"Tender breasts, itchy skin and a whole lot of exhaustion! Yes let's chat about surviving the first trimester."
Although i discovered my pregnancy late into my first trimester, i experienced no pregnancy symptoms up until 11 weeks pregnant. Then suddenly it hit me, like a ton of bricks at once, all the "beautiful" pregnancy symptoms kicked in one after the other.
While getting dressed for work one morning, i felt my bra was a little tighter than usual, this was uncomfortable for me as my breasts felt tender and itchy.
The very next day during an important meeting at work, i felt a decrease in my energy levels and had no appetite to consume my regular meals.
As many of you lovelies know, i would blend up a green smoothie daily for Nick and i before sunrise, unfortunately this was now a definite no go! the smell was unbearable and when i tried to drink it in one big gulp, my stomach was immediately unsettled, that i would vomit it all out. A new breakfast smoothie was in order, :) With pregnancy comes a whole lot of change and the need to adapt in order to grow a little human.
I pulled myself together for the sake of my two - year old toddler, although i have the support of my amazing husband, he works six days a week, so i knew Keston needed me to be strong and take good measures to control my reaction to each pregnancy symptom.
He loves mommy to play with him after dinner and enjoy bath time so i needed to ensure my energy levels pick up.
Here goes my lovelies, they say you are what you eat, well giving into my desire for junk food was not helping my mind, body and soul! I knew if i wanted to improve my energy levels and mood, i needed to eat more good wholesome foods.
I took the first step and changed my sunrise smoothie to a beautiful pink and purple blend of berries, raw almonds, honey, chia seeds and full cream Greek yoghurt! I call it my berry dairy smoothie, it contains ingredients that are rich in fiber, energy and work as a probiotic to keep my sugar levels balanced, energy up and infections at bay.
Later i discovered @LisaRaleigh super scoop drink mix, a blend of super foods! i added one scoop daily to my smoothie, cereal or water! it is 100% vegan ,organic and is available in a vanilla or berry flavour.
Pre-natal vitamins are a definite must! they contain a variety of vitamins and minerals that help your baby get the nutrients that are essential for healthy development.
During my first pregnancy i struggled to take them regularly as i experienced indigestion and constipation. However with the help of some #InstaMamas i learned that Preg - Omega Plus is the best pre-natal brand on the market, an all in one blister pack with three tablets: multivitamin + omega 3 + calcium.
The beauty of the omega 3 capsule is that it contains lemon oil to prevent reflux.
A 30 day supply of pre-natal's in one pack, most medical aid plans cover cost for vitamins,
be sure to ask a Pharmacist at the dispensary to check before you make a cash payment.
Glad my medical aid plan covers mine, to save on my cash flow. :)
Keeping comfy will not cost you much if you know where to shop, i purchased a few of my favourite preggy essentials from DisChem and Pick 'n Pay.
Some massage lotion by Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula for itchy skin, to assist with preventing stretch marks, it contains collagen, argan oil and shea butter.
I applied this yummy lotion twice a day on my skin with a dash of Bio Oil (Classic Skincare).
I love two for the price of one deals, two bra's for the price of one! While lace has beautiful detail that is sexy and feminine, cotton bra's and underwear are far more practical, comfortable and oh so chic! I purchased two sets of cotton bras and a pack of undies that has me feeling at ease, more so because my husband thinks they are cute.
A little spoil for baby, i ordered two gender neutral swaddles and beanies from @Maddon&Cole as well as a few newborn rompers from @CottonOn :) to simply feed my excitement about baby, rather than stress about things i can not control.
What i love most about my husband, is his positive attitude, he is kind and caring too.
He believed months ago, before we fell pregnant that we were ready for baby #2.
Everything just fell into place when i least expected it to, seriously though who would have guessed, right in the middle of learning new work, adapting to an organization culture and environment a baby too.
At first, everything seemed a bit too much for me, i battled to adjust to my new work environment, job role and a pregnancy at the same time. I stressed about managing being a working mom of two kids and still enjoy the tiny bit of free time i get now and then.
However, i know our little baby is a blessing, he/she is loved and will be welcomed with open arms, we don't mind a little girl or another boy, one thing is for sure, this will be our last pregnancy, God willing, we have decided on two kids to afford them a good life with opportunities we did not have as kids and young adults. We hope to teach our kids the valuable lessons that our parents taught us and to appreciate life and everything offered to them.
If you are an expecting Mom like me, i would love to hear how you are doing in your pregnancy, please comment below :)
Until Next Time
Love & Blessings
Lana T
Preggy Essential Purchase List!
Dischem Pharmacies
Super Scoop Drink Mix by Lisa Raleigh - 500g
Preg Omega Plus - 30 Day Supply
Phalmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Massage Lotion - 250ml
Raw Almonds
Frozen Berries
Pick 'n Pay
Cotton Bra's
Cotton Undies
Maddon & Cole
Swaddle blanket + Beanie - Rainbow
Swaddle blanket + Beanie - Lightning Bolt
MRP
Unicorn Summer Pajamas (Ladies)