Hey there! Thanks for being here and sharing in the joy of our pregnancy news. In case you’re new here – this is my second pregnancy, but will be my first child. I had a miscarriage back in April of this year when I was 10 weeks and 4 days pregnant. You can read a little more about that here.

I’ve gotten a lot of questions since announcing our pregnancy almost three weeks ago and thought I’d share the answers here.

How far along are you?

I am officially 17 weeks pregnant! Baby is as big as a pomegranate weighing in at 5.9 ounces and is 5.1 inches long. The thing I love most is that she is starting to develop her hearing! I’ve been listening to a lot of music when I’m around the house and reading out loud to her at night.

How have you been feeling?

Honestly? Pretty awful. My two biggest symptoms are nausea and fatigue. The nausea hit a new level around 12 weeks and has consistently lasted just about all day every day since then. Luckily, I’ve only gotten sick a hand full of times, but the nausea has kept my food choices pretty limited – tater tots, french fries, fruit snacks, breakfast food, and oddly enough – steak, rice, and yum-yum sauce from the Japanese Steak House are the only things that sound appealing. For someone who normally eats relatively healthy, this has been a hard one – anything green (except for guacamole) makes me want to yak! I’ve been drinking a lot of smoothies in order to get my fruits and veggies in and Better Days Co’s Better Greens have been a lifesaver too!

I feel like any day now I should be turning that second trimester corner and finding my energy and healthy palate again!!

Most challenging moment?

So far, the most challenging part has been mentally getting through the first trimester. After miscarrying with our first pregnancy, I know that nothing is ever guaranteed. We have been cautiously hopeful and optimistic since day one and each little milestone has been a little hurdle to be celebrated: the viability ultrasound at six weeks, another ultrasound at eight weeks, receiving great results from our NIPT, hearing the heartbeat at twelve and sixteen weeks, and then finally crossing the threshold into the second trimester. I don’t know if the worry will ever completely go away, but with each passing day I am so grateful for another day of a healthy pregnancy.

Most exciting moment?

For me, it was finding out that baby is a girl. I don’t think I realized how much I wanted a little girl until the results came in. I had a permanent grin on my face for days!

How long did it take after your miscarriage for you to conceive again?

It took us three months/cycles before we were pregnant again and we started trying right away. My midwife gave us zero restrictions on waiting other than waiting/doing what we felt emotionally was right for us. After the miscarriage, my main focus was nourishing my body and re-balancing my hormones. I focused on food, hydration, sleep, and yoga. I discovered a beautiful company called Agni and got their fertility box – filled with nourishing foods and spices that help nourish and prepare the body for conceiving. I still use their spices today and love them!!

Did you do anything else to prep for conceiving?

Yes! In 2021, Craig and I both went through Dr. Cleopatra’s Primemester Protocol, an eight module self-paced course that lead us through both the physical and mental prep-work necessary to get our bodies ready for baby. I love Dr. C’s mindset and philosophy around fertility and aging and always knew that one day I’d go through her course and implement her teachings. I highly recommend her work to everyone – especially women/couples in their early to late thirties and forties who find nothing but fear-based articles and research when it comes to conceiving as an “older” person. She has also done a lot of work with couples who have come to her as a last ditch effort after being diagnosed with unexplained infertility and told by their doctors that they’ll never conceive.

What have you been doing for Exercise?

I’m doing a lot of the same stuff that I was before, just modified. Riding the Peloton (my cadence/resistance is usually lower than what the instructor recommends), lots of yoga, strength training, and walking outside when I can. I found this awesome app called Every Mother (recommended from Your Zen Mama) that has daily workouts and really focuses on their signature move – the core compression – which helps discourage (or help heal) diastasis recti. I’ve been doing these workouts 3-4 days a week and really enjoy them. I’m always surprised at how sore I am because the moves are very basic (but obviously effective!)

Pregnancy/Parenting Books I’ve read so far:

• What to Expect Before You’re Expecting by Heidi Murkoff
• Rebirth: The Journey of Pregnancy After a Loss by Joey Miller
• What to Expect: Eating Well When You’re Expecting by Heidi Murkoff
• Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom is Wrong – and What You Really Need to Know by Emily Oster
• Crib Sheet: A Data-Driven Guide to Better, More Relaxed Parenting, from Birth to Preschool by Emily Oster
• The Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp
• Magical Beginnings, Enchanted Lives: A Holistic Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth by Deepak Chopra, David Simon
• Spirit Babies: How to Communicate with the Child You’re Meant to Have by Walter Makichen
• The New Rules of Pregnancy: What to Eat, Do, Think About, and Let Go Of While Your Body is Making a Baby by Adrienne L. Simone
• The Smart Mother’s Guide to a Better Pregnancy: How to Minimize Risks, Avoid Complications, and Have a Healthy Baby by Linda Burke-Galloway
• Baby Proofing Your Marriage: How to Laugh More, Argue Less, and Communicate Better as Your Family Grows by Stacie Cockrell, Cathy O’Neill, Julia Stone
• Birth Matters: A Midwife’s Manifesta by Ina May Gaskin
• The Zen Mama Guide to Finding Your Rhythm in Pregnancy, Birth, and Beyond by Teresa Palmer, Sarah Wright Olsen

I’m currently working my way through:

• What To Expect When You’re Expecting by Heidi Murkoff
• The Mama Natural Week-By-Week Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth by Genevieve Howland
• The Montessori Baby by Simone Davies and Junnifa Uzodike

Reflections

This has been such an incredible journey so far and it feels SO GOOD to finally have our pregnancy secret out in the open. As my body is changing, I’m learning a lot about taking it easy, finding my joy, and being really graceful with myself and my inner dialogue. I am doing my best to savor this time and nourish my body and soul as best as I can.

Thanks for being here and joining me on this exciting ride! xoxo