Pregnancy Diaries Featuring Team SN

What was the most surprising thing about being pregnant?

I don’t know if I would say this is something I learned, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed abstaining from drinking alcohol–I honestly didn’t miss it much at all.

What do you wish you knew before you were pregnant?

How hard it is to lose control of your body and gain so much weight so fast. I’m very type A and disciplined; I have always had a petite figure and really struggled with the weight gain–it was extremely emotional to lose control of my body. I wish I had mentally prepared for it more but also embraced that it was a temporary weight gain, and I should cut myself some slack. 

What symptoms did you have during your pregnancy? I was very lucky to not experience morning sickness/nausea. The main symptoms I had were mostly felt in the first trimester and they were 1. Extreme exhaustion and 2. Increased appetite. Later on in my pregnancy, I suffered from serious “pregnancy brain” and could hardly complete sentences articulately or use the right vocabulary. 

What words of wisdom do you share with expecting mamas?

Take time to do special activities with your spouse before you have the baby. It’s so important! Life changes (for the best of course) tremendously once baby arrives, so really soak up all that one-on-one time while you can!

What has been the most surprising thing you’ve experienced during your pregnancy?

I think my food aversions have been the most surprising element of pregnancy so far. I used to be a veggie lover and preferred them to many food groups, and now, sadly, they are often the last thing I look to order. Instead, it’s often extra bread or some form of carb! Maintaining a balanced diet is of course super important during pregnancy which I am trying to maintain, but I am embracing what my body is craving.

What do you wish you knew before you were pregnant?

I wish I researched pregnancy safe skincare early on. Particularly, which acne products were safe and effective during pregnancy. Expectedly, your skin is rapidly changing due to hormones and for me, that resulted in more breakouts than usual. Because traditional acne-fighting ingredients are on the ‘avoid’ list for pregnant women, which I learned a bit too late, I was reactive in my treatment approach and didn’t have the right products immediately when I needed them.

What symptoms have you experienced during your pregnancy?

Symptoms I’ve experienced include: food aversions, hormonal breakouts, melasma, sporadic tiredness, and consistent carb cravings. I sometimes wake up feeling hungover, obviously without drinking the night before, which is the worst!!

What’s the best advice you received from moms about pregnancy and welcoming your first child?

Embrace the bump! It’s of course strange to watch your body grow in ways you’ve never experienced before, but I am pretty obsessed with watching my belly grow. It’s such a special physical experience, not to mention how it enables us to dress in a new way is very fun! Also, don’t be afraid to ask your friends and your network of moms for advice, it’s a topic that most revel in talking about. I’m 21 weeks so I will probably have a lot more advice as the months go on...