Our Baby Story – The First Trimester

Back when I announced we were pregnant, I told you guys that I was going to tell you more about the day we decided to become parents. So here is the story…

It was July 4th, 2015. Kevin and I were lounging in the pool at our new home we bought together. We had just moved in the month before and really wanted to have a big 4th of July pool party, so we called/texted basically everyone we knew asking them come over. People either had plans, didn’t want to drive, or had to stay in due to their kids or other responsibilities. Kevin and I remember thinking that a few years ago, if we had invited our friends to a pool party with free beer and food, they all would have been over within a hour! Ha. But times had changed, we were all growing up. Our friends now have more complex lives and responsibilities and so did we. It got us thinking that day – maybe it’s time for the next phase of our lives. So we decided on that hot 4th of July day, while hanging in our pool, that we would start “trying” before the end of the year. We didn’t start immediately, because we had a grand plan to spend a few months attempting our “last hurrah”! That’s what we called it as least. July and August would be our months to party, travel and just let loose! Then we would start trying in September, around the time of my 31st birthday. Well 4 weeks into our last hurrah we realized that we had been in bed every night by 8pm and hadn’t gone out “partying” once. Ha. So we decide at that point that our lives were telling us that we were ready right then. Why were we trying to force a few monthsof “partying”? Now was the time. We were ready to be parents.

We were incredibly lucky that after a few months of trying, we got pregnant!

Now comes the fun part. Ok, I”m totally lying. The first trimester was not fun and was really hard for me. It was rough because I was sick all the time! I lost about 7lbs in my first trimester because I couldn’t really eat anything. I only ate clementines and dry toast for about a month between weeks 7-12. I remember breaking down in tears once because all I wanted was to want a pizza. It’s like I knew I liked pizza, I knew how delicious it tasted, but the thought of it made me sick to my stomach. It’s kind of hard to explain, but if you’ve been pregnant before you likely know exactly wheat I’m talking about. The way I tried to explain it to Kevin is that I felt like I constantly had a hangover but I never got to enjoy the fun part the night before. That’s the best way I can describe my first trimester, one long hangover. And those weren’t my only tears, have you every cried because you couldn’t go #2? That’s right, I’m sharing A LOT on this blog. I remember some weeks not going to the bathroom at all (for 7 days!) and being in so much pain. I would sit in the bathroom in the middle of the night and just cry. People always tell us that once the baby comes all we will talk about is poop. Well, that’s all Kevin and I talk about now! He comes home from work and the first thing he’ll ask is “Babe, did you go poop today?” Ha! Now that’s love! I am seriously lucky to have such a great partner in all of this. I NEVER thought I would talk to a guy about stuff like this. Well, I guess that’s pregnancy for ya.

Our baby at 6.5 weeks. The yoke sac is on the right and our little baby is measured on the left :)
Our baby at 6.5 weeks. The yoke sac is on the right and our little baby is measured on the left 🙂

At times my “hangover” felt like the worst thing ever and all I wanted to do was lay in bed all day and night until it passed, but every now and then I would forget all about the pain, the nausea, the constipation, and the exhaustion. Those times were during our visits to our Doctor when we would get to see our little baby. That baby, our baby, makes everything worth it. I remember our first ultrasound appointment around 6.5 weeks. We were so nervous because I read that sometimes doctors don’t see the baby and just an empty sac. I remember holding my breath, terrified that we wouldn’t see a baby. Then we see this little peanut appear on the screen with a fluttering heartbeat. It was incredible! Of course I cried. The first thing Kevin said is “Can you tell if there’s just one in there?” Ha! Yes, there is just one. By the second ultrasound at 9.5 weeks our little peanut shaped baby had sprouted arms and legs and was wiggling like a little dancer! It was absolutely mind blowing how much the baby had grown in just a few weeks. And we are continually amazed by how much the baby grows at each ultrasound. Our parents keep telling us that we are so lucky to be able to see the baby so frequently, since our moms only saw us each one time on an ultrasound when they were pregnant. We’ve already had 5 ultrasounds and aren’t even half way through our pregnancy. We joke that our baby lives at the doctors office and we go there to visit him/her. It doesn’t feel real that the baby is actually inside me everywhere I go. It always feels more real when we see the baby on the ultrasound machine, so it kinda feels like he/she lives there. We’re weird. We also feel such a sense of relief when we see the baby at those appointments, and as soon as we leave the doctors office, the panic sets back in. All we want to do is see the baby again! Is this what being a parent is like? Constantly worrying about your child? Or at least that’s what it feels like it’s going to be like for me.

So I guess my point in this blog entry is to share more of my journey, and share that pregnancy has been a lot harder so far than I thought it would be. There have been many tears. Tears of joy and tears from pain. But when something extraordinary happens in your life, it seems fitting that the road to get there wouldn’t be an easy one.

So I hope you all continue to share this journey with me. Share in the good (our baby), the bad (the sickness) and the ugly (constipation).

Love you all

xoxo Ali

Oh and here are some of the things I HAD to have during my first trimester!

1) THE BELLY BOOK 2) DAD BOOK 3)TUMMY DROPS 4) HONEST BODY WASH 5) STRETCH MARK PREVENTION

89 Thoughts

89 thoughts on “Our Baby Story – The First Trimester

  1. I have been refreshing your blog all day for this!! I’m so happy for you both! I love that you’re so real 🙂 love you!!

  2. thank you for sharing, I have been wondering how you were feeling. I saw you and Kevin on the Dr’s. Are you ready for some sharing from other mom’s? Ok, I think you said yes.. The constipation.. #EEKS, Ali.. Wait until you have your baby.. Seriously start praying that you don’t get hemmies when birthing.. My son was born on May 4th, on Memorial day, I was in so much pain, all I could do was get on all 4’s with my buttocks in the air and cry. Oh my goodness, it was insane.. NOW, don’t freak out, they eventually went away, and I still feel that every single pain of the whole "poop" issues, were so worth it. I had a c-section, and to be honest, I would have done it again should I have had anymore children. There is a funny story there too, but we will wait to see how this all goes. I’m so excited to read about your journey on becoming a mommy.. <3

  3. So happy for you and Kevin! You are so generous to share your personal journey with all of us, I feel like if I ever decide to have a baby I will know more what to expect because you shared your story…thanks Ali! Glad you are finally feeling better and can’t wait to read more about your journey. Here’s the important question though, have you purchased the baby it’s first pair of converse chucks yet?! 😉 So exciting! Congrats!

  4. I know exactly what you mean about the food part! I grew up eating rice at least 3x a day. And then when I got pregnant all a sudden I "hated" rice. I get nauseaus right away when I see and smell it. So weird! But…. All the discomfort would be SO worth it! Enjoy your journey! And yes it becomes so much sweeter when we have our husband supporting us all the way. My awesome husband never missed any of my doc’s visits! God bless your pregnancy!

  5. Try accupuncture for future pregnancy pains! I started acupuncture at 9 weeks when I started feeling sick and within a week I felt amazing and never threw up again! I did it every other week the entire pregnancy for sickness, allergies, back pain, to increase energy. Highly recommended!

  6. So happy for you Ali! You deserve nothing but the best! I’m 7 months preggo right now and have been sick the whole time! Like you, all I want is to stuff my face with pizza or burrito, but it’s just not going to happen. So I drink Ensures and eat a lot of fruit and crackers. Lol. But I did want to mention one thing.. I’ve read that ultrasounds aren’t good for the baby. Studies show that it can delay speech among other things. Unless medically necessary, I would not get one every time you go to the doctor. My doctor only wanted me to have 2. So I had one around 12weeks and one around 20weeks. Anyway, the most annoying part about being pregnant is people giving you unwanted advice and here I am giving you some. I just wanted you to be aware 🙂 Good look to you and Kevin! You will make a great momma!!

  7. I’m so happy for you!! Congratulations!! I’m 12 weeks and totally in the same boat as you 🙂 Will I ever want to eat chocolate, meat or Mexican again? Pizza finally started sounding good again this weekend. Lemon water and dried prunes (the individually wrapped ones) have helped me a ton with constipation! You’re right though, there is absolutely nothing better than watching that baby dance around on the screen. It makes it so worth it. My first trimester favorite is the snoogle if you don’t already have one – all my pregnant friends swear by it! Can’t wait to follow along on your journey!

  8. Love you Ali! Congrats to you both 🙂 I love reading your blog and following your life because you are so real. I never watched your reality show but once I started watching you on E! I was hooked. You are such a good soul. Best of luck to you and Kevin

  9. Ali!! Firstly, from a fellow Alexandra who goes by Ally, I am such a fan of yours! Secondly, I can so relate to your entire journey! I am also pregnant with my first (after a previous miscarriage) and I believe we may be due right around the same time! I described my first trimester to my husband exactly as you have – the longest hangover ever!! But how amazing to see that fluttering heartbeat at every ultrasound – it makes it all so worth it! Thanks for sharing your pregnancy truths, I’m so excited to follow your journey alongside my own! Side note: Love your Bachelor insights and fan girl over your viewing parties!! Had to throw that in! All the best mama! Xx Ally

  10. Congratulations to you both! I’m 16 weeks and relate to EVERYTHING you wrote! I can’t wait to follow along with your journey as I experience mine. It’s a wonderful thing that us women get to experience and even the not so nice aspects of pregnancy aee worth it.

  11. Ali,

    One word "Lactulose". Available over the counter, non prescription, liquid stool softner. Safe for Mom and Baby.

    It was my ONLY saving grace for the horrible constipation I suffered in my second pregnancy. If you can’t get any in the US, let me know and I will ship you some from Canada.

    While I loved the end result of pregnancy … my little boys. Pregnancy was not fun for me either time.

    Hang in there. Congratulations.

    Diamond Bergeron

  12. Congrats!! I am 34 weeks prego and I totally get it…the first trimester sucked! I was the same way, nauseous 24/7. I always kept plain saltine crackers with me and gingerale (as bad as pop is for you and I never drink pop, I did not care when I felt that crappy!). Love reading your blog! I hope your second trimester is better than your first 🙂

  13. Reading this brought tears to my eyes–talk about pregnancy hormones LOL! I have felt sick from week 6 until now in week 10 and I miss "wanting" to eat food. I’m down five pounds and I was fit before. I literally told my husband the same thing about being hungover without the fun! It helps so much reading that someone else is as miserable as I am (misery loves company!). I hope you feel better and that soon we can crush pizzas haha. Please keep writing because I plan to read every single post ?

  14. Oh Ali I LOVE your honesty! I always thought pregnancy was so glamorous until I was "hungover" up until 21 weeks and then had other complications.. boo..
    I loved my growing belly and the ultrasounds are what got me through each week as well.
    It gets better.. all the crud you go through, labor and all, is SO worth it when you hold that little one in your arms! I look forward to hearing your journey and seeing pictures of your beautiful baby!!

  15. Thank you for writing this! I’ll be 18 weeks tomorrow and can totally relate. Especially about not feeling like baby is there unless you see the proof on the ultrasound. Starting to feel kicks has alleviated much of my panic. Congratulations to you!

  16. I’m 35 going on 36 and I’ve put off having a baby because I need a career but also bc I get super scared about pregnancy, a baby and the future. Thank you for sharing your journey so far. Maybe reading about your journey I’ll start feeling ready, and gain courage to bring life to this world.

  17. I’m so happy for you Ali. On my first appointment last year all the doctor saw was an empty sac and I eventually miscarried. It’s been tough and a year later we’re finally ready to try again. Thanks for sharing your story and may your pregnancy continue to be blessed.

  18. Ali! First of all, I am so happy for you. And yes pregnancy sucks. Haha I lost 15 lbs my first trimester. I was 5 months pregnant before I started showing and gaining my weight back! I also craved the Color orange, it sounds rediciculous, but what pregnancy is normal! I wanted cheeses, oranges, pizza, orange crush! And even at the diabetes test.. That gross orange sugar drink everyone dreads.. Yep I chugged it and wanted more. I can’t wait to hear all about your journey! You will be absolutely amazed when you see your baby. My son will be 9 months old in a week and I can’t even imagine life without him.

    1. I thought the orange drink for the gestational diabetes test was delicious too!! I couldn’t understand why everyone dreaded it so much! haha

  19. Congrats!!! I just had my first baby 2 weeks ago. I remember being in my first trimester and telling my OB that I hated being pregnant and all my friends had lied about how great it was. Then….I got to the glorious 2nd trimester and from then on loved being pregnant. It is crazy awesome what your body does during pregnancy! I think the best thing for me was staying active during pregnancy. When I would worry (because mom worry starts when you are pregnant), I would repeat a mantra my prenatal yoga instructor would say in class "I trust my body, I trust my baby". I used this in labor too. Enjoy pregnancy as much as you can! I miss feeling the baby kick and move inside me but I am so happy he is here. The love, attachment, emotions are intense when your bundle arrives. Being a mom is indescribable. It’s love, courage, exhausting and bliss. Much love and prayers for a healthy pregnancy and delivery. Soak it in?

  20. With my second pregnancy, I was constipated really bad in my first trimester!! After some troubleshooting:) turns out I was dehydrated. I drank my gallon of water a day and had no issues after that! I’m sure you’re already drinking your gallon, but if not, it’s worth a shot!! Congrats to you! Being a mom is the most amazing blessing you will ever receive in life!

  21. Thank you for sharing this! You have no idea how much it helps to see someone’s story you can relate too, eepecially a celebrity for some reason..
    I’m almost 15 weeks pregnant, and have been nauseous since week 5, but JUST started throwing up 3 days ago! I am so exhausted from first trimester nausea and other complications.. But the 2nd trimester throwing up has been mentally overwhelming..
    Thanks for helping me see I’m not alone.
    Wishing you an amazing pregnancy from here on in!! 🙂 xx

  22. I have a 9 month old and that worrying feeling is here to stay. You are unfortunately stuck with it. I never knew I would worry so much and with her I worry constantly. You will be told this a million times but definitely cherish all the moments bc the pregnancy will be over before you know it and then they grow faster than you want them to.

  23. Ali you should read Jenny McCarthy’s book about her pregnancy. I forget the name of it but I read it during my pregnancy and it is hilarious!!! She is so brutally honest about every aspect of her pregnancy (the good, the bad, and the ugly) and I was able to relate with her on so much of it! Trust me you will love this book!

  24. They say if you have "morning" sickness (all day sickness for me lol) then you are having a girl! This was true for myself and 4 of my girlfriends! 🙂

  25. I loved how you explained the eating thing. I’m currently expecting #4 and the first trimester is just the worst. Even the sight of certain foods can send you over the edge! Congratulations!!

  26. There’s a book I got my husband 10 years ago when I was pregnant with my first called, "my boys can swim!". I recommend that book! Also, I know exactly what you mean about wanting so bad to eat pizzza but just being so sick.

  27. Ally- just read this post from the link from the "bikini body" post! And amen to that one as well. Somehow I missed this one! Totally in the same boat as you were for 4 months- I’m 28 weeks now and feel awesome but lost 12 pounds in my first 3 months because of the nausea and no appetite. The worst was when my hubs and I would go to someone’s house for supper and I couldn’t eat a thing and felt so rude! Food became the ultimate enemy and that is definitely NOT typical for me HA! Thanks for always sharing. Love taking this journey with you and you look fantastic =D

  28. Ali, I just read this post after coming over from the bikini body post. I just want to say thanks so much for writing both of these posts. I am about five weeks behind you and am feeling many of the same emotions! I have also gotten to have a lot of ultrasounds because of early complications, and even though I love those days, as soon I leave I feel immediate panic! I love the thought that it seems like the baby lives at the doctor’s office – it does seem like that! I started feeling him move last week, so I’m finally feeling much better about everything and actually enjoying being pregnant (instead of just being terrified all the time!). Again, thanks for the posts – it’s nice to be reassured that others have many of the same feelings. Blessings to you during the rest of your pregnancy!

  29. I was hoping you’d share more detail about the "trying" part. Did he bust a nut in you doggie style or missionary? They say male sperms swim slower so if you want a boy, let’s hope he drilled you from behind

  30. I am in my first trimester and am feeling exactly like you did! It’s awful….. I hope it gets better!

  31. This gives me so much hope! I am on my 2nd pregnancy and 10 weeks pregnant. My first was soooo easy, and now I’ve got that "hangover" feeling too. I’ve been seeing all your more recent posts where you always look soo cute and put together. It definitely makes me feel better hearing that is hope I could feel better soon!
    I wish you the best of luck and I am very happy for you!!

  32. You are adorable! I loved reading this because I had such a similar experience. I didn’t think pregnancy would make me feel so sick and emotional! So true that the difficulty is so worth it though! We are actually going through the same things … At almost the same time! I’m in my 29th week right now…. And it’s a girl too! Thank you for sharing. Best of luck – you look great!!

  33. I loved this. It’s real and honest about first trimester and it drives me nuts when bloggers make it seem like it’s all so easy and a beautiful experience. Because it’s hard, so hard to get through and explains what’s going on to you to your partner. This was refreshing and eye opening. I appreciate it. Thank you!

  34. Ali: I just found out I am pregnant ( about 5 weeks ) and I feel you on the poop issue. How did you solve the issue ? Did you take anything for it or change your diet? I have spent too many nights on the bathroom floor in constipation pain. My dr says it’s normal which doesn’t really help me feel better.

    Best of luck with your delivery !

    1. So sorry I am just responding! I drank prune juice – yuck. Hope you are feeling great by now!!!! Or huge…you’re probably feeling huge. Ha! But you should be close to your due date now. The best days of your life are about to start!

  35. My name is Susan am from New Mexico. I am 38 years old , when I was 27, I had my first child and my ex and I agreed to stop there, so I had my tube completely tied down , two years later I met the love of my life and since then I have been trying to conceive but I couldn’t , until early this year I saw a post on how Dr Faith help someone to conceive with his herbal medicine I contacted him and explained to him he said I should have faith and he gave me medicines that same month I conceived and now I will soon put to birth , my baby in my womb is very healthy please if you have problem conceiving just contact Dr Faith on : faithnaturalherbalcure@yahoo.com visit his web site http://faithnaturalherbal.wixsite.com/cure

  36. My story is not different from other stories out there but finding solution to situations that look impossible is what keeps surprising me and how uncertain this life can be. I wondered what my life would have been if I haven’t met Priest Mandaker. After been scammed by Mother deity, Ashra, Dr Ogoni with so much devotion trying to have a child over 8 years of marriage to this awesome man had been nothing but lovely couches with no children to sit on them with. Love started fading and the late nights started creeping into my marriage until I met "Priest Mandaker, Email address: priest_mandaker@outlook.com". I contacted him, he told me that he will have to perform some rituals and after that he will send me mixtures and potions needed for me to conceive. He instructed me to use these potions and mixtures for 3 weeks and on the fourth week I should make sure I had sex with my husband. I did as he had instructed and not until the 4th month that I found out that I’m 6 weeks pregnant. To cut the long story short, no more late nights from Mike and love and attention is finally back into my home. I was never asked to do this but I feel I owe him this little to repay back his goodness to me. I’m currently still in contact with him and I haven’t seen any spell caster like him before with the whole attention and devotion he is giving me. Your situation might be worse than mine or not even related to this, please I plead with you to contact him and you will never regret it.

  37. I am going through the “rough patch” of my first trimester now. My “morning” sickness (that should really be renamed at this point) started right at my 6 week mark and is continually getting worse by the day. I just had to come back to this blog post to feel some reassurance that I’m not alone!! Thanks for your great first-time-mom tips and motivation!! XO

  38. Hey Ali how are you? your story is awesome i am 42 years old and i got pregnant i looking for momy tips and i found your blog i am very happy for you god bless you! i never give up i was trying and finally i got pregnant

  39. Congratulations on the baby! Thank you for sharing your story. I appreciate how real you were about the challenges you had and even though it was hard, it sounds like it was worth it.

  40. Congratulation to both of you!! I hope that the baby has grown up. The story shows the true love and caring which is required during the pregnancy. Thanks for sharing such wonderful experience with us.

  41. First month of pregnancy
    Congratulations, you just heard the news: you’re pregnant. Start for you and your baby a path full of changes towards the miracle of life. Discover how the first four weeks of your pregnancy will be.

  42. Thank you for making such information article, I can see the efforts and research that you did to make this article worth reading. Will you be able to share something more about the infertility? is there any issue could be developed while treatment of the infertility? I gone through with your other articles which were worth reading as well. Appreciate all your hard work. i also wrote an article which is related to How to Get Pregnant (https://www.elawoman.com/blog/planning-baby/how-to-use-prega-news-kit).

  43. legalhelps
    http://www.legalhelps.ca
    It goes without saying that an average joe will face four to six legal situations each year. In truth, 50% of households possess a pressing lawful situation at this time. Yet, the typical attorney costs around $300 each hour, which forces lots of people to have to create a choice in between eating as well as legal assist. It’s absolutely no wonder why many people find this cheaper in order to just get scammed rather than visit an lawyer, but you will find options obtainable.

  44. http://www.legalhelps.ca
    It goes without saying that an average joe will face four to six legal situations each year. In truth, 50% of households possess a pressing lawful situation at this time. Yet, the typical attorney costs around $300 each hour, which forces lots of people to have to create a choice in between eating as well as legal assist. It’s absolutely no wonder why many people find this cheaper in order to just get scammed rather than visit an lawyer, but you will find options obtainable.

  45. The greatest delight that a couple may experience is becoming parents. Thanks for sharing this article.

Shop Ali's Feed

Click an image to shop
@ali.manno