I am so excited to officially announce on the blog that I am expecting! I announced back in July on instagram, but was pretty exhausted by the first trimester that making content, writing blog posts, editing you tube videos, etc. kind of dropped in priority. If you’re wanting to see my initial reactions to being pregnant and how I told my husband, you can check out the you tube video below!
Now on to the Q & A and some overall life updates! I was under the impression that I would want to document my changing bump. Ya know with the same dress over and over again to serve up some sweet black and white pics to y’all on a monthly or weekly basis. However, my true character always prevails. I’ve been pretty fortunate to have had a very smooth pregnancy, but keeping calm and relaxed has remained the center focus.
While I THINK my pregnancy has been smooth- it hasn’t been breezy. This may also be why I have really tried to remain calm. At around 8 weeks, I developed my usual spring allergy cold. Scary because I couldn’t take meds, my usual allergy dosage (when it gets bad, I usually double up!). Around the 10-week mark, I threw my back out (not weird for me) and couldn’t fix it quickly with massages and my AMAZING massage gun. The hardest thing about these instances was not being able to SHARE. OMG I WANTED ADVICE. I wanted sympathy and I wanted a lot of cake (more on this later!).
First trimesters are interesting. In my singular experience, I found myself excited to share my pregnancy and scared at the same time. I couldn’t walk much on my birthday (I WORE my heels though because- thirty, flirty, and thriving!!) because of my back pain or take pictures so I ended up announcing my second trimester rather than at the end of my first. Through it all, baby has been healthy though. I really feel like that has made me feel most like a mom…OMG I’m going to be a mom! Now, for the questions!
Q & A
When are you due?
January 3, 2022! Seriously wondering if our baby will be born on 2021 or 2022. So Exciting!
How long were you trying?
I go into detail about this in the you tube video and in a chattier way, but to keep it simple: we tried briefly in the fall, but it didn’t work out. I really wanted a spring baby because of my job, but God (and my husband who was continuously infatuated with having a “Christmas Baby”) had other plans. Following that time period, we stopped actively trying, but I did switch from my regular app to the Ovia App. I think the app paired with being a little more relaxed about work really made a big difference!
Maternity Clothing Recommendations?
This was fun for me! I’m going back to work tomorrow and had -5 direction. Y’all recommended Pink Blush, Loft, Target, Pea in a Pod, Old Navy, Buy Buy Baby, Motherhood Mentioned, H & M, Jessica Simpson (pants specifically), Wal-Mart, and Buy Buy Baby PHEW!
I want to eventually do a bunch of hauls with different maternity wear, so if there are any requests, please let me know!
Any cravings?
Cake, cake and more cake! It’s so strange but a chocolate hostess cupcake is MY JAM. I’ve always loved them, but now I feel SO SAD when I don’t fulfill my craving. Now we keep them in stock at all times! I’ve also been very interested in candy. I love sour candy always, but the fact that other candy sounds good is new. Also, the most appetizing meal of my entire pregnancy has been a cheeseburger and GIANT fries. Idk what this says about what baby will be as far as old wives’ tales go, but that’s what it is!
Will you want matching outfits with baby for delivery?
Of course! That’s WHO I WANT TO BE! One of you shared the brand Kyte Baby when they had their last sale. Once I know baby’s gender, I’ll be stalking for sales and will notify y’all accordingly.
Have you made any big changes?
I have changed my skincare routine pretty significantly. Most things I already had, but I used a lot of retinol and salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide. My doctor said the last two are okay in moderation, but gave a hard no to retinol. Other than that, I’ve been referring to this website to make changes. She reviews specific products and brands and determines whether they are pregnancy/nursing safe or not AND WHYYYY! Which I love!
I also sleep a ton now! I could never nap before and I napped after work every day and it was magical. I understand the allure now.
Any aversions?
Wings. I had a stomach bug right before I found out I was pregnant and that was what caused it. I never got over the nausea…and turned out to be pregnant. It’s just a bad association now, haha!
The baby HATES Starbucks. I’ve found that if I drink sweeter coffee, I’m fine. My usual coffee order hasn’t been ordered in a while though. Also baby prefers Dunkin’– what a little decision maker! Can’t be my child!
Meat. I’m also not very enticed by meat anymore and I’m a huge steak gal. It’s not that I don’t eat meat now, but I don’t crave it like I used to. The steak I had in Hawaii was devoured- don’t stress!
What apps are you using to track your pregnancy?
Y’all know I love to learn. So I use THREE APPS! I’m a little embarrassed, but I want to know as much as possible. Currently I use: The BUMP; What to Expect; and The Ovia Pregnancy App.
- The Bump is very straight forward and gives a cute little to-do list. Can you say obsessed
- What to Expect gives a weekly video and has a HUGE community! I love to intake information and make my own opinions, so I usually refer to this when I’m unsure about a new symptom or fear.
- Ovia Pregnancy App is the pregnancy version of the period/ovulation app I used. They tell me baby’s size in comparison. to Parisian bakery treats. I like to treat myself to treats and matching baby’s size gives me good reason (hahahaha).
Any good reads?
I’ve only read the book Expecting Better. In case you didn’t notice, I haven’t given up coffee. This book gives the hard facts (I’m talking numbers and measurements) when it comes to recommendations that are made for pregnant women. I love sandwiches, seafood, and sushi so it also helped me out there. Like I said, I love taking in info and making my own opinion/decision and this really helped me make decisions I’m comfortable with. I’ll be reading her book Cribsheet for when baby comes!
I thought this q & a was going to be pretty short, but it ended up being pretty healthy! If there are any other questions y’all have in regard to the second trimester, feel free to comment below! Also, can we just have another moment of appreciation for these gorgeous pictures that Angie Valle took of me and my baby daddy? I cry every time I look at them! Hope y’all are well!
Love & Bebe,
Aly