How To Survive the First Trimester of Pregnancy

When I found out I was pregnant I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I knew that there would be morning sickness and discomfort but boy was I in for a treat! I was already 3 weeks pregnant when I received a positive pregnancy test! At 4 weeks I started throwing up and basically haven’t stopped since. I am now 12 weeks pregnant.

For the most part I have struggling with feeling disappointed and frustrated since nausea can be very debilitating; call offs from work, saying no to cake orders, abandoning the blog for weeks, leading worship while feeling so sick, and trying to have quality time with my husband and with the Lord.

Pregnancy looks so different than life before. I really wasn’t expecting that. But friend, simultaneously I am learning so much out of all of this frustration. God is so good and every part of this process is necessary, even the nausea! I hope that if you are a soon-to-be mama or already holding your sweet babies that this will help you find some perspective!

Nausea is Part of the Process

When I started experiencing nausea and vomiting, I called my mom crying and she said that meant the baby is healthy and doing great! This was the first time ever in my life when being sick was actually healthy and normal. Although it took some time, I began to lean into this part of the process. I knew it would happen so I was prepared. Yes, it sucked BUT it was a reminder that baby was healthy and happy. My body was made to do this, I just had to trust that my body would get used to all the changes and regulate soon!

In the beginning of the first trimester I would feel so bad when I had to call off work because I could not peel myself off the bathroom floor. But as things progressed I realized that my body was working really hard and I would tell myself, “It’s okay, you need to rest.”

Friend, whatever you need to do to get through the nausea, do it!

For me this looked like

• crying-I would have so much pent up tension in my body, it would go away once I would cry and let it out
• laying still listening to worship songs (here is my worship playlist), praying, writing in my journal
• going for a slow walk
• taking very deep breathes
• reading the book of Psalms (here is my bible)
• giving myself grace! I am creating a whole human being and if I can’t concentrate on the blog today then that is fine! Things will still be there waiting for me once I feel better
• Imagining myself better! I know this sounds a little wild but it helped a lot. I would get excited about my belly growing, what new maternity dresses I will buy for the summer, baby shower details, etc. I had to remind myself that things DO get better

What Does the Word Say About This

I found so much comfort in reading the Psalms when I was in the trenches! God doesn’t just want your time when all things are going great, He wants to stick it out with you while you are in pain as well. Not only do we have to grab ahold to God as our savior, but we also have to trust that He will hold us and bring comfort when we need Him the most!

Psalm 23:1, "The Lord is my Shepherd."

Psalm 17:6, "I have called upon, for You, O God, will answer me; Incline Your ear to me, hear my speech."

Psalm 29:11, The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace." 

Psalm 28:7, "The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him."

Let Your Spouse Take Care of You

This was a little hard for me since I LOVE taking care of Joshua. I enjoy serving him, keeping the house tidy, and cooking most of our meals from scratch. When I found myself really sick and unable to have the capacity to do all the things, I noticed Joshua instantly step up without even having to be told. I would often say, “Thank you,” and my husband would say, “You don’t have to thank me, I love taking care of you.” It was so cool to see the change in our home.

Let your spouse take care of you! Don’t feel bad that things look different. You are carrying a baby! That is a huge life change that takes a real tole on your body! Let him love you in ways that maybe you haven’t even seen before. I promise you will love him deeper than you ever have. My husband was self-LESS. He has always been but it was put on display for these last few weeks. Where I have found purpose in taking care of him and the home, I have gotten to see him delight in that as well. It has been really beautiful to see!

Eat a TON of Protein

Now, trust me, I know how hard this could actually be! For weeks I could only eat crackers and barely keep that down. At some point I was desperate and searched for some tips and tricks to fill my stomach up and I figured it out. Protein! The goal is to eat things that will keep you full longer. Carbs are great and all I wanted BUT they would keep my stomach happy for a little bit and then I would find myself trying to figure out what to eat just an hour later. Protein keeps your stomach happier longer!

Here are the ways I have been slowly sneaking protein in although I have many food aversions

Hard boiled eggs-so much better than fried or scrambled. The oil didn’t sit well on my stomach and the smell is not pleasant first thing in the morning wither. The cold eggs are better to stomach and I usually have them pre-made and shelled that way as soon as I wake up in the morning I can eat one without the fuss!

Quick Hard-Boiled Egg Recipe

1. Fill a small pot up with water 3/4 of the way. Bring the water to a boil.
2. Once the water is boiling carefully lower 4-6 large brown eggs into the water
3. Set a timer for 8 minutes to achieve a jammy yolk center
4. Once the timer has gone off, place the cooked eggs into a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process. Feel free to enjoy them warm or place in an air tight container in the fridge up to 7 days

Premier Protein Shakes-trust me the vanilla is the best! Not stinky or grainy like the other protein shake brands. This particular kind is smooth tasting and never gave me the ick. I kept one on me at all times and sipped throughout the day in between meals

I purchased my shakes from Meijer here

Rotisserie Chicken/Bland Cooked Chicken Breasts-for the first few weeks I was able to rip off meat from the rotisserie chicken to snack on throughout the day. It was quick, already cooked, and packed with protein to sustain my stomach. However, like me sometimes, the smell was a bit of an an annoyance. If you can, keep very bland cooked chicken ready to eat. I have heard some friends boiling a couple chicken breasts to have on hand. Now, the chicken will have little to no flavor at all but didn’t annoy the senses

I purchased my rotisserie chicken from Meijer here

Pecan halves-I needed another easy and quick snack that didn’t require refrigerating or heating up and my mind automatically went to nuts! These were perfect, bland, and easy on the stomach!

I purchased my pecans at Aldi here

It is okay to admit that food sucks during these trying weeks! It helps to look at food as medicinal. You just have to eat it to stay healthy. Trust me, once you are out of your first trimester there will be plenty of making up to do with all the new, fun cravings!

Celebrate The Small Wins

This is huge! There was a particular Sunday when I woke up vomiting and still had to lead worship. I was crying and beside myself wondering how I was going to make it. By the grace of God I did, but friend it was so hard. Thank God that His strength is perfected in our weakness!

Later that day, I was laying in bed just trying to recover and get relief. After some time, I woke up from a nap feeling decent and my sweet husband reminded me of a carnival that was happening close by. All I wanted to do was lay in bed and sulk but he convinced me that it would be great to get some fresh air. We ended up having the best time at the carnival! We walked slow holding hands, ate carnival food, and just enjoyed being out together for the first time in awhile. Celebrate small wins, mama! When you are feeling a little better, get out there and do something that will make you smile and forget about things even for just 10 minutes!

Although my body ached, I was so happy that I got quality time with my husband!