Staying Healthy In The First Trimester.
This pregnancy for me has been completely different than my first one seven years ago. When I was pregnant with my daughter Amirah I never got sick. I wasn't very tired or exhausted and managed to work two full time jobs until I was about 6 months. At that point I moved back to Columbus from Brooklyn, but I still maintained a full time job.
From the moment I became pregnant I have been exhausted and nauseated. It has taken such a toll on my body that I haven't been very productive in my work life. I think about how women are often chastised when we are open that we cannot in fact, do it all. I will be the first person to admit I have no desire to be superhuman. My strength comes from knowing my body and my mind and asking for help when I need it. It's been very difficult home schooling my daughter while I've been feeling like I'm trapped in a bubble of stress. I've thrown up every single day for the last three weeks. I've been so tired that no amount of sleep brings relief. I had the worst heart burn and indigestion for two weeks straight. It was so bad at one point that I couldn't even sleep. I went from working out 6 days a week to probably about 3. Foods that use to bring me comfort now cause me to projectile vomit without any notice.
So here is what I started doing to take control of my body and spirit. Number one, I sleep whenever I want to. I felt bad at first but then I realized that I don't and shouldn't feel bad for being tired when I'm growing a human inside my body. I'm not a machine, I'm a woman who needs her rest. Secondly I started going to bed early, when I say early I mean I have the same bedtime as my daughter. I force myself to go to the gym even when I don't want to. I started off by going every other day, now I'm back to going every day. I drink lots of smoothies and eat tons of salads. I stay away from processed foods as much as possible and drink tons of water.
I know it's easy to fall victim to unhealthy foods while pregnant, it seems like those foods are the ones that don't make you sick. However you want to be healthy for you and baby and you will regret over indulging at some point. One great thing I learned is that my Crohns and IBS naturally go into remission while I'm pregnant. So I don't have to worry about my symptoms getting worse. I respect that by eating really good foods and getting my cardio in every day. I'm taking it light at the gym because I don't want to over exhaust myself. You have to listen to your body and really try not to push yourself to far. Your body knows what it can and cannot deal with at this precious time. On the flip side, you have to try your best to at least get a five minute walk in every single day especially if you aren't feeling up to a full workout.
Talk to your daughter about other vitamins you can take to help boost your energy level. Vitamin B is a good suggestion along with a once a day prenatal. I take a vegan prenatal and vegan DHA once a day, I take it at night to avoid throwing up. Constipation is a normal side effect early in your pregnancy, so make sure you are eating foods high in fiber to help move those bowels. Give yourself a break at the end of the day, you need your rest and you need to take it easy. Your body will let you know when it's ready to do more.
@AshleySirah