My 6 Must-Haves for Surviving the First Trimester
My 6 Must-Haves for Surviving the First Trimester
The first trimester is, for many mums, the most difficult part of pregnancy. The wait until the initial scan, coupled with the symptoms that this trimester brings on for many women, can mean it is a period where self care and energy levels diminish.
Below are my top tips for getting through this period with as much ease as possible. As we know, pregnancy is definitely not a one size fits all policy, so it may be the case of testing different things to find what works well with you and your body.
What and How to Eat in the First Trimester
If you are suffering from terrible nausea in the first trimester, then it is really important to balance the act of listening to your body but continuing to try and get food and water down. The first tip is: little and often! Try eating smaller meals more regularly. You will find that the nausea might peak at this stage in pregnancy when your stomach is empty, so carrying snacks with you when you are on the go and decreasing portion size will mean you are continually feeling full throughout the day, but not to the point of discomfort.
Carry snacks with you when you are on the go or some mints/hard candy as this can also help. Here are some of our favourite healthy snacks.
Staying Hydrated in Pregnancy
Drinking water will make you feel better, but as with eating, it is important to sip water throughout the day rather than chugging lots in one go, which again might bring on feelings of queasiness.
I found drinking water in pregnancy particularly challenging in this period and so I would recommend trying one of the below options. I tried and tested all of these and found different tricks helped at different times.
Also – Coconut water is a brilliant alternative to water and helps you stay hydrated.
Fiovana
Try a cordial! I don’t normally flavour my water BUT this helped tremendously and made it so much easier to drink. There are lots of healthier, lower sugar cordials popping up on the market such as Fiovana which I really enjoyed the taste of in water.
Get a water bottle!
It’s a simple trick but it works. A water bottle with a sippy straw is the best, as it helps you to get more water down throughout the day. It also helps you to keep track of how much water you are drinking. I have stuck to the same water bottle throughout my entire pregnancy and try to take it with me everywhere from the office to hospital appointments!
Invest in Sleeping well during your Pregnancy
Lack of sleep and tiredness will only exacerbate the feelings of nausea. Having a great bedtime routine was the first important step. This meant no phones or laptops an hour before bed, winding down with a bath or reading and getting into bed at the same time every day.
Magnesium really helps to promote feelings of relaxation and calm and I found magnesium salts and lotion incredibly helpful.
Track your pregnancy & Journal
This is an easy one to implement and will mentally help you to get to that second trimester faster where hopefully your symptoms will really start easing off! A visual reminder of how your baby is growing and the internal changes that are taking place can help with your understanding of the symptoms and therefore you will find you may have far more patience in this tricky period. I found the science around the influx of HCG in the system a really helpful way to understand what was going on and why I felt so out of sorts. I loved watching the baby’s growth and development via a picture chart and through the flo app.
Take the right pregnancy prenatal at the right time
Find a prenatal that suits your body type. I found my prenatal, when taken in the morning, triggered more nausea. I switched to taking my prenatal vitamins at bedtime and this really seemed to help. You want to try and ensure you are taking it as they are so important for your growing baby. Our recommended supplements are: Viridian.
