surviving first trimester

5 Tips for Surviving the First Trimester of Pregnancy

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Just find out you’re pregnant? Congrats! Did those pregnancy symptoms start already, and you’re trying to learn about surviving the first trimester? We’ve got you covered with these 5 essential tips.

The first trimester is notoriously difficult between the hormone shifts, the exhaustion, nausea. Ugh. Surviving the first trimester isn’t easy, but it IS doable.

As a mom who’s gone through three pregnancies (including a twin pregnancy), these are my best suggestions for you to keep in mind when trying to survive the first trimester. These helped me and they’ll help you too. You got this.

(Just a heads up, this post might contain affiliate links to products I absolutely love and recommend.)

surviving the first trimester

Know that the first trimester WILL end

The first trimester is the worst. It really is. BUT, it does end.

Even if you are cursed with morning sickness your entire pregnancy, or even hyperemesis gravidarum, it will end when you give birth.

I know the months seem like such a long time to feel like utter crap, but once your little bundle of joy is here, it will go away and you’ll feel like a new woman.

But most likely you will start to feel better right around the end of the first trimester, or maybe into the beginning of the second trimester.

In my personal experience, I started feeling better around week 14, and by week 20 (halfway there) I was feeling awesome, which is pretty typical.

The second trimester is the best. For most women, there is a surge in energy, and you finally get to enjoy being pregnant with a cute bump before you get so big it hurts to walk.

So one of your keys to surviving the first trimester is an eye on the future.

Sleep is your bff for surviving the first trimester

You have not known exhaustion until you’ve been pregnant. Seriously. You’ll know it’s no joke when we talk about surviving the first trimester. No amount of all-nighters in college cramming for exams, or double shifts at work can prepare you for just how tired you can be while pregnant.

And with good reason. You’re growing another human being. It’s hard work for your body.

So get some rest.

Not only will you really need it, but if you’re having any morning sickness, then being asleep at least gives you a break from nausea.

Enjoy the zzz’s because once baby arrives, you’ll miss the long naps and sleeping through the night.

But what if you have other kids to chase after?

It can be really hard to get much-needed rest when you have other little ones to take care of. When I was pregnant with my twins and had a toddler too, I would block off our living room so she couldn’t get out, make sure it was well baby proofed, turn on some Mickey and just cuddle and doze. You probably won’t get true sleep that way, but some rest is better than none.

Vitamin B6 and Unisom for morning sickness is a life-saver

If there is one single remedy for morning sickness I could recommend to moms, it’s this one. Unisom and B6. (Of course, check with your midwives/doctor to see if it’s safe for you.) This is a must-know combo for surviving the first trimester.

Once I learned about this one, my life got so much better while I was pregnant and surviving the first trimester actually seemed possible.

It’s so simple and over-the-counter.

I just took a Unisom at bedtime and a B6 vitamin in the morning. The combo is totally freaking magic. A good night’s rest, and less nausea the next day.

Try unique natural remedies to get through the first trimester

When I’m pregnant I have this weird combo of nausea, heartburn, and acid reflux. It’s so hard because the things that help my nausea, like chips and grilled cheese, are terrible for heartburn and acid reflux.

So I tried to find foods and natural remedies that magically helped check all the boxes. The weird winner for me? Cantaloupe!

For the first couple of months, I had cantaloupe for breakfast. I found out that it was a natural remedy for acid reflux, and luckily it didn’t make me feel more nauseous. It actually helped me MORE than TUMS or even the papaya enzymes I had been throwing back like Skittles.

While medications can be helpful when needed, just finding the right diet or other simple and natural remedies can be a game-changer.

Practice self-care during the first trimester

Work on a self-care routine and stick to it during your first trimester. You might want to just lay down and do nothing, which is totally normal, but ensuring you have a good routine is super helpful.

Here’s some ideas to add to your daily self-care routine in the first trimester:

  1. Take your prenatals and any supplements
  2. Eat breakfast (at least try to get some toast or something simple down to curb the nausea)
  3. Go for a walk (even just a brief walk around the block helps your mood and energy levels)
  4. Get fresh air (if a walk is too much just sit outside in the morning for 10-15 minutes for major benefits)
  5. Take a bath (relaxing and if you add some magnesium flakes it might help morning sickness)

Surviving the first trimester comes down to really knowing yourself, accepting that it might be hard, and knowing that it will end. You’ll make it, mama.

And if you need more help, click here to check out my FAVORITE all-time must-haves for the first trimester.

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