Exciting news over here at the home of Well Beyond the Kitchen! We are expecting baby no. 2 early January, 2019! I must admit this is why my blog posts have been a little sparse the last couple of months. I’ve really had to intentionally choose how I spend my work time, and with my Beautycounter business keeping me so busy, I haven’t been able to post quite as often as I’d like. I’ve given myself a lot of grace, as I know that slowing down and not being able to do all of the things is going to be my new reality with two kiddos. (I’ll be doing some serious blog planning/pre-writing this fall to prepare for much less time to write come newborn days.)

I thought it would be fun to do a little synopsis of what my pregnancy has been like so far – how I’ve been feeling, what I’ve been doing, eating…and not doing! Since most people don’t share the news publicly of being pregnant until the first trimester is over, there isn’t a whole lot I’ve found to read on others experiences in the first trimester. I love reading stories, experiences, and what the pregnancy is like for other women. For anyone out there who likes to do the same, here goes!

At the time of writing this post, I’m 18 weeks along. The pregnancy thus far has been completely different than my pregnancy with Finn. The first trimester I felt exhausted – like I fell asleep on our wooden deck a few times exhausted. I was not nearly this tired the first time around. The nausea was also much more intense with this pregnancy. It’s true what they say, every pregnancy is so different. I was about 7 weeks when I realized I really had to slow down. Dinners were much simpler, I was going to bed early, and laying on the couch every chance I got. This was hard for me, as I tend to be a very productive, to-do list motivated kind of girl. BUT I really tuned in to what my body needed, and I’m quite proud of myself that I significantly lowered my expectations for myself, and our family, during this time. We all ate less vegetables than normal those months. Our house wasn’t very clean and Finn watched more TV than “normal.” At first it was really hard, giving in to this season of life, but I kept reminding myself that my baby needed me to slow down, and so did my body. And to embrace it! I knew this was just a phase, and although the nausea and fatigue felt like it would never pass, I knew deep down this was not my new life. Adam is always a huge help around the house, but he seriously stepped up his game those few months. Which was really nice of him, because I certainly wasn’t all that kind to him most of the time. Sorry Adam.

What worked for the nausea & fatigue.

• Eating every 2 hours. I mean eating a full meal, and needing to eat 2 hours, on the dot, later. I’m convinced the nausea and the fatigue went hand in hand. I’d feel nauseous, and soon after tired. It often wasn’t that I needed a nap, I needed food. But who wants to eat when you feel sick? Most of the time I made myself and it really, really helped. Carbs were what I wanted, but protein and fat was what I needed. I could tell if I hadn’t had much protein in the day, my body would feel very weak.
• Fresh air and walking. When I read this it sounded cheesy and like “of course they’re going to tell me that.” One day when I was most desperate (ie most tired) I made myself get up and go for a walk with Finn. Ugh that was hard. But you know what? I came back feeling refreshed and a bit energized. And hungry, of course.
• Drinking a lot of water. I know, cliche again. But darn it it helped a little!
• Sleeping. A lot.
• Succumbing to the fact that I was growing a baby, and that takes a lot of work!! That as much as I wanted to feel well and energized, I was going to be tired and nauseous at times. Not clinging for things to be different or to change, shifting that mindset, potentially helped the most.

What has been tasting good:

• Scrambled eggs
• Adam’s sourdough bread
• Einkorn pasta with butter and parm (and sea salt!)
• Iced lemon water with a splash of apple cider vinegar and honey
• All the seltzer
• Apples with nut butter
• Oatmeal
• Smoothies
• Yogurt with frozen fruit (defrosted for the juices).
• Iced sun tea
• Salad
• Hamburgers (no bun but all the condiments and sauerkraut)

What’s been on my mind:

• How flipping excited I am to meet this baby. I’ve felt so much more connected with baby no. 2 than I did with Finn. I think because I know how awesome having a kid is, I can actually connect with this being inside of me! It wasn’t until I started going to prenatal yoga, and until we found out the sex, that I really connected with Finn in my belly.
• How am I going to raise two children? How will I give enough to Finn, this new baby, Adam, my business, myself. This is on my mind, but it’s not a true worry or fear. I know that it will take time but we will find our new rhythm.
• A bit nervous about having a newborn in the dead of winter. Navigating getting around with two in the cold, and all of the germs around, has me a little worried. I’m so not a germaphobe, but little babes are so vulnerable. BUT I’m trying to shift my perspective and think of what a great time of year this will be to have a baby. Hunkering down with lots of soup, fires in our wood stove and Hygeeing it up. I’m making it seem quite dreamy I know, I realize it’s not always going to look like this.
• How crazy hormones are! I was all over the darn place emotionally that first trimester. I was irritable, moody, sad, unmotivated. Did I mention moody? And now, at 18 weeks, I feel like a million bucks! I feel back to my old self, full of energy, and I’m eating vegetables again. Life is good.

What I’ve been doing differently this time:

• Reading rather than watching TV. Not on purpose, there are just a lot of good books out there and I’m really enjoying reading in the evenings.
• Prioritizing self care through skin care. I didn’t have a skin care routine whatsoever when I was pregnant with Finn. But now, every morning and evening, I shut the bathroom door and I do my routine. I am slowing down, recharging for a few minutes, and doing something that makes me feel good about myself and my skin.
• Being much more careful about what I put on my skin. I have to admit, during my first pregnancy I bought a bottle of Herbal Essence as a “treat.” I hate scents but man I love the smell of that shampoo. Knowing what I know now, I feel SO empowered knowing that what I’m putting on my skin is not harmful for my growing baby. I really didn’t know the first time around, just how important what I put on my skin was. I do not feel guilty about that herbal essence, but rather grateful I know so much more now.
• Eating less veggies, seafood and liver. My appetite hasn’t been nearly as good, plain and simple. It’s getting better for sure, and I’m trying my hardest to eat really well for this baby, but I’m also not stressing. I’m not stressing if I eat something I wouldn’t normally, or if I look back and realize I didn’t have many veggies in a day. That stress and fear is worse than the cookie or the lack of veggies, I’m convinced.
• Food prepping snacks for when the baby is here (haven’t started yet, but this fall is going to be energy ball, egg muffin and soup central over here!) The hardest thing as a new Mom the first time was prioritizing feeding myself. I needed quick sources of calorically dense food and being dairy free at the time, I was torn for quick options. I’m not letting that happen again this time!
• Worrying more. Ignorance was bliss the first time around. Now that I know how incredibly awesome it is to have a kid, and how grateful we are to have a healthy one, I can’t help but find myself thinking in a lot of “what if’s…”
• Reading less about what is happening at every step of my pregnancy. In some ways I wish I knew what size my babe is right now (I’m thinking maybe an heirloom tomato but I really don’t know?) and in others I love just being connected with this baby and staying present.
• I’m going to a hospital and not a birth center this time around. And I feel really good about it!

Thanks for reading! I love this community, the support and all of you. Excited to have you on this journey with me 🙂