THE FIRST TRIMESTER BUMPDATE
Who knew morning sickness, didn’t actually mean just in the morning?
There is so much I have learned so quickly about being pregnant that I never even thought about before. I remember when I first found out that I was pregnant, I googled all the questions on my mind.
Questions like:
“Just had a positive pregnancy test, what do I do now?”
“How do I pick a doctor for pregnancy?”
“When do I have my first doctor’s appointment?”
“What foods or things do I need to avoid during the first trimester?”
“When can we find out the gender?”
“On average how much does it cost to have a baby after insurance?”
These were just a fraction of the many questions that were flooding my mind. I was so curious about what to expect over the next months of pregnancy.
MORNING SICKNESS
As for morning sickness, it didn’t really hit me until 2 days after I had the positive pregnancy test. (Funny, how it showed up just about the time I found out I was pregnant).
I was very, very, very tired during weeks, 5, 6, and 7. During week 5 there would be mornings I would wake up and shower, be so nauseous & tired that I would be back in bed or on the couch until at least noon. Then I would get up for an hour or two and then back on the couch. It made things very tricky with coaching clients and speaking/trainings that I provide for companies. I felt so unproductive and helpless, that some nights I would just cry to Kurt because I felt like I couldn’t do anything or contribute to life in any way. Luckily that phase eventually ended and I was able to work more during the day without all the naps. Once I was able to make it through the days without all the naps, I just started going to sleep at 7:00 PM each night.
As for food, the early weeks definitely had me avoiding many of my favorites like pizza, pasta, lasagna, tacos, eggs and basically any foods with meat. Instead I was craving all the bland foods like saltines, mashed potatoes, my homemade sourdough bread, clementines, orange juice, and graham crackers. Luckily there were plenty of potatoes at Thanksgiving dinner. Speaking of Thanksgiving, my first trimester included all the holiday celebrations (Thanksgiving, Christmas, & New Year’s) which made it difficult at times to keep it a secret.
TELLING OUR PARENTS
Originally, I wanted to wait until I was closer to 12 weeks, but when we were at my parent’s house for Thanksgiving, I made the last minute decision and asked Kurt if we could tell them on Thanksgiving morning since we were staying at their house. I just needed my mom and someone to talk to who has been through it. (Plus, my mom had 7 healthy babies so she’s had quite the experience to draw from.) Thanksgiving morning before family came over, I had given my parents an envelope with a note inside that I wrote out. Kurt & I watched them open it and their reaction was so sweet. My mom started tearing up and both my parents were so happy for us and gave the biggest & warmest hugs. They already have 14 grandchildren so this will be #15. It’s nothing new to them, but it is different when their only daughter is finally the one that’s pregnant. There’s a different type of bond between a parent and their daughter that is the one carrying the baby throughout pregnancy.
The note I had found online and written for them in the envelope said:
“I do not have a face to see, or to put inside a frame.
I do not have soft cheeks to kiss. I don’t yet have a name.
You can’t hold my tiny hands, or whisper in my ear.
It’s still too soon to sing a song or cuddle me so near.
But all will change come July 2023, when mommy & daddy say I’m due.
I am your sweet new grandbaby, and I can’t wait to meet you.”
It felt SO good to tell them and finally have someone to talk to about it with!
Fast forward to visiting Kurt’s parents for Christmas, and that is when we had planned to tell them in person. We had wrapped up a children’s book called “Grandma & Me and Grandpa & Me” and we told them we had an early Christmas present for them to open. Within the book I had written out a note about how they could read this to their new grand baby coming in July. It took them a minute to find the note, but as soon as my mother-in-law did, she screamed with joy and jumped up to give us hugs. Kurt’s parents were both very happy about the special news we shared with them right before Christmas!
TELLING OUR SIBLINGS
We told all of our siblings within the next few days as well which was fun to see their reactions. Every time you say the words out loud of “I’m pregnant” it starts feeling more and more real! The nieces on the Beilke side are hoping for a girl and this baby on the Weber side will be the tie breaker for nieces vs. nephews.
BABY GENDER
We plan to find out the gender at my next ultrasound and can’t wait to share! We already have our girl name picked out and are almost set on the boy name we like as well. I have a feeling deep down that this little one will be a girl, but truly all we pray for is a healthy baby.
BABY RESOURCES
During the first trimester, I’m starting to get more and more familiar with all the baby resources out there from baby books to the best pregnancy supplements. If you want to know the prenatal supplements and others that I completely trust & swear by, you can find a list of those here along with some of the other baby resources I am loving so far.
NURSERY
As for a nursery & preparing space in our home for our little addition, we haven’t even thought about that yet. Truly my main focus has been to just make it through the first trimester staying healthy & having this baby be healthy. (Here are some of the pregnancy resources & products I have been loving so far to keep my mind, body, & soul healthy.) Now that I am into my second trimester we are starting to look into some of the fun things and practical things that we will need to do as we prepare to make space for our sweet child coming in July.
Xoxo, Amanda
- THE YOU MATTER PODCAST- Episode 10 - February 6, 2023
- MY FAVORITE PREGNANCY RESOURCES & PRODUCTS - January 18, 2023
- THE FIRST TRIMESTER BUMPDATE - January 18, 2023
- WE ARE HAVING A BABY! - January 18, 2023
- Christmas Letter 2022 - December 23, 2022
