Pregnant with Baby Number Two (During a Pandemic!) - The First Trimester
- Lauren Catron
- Feb 14, 2021
- 10 min read
While we decided not to announce this pregnancy until I was through the first trimester, I still wanted to document how and what I was experiencing so that I could share with all of you in the future. So, here's what the last 12 weeks looked like!
Positive Test, Telling Drew I was Pregnant
I got my first positive pregnancy test on December 14th, one day after my missed period. I was excited to share with Drew the next day with dinner (I used Prego sauce, which we don't normally use), and baby cupcakes for dessert. He didn't pick up on my subtle signs, so I handed him a small gift.
As a family, we have matching Christmas stockings, so I was able to purchase the same stocking for baby number two. Inside the stocking was my positive test wrapped in a onesie that said "Baby Catron" wrapped inside a shirt for Henry that said "promoted to big brother." After this, he finally got the hint! 😆
Sharing the News with Our Family
We had the pleasure of sharing the exciting news with our families during Christmas. I had a special ornament made (shout out to Brigitte Lindstrom and Lindstrom Designs for the adorable ornaments!)
It made for a very special Christmas, and I could finally stop hiding the fact I was throwing up every 20 minutes...
Speaking of throwing up.....
With this pregnancy, symptoms were instantaneous. And they came with a vengeance.
Some of the symptoms I experienced during the first trimester included:
Nausea and Vomiting - The nausea and vomiting came early and came on strong. It was like the wrath of God trying to be expelled from my body so forcefully to the point I was dry heaving so hard I may have peed my pants on multiple occasions. (Hey, it happens...) People will try to tell you that saltines, ginger ale, frequent small meals will help. Nope, nope, and nope. The only thing that has ever helped me, even with my first pregnancy, is the good stuff - get yourself some (prescription) drugs from your doctor! I had to take them up until the day before I delivered Henry, and I imagine this will be the same scenario. Oh, and don't let anyone fool you by saying it's "morning" sickness. This stuff lasted all damn day.
Food Aversions - Nothing sounded good. Nothing smelled good. Nothing tasted good. Not even coffee. The smell of coffee made me want to throw up. Same thing with salami, chicken nuggets, cilantro, and many, many more. It's awful. Especially when you live with other people and have to feed little tiny humans. Just the thought of some foods made me gag.
Exhaustion - Creating an entirely new human being from scratch is exhausting. My energy levels have been in the negative. I'm pretty sure I have laid in bed more now with this pregnancy than any other time in my life. I have no energy to do anything. Laundry? Nope. Dishes? Nope. Grocery shop? No way. Thank God for husbands, and apps to do all that! (See photos of me laying on the couch while trying to entertain a toddler).
Vivid Dreams - I don't what it is, but pregnancy hormones cause some crazy dreams! I remember one specific one where I was taking an Advanced Calculus class, and I was failing. I was so worried about showing my parents the "F" I received on my report card. If you know me at all, there's no way in hell I would be taking an advanced calc class! However, if I did, I definitely would be receiving that F. I also have been having people I haven't spoken to in 20 years pop up in my dreams.. WEIRD.
Moodiness/Emotional - Poor Drew. I am pretty moody and emotional this time around. And I cry at everything. I Kim-K-ugly-sob-cried because I couldn't get cookies from Country Cookie. I've also cried at commercials, when the Chiefs won the AFC Championship game, and I even teared up when Drew was watching a hunting show and the guy shot the mama pig in front of her piglets. How cruel!
Slow Digestive System - Your digestive comes to a screeching halt during pregnancy to ensure your baby is getting all the nutrients it can from the food you're eating. That means everything that comes with a slow digestive system....comes with pregnancy. Bloating, gas, you know all the fun stuff. Just be prepared, and maybe pop a few Colace.
Sore Breasts - This one is pretty self-explanatory.
Excessive Thirst - I feel like I could drink an entire swimming pool and it still wouldn't be enough. I am thirsty all the time. Unfortunately, all that water makes me throw up. It's a vicious cycle.
Frequent Urination - What goes in must come out. At least if you aren't throwing it all up.
Lightheadedness - All that blood in your body is going to your uterus, so if you get up too quickly, or bend down, you might get dizzy or lightheaded. This is a normal symptom throughout your entire pregnancy. Just be aware of it and take things slow!
Acne - Ugh, I feel like a teenager again.
I'm sure there are more symptoms, but these were the major ones.
First OB Visit
My OB's office has a very strict policy of who all can come for visits thanks to the pandemic. Fortunately, they have a policy in place that allows for one support person during the first initial OB appointment, and the 20-week appointment. I understand why they do this, but it is still hard. With my pregnancy with Henry, either Drew or my mom came to every single visit. I was never alone, which was fortunate because of all the issues I ended up having. This pregnancy will be a little scary being alone, but fortunately I know they are just a phone call away.
Drew and I made our way down to Kansas City for our first appointment. We masked up and headed inside. After filling out some paperwork, we were called back. Of course, they always do a weight-check, and then you head back to a patient room. We spoke to the nurse and I told her how miserable I was. How I was throwing up at least six to eight times a day. I told her I had called, and they told me try the B6 and Unisom combo. The doctor came in and just her presence reassured me how glad I was that I switched doctors. We went through a ton of different topics including: scheduling a C-section versus trying a VBAC (more on this to come); the chances of reoccurring preeclampsia, and what we can do to help combat it early; we talked about all the good and bad from my previous pregnancy; gaining weight (my OB said I should aim to gain about 20 to 25 pounds with this pregnancy); a good way to watch the baby weight is to watch my sodium intake; and the possibility of a COVID vaccine.
After the conversation, Drew and I both felt great about this OB. She is very down-to-earth and truly cares about my health and the health of our baby. We are in great hands!
I had some blood drawn and gave a urine sample. Then it was time to see our peanut for the first time! And let me tell you, she looks like a peanut.
Note: I am using the terms "she/her" because we are hoping for a baby girl. But obviously, we would be over the moon if we have another little boy as well.
Based on my last menstrual period, I should have been about 7 weeks, one day, however our babe was measuring 6 weeks, 4 days. Not uncommon and nothing to be concerned about yet. But because I have been so sick, she wanted to see me again in two weeks, plus with another ultrasound! Yay!
Second OB Visit
This second visit my mom drove me down because I was having some lightheadedness and dizziness. Unfortunately, as expected, she had to wait in the car, but fortunately it was a pretty quick visit. My OB had just delivered a baby, so they were running a bit behind. They weighed me; I had dropped seven pounds since my visit two weeks ago. Normally I would be pumped, but trying to provide nutrition for a growing baby, that's scary to see that.
We did our ultrasound first. I was pleasantly surprised to see how much she had grown in just two weeks! It was incredible! She was measuring right on track, at exactly 8 weeks, 2 days.
After my ultrasound, I left my urine sample then headed to a patient room to chat with the doc. Every time I see her, I like her more and more. She was asking how I was feeling, and I told her "like death." She said that's good, but she's sorry I feel that way. She told me to continue to take the Zofran, Compozine, and B6 and Unisom. And she also wrote me a prescription for Reglan. I'm hoping this concoction of meds helps. She did tell me the next two to three weeks could be the worst, as the hCG hormone will be at its peak. She offered to send me over to L&D for some IV fluids, but I told her I don't think I'm there yet. But it's nice to know that is an option. Who knows, I may end up there yet.
We also talked about the genetic testing and if we wanted it done. Genetic testing or noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) is a simple blood test that screens for Down syndrome, Trisomy 18 and Trisomy 13. It also can determine the sex of your baby. During my pregnancy with Henry, Drew and I decided not to get the screening done. Neither of us have any family history, and we both felt that no matter what the results were, we would not terminate the pregnancy. We feel the same way this pregnancy. Now if something comes up abnormal during the 20-week ultrasound, then we might reconsider some additional testing. But for now, we have opted out of this test. Also, a side note for mom's considering having the NIPT done, check with your insurance first! Some insurance companies will not cover this test and it can be pricey!
We also...drum roll please.... scheduled my C-section date! August 31, 2021 at 10 a.m. If babe doesn't come naturally before then, then we will go ahead with the C-section. It's nice to have it scheduled and on the books so I can ensure I have my doctor no matter what. The really crazy thing is even 8 months out, they have already scheduled my COVID test too. I go in that Sunday before to get tested. Weird to think about really..
Since I've still been feeling so sick, I go back in another two weeks. This one will just be a quick follow up and heartbeat check.
Third OB Visit
This appointment was really quick. They did a quick weight-check (I'm still down from my first visit), and then checked my blood pressure. It's starting to creep up there, so this will be something they definitely keep an eye on. In fact, my OB has started me on 2 baby aspirin starting at 10 weeks. There are studies that show this could help prevent the reoccurrence of preeclampsia. We shall see.
This appointment we also got to hear the baby's heart beat!!! Baby's heart rate was 166! It was so cool, we could ever hear her moving around. This was honestly such a relief hearing that heartbeat. Especially having a miscarriage late last year, the thought is constantly on my mind... the what if's. Fortunately, so far this pregnancy has been pretty textbook. Fingers crossed that continues.
My next appointment is March 1, where I will be 14 weeks!!
During this first trimester not much as changed in regards to the pandemic. Yes, I have to go to appointments all by myself, and wearing a mask while pregnant is less than ideal. But since I've been so sick, we haven't really gone anywhere. And if we do, I wear my mask and always wash my hands. I'm a little more cautious when I'm around people (I make sure to keep my distance), and there's discussion of getting the Covid vaccine once I'm out of the first trimester, but other than that, life is as normal as it can be nowadays. I'm anxious to see what the next 6 months look like.
Tips to Get Through the First Trimester
Some tips I've discovered during this first trimester include:
Curbside Pickup is a Godsend - Target, Hy-Vee, heck even food chains offer curbside nowadays. It's one positive thing that has come from this pandemic. Use them to your advantage!~
Get Plenty of Rest - As I mentioned earlier, forming a human is exhausting. Get as much rest as possible, whether that's a small nap during the day, going to bed early, or just working from the comfort of your bed or couch. I did them all.
Ask for Help - During my first pregnancy, I didn't advocate for myself like I should have. This time, I am asking for more help. Help changing Henry's diapers, the smell would set me off. Help feeding the dogs. Same. Help with just entertaining Henry and giving me time to rest. And most importantly, help with the nausea and vomiting. I couldn't survive without some type of medicine.
Ask for Medicine - This is the same thing as the above tip, but seriously, if you are so sick you can't even keep water down, ASK FOR THE MEDS!
Prenatal Gummies - Obviously I was so sick I could not even keep my prenatal down. The nurses gave me some samples of some sour gummy prenatal vitamins. You have to take three to equate to one in pill form, but they were much easier on my tummy. If you are having trouble with your prenatal, I suggest trying the gummies.
Mint Lifesavers - These things are a true lifesaver. Not only does the mint taste good, especially after throwing up, but mint has been proven to help ease nausea symptoms. My momma bought me a bag and I carry some in my purse, in my coat pocket and have some at my desk at work.
And last but not least, just take care of yourself. This is such a beautiful season of life, although it can be miserable. The end result is so worth it. At least, that's what I keep telling myself!
Hang in there mamas!
XOXO
Lauren
BONUS CONTENT!
The many faces/phases of Henry's photo shoot. Distraction items included toy tool set and Oreo cookies. Despite some of his facial expressions, I promise he's excited about his new baby brother or sister!
Photo credit: Goldie Lynn Imagery
Like her on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/goldielynnimagery
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