My pregnancy Journey & Recommendations

health pregnancy pregnancy diary pregnancy recommendations May 02, 2023

In this blog post, I’m collecting all things related to my pregnancy! You’ll find my overall experience, practical tips, recommendations for courses, apps, books, products and more that I’ve found helpful during my journey. I hope they make this incredible journey a little bit easier and a little bit more enjoyable for you!

First trimester nuggets of wisdom:

Share your news with someone you love, trust and has a baby already! Bonus points if they’ve delivered in the last year. I found it to be so helpful to connect with other new moms about their pregnancy journey!

A lot of people choose to keep their exciting news to themselves initially because of the risk of something not-so-awesome happening. And I get it, I only announced my pregnancy after the first trimester passed. But I found this to be so isolating. It's very tough to go through all of those pregnancy symptoms alone.

& besides, if something awful were to happen, you’d want someone checking in on you, wouldn't you? I only say this because I had all of the fatigue, nausea, all-day sickness (not only in the morning) and I found it so hard to manage. This left me very groggy, lonely and confused (yes confused why I was feeling this horrible lol).

When I shared it with a select new mommies, their tips were SO valuable and I felt seen. So I encourage you to reach out if you feel like an inclining too.

My overall 1st trimester tips:

Go about everything normally if you don’t have symptoms. I started feeling the symptoms at 6 weeks and they ended around 13 weeks. Yes, it makes a world of a difference once they're over.
If you’re nauseous, keep snacks with you all day. I kept almonds, cheerios (yes, cheerios lol) and other crackers. I had to let go of the idea of things not being SO healthy like I imagined they would be because nothing would appeal to me because of all those aversions.
Trust that when you feel better, you’ll make better choices. That’s what I kept telling myself and it was the truth. Second and third trimester I did SOOOO much better with food choices.
I scaled down my exercise routine cause I was so tired but I still put the effort in looking for classes that could give me energy like prenatal barre, pilates, yoga etc. Being led by an instructor or having a program to follow really helped. Move when you can and if your doctor allows, trust me!
Be nice to yourself. Your body is making a new organ and a human being, it's gotta take a toll at the start!

I’d love to be your pregnancy friend, you can listen to my journey during the first trimester here:

Episode 157: I'm pregnant & pregnancy Q&A!

Episode 158: Pregnancy Q&A part 2

Second trimester nuggets of wisdom:

It really does get better here. They tell you it’s the honeymoon phase of your pregnancy and you get bursts of energy. For me the truest thing was that I started to forget that I was pregnant. I think it's because you start getting used to the changes and your energy levels come back up to your usual.

This time was also enjoyable because I was able to share with my friends, family and you guys that I was pregnant!

Honestly, I don’t have much tips here except to tell you to do what feels good to you. I know every mom wants what’s best for herself and her baby so keep tuning into that voice inside of you.

I did my best with enhancing my diet, I didn’t restrict myself at all, I kept choosing wholesome foods whenever possible.

I worked out, I did strength training and cardio 4x per week. I hired a trainer to help me stay accountable and I know I'm great at being coached, so I went for it. I also did spinning classes 1-2x per week. And prenatal yoga 1x per week. I followed this routine whenever possible but obviously, not every week was perfect.

If this might feel like it's a lot to you, remember that I’m someone that usually works out 5x per week and does lots of activities so this was very natural for me to do. Your schedule could look completely different and that’s perfectly fine. Do what you feel good doing!

If I were to change anything in my movement during pregnancy, it’d be to increase prenatal yoga from 1x to 2x per week. I always felt so good after the class and my body really needed me to slow down, stretch and mobilize.

Always check with your doctor before you start any training program during your pregnancy.

My overall 2nd trimester tips:

Have fun! Go out with friends, see family and live life as normal as you can.
Move, exercise, be active if you have the ok from your doctor.
Towards month 5-6 start thinking about your birth and delivery plan.
A lot of people start prepping their nursery at this time, I started in the third trimester, you do you.

Listen to Mirna El Sabbagh (my sister who is also a dietitian and IBCLC) and I chat all about nutrition during pregnancy. We talk all things food safety, supplements and nourishment for you and the baby in this episode:

Episode 161: Food during pregnancy with Mirna El Sabbagh

Click here for affirmations you might find helpful during the second and third trimester.

Third trimester nuggets of wisdom:

Wow, I think this is the most exciting trimester! I’m writing this while I’m 39 weeks pregnant so I’m in the thick of the preparations for baby boy to arrive. The most exciting this is that every week in the third trimester, brings you closer to meeting your little one and that’s really kept my motivation and excitement high.

This was also my favorite trimester because the belly is POPPIN. I found the second trimester bump to be so awkward and unflattering lol. Whereas in the third trimester, you’re very clearly pregnant and cute haha.

The kicks are SO present too and I’m always so happy when his little (and not so little) kicks remind me he’s in there enjoying his cozy home. There’s a lot to be grateful for during this time, I hope you feel the same!

I’ll tell you though, the belly gets HEAVY. I find myself really struggling to shift from left to right and vice versa when I’m in bed lol

My overall 3rd trimester tips:

Slow down, your body is asking for it!
Start labor and delivery classes early in the 7th month to help prep your for the delivery you want. I mention what I took below.
Take it in, your pregnancy will pass before you know it
Enjoy the bump!

Recommended listens during your 2nd and 3rd trimester:

Episode 173: 2nd + 3rd trimester recap with Mirna

Weight gain during pregnancy

I know so many women enter pregnancy really worried about their weight. If you started off your pregnancy at a weight that you weren't comfortable in to begin with, I want you to know that it’s ok and I find most women struggle with this. My best tip for you during this time is to surrender, allow and trust yourself and your body to do what it needs to and take care of itself during this journey.

I got pregnant when I was 2 kgs heavier than my usual weight because I was on summer vacation in the US and Mexico for 2 months lol! And in case you weren't aware, it's not recommended to lose weight during pregnancy for your baby’s health and yours. The best next thing you can do is manage what you can. A good quote to remember is to control what you can and let go of what you can't. What you can control in this scenario is to gain a healthy amount of weight for your body type by eating well and moving in a way that feels good to you.

My nugget of wisdom to you is don’t obsess over your weight during pregnancy. It will fluctuate A LOT. It won’t be linear, which means it won’t always go up. Some days you’ll find the weight drops (or not), other weeks you’ll maintain and most of it will be rising gradually. But the reason I say don’t stress about it is because our bodies are so unique and each pregnancy is going to look so different. Allow your body to do what it knows how to do best, make a healthy baby!

Here's a reminder of how weight gain is distributed during pregnancy:

Pregnancy Weight Gain & Calculator | SheCares Image source: shecares.com

Personally, I only tracked my weight during the second trimester because that's when I felt like it was escalating the most. So, I’d check my weight just to keep myself accountable with movement and eating habits. But I stopped tracking in the third trimester and I was able to maintain a baseline that I was comfortable with. I get asked the question of how much weight I gained during pregnancy so often but I find it quite irrelevant, but it's within the recommended amount for my weight.

The most important thing is your health and your baby's health, everything else afterwards will sort itself out. I truly believe that.

I recommend you listen to this episode for additional support especially if the whole body image thing is starting to get to you like it did to me at different points lol

Episode 165: Pregnancy and body image

For additional reference, here’s a weight guide in pounds and a guide in kg of the recommended weight gain during pregnancy. & here’s a calculator you can use throughout your pregnancy that can help you keep track. But feel free to opt out of using these if you feel like they won't be helpful to you.

I'd love to help you with your nutrition and exercise routine during, before or after pregnancy. You can sign up to the personalized nutrition and exercise program through this link. My team and I are ready to take care of you.

Apps, books, guides, courses for mamas

Apps:
- Baby center app: It’s free and has super useful information on different symptoms you can be encountering.
- Pregnancy+ app: When I get bored of baby center I check this one out lol it has a cool timeline feature that reminds you of the things you need to do at different times. It’s also interactive so it’s cool to see the images
Books:

Expecting Better - it was a good read, so many people recommended it. I found it okay 😊
The guide to childbirth by Ina May
Find more recommendations under this post

Courses:

Mirna’s pregnancy + breastfeeding course. Her pregnancy nutrition PDF is golden, I read the whole thing in a few hours as soon as I found out I was pregnant lol. The breastfeeding course, I watched it in the second trimester. This is a bundle discounted price!
Mommy Labor Nurse: if you’re looking for something educational, gives you all the ins and outs of delivering your baby but not very entertaining, this does the job, I learned a lot but it can get a little boring 😌
The Positive Birth Company: they have several packs you can choose from. I really liked their hypnobirthing class. I started watching their Youtube videos in my 3rd trimester. They also have a highly recommended book you can read.
Bradley method classes: I think they’re only found in the US, I went to in-person sessions, but you can read their books!
Hey sleepy baby: I'm just about to start this but I did a lot of research to eventually make this choice.
The Montessori Mommy course with @themontessorimommies. Reach out to her on Instagram for the live classes she leads.

Product links and FAQ by mama's"

What oil or creme do I use for stretch marks?

Bio-oil. Used it more religiously in my second & third trimester, twice a day whenever I remember. I’ve passed pregnancy with no stretch marks #yay! But I know that some people did do this too and they still got stretch marks so I believe you do the best you can and hope for the best!

Baby items I ended up buying are based on hours of research and lots of mom recommendations. When choosing the shampoo, cremes, detergent and other products I kept in mind that I want them to be as clean as possible with no harsh ingredients, parabans, or fragrance that might irritate baby skin at the start.

Baby Gear

Car Seat
Baby Stroller: link 1, link 2, link 3
Bouncer: Ergo baby
Baby Carrier: Ergo baby
Bedside sleeper: Mika Micky & sheets
Pack n Play: Graco & sheets

Feeding

Nursing pillow: My breastfriend - update, I didn't like it right after i delivered, so i bought the boppy and was a lot more comfortable with it.
Nursing pads: Lansinoh
Nusring cover: Weesprout
Pump: Spectra S1
Nipple Cream: Lansinoh
Bottle Warmer: Phillips avent
Bottle Sterilizer: Phillips avent
Feeding Bottles: Como tomo
Pacifier: Bibs
Bibs: Parker baby

Bath

Towels & bathrobe: Burts bees
Washcloths: Hiphop panda
Nose suction: Nose frida
Bath tub: Skip hop
Shampoo: Pipette
Body cream: Pipette

Sleep

Baby monitor: Lolipop
Breathable Blanket: Aden + anais
Swaddle: Love to dream
Portable sound machine: Mybaby
Night light: Hatch

Clothing

Bodysuits: Simple joys
Sleep suits: Simple joys
Socks: Simple joys
Laundry detergent: Tide free & gentle
Items I liked: Anvi baby rompers

Diapering

Wipe warmer: Hicapop
Changing pad: Hatch
Water wipes: Water wipes
Diaper cream: Earth mama
Diaper cream applicator: Bumco
Trash bin: Ubbi diaper pail & plastic bags
Diaper bag: Babbleroo
Portable diaper caddy: Parker baby

Accessories

Nail trimmer: Haaka

Prepare your nursing/diaper cart with me by watching this video.

Labor & postpartum checklist:

Labor bag: ChildHome
Organization bags: Hospital bag this wasn't the exact one I got, but its pretty close!
Hygiene and recovery: Frida mom hospital packing kit
Fan during labor: Gusgu
Essential oil spray: Asutra
Easy drinking cup: Hospital mug