When this blog was just still just a little twinkle in my eye, I had all these ideas for posts about being over thirty and childless and how we as a society are in a weird place where that idea is becoming more  normal, but younger families are still the norm.   I was raised in a military family and both my mom and Grandma were knocking out kids in their teens! And while that’s younger than is typical, many military enlisted families are very young, so I’d always envisioned starting a family around 25. Twenty-five came and went and before I knew it I was hitting thirty and still didn’t have a family—not to mention I wasn’t even in a relationship where I would consider having a family in our future.  I was in a downright panic, started going to a therapist, the whole works.  But what happened was, naturally I ended up surrounding myself with others in my age group who were also single and figuring shit out.  And yeah, there’s a LOT of us. I mean it really is the whole theme of this blog.

I’m getting off topic.  But my whole point is, now that I’m finally pregnant with my first, who the hell do I turn to for advice on how to be pregnant?  The majority of my circle still doesn’t have kids or had them so long ago it’s hard to relate anymore.  So, who do I go to for real life advice about all the weird ins and outs of pregnancy???? Well, the answer is Google. Which if you’ve ever looked up symptoms on Google, you know is just a panic attack waiting to happen.  So basically, I’m just using this time to take note of things I’m learning firsthand to hopefully help out with my future pregnancies.  In case you’re like me, and are entering pregnancy pretty clueless, here are some of the things I wish someone would have told me to help prepare me, in no particular order:

1. Gummy Prenatals

My first trimester was rough.  Morning sickness is no joke, and that is a bullshit name for it.  For me it was definitely not only in the morning–I was nauseous and faint and weak for the majority of the day for most days during that first trimester.  The last thing you want to have to do when you feel like that, is swallow a huge pill.  Plus, I found that many of the pills I had bought or had been given by the doctor were fish oil based, which is great because it provides the DHA you want for your growing baby.  But it also provides fish burps which is not ideal when you’re nauseous and feel like you’re on the verge of throwing up from every movement and slight smell.  I wasn’t able to keep them down during the day, so I would try to take them before bed.  I would wake up frequently with nausea in the middle of the night and would even dream of being nauseous and throwing up all the way until morning.  It just wasn’t working out for me.  Switching to over the counter gummy prenatals were a lifesaver.  Some nights the flavors still didn’t sit well with my stomach, but it was a vast improvement.  These are easily available at grocery stores and the ones I used still had the DHA and Folic Acid recommended.

2. Ginger Bites

Speaking of morning sickness, nothing helps.  I could literally be mid-bite of something I was craving and had enjoyed for the first three bites and boom, I couldn’t eat it anymore.  WTF?!?!? Everyone recommends ginger and/or hard candy though. And I did find that these ginger chews from Trader Joe’s never made me MORE sick, so they became a staple.

3. Comfy/Bigger Bras

Maybe this isn’t the case for everyone, but my boobs felt engorged nearly as soon as I got my positive pregnancy test.  I already have big boobs, with a 34 DD being my standard bra size.  Stupid me, I immediately went to Victoria Secret to size up, telling them I was pregnant.  And either the sales lady was a clueless as me or just a good sales person knowing that I’d have to keep coming back, we’ll never know.  Because that 34DDD didn’t last longer than a couple weeks. What was I THINKING?! I quickly moved past the idea that cute bras were a pregnancy necessity and into a search for a growing and comfortable bra.  It is definitely not a pretty bra, but this one has changed my life, and is a nursing bra that I can use after pregnancy too! Cha-ching! (Bonus tip, you’re going to size up in underwear before you know it too, and the elastic bands withstand that growing process better than lace.  I’ve been living in my Calvins)

4. Probiotics

Alright, we’re a few in, we’re friends now right? Let’s get to some real talk.  Pregnancy constipation is no joke.  And it starts way sooner than I expected.  You have to be mindful of what you’re putting in your body now, so laxatives are out.  Eating healthy is obviously the recommendation from doctors, but um hello…. I couldn’t keep food down and some days was subsisting on fucking ginger bites and ice chips.  The inclusion of “fresh veggies and fibers” was not always an option.  You’re supposed to cut caffeine but there were a couple weeks where I was drinking coffee solely to get some relief.   I came across an article suggesting probiotics like Kombucha, kefir, and yogurt.  But Kombucha isn’t recommended for pregnancy, and kefir and yogurt were not an option with morning sickness.  I went in search of some pills hoping for the same success, and lo and behold, right next to my gummy Prenatals were gummy Probiotics.  These things were SERIOUS game changers.  Also, my doctor told me that if I plan to breastfeed, regular use of probiotics continued after birth will help to prevent thrush!

5. Toilet Paper

I have never needed to pee more in my life.  Ever.  You know that feeling during a night of drinking when you’ve broken the seal and you have GOT TO GO?! All the time? It’s like that.  Except you’re not having a fun night of drinking.  Instead, maybe you’re dead asleep in bed when the urge that strong comes.  And once you finally get up and to the bathroom in the dark and avoid stubbing your toe and make sure to be quiet so as to not wake the husband in your dead sleep you pee the equivalent of about a teaspoon.  So it’s not even satisfying.  And you get to do it again in two more hours. 😊  So expect to go through toilet paper quickly.  In addition, your body produces more mucus so you’re congested and need to blow your nose almost just as regularly.  You can be fancy and buy tissue, but I just gave in and buy toilet paper in extra bulk now.

6. The Snoogle

Speaking of sleep, nature plays this fun little trick on you during pregnancy.  Everyone is making their stereotypical joke to “Get as much sleep as you can now, because there won’t be any once the baby comes!”  Haha, shut up Susan…. Your body is working against you and suddenly is you worst enemy.  Don’t get me wrong, you are TIRED. You’re exhausted.  But as early as the beginning of the second trimester, I felt so round, and heavy, and hot (and had to pee every damn ten minutes) that a restful night’s sleep was long gone. Everyone said I had to get a pregnancy pillow, but since I wasn’t even showing still, I thought it was too soon. But sure enough, the minute I gave in, is the minute sleep came back to me.  I don’t know what kind of unicorn fairy dust magic they put in The Snoogle, but I would say it is without a doubt my number one pregnancy recommendation.

7. Athleisure Wear

Even if you aren’t showing, and most don’t for a few months, you feel huge pretty early on.  One of my first symptoms has been just an overall heaviness and extreme feeling of bloat and water retention.  And that feeling only progresses until there is finally a real bump for you to assure people that you are not just a fat and careless cow.  As early as eight weeks or so I was having trouble getting my jeans on.  So, sweats and leggings it was for as long as I could make them last.  Let’s be honest, I live in sweats and leggings as much as I can when I’m not pregnant too, but now it’s just out of absolute necessity.  I did give in and get some pregnancy jeans in the second trimester.  The ones at H&M aren’t terrible if you’re the type of person who prefers to appear presentable every day.  As for me though, I’ll just be lying here in my leggings.

8. Body Lubrication

We are all looking to prevent stretch marks, so you have already heard about the importance of moisturizing your skin. I don’t know if it’s because I live in the desert, but aside from that, I also went through about a week in my early second trimester where my skin was ON FIRE it itched so much.  At first I thought it was an allergic reaction to my new gummy probiotics, but it was persistent even if I didn’t take them.  It turns out that despite not showing, and only FEELING fat, you are indeed growing EVERYWHERE and your body’s largest organ (your skin) doesn’t feel great as it stretches.  I had been using coconut oil on my belly and butt in the shower as a preventative measure but that was not cutting it.  I changed my shower routine to include rubbing coconut oil all over — and yes, I have the gallon….. it goes a lot faster than you’d think!!! Then when I get out,  I use Bio-oil after the shower on my belly, breasts, butt and thighs to help prevent stretch marks.  And lo and behold, Mom came through with the recommendation of old trusty Cocoa Butter  to rub all over after that. Relief at last. I don’t know what it is about it, but it’s the only thing that has successfully cut out the itching.  So now I use all three and am just a walking talking oil spot, but my skin is luscious and doesn’t itch and I’ll let you know how it comes with stretchmarks.

That’s it for now.  I hope this helped! Do you have any other pregnancy must-have recommendations? Help a girl out and leave it in the comments.  Until next time.

XOXO – Lindsey