Currently 35 weeks in with a sweet baby boy! This pregnancy has felt forever long. Also, things out of my control (the nation being shut down, not getting to have showers or baby celebrations for this first child, and other things) have made it a tough journey. There have been lots of tears and emotions (hormones, of course), and lots of days where I literally can’t get myself to stand up because the exhaustion is so real. Through it all, my husband has been so supportive even though it’s hard for him to really understand all my crazy feelings, aches, and pains. I’m so ready to meet our little Bailey, though! It’s terrifying and exciting that we’ll have this huge life change in just a few weeks. Since I’m almost there, I wanted to share a few things below that I could not have done without on this journey. (None of these are affiliate links, btw.)
My Morning Sickness Life Saver
Morning sickness for me definitely occurred in the afternoon and lasted daily until I went to bed. I had a few good hours most mornings where I was able to go about my way productively. Being a morning person anyway, I was extremely grateful for this. I’m not generally as productive in the evenings anyway, but my poor husband during the first trimester had to make himself a lot of mac-n-cheese since I couldn’t bring myself to make dinner. The nausea, constant exhaustion, and just feeling terrible lasted until about 14 or 15 weeks before it started to (slowly) taper off. I experimented with all the things people recommended for nausea, like ginger and peppermint, plus eating little snacks often to avoid an empty stomach. The snacking helped a little, but it wasn’t the main thing that got me through. Believe it or not, the best thing for my nausea was LIFE SAVERS. My sister had given my husband a ton of the fruity hard candy for a birthday present, and he had some left over in the jar. Once I discovered that they kept my nausea at bay a little, I wouldn’t go anywhere without a few in my pockets and my purse. It helped with my smell sensitivities because the fruity smell would help cancel out any offensive thing I came near. Not saying this would work for everyone – but it’s worth trying out!
The Pregnancy Pillow
Yeah, not too much I have to say here. I got this pillow back in my early second trimester. This pillow has helped with back and shoulder pain because I have to sleep on my side, and I even catch Nathan using it when I am not! I’ve linked the exact one I have below.
Bio Oil and Epson Salts
When the smallest part of my body (my waist) became the largest, a really great oil was needed for the stretched-out skin. I tried Bio Oil based on some other people’s recommendations. The smell was NOT my favorite (so don’t use it if you are still in the nausea stage), however, the oil was/is AMAZING. I tried a few other things, including the Honest brand’s creams and stuff because it had a more natural scent, but nothing compares to how the Bio Oil works. The oil literally warms my skin, which is so nice. The hydrating/warming effects are like nothing else I have tried. I learned quickly to get past the smell.
Also, I’d be lost if it weren’t for almost nightly Epson Salt foot baths. While I haven’t had hardly any swelling, my feet have hurt for months. I’m on them a lot working in the shop, and I think I’ve probably been through 3 giant bags or more of Epson Salts from just soaking my feet. Love it.
What To Expect When You’re Expecting
My sweet sister-in-law passed this giant book of knowledge on to me, and I couldn’t be more grateful. It goes week by week giving you detailed information about the pregnant life, what is normal, and what might not be. It’s been a great tool to have!
My next post (hopefully before the baby comes) will be my nursery. We literally built our sweet Bailey’s room from the walls in, and I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out.
BootsAndKitties 