with pregnancy symptoms that I wish I had known earlier in first trimester!

Hunger during pregnancy is no joke. It can literally feel like life or death if you find yourself hungry with nothing to eat! Until you adjust to your new appetite and fully embrace your hobbit-like feeding schedule (second breakfast, anyone?), be prepared with snacks on hand literally all the time. Having snacks handy will stave off nuclear hanger until you can get yourself home (or to the nearest fast-food joint!). Maybe stick a pack of your favorite snack in your car or purse so you are always prepared in case of emergency. This is especially important if you are also dealing with nausea/morning sickness as being hungry can trigger these symptoms too.

Speaking of which, if you are unfortunate enough to deal with "morning" sickness (if only it was just the morning...), don't wait until your next OB appointment to bring it up. Reach out to them ASAP as they can prescribe a medication that will help with this awful symptom. Thankfully, Zofran (aka ondansetron) has been very effective for me as long as I take it at least once a day (and I still need it even in second trimester...). My only regret was waiting until my 8-week appointment to talk to my doctor. If this drug doesn't help you, talk with your OB about other options as there are definitely multiple solutions (or at least band-aids) to this problem!

In my experience, it is not a question of IF, but WHEN you will be dealing with constipation. I very rarely dealt with this previously, but it has been a constant battle for me since month 2 of pregnancy. Just go ahead get a fiber supplement whenever you pick up your prenatal vitamins, you will probably need it. And throw in some Miralax while you're at it, in case there are days where that fiber supplement just doesn't cut it.

Here's another fun one... You may just feel like a pile of walking garbage for most of first trimester. Literally. Vitamin B6 did not help me with the nausea or vomiting like a lot of stuff I was reading had suggested, but it did help me not feel so gross all the time... so it's probably worth a try if you are dealing with this symptom too.

Does your favorite comfort food suddenly make you feel like you could breathe fire (or at least burp lava)? Acid reflux during pregnancy is pretty miserable, but here's something you may not know (because I sure didn't). Pepcid is apparently WAY more effective than Tums at treating this symptom. I have had Tums on hand ever since I turned 30 but suddenly found myself taking like six a day and still feeling like a fire-breathing dragon. My OB recommended switching to Pepcid, and two a day is the most I've needed to take since the swap. SWITCH NOW!

Last but not least... If you were not a napper before you got pregnant, you will be soon. I usually NEVER nap during the day, but power naps are my new favorite post-lunch activity. Best to embrace this reality ASAP and find a way to fit it into your schedule if you can.

Bonus tip = invest in a nice eye mask if, like me, you need it to be dark to enjoy a nap. I love this one I got from Amazon = https://amzn.to/4fjfRnR. The cooling effect is marvelous, plus I think this will be nice to have in the hospital after delivery. Might as well get your ten dollars' worth by starting to use it sooner rather than later!

Oh, and one more thing. Don't forget to be patient with yourself. You may want to start moving furniture around or knocking out some home projects to get ready for the arrival of your new little bundle of joy... But if you are dealing with any combo of first trimester symptoms, you may need to adjust your physical expectations to the reality of being pregnant. Personally, I found myself breathless from going up one flight of stairs weeks before I even had a bump, even though I was pretty active pre-pregnancy! First trimester might be a good time to focus on more mental activities (though you'll need to be kind to yourself whenever you experience baby brain), such as putting together your baby registry or starting your invite list if you will have a baby shower. Try focusing your limited supply of physical energy on self-care and exercise, and maybe save the more ambitious pursuits for second trimester once your body has adjusted to being pregnant.

Can you relate to any of this advice? Any other tips you would share with a new expectant?

P.S. I am not a medical professional at all, this advice is just based on my personal experience. Always check with your OB if you are unsure about taking a new supplement, drug, or other over-the-counter medication.

[sneap-sneap]

Sky, early in her pregnancy. I still don’t know who/what the father is, if it’s another fairy or some sort of mouse-man or whatever, I kind of want it to a.) be something slightly bigger than her so carrying it’s child just makes Sky huge (sorry girly), b.) kind of be out of the picture/absent so that c.) a relationship can be fostered with the normal-human-sized entity. That could also be a fun little drama if Sky and the baby daddy ever meet again? 😈😈😈😈 as of the time of this drawing, Sky is like three months pregnant and has no idea just how round she’s gonna get (which is very round ❤️). She’s kinda big for three months but idk I think I do want this baby to just be a freaking beast 😇

[wabaneau]

Really cool book of baby names organized by vibe!

Name vibe lists include:

Witchy

Surfer

Celestial

Cottagecore

Grandma/Grandpa

Mythical

Southern

Biblical

Quirky

Nature

Animal

Dark Academia

Bohemian

Romantic

Edgy

Floral

Hippie

[waihtie]

Here is some free Birth Control

I used to have Supernatural on my brain 24/7.

If I wasn't watching it, I was reading fics

If I wasn't reading fics, I was writing them

If I wasn't writing fics, I was posting on Tumblr

If I wasn't posting, I was scrolling

If I wasn't scrolling, I was making up super vivid scenarios in my head

There was not a moment I wasn't thinking about Supernatural

But ever since getting pregnant, my brain has been in such a brain fog. I don't have it in me to even think about Supernatural.

Or even do any mind-numbing thing like scroll.

I'm left on survival mode. Any little energy I have left must go into basic needs.

I'm sorry to those following my epsiode live-posting, and to those waiting for my next chapter.

[tomsbly]

twelve weeks along

[betrosed]

well anyways i’m 8 weeks pregnant!!! here’s my summary so far:

me imagining being pregnant: aww i miss drinking wine :’)

me actually being pregnant: aww i miss drinking *checks notes* waTER?!!

[astoriasigyn]

First trimester be like...

-Wake up

-Make breakfast

-Eat breakfast

-Take a nap

[coolbugs-baby-blog]

week 6

6+0 feb 14 - ultrasound 1: this marks the beginning of week 6, and is also the date of my first ultrasound (see the previous post for more details). the relief i experienced was immense! unsurprisingly, due to having the ultrasound, there was some additional blood at the end of the day. but, it was still brown, meaning i wasn't freshly bleeding.

6+1 feb 15: i went about my normal routine today, but unfortunately i experienced more bleeding, similar to the previous days. this had me feeling quite worried again, though i wondered if it was at least in part due to all the walking i do. when i got home from Mass, i still had some routine house cleaning to finish up, but after that i was able to rest, which was very nice. my husband's friend came for a visit, and he helped us install our kitchen sink drain. that was so kind of him! we didn't want to tell him about the baby yet (just in case something bad happens during the first trimester or so), but my husband accidentally pulled up our chat where i'd posted a picture of the ultrasound. beans = spilled. but, it's all good, and it was actually very nice to discuss things with his friend :)

i felt some mild nausea all day, but nothing bothersome. my appetite was fairly low. the bleeding in the afternoon was, thankfully, much lighter, but nonetheless persistent.

6+2 feb 16: normally, we go to one of the nearby monasteries for sunday Mass, though either one involves quite a bit of walking. today, we opted to go to the diocesan church a few minutes' walk from our house in order to minimize the amount of movement i'd have to do. it was actually quite a lovely Mass, and i also was grateful to get some extra rest. i did have a little more light bleeding, and also passed a few clots, but it didn't seem worrisome.

6+3 feb 17 - ultrasound 2: once again, i noticed a few small clots in the morning, but otherwise the blood was minimal (and still brown/old). i was feeling well, and i wanted to go to daily Mass at a monastery, which is my usual routine, as well as get a few groceries. i went out early in the morning. everything was fine until i was walking to the bus stop after Mass - i felt a bit of bleeding occurring. i brushed it off and went to the store. however, shortly after i got home, i felt more blood, and when i checked, it was dark red with a fresher appearance...

of note, i wasn't having significant cramping (maybe 1-2 out of 10 on and off), although i did have some lower back soreness.

i told my husband right away (he works from home), and in his kindness, he stopped everything he was doing and quickly called our ob/gyn. unfortunately, since the doctor's office is so small, it's fairly common for calls to go unanswered. we called a few other places, and one recommended to just go to our ob/gyn's office without an appointment. since it was nearing lunchtime, i opted to lay down to de-stress, which certainly felt very nice. honestly, i just wanted to lay there for the rest of the day because i was so tired and so afraid to go to the clinic…

after my nap, my husband graciously took off work to come with me to visit the doctor. after a short wait, he was able to perform another exam. by God's grace, the gestational and yolk sacs were still there, mostly unchanged, perhaps a little bigger, with no deformities/abnormalities or signs of bleeding. overall, it looked normal. my cervix was also closed and normal looking. my relief was immense!

however, the doctor was unable to find the source of the bleeding; therefore, he prescribed supplemental progesterone, 100mg, as well as magnesium. i pray that the bleeding will stop soon.

6+4 feb 18: i stayed in today. i even slept in! it was great to have some nicely relaxing cuddling with my husband :D i was worried i'd bleed some more, but to my relief, there was only a small amount of coffee-ground like stuff in the morning.

regarding progesterone supplements, there doesn't seem to be a lot of clinical study evidence to suggest they make a substantial difference regarding MC, especially not for mothers without a history of it. although some early studies may have suggested the potential for fetal abnormalities to arise, more recent studies seem to show no effect on the baby. i'm on a low dose of progesterone (not another kind of progestin), only 100mg, but it's administered more "directly" so to speak. during some of my cycles prior to conception, i occasionally had yellow or dark spotting right after ovulation, so i'm slightly worried i could have low progesterone in general, especially since i'm underweight for my comfort. regardless, i'm all the more grateful to be on this medication, even if it doesn't do much to help.

that being said, if an embryo simply isn't viable, then it will perish naturally because it's unable to grow, and the mother will MC as an unfortunate but necessary outcome. since we could still see a normal sac etc. on yesterday's ultrasound, we remain hopeful.

6+5 feb 19: i ventured out today for my typical routine. i still had a small amount of spotting; i wonder if it was from all the walking, or something else. i think i'll try to take it easy tomorrow with less movement and more rest.

otherwise, i felt very tired this morning which prompted an early afternoon nap. i haven't had much cramping or other discomfort at all the last few days, although my appetite is still low. i've also noticed that more of my "typical" foods have become quite unappealing.

6+6 feb 20: and now we embark upon the final day of week 6. i think from now on i'll just write out any concerns or symptoms unless something special happens on a given day.

concerns: still had a very small amount of spotting. symptoms: very mild cramps a few times (1/10). mild fatigue (4/10). moderately low appetite (5/10). low nausea (2/10). digestive issues (3/10). notes: i went to church and thus walked about 30 minutes total. i went right home afterward. it's very hard to focus on studying. i eventually took a 1.5 hour nap.

[imsaucygirl]

In these moments, I lose focus♥️

[leaveherwildliketheflowers]

I have the feeling in the pit of my stomach that something isn't right. I have no reason to believe there is anything wrong with the baby, yet I can't shake this feeling. Hubs says I should call my OB and ask to be seen, but I don't want to be that patient if everything is fine. T says I'm having PTSD responses. My body is hypervigilant since this is about when I miscarried pregnancy #2. They are both probably right but I'm frozen in fear. I just really hope my anxiety is wrong and everything is ok.

[alainaraesims]

Made with love ♡

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[bpod-bpod]

Womb to Grow

The cells involved and the timing of their interactions occurring at the human maternal-foetal interface in the first half of pregnancy – transformation of the womb into a nurturing niche

Read the published paper here

Image from work by Shirley Greenbaum, Inna Averbukh and Erin Soon, and colleagues

Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

Image originally published with a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Published in Nature, July 2023

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[pregnantsessions]

[tomsbly]

dude, be honest, am i showing yet?