Pregnancy// My First Trimester Diary

Heads up, this will be a bit of a long post! It will be a reminder to me of those first weeks and my journey through that tricky First Trimester. It’s just crazy to think that baby has grown from the size of a poppy seed and by the end of 12 weeks was the size of a lime! It’s just out of this world to think baby started as a tiny embryo and during those week started developing organs, limbs and bones which my own body has grown. 

Tim got me thisTales of the Bump journal which I love! It’s been a great way to track my pregnancy including the highs and the lows and I’ve written in it each week – tbh the first 12 weeks were very much the same but it’s going to be such a lovely way to look back through the journey of my little bump. It’s a time unlike any other I’ve been through and seeing baby at the end of the first trimester jumping around like a gymnast was something I’ll never forgot <3

Thank goodness my First Trimester feels like a distant memory! I’m now well and truly into my Second Trimester and finally enjoying this pregnancy more.

In the midst of my First Trimester it felt like it was never going to end – the sickness, the constant nausea and just feeling down in the dumps. Once I passed wk 12 I finally felt more like myself and things started to pick back up.

So here’s my First Trimester recap!

Week 4: Baby is as big as a poppyseed

The night before I found out I was expecting, I remember having a dream that both me and my sister were pregnant and thinking definitely not! We’d been trying for a couple months and I assumed it wouldn’t happen so quickly for us. I was a couple days late and popped to the loo to take a test and was convinced it would come back negative.

To my shock it said pregnant! I ran downstairs and stood at the living room door looking at Tim and said you wouldn’t believe it… I’m pregnant!

It was a shock for sure and took a little time to sink in. The first few days were a blur and it was quite hard to concentrate.

After speaking to the doctors along with the other list of foods/ drinks you can’t have, they said I had to stop taking my hayfever tablets so had to just keep to the nasal spray. I then was told I had to figure out where I wanted to have baby… lots to think about when I only found out a few days before I was pregnant!

We then had the booking appointment a week later which was about 40 mins on the phone.

We were a little worried about getting too excited due to the risk of miscarriage and we decided to hold off telling anyone for the time being.

It was strange that the doctors add on a couple weeks and date your pregnancy from the first day of your last period. You literally find out and then you’re automatically 4 weeks pregnant.

At this point I was taking each day as it came and very glad to be wfh so I didn’t spill the beans or have to try and hide it! 

We were able to enjoy one last trip out for afternoon tea before all the food aversions started!

Week 6: Baby is as big as a sweetpea

Nausea had well and truly hit by this point and I was so tired. Before the nausea I kept thinking it wouldn’t be as bad as it turned out to be. What you see on TV and in movies is not what it is like! I remember watching Mumma Mia II and when she finds out she’s pregnant at the end by throwing up and is then all happy as larry – that is NOT how it is at all! I kept thinking that me having these symptoms meant baby was all good doing it’s thing. Having a smaller brekkie helped but that didn’t last for long! I started craving all the beige food and kept wanting chips. To try and get my fruit in I had smoothies first thing until I started throwing those up and that was a no go! The nausea eventually became non-stop and I was so afraid that I was going to have hyperemesis like my mum and sister had. At 7 weeks I completely lost my appetite which was so sad – I completely went off chicken and my sense of smell all of a sudden went through the roof. 

At this point we had a meal out at La Manoir which we’d had booked in during lockdown. It was such a shame that I couldn’t enjoy it all but the staff were amazing. We went away to Oxford for a couple days and stayed in the most gorgeous Airbnb – it was an outbuilding at a massive house and had been done up so nicely. (It looks like its no longer on Airbnb – the house was for sale when we went so think it has now been sold.) It was so nice to get away for a change of scenery and enjoy some nice weather. Looking back I remember us walking around and me having to take lots of little breaks to get through the random nausea spirts.

I found that having something small every couple hours helped especially getting through work. Mini packs of haribo were definitely my friend!

I also found that at this point I just lost all my motivation. I stopped taking pics, blogging, painting and was just in survival mode. I couldn’t bear watching food programmes or even seeing people’s pictures of food on Instagram. Thank goodness it didn’t last forever!

Week 8: Baby is as big as a raspberry

The nausea was awful at this point and I was feeling sick nearly all the time. I couldn’t eat any meat or prawns and I couldn’t venture anywhere near the fridge or the bin otherwise it would set me off gagging/ throwing up.

Food was such a roulette and the lack of appetite was really getting me down. For someone who loves their food not liking things I normally loved just made me sad.

At 9 weeks I was getting sick nearly every day – for someone who hates being sick I found this so hard. I really feel for women who have hyperemesis. 

I was eating like a 5 year with a staple diet of pizza, chips and toast.

I just kept thinking this will all be worth it and if I was getting these symptoms it must mean that baby was doing ok and growing like it should be. Anything I was able to keep down could be fine and baby would take what it needed from me.

Going out for dinner with friends and managing chips! And my trusty Weetabix!

Week 10: Baby is as big as a prune

This week my friends had arranged a long weekend away in the Cotswolds which we’d all been looking forward to. The original plan had been to go away to Porto or somewhere else earlier in the year, however COVID-19 scuppered those plans and we decided a long weekend would be just what the doctor ordered instead. 

We booked into this absolutely gorgeous Airbnb (see here) and settled in for a nice long weekend. I remember feeling super rough on the drive down to the Cotswolds and not even wanting some of the chocolate brioche I had which normally helped with the nausea.

It was so nice seeing the girls and they definitely perked me up. I could barely eat minus my trusty hula hoops, mints, Weetabix and sweets – I was loving sweets at this point!

I was still constantly nauseas and had to stop many times on the walks we went out on.

At this point, the throwing up started to hold up but the nausea was still clinging on!

The gorgeous Cotswolds!

Week 11: Baby is as a big as a strawberry

This week we had some much needed time off work. This year has been a very weird one and we hadn’t been on any of the overseas trips we had planned from March. We were so lucky to get away to Ireland in February for a friend’s wedding but that had been our last trip as such. We decided to book 5 days away down in Devon and the weather was glorious. We stayed in this Airbnb which we’d definitely stay in again if we went back to the area. The constant nausea was slowly disappearing so I only got hit by mini waves randomly but my sense of smell was still as high as ever! The fresh air definitely helped but the smell of fish stalls was horrific and I remember having to hold my nose if I saw an open bin! I remember throwing up on the way home after dinner after smelling a particularly fishy pong. Yuck! 

We went on some lovely walks and it was just so nice to get away and soak up some sun. I even managed my first proper meals out – steak one night and pie the other! It was amazing! I was one happy bunny actually enjoying a meal!  I also remember on our drive home we stopped by Exmouth and I managed a whole sausage roll and a bite of Tim’s meatball marinara at lunch – it was such an exciting moment!

A much needed holiday in Devon!

Week 12: Baby is as big as a lime

At this point I started getting quite nervous about my impending first scan which I didn’t have until week 13. Not knowing how baby was doing or if I’d had a missed miscarriage was very nerve racking. It didn’t even occur to me to go privately for a scan to check up on baby. In hindsight it would have properly helped with all my worrying! 

By this point I was finally starting to feel much better and actually managed some exercise for the first time in 2 months! I started enjoying swimming and eased myself in with walking on the treadmill. Before the gym first thing I needed to have ½ a breakfast bar (chocolate chip brunch bars were my go to) otherwise I would start gagging from random smells and my empty stomach.

This week we also spent at home. It was a super busy one as we decided we were going to sell our home and move to a more family friendly area in a good catchment area – we also wanted to make use of the stamp duty break! We spent the week deep cleaning the house and sorting out lots of bits and pieces. We moved lots of bits up into the loft and even did some touch ups getting the paints out and giving the hallway and ensuite a refresh. It was such a relief to be feeling more myself and being able to get up and about to do bits and bobs! Tim was still cooking alllllll our meals at this point – my lifesaver!

And that was my First Trimester! I mainly remember the extreme nausea, tiredness, throwing up and my body just going through so many changes. Also being a worry wart any twinges sent me into a mini panic. Reminding myself that this will pass and what will be will be got me through it all. My First Trimester just felt like it dragged and at the time felt like it would never end. I remember saying to Tim if this carries on for the whole pregnancy I don’t want to have to go through this again. Luckily there was a light at the end of the tunnel and now being half way it’s a distant memory. I can even manage a trip to the fridge now and cook meals again! Following my first scan I felt like I could start getting excited and enjoy more of this pregnancy. 

I’ll be back soon with a half way update so keep an eye out!

Until next time,
Cathers xx

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