First Trimester Pregnancy Tips I Wish I'd Known

The first 12 weeks of pregnancy for me personally were by far the hardest of my pregnancy journey so far.

The constant feelings of worry and overwhelm with no real way of knowing if everything is OK and not having people to talk to can be really difficult.

If you're currently in the first trimester and are struggling to enjoy your pregnancy so far, know that you are not alone in feeling this way.

Nothing quite prepares you for the emotional roller coaster that is finding out you're pregnant.

If you're currently in the first trimester and struggling with some of the physical symptoms you're experiencing right now, this blog is definitely for you.

I am going to share the five best tips I could pass on to any woman currently navigating her first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

1) EAT LITTLE AND OFTEN

Whether you've been struggling with feelings of pregnancy sickness or not, eating smaller meals more frequently throughout the day can be helpful for a number of reasons.

Often women report feeling sensations of sickness or being queasy when they allow themselves to get hungry, eating more regularly can prevent this from happening.

Eating smaller meals makes things easier for your digestion which has slowed down thanks to progesterone. This can lead to feelings of being bloated, gassy and generally very uncomfortable. When we eat bigger meals, we can add to this feeling of discomfort.

2) PREGNANCY JOURNAL

There are a lot of feelings going on during these first twelve weeks and if you are looking for a safe space to get it out, a journal is a great idea. This is also something I've recommended for personal training clients whilst they have been trying to conceive.

Having somewhere without judgement to to allow yourself to express how you're feeling is really powerful.

3) NAPS

Don't fight the urge to nap as and when you can.

I know there's a lot of "if you think you're tired now, wait until the baby is here" that get's unhelpfully thrown around to pregnant women. However, I genuinely think the tiredness in the first trimester is something else.

It's next level fatigue and it's important that you listen to your body and where you can, give it as much rest as is practical.

4) BEIGE FOOD

I know that all beige food has a bad rap for some reason or another. The health and fitness industry has really run with this idea and can make us feel like terrible mother's to be for diving head first into a loaf of white bread.

Let me just say this, if beige is all your body can tolerate right now and is the difference between you eating and not, lean into it.

This stage in pregnancy doesn't last forever and for some of us, it's all we can handle between waves of nausea and aversions to all kinds of foods we've always loved.

5) HYDRATION

Keeping a cold bottle of water to hand throughout the day is a must.

Staying hydrated can help with a number of things you may be experiencing in this first trimester. It will help you digest your food and make your stools easier to pass.

For anyone who's been feeling bloated and constipated, upping your hydration can really help.

Being pregnant is such an incredible time in your life.

The ups and downs that come with that can feel difficult to navigate sometimes and that's OK.

The first trimester in particular can be difficult for women for so many different reasons.

I hope these tips help you navigate through some of the more challenging symptoms you may be experiencing during those first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

I also filmed a chatty first trimester pregnancy Q&A on my YouTube channel.