My Pregnancy Experience and What Has Helped Along the Way
BOY OH BOY! I AM WELCOMING A BABY BOY INTO MY FAMILY IN EARLY 2023!
For me, pregnancy is a time to honor and feel ALL the emotions: joy, anticipation, worry, exhaustion, and beyond. During my first pregnancy I was in medical school full-time working towards graduation. I thought that was difficult then, but this time around I am a working momma with a three-year-old daughter running around, which brings its own levels of joys and challenges!
I can’t help but compare my first pregnancy to this one, especially since my first birth experience did not go as planned with my daughter. I had planned to use a birthing center run by ND midwives. This felt like a healthy balance between conventional and natural birthing options, and I was fully expecting to give birth there. At 38 weeks, however, I ended up needing to be induced due to high blood pressure. In an instant, everything shifted, and I was faced with induction in a hospital setting. I didn’t have any time to prepare or change gears—I didn’t even have my hospital bag with me when I got admitted to the hospital! Despite the unexpected changes, I was able to have a natural birth and bring my daughter into the world in a beautiful way, which I am thankful for.
Throughout this pregnancy and my last, many common symptoms have popped up. I want to share what helped me get through some of the more difficult ones.
THE FIRST TRIMESTER WAS FULL OF NAUSEA!
More this time around compared to my first pregnancy. Here are some tips and strategies that helped me get through those first weeks:
All things ginger! I have used ginger in many forms: tea, hard candy, chews, ginger ale, and ginger essential oils. For me, ginger provided immediate relief but needed to be used throughout the day to have a longer-lasting effect.
Magnesium spray: This was a new one for me and I was very surprised how well it worked. I would spray magnesium on my feet and legs right before bed and first thing in the morning and I was amazed each time that within 10 minutes the nausea would lessen significantly. Be careful not to overdo it on the magnesium though, too much can cause loose stool!
Eating as soon as I wake up: This was huge for me! I learned quickly that if I didn’t eat within 20 minutes of waking up, I would be nauseous for hours. I ended up keeping snacks upstairs so I could get something in my stomach before getting my toddler down the stairs to get breakfast going.
Small frequent meals throughout the day: Again, the big lesson for me was that I could not let myself be hungry during the day. Smaller snacks and meals more often really helped manage the nausea.
THE SECOND TRIMESTER HAS BEEN FULL OF HEARTBURN!
I had this symptom with my first pregnancy and luckily my strategies from the first time have been working for this pregnancy so far:
Coconut water: Small sips of coconut water during episodes of heartburn can help balance the pH in the stomach and provides electrolytes.
DGL: This form of licorice supports mucus production and helps coat the stomach during heartburn episodes. It’s important to use the deglycyrrhizinated form in pregnancy because licorice alone may increase blood pressure.
Probiotics/fermented foods: This can help balance overall digestion by keeping up healthy levels of beneficial bacteria and has helped me keep digestive symptoms in check.
Avoiding known triggers: This one is less fun but important! There are common heartburn triggers such as spicy foods, chocolate, and dairy, but everyone is different. For me, tomato sauce has been rough this time around, which is hard as an Italian woman!
My last resort: Tums. Tums in smaller quantities is safe in pregnancy. I only reach for this when nothing else is working, but it can provide safe relief if needed.
As I prepare for the third trimester, my biggest take-away from my first pregnancy is to expect the unexpected. Birth is its own unique process, and no amount of planning can account for all the variables. It took me a long time to process my first birthing experience, but I have learned that trusting and surrendering are key.
It’s easy to get focused in on the day-to-day grind of pregnancy: feeling the aches and pains, fighting the constant urge to nap (or eat!), and managing other bothersome pregnancy symptoms. The biggest message I can offer you is to listen to your body during pregnancy. If you are called to rest, then rest! If you are called to nest, then nest! Pregnancy and birth are times of great transformation, and I am honored to be able to bring another life onto this planet. Wishing all of the past, current, and future mommas out there much self-compassion, because what we do as women is hard, and important, and beautiful, and messy, and wonderful!