11 Jul The Third Month is Time to Settle In

Welcome to the end of the first trimester. Well done, mama! You made it. Between announcing your pregnancy, worrying about spotting and that dreadful morning sickness, these past few weeks have not been easy. But you are looking at the final stretch of the first phase. It’s hard to believe that in six short months you’ll be holding your little bundle of love, and even though the first trimester seemed jam-packed with physical and emotional changes, there is still lots more growing to look forward to.

But let’s not jump too far ahead of ourselves.

The physical changes during the third month were very subtle for me. I felt like they were mostly an extension of everything that was going on in month two. I found a pattern in my morning sickness which made it easier to manage. I went back to working out which helped me cope with the all-consuming exhausting and generally, I really felt like this was the month that I settled into my pregnancy.

We announced our pregnancy at around 13 weeks. That was quite a thing. While I know birth announcements have become quite a thing since then, we just did the good old, sonogram shot. Witnessing the outpouring of love and well wishes that came from our friends and family was so incredibly special. It was impossible not to feel like each and every person we knew was invested in our babies’ wellbeing. It’s a little bit of magic to really witness how truly loved you and your children are.

I am not obsessed with fitness. In fact, I would go so far as to say that I pretty much HATE working out. I do it because it feels good after. When I found out I was pregnant, I went into this hyper-aware mode. I was terrified of doing anything that could potentially harm my baby. After chatting with my doctor and other pregnant friends, I eventually felt more settled with the idea of working out again. I chose to do lower impact exercises than what I would have done pre-pregnancy, I really enjoyed the aqua aerobics class at my local gym as well pre-natal yoga.
I’ll circle back to what I said earlier, the last month of the first trimester really felt like settling in. My baby was settled, and I felt more comfortable with my changing body.

I had one of those apps that walk you through your pregnancy… it told me when my baby progressed from kumquat to naartjie, it told me what I should be feeling and then one day it reminded me that I was about to start the second trimester. I had a little freak out that day. It was weird, I was so anxious for time to move along – I mean nine months seems like forever when you can’t wait to meet your baby – but time can also feel like it’s moving too quickly. The one bit of advice I always give newly pregnant mothers is this: just enjoy this time. It is so incredibly special, and we get so bogged down by all the little niggles and aches and pain and inconveniences that we forget to just enjoy the wonder that comes from making a life.

RELATED LINKS

• We’re Pregnant | Month 3
• Month 3: The First 12 Weeks (or so) are the Longest
• Pregnancy: Month 3: What Our Dietitian Has To Say
• Pregnancy: Month 3: A Physiotherapist’s Professional Opinion