Getting Through the First Trimester

Sometimes, we all need to chat to someone who just gets it. Whether it's a hard day with the kids, a stressful week at work, or your partner not loading the dishwasher properly. In my case, at the moment, it’s unpacking the highs and lows of journeying through pregnancy and postpartum for the third time. I’m so excited to be teaming up with Mom Store to document my experience of the first, second, and third trimesters, as well as postpartum, and sharing how it all goes down with you!

For those of you who have never come across my work before, my name is Charlotte, and I have a PhD in Gender Studies and Sociology, exploring mothers’ and parents’ experiences and challenges in contemporary society. In 2022, I set up my Instagram page to share my experiences of being a mother while also studying motherhood, and I love sharing anything and everything that might be helpful to parents. I have two little girls who are six and four years old, and now I am lucky enough to be pregnant with my third and final baby.

The original idea for this blog series was to position myself as a bit of a pro when it comes to pregnancy, birth, and postpartum (both academically and personally), and that it would be a great way to share all my tips and tricks with Mom Store’s customers and readers. However, I have quickly learned that nothing humbles you like a third pregnancy, and it turns out some things no amount of studying and previous experience can prepare you for. So, these blogs will be half taking you through the unexpected trials and tribulations of navigating my third pregnancy, half tips and tricks from a third-time mum. I can’t wait to take you along for the ride with me!

Navigating Pregnancy Sickness & Symptoms 

For many new parents, navigating the first trimester proves to be one of the hardest phases of pregnancy. It’s a time when many parents don’t feel comfortable telling people outside of their immediate family that they are pregnant, but it can also be the time when symptoms are at their worst. The combination of really hard-to-deal-with symptoms alongside people not knowing you are pregnant (and therefore what you are going through) can mean many expectant mothers end up feeling really isolated. For all three of my pregnancies, the first trimester has been debilitating, with this third pregnancy being the worst. I get severe pregnancy sickness and nausea, meaning I need to spend most of my time in bed, and it is hard for me to keep down any food or fluids. This pregnancy, I have had to be admitted to the ED multiple times for fluids, with my symptoms being the most extreme from weeks 4 - 8, and starting to ease around 14 weeks. On top of the nausea and vomiting, the first trimester can bless you with a heap of other symptoms, including extreme fatigue, insomnia, pelvic pain, breast tenderness, constipation, and needing to pee all the time. I think a really key thing to keep in mind is that the first trimester is really hard for most people, but often we minimise the difficulty of the experience and try to tell ourselves that we can just push through or that what we are going through isn’t as bad as other people get it.

Because of this, many parents are left feeling a sense of not wanting to complain or be dramatic. I’m here to tell you that you don’t need to be vomiting constantly and unable to function to give yourself some grace and accept that being in the first trimester is really hard! For some, symptoms that are considered ‘minor’ can feel incredibly debilitating. For others with very few physical symptoms, the mental load, uncertainty, and anxiety that you might be feeling in the first trimester can also be really hard.

Some of my best tips for getting through the first trimester are: 

Tell whoever you can what is going on: This goes against a lot of the messaging new parents get for the first trimester, but it can make life feel a lot more manageable and less isolating. For some people, telling others about the pregnancy might be a hard boundary you don’t want to cross, which is understandable! But if you can, telling some close friends, a couple of colleagues, or hands-on family members can help ease the burden both physically and mentally for you and your partner during what can be a really tricky phase of life.

Prep for pregnancy like you would for postpartum: You best believe one of the first things I did when I got a positive pregnancy test this time around was stock my freezer with premade meals and snacks. Knowing I was likely to get sick like I did with my first two babies meant that I really wanted to have easy meals for myself and my family when I inevitably went down with nausea and vomiting. If there are close people you have told, you can also ask them to drop off meals to help out where possible. There’s always the chance that you won’t be out of action in your first trimester and won’t end up needing a stash of freezer meals, but what's the harm in lessening the load for whenever you might end up needing it?

Take the pressure off however you can: This one can be hard to give advice for, because parents have vastly different social and financial resources available to them. For our family, we have very few close friends and family members living locally, which meant we had to rely on paying for support in the first trimester. For us, this looked like paying extra to have groceries delivered, subscribing to meal kits, booking in extra daycare and after-school hours for our older children, and paying for cleaning services to help out. For every family, the kind of support you are able to engage with to take the pressure off will vary. But it’s important to remember that for most people, growing a baby (plus a placenta) means you can’t do everything you would normally do. If that means your older kids spend a heap of time in front of the TV or your house is a mess, please don’t lose sleep over it! This too shall pass.

Go-To Mom Store Buys for the First Trimester 

When I got my positive pregnancy test, I immediately placed an order with Mom Store. I first discovered Mom Store when I was pregnant with my second baby in 2022, and they have been my first stop for anything mum-related since then. Of course, they were stocked with everything I needed for support in my first trimester!

Carry x G Nancy Organic Women’s Pajamas:

I knew I was going to be home-bound for a good chunk of my first trimester while I got through the worst of my symptoms. Like for any phase of illness or recovery in life, a solid set of PJs is an absolute must for me. This set from the Carry range did not disappoint, and they have seen me through countless days in bed and kept me feeling as comfortable as possible during my hospital stays. They are buttery soft, roomy, and so cosy. Even better, they have beautiful stretch, so I know I will be able to wear them all the way through my pregnancy and for my postpartum recovery. But, most importantly for me - and I cannot stress this enough - they do not shrink or change texture from the wash or dryer. I know this might sound like a niche issue, but living in a cold climate and already juggling two kids, I cannot describe to you how important a pair of jammies that can go through the dryer is for me. A win on all fronts (I might even need to invest in a second pair).

Aggie Pregnancy Relief Trio: 

Every morning of my first trimester I woke up and thanked the universe that Aggie electrolytes exist. I cannot overstate what a lifesaver these were for me. Aggie is formulated with electrolytes and B6, meaning the electrolytes support you if you are having trouble staying hydrated (particularly important if you are vomiting a lot in your first trimester), while the B6 supports managing nausea.  There are three flavours, which was also needed so I could switch it up when the flavour I loved yesterday randomly made me want to hurl the next (the joys of pregnancy really are endless).  Aggie’s Raspberry and Kiwi was a much needed addition to support the digestive discomfort I have had throughout pregnancy so far. My pregnancy sickness was severe, so products like Aggie don’t fix my symptoms on their own and I still needed medication and medical intervention. But they were a great tool in supporting me through a really tricky time. 

Kiwi Crush: 

Constipation can be another glamorous symptom of the first trimester. If you are like me and have severe nausea, you might find some of the medications prescribed can make constipation worse. For this reason, Kiwi Crush was a part of my daily routine. You can add the powder to pretty much anything, but for me, I found simply taking it dissolved in water was the easiest way to get it on board. An absolute must-have for the first trimester in my opinion!

Thank you for reading along as I document the experience of having my third baby! I’ll be back with future blogs unpacking my second and third trimester, as well as my experience of postpartum. Of course, I’ll be highlighting my favourite Mom Store products along the way!