Wow! I cannot believe we’re in the home stretch of our pregnancy journey. This past Fall I shared that we are expecting our first child in 2021! And if you don’t follow me on Instagram (you totally should), but that’s where I announced the gender of the baby!
It’s a GIRL! Shop this mommy + me outfit from Baybala.
Today I’m answering some frequently asked questions and covering some topics about pregnancy etiquette, and sharing some simple do’s and don’ts that have taken me 6 months to learn!
First, let’s take a look back at my previous trimesters which might answer some questions you have!
Trimester Breakdown
Let me start out by saying I feel totally and completely blessed with the way my pregnancy has gone. I feel so lucky to have made it this far with no complications, and God willing, I continue on that path! We are so excited to meet our little one and I’m sharing names at the end of this post!
In the first trimester, I experienced some nausea and exhaustion around weeks 6-10, but I never got physically sick (aka threw up). To combat nausea I made sure to eat first thing when I got up. Eating immediately when I woke up was out of the norm for me since I had been practicing intermittent fasting for the last few years. Now, I look forward to getting something on my belly first thing in the morning!
Apps and books I started in the first trimester:
- Apps: What to Expect, Baby Center, Babylist (Registry)
- Books: Expecting Better, What to Expect When You’re Expecting
In the latter part of the first trimester, I started planning out nursery ideas. You can check them out here!
In the second trimester, I started experiencing a few other symptoms such as restless leg (around week 14) and round ligament pain (around week 21-22). To combat the restless leg, I ordered these compression socks and they really seemed to help a lot. The restless leg subsided after about a month. As for the round ligament pain, that’s been a complete b*tch to deal with. I went to a physical therapist and they are helping me with some exercises and stretching I can do at home. It’s getting better but will flare up at random times and makes it hard to walk or move around a lot.
The sweet little kicks make all the pain and discomfort worth it! I started feeling her kick around 18/19 weeks. I wasn’t positive if they were her at first. It sort of feels like gas bubbles at first. Now (at 28 weeks) my husband can even see her moving from outside the belly. SO cool!
In the second trimester, I also started on my registry! You can check out what’s on my registry in this post.
Looking for the best bump-friendly clothing? Here are my current faves:
- $50 Maternity Jeans – I got Small
- MAMA custom embroidered sweatshirt (would make an excellent expecting mother’s gift!)
- Best Non-Maternity Leggings that work with and without a bump (I wear the size 4 pre-pregnancy and they are still working for me!)
- Big sleep shirt (I got XL)
- Amazon athletic shorts (size up)
- Best joggers for lounging
- Best Dress for Spring and Summer (non-maternity) – I got Medium
- A flowy bohemian dress you’ll reach for weekly
- Pair of sneakers that look so cute with dresses
- Good pair of walking shoes. Get those steps in!
- MAMA gold choker necklace
Dos and Don’ts of Pregnancy
The biggest issue I had early on in my pregnancy was dealing with PEOPLE! Here are a few Do’s and Don’ts I’ve learned over the past few months, and some lessons I’ve learned on how to deal with people during pregnancy.
DO – Let people check in on you! I never have been asked “how are you feeling” so many times. It took me a while to understand why people were asking that so frequently, and I think it’s just a way of people letting you know they are thinking about you and care about your physical and mental health. Being pregnant is a life-changing event and you should check in with yourself (or your friends) frequently!
DON’T – Feel like you can’t express how you are actually feeling. A lot of times when people ask, “How are you?” it’s more of a rhetorical question, but during pregnancy, it’s more than okay to voice how you are feeling!
DON’T – let people steal your joy. Rude comments, unsolicited advice, secret leaking, and so many other things have the potential to steal your joy during pregnancy and I fell victim to this very early on in my journey. DON’T let stupid people upset you. It becomes very clear early on in your pregnancy who is in your support group and who isn’t.
DO – let that mother’s intuition kick in and start to listen to it! Going back to being aware of the people you surround yourself with… Do be aware that not everyone has your best intention at heart. Tap into your gut and make cuts in your life (people, places, activities, etc) where you need to. Have a strong feeling? Go with it!
DON’T – be afraid to ask for help. At home, at work, at the store.
DO – know that all bumps look different. Everyone grows differently and while it’s hard not to compare your body and/or journey with your friends, you just need to stay in your lane. Keep those blinders on and keep your eyes on the prize!
DON’T – feel bad if your first emotion isn’t excited. Feelings of being scared, overwhelmed, and nervous before you start to feel excited about your pregnancy are TOTALLY normal.
DO – have a real discussion with your partner about when the best timeline is for telling friends and family. My husband and I were not on the same page about this and it really caused some issues early on in our pregnancy journey. He was SO excited and as I said before, it took me a little bit longer to come into that emotion. I wasn’t ready to tell people, meanwhile, he was shouting it from the rooftops! It was so cute and I loved that he was excited, but I needed some extra time before I was ready to share the news.
DON’T – stress about all the pregnancy rules. Of course, check with your doctor if you have any questions, but there are some good books and social media accounts that are debunking a lot of the myths that surround pregnancy. I suggest checking out the book “Expecting Better.” If you like the social media account Things I Bought and I Liked, then you’ll like this book and appreciate the humor.
DO – bask in every good, emotional, and every teaching moment. What a cool journey! Thanks for following along 🙂
Curious what names we are considering for baby girl?
Names that we threw into the hat:
- Taylor Bea Tolleson
- Taylor Blair Tolleson
- Emma James Tolleson
- Avie (Blank) Tolleson
- Quinn Avery Tolleson
Do you have a favorite on the list? Join me on InstagramStories soon, and I’ll break down where the inspiration and history of these names derived from!
Let's Chat! Leave your comments, questions or requests