Hi friends! How are you guys doing? After a rather Monday-ish Monday marked by more insomnia and some rather intense all-day nausea (<—I’ll take all of it and then some for a healthy baby!), I was ready for a better Tuesday. I had a feeling things would look up because my mom arrived in town late Monday night and her visits are always like a ray of sunshine in my life. My dad had some alumni speaking events lined up at his college and when my mom mentioned heading to Charlotte to see us and spend time with her grandson, she offered to watch Chase so Ryan and I could get away for a rather impromptu babymoon. Twist my arm!
Ryan and I are heading to South Carolina today for a few days away and I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to some relaxation and quality time with my husband. We didn’t do much in the way of vacations last year aside from visiting family and a couple of road trips for brief weekends away with Chase, so this feels like an extra special treat for the two of us.
We’re splitting our time evenly between Kiawah Island and Charleston and pretty much have a whole lot of nothing planned. I’m dying for a prenatal massage, lots of sleep, leisurely meals with Ryan and plenty of exploration sprinkled into the mix. I know I’ve asked for Charleston recommendations from you guys in the past when we considered visiting the area before so I’ll be looking back at your previous recommendations but if you have anything else to add to Kiawah Island or Charleston must-dos (activities, restaurants, etc.) while we’re in the area, please let me know!
Tuesday
Tuesday morning began with triple chocolate protein oatmeal that I ate while I read my devotional and caught up with my mom. I absolutely love where we live but I miss my family a ton and whenever any of them come to visit us, it makes me wish they lived closer!
Chase shocked me by sleeping in on Tuesday morning (apparently our Very Monday Monday coupled with no nap hit him hard, too) but once he was awake, we read stories and played with cars before my mom headed off to Jazzercise and Chase and I went to Burn Boot Camp.
(I thought Chase would think it was really cool to have matching shoes like his mom and when I pointed out that we both have black Nike sneakers, he said, “No Mom. These like Caleb’s shoes. Super fast!” Apparently the fact that his friend also has black Nikes is way cooler than matching his mom.)
The BBC workout of the day was a stack workout which was so darn redundant. It’s my least favorite of the Burn Boot Camp formats but thankfully I had my friend Lauren working up a sweat next to me so we could make it a little more fun! We began with one exercise and added an exercise each round to build up to a final round of six exercises. (We completed each exercise for one minute.) Here’s what our stack looked like once complete:
- High Knee Skips
- Half-Burpees
- Crazy Jacks
- Bicycle Crunches
- Sprinters
- Tuck Jumps
I modified most of this workout to remove a lot of the jumping and crunching and stuck with mostly low impact exercises. I actually enjoy coming up with exercise modifications so I truly don’t mind swapping out certain exercises for pregnancy-friendly exercises that feel good to me. For the finisher, I teamed up with a woman at my gym who is currently 17 weeks pregnant and the two of us simply walked a couple of laps around our gym building. Any movement is a victory in my eyes right now!
After my workout, I said goodbye to my girlfriends, scooped Chase up from child care and headed off to get an oil change in my car.
My mom met us at the garage after her Jazzercise class and then the three of us drove to my OB/GYN’s office for another prenatal visit. I am truly beyond grateful to be pregnant (and that’s a serious understatement) but I also want to be real in this space and I have to be honest and say that pregnancy is kicking my butt at times right now. My nausea returned with a vengeance and the insomnia (followed by exhaustion) can be really challenging, especially when I’m trying to be a good mom to Chase and squeeze in work whenever possible.
My doctor asked about any concerns and made me feel so much better when I expressed some of my challenges. He recommended low doses of melatonin to help with insomnia on nights when I am struggling and magnesium and high-potassium foods for the cramping in my calves and feet. When we left the OB/GYN, we popped into Whole Foods to grab food for lunch as well as Natural Calm and melatonin.
Once we arrived back home, we ate lunch before Chase went down for his nap. Only cold veggies sounded good to me at lunchtime, so I picked up a veggie-packed sushi roll from Whole Foods to eat along with some fresh grapes and a larabar. Twenty minutes later, I also made myself toast with butter and jelly because that always sounds good to me and my stomach felt like it needed bread. (This is the story of my life right now. Something about bread feels like a NEED more than a want to keep my stomach happy and nausea at bay.)
While Chase napped, I sat down at the computer to work until I needed a quick break for a snack and worked again until Chase was up for the afternoon.
Once he was awake, my mom, Chase and I headed off to Chase’s swim lessons. With summer on the horizon, we decided to start back up with swim lessons a couple of weeks ago to acclimate Chase to the pool again and he is LOVING every second. He’s still a little weary about going under water but we’re making progress and he’s always so, so excited anytime I say we’re going swimming.
We swung by the garage to pick up my car (naturally a standard oil change turned into “fix all the things”) and then headed home to make dinner.
On the menu yesterday was a family favorite: Pizza Spaghetti Squash Casserole followed by a bowl of Cheerios for me.
I’m glad I was able to keep dinner down because nausea surfaced again yesterday evening and it was a bit rough. The first 18 weeks of this pregnancy were marked by all-day nausea but then I feel like I got a little breather in there for a while and I felt pretty darn good for a couple of months so it’s throwing me for a loop that nausea is back with a bang right now. Ooph!
After dinner, we all hung out on the couch for a bit before making our way upstairs to pack and put Chase to bed. Our bed time followed shortly and I ended up reading for 30 minutes or so before drifting off to sleep. I just started reading The Good Liar and I’m enjoying it so far!
And now it’s time to get Chase ready for his class pictures at school before heading off to South Carolina with Ryan!
I hope you all have a great Wednesday!
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I went to College of Charleston for my undergrad and my family has visited Kiawah every summer since I was about 3 (WAY before it was the cool hip spot!). Our absolute favorite restaurant is on John’s Island, on Maybank Highway, called Fat Hen. Amazing atmosphere and great southern food! The Sanctuary on the island also has a wonderful little restaurant I think called the Ocean room. It was very high end, and delish. I went with my siblings a few summers ago.
Also, make sure you do some type of activity with the dolphins while on Kiawah. It’s one of the only places in the world where they strand feed (push all of the fish up to the shore together), it’s one of the coolest things I have ever seen. I am not sure that it will be very warm and beachy yet, but we did this on canoes and it was so fun!
Melatonin is great! I have been struggling with some insomnia recently, and it has definitely helped me relax and fall asleep. I also feel refreshed the next morning, not loopy like some sleeping medications make you.
Definitely try Poogan’s Porch! My very favorite restaurant in Charleston.
So glad it’s working for you! This helps give me hope!
I’m sorry your nausea and insomnia are so fierce right now. If you don’t have Theraworx magnesium foam for the cramps yet, get some! Just checked my bottle and there are no pregnancy warnings on it. About 2 months ago, I had two severe inner thigh cramps which almost gave me a literal stroke from the pain according to the doctor. This stuff saved my life after that and can be used morning and night as a preventative as well as during one.
Charleston recommendations, pimento cheese ravioli at Poogan’s Porch followed by Nutella gelato at Belgian Gelato. You’ll thank me later. ?
Peninsula Grill has the BEST coconut cake. They give you a huge piece. A little more expensive but we sat outside and it was a really great dinner. I went last year in May and fell in love with Charleston, definitely want to go back.
I wish more people would admit it’s okay to be grateful for a pregnancy but still dislike being pregnant! I’m so sorry the nausea/insomnia has returned…I struggled with it throughout the whole pregnancy as well. It makes the days so much longer and harder, doesn’t it? One doc recommended melatonin, which helped me fall asleep fast, but I found I was still waking up and not able to fall back asleep for hours (which made the nausea worse!) Then a different doctor recommended valerian root – – have you heard of it? IT’S FABULOUS. Apparently it’s been used for thousands of years to help sleep problems and has scientific research backing it up! I use this one and it works amazingly well: http://a.co/1Sjo26a.
Good luck and I hope you sleep well on your trip!
“I wish more people would admit it’s okay to be grateful for a pregnancy but still dislike being pregnant!” YES!
Thank you!!! Yes! My insomnia is so random — sometimes I cannot fall asleep for hours (until 3 a.m.) and other nights I fall asleep easily but then, like you mentioned, I’m up for hours in the middle of the night and it’s just tough because by 3pm the next day I am just totally beat. Thank you for sharing what worked well for you!
Ahh, the worst! I truly believe insomnia is a slow torture. Also, I’m glad you recognized that valerian worked for me, but may not be for everyone! If anyone else is reading this, check with your doc first 🙂
I didn’t read through other comments, but since you mentioned magnesium in your post, definitely take it at night! I’m not pregnant currently but struggle with insomnia, and adding magnesium supplements to my bedtime routine has seriously changed everything about my sleep!! Hope you get some rest on your getaway!
I absolutely love Whitney Port (from the tv show, The Hills) b/c she has these you tube videos called, “I love my baby but…” and when she was pregnant she’d say, “I love my baby but I HATE being pregnant!” She’s one of the most real “celebrities” out there to share the struggles that come with being pregnant and having a baby.
I hope you feel better soon, Julie! I can’t wait to hear about your trip!!! You are soooo smart to do this! Since my husband and I had our second son we haven’t been able to spend even one night alone in 2 years and 3 months so I’m thankful we took some nights away before we had our second! (I’m sure people can manage to get away when they have more than one child, but I was nursing forever and my baby wouldn’t take a bottle, and then once he was mobile he’s so exhausting I just feel too guilty to leave him with anyone for a night!)
Chase was never good with a bottle either and I nursed him for 15 months so it really was so hard to get away! I feel ya on that one. We are so, so ready for some couple time alone!
And thanks for sharing Whitney’s thoughts on pregnancy — I remember really liking her a lot back in the day when she was on The Hills!
Hominy Grill for breakfast and Husk for lunch or dinner (make a res if you can!)
Yes to both of these! Also- the Macintosh!
Just yesterday I was at a final physical therapy appointment. Another patient was complaining about leg cramps in the middle of the night, and the therapist told her to keep mustard packets on her nightstand. Might not help your nausea, but just a thought.
Pregnancy can be so, so challenging. It’s ok to not always love the process but still be in love with the result! I hope your symptoms subside and you can get some much needed rest and relaxation on your vacay!
Thank you for this comment! I’ve honestly had a bit of a tough time physically lately but feel almost guilty about it because I am just so ridiculously happy and grateful to be pregnant even if it is totally kicking my butt some days!
Give yourself permission to feel whatever you’re feeling. Some days you will feel giddy, some days you will feel run down, some days you will feel “normal.” There is no right or wrong feeling and you certainly don’t need to feel guilty for whatever thoughts or feelings you are having. Pregnancy is a demanding job and even more physically and emotionally draining while you are caring for a toddler. Remember that thoughts and feelings are fleeting, pregnancy is temporary and its completely ok to surrender to the process!
Julie, this will be the case when your baby is here too, trust me! Don’t beat yourself up! I found with my second, rainbow baby, that I felt even more guilty on the really tough days because I felt like I should just be so grateful to have him since it took a year and grieving a loss to even be pregnant with him. But I wish I hadn’t been so hard on myself. Being pregnant is hard, especially when you have a child to take care of. Having a newborn is hard. Having two kids is hard. I always feel like when someone has struggled to get pregnant or longed for a baby for so long, that they feel like they never are allowed to have a rough day, or admit that they are having a bad day, and please know that is NOT at all true!!!!
What you said it EXACTLY how I feel, Sara! I think I just feel bad about the feelings I have on the rough days because I hoped and prayed so, so hard for this pregnancy. You’re absolutely right that just because some days are physically a bit of a beast that it doesn’t for one second take away how happy I am to be pregnant again even if it is really rough sometimes!
I think it’s something that mom’s who have rainbow babies, or moms who have struggled getting pregnant, all feel but no one talks about it. And we should! There is feeling bad about something (your car breaking down, having a rough day with kids, feeling beyond exhausted, having a difficult day of pregnancy) and that’s bad enough, but then there is guilt on top of it, feeling like you aren’t allowed to feel the way you are feeling. So it’s almost like a double whammy. And I think that’s why people don’t speak up when really they just need to vent, or seek some support, b/c they feel like they should be feeling grateful all the time. Don’t make this mistake b/c I know I did! I follow Briana Macon on instagram (littlewhale3) and I think she has the most perfect mix of “I love my children and I am so grateful for them” (She very sadly lost her older daughter years ago and then had three more children. She experienced a miscarriage as well.) and also, “This whole mom thing is sooooo hard.” I remember when I was struggling to get pregnant the second time, and my friends who had two young kids felt like they shouldn’t complain to me. But being a mom or longing to be a mom, or being pregnant, is just hard some days!! We all try to take time to count our blessings and we all need time to vent sometimes too!! There are peaks and valleys in life, constantly! Hugs!
Hope you have a wonderful trip and enjoy
your time with hubby!
Charleston is the best! I love this Charleston city guide by Hart of Hart earrings (and her earrings are so cute!)
https://harthagerty.com/pages/charleston-city-guide
Have the best time on your trip 🙂
you should absolutely go to Cru Cafe for dinner! Make sure to make a reservation!! And you should schedule a 90minute prenatal massage at earthlings day spa! The most incredible pre natal massage I ever got!
I’ve ran the Kiawah Island Marathon a couple times and stayed at the resort. I can vouch for any of the restaurants at the resort! All so good and just beautiful! Have a great vacay!?
Yes! I have ran the half marathon there the lat 2 years and I absolutely adore the island!
Sorry you’re not feeling well! Nausea is the absolute WORST…I can’t imagine suffering through it all day!
I’d love some recommendations for exercise modifications! Have a great trip!
I’m sorry to hear your nausea is back – that is no fun. I find that nausea with my pregnancy is completely random and there is no rhyme or reason to it whatsoever, but like you bread ALWAYS helps at least a little bit! And how great that you and Ryan get to get away together for a few days! That sounds like a wonderful little getaway. Have the best time. 🙂
Hey Julie! If you guys get the chance when you’re going between Charleston and Kiawah, check out Fat Hen on Maybank Highway. The food is amaziiing, we always consider it such a special treat. Have a great trip!!
Thank you for the recommendation!
The second pregnancy is just so much harder. Mine are 16 months apart and I work full-time in an office (with an hour commute both ways.) There were some days I just thought I couldn’t do it anymore. But, you know what? We’re moms. We put on our bras and just get it done. 🙂 I did take my husband up on a lot of his offers to handle morning or bedtime routine.
It’s so great that you’re still working out, but don’t forget to take that hour sometimes and just sit on the couch. You have the rest of your life to do allthethings. (And it’ll be way more fun when you’re not pregnant and have two fun little squishes to play with!)
Enjoy your babymoon!
http://galmeetsglam.com/category/travel/charleston/
thanks for sharing this guide! very helpful!
I hope you and Ryan have fun on your trip!
Julie!
That pizza spaghetti squash casserole is a HUGE hit at our house. We make it a few times a month. Even my pickiest eaters love it. My husband literally cheers when I make it. Thank you for the recommendation!
I’m so sorry to hear that you are struggling with all the nausea! I had the same thing and it was tough. I also had the crazy insomnia at the end of my pregnancies and, man, a girl can only watch so much television and read so many books…
You got this, though. Before you know it, you will be cuddling your miracle blessing and this will all be in the rearview mirror. And give yourself some grace too. Chase loves his mom, and if sometimes you need a little couch time, he will love the cuddle time. And I remember thinking….I hope my kids are too young to remember this! ha, when I just couldn’t make something work or couldn’t push through. Being a part of a family is meeting everyone where they are and laughing through it 🙂 And I know you have a good thing going over there on the support system front 😉
Blessings!
thank you for such a kind comment, tiffany! i really appreciate it! <3
When I was pregnant, little mints were my favorite thing to help with nausea. Also I found if I spent a minute or two stretching out my calves right before bed, I had less middle of the night cramping.
And yes – eat that bread! You do need it 🙂 Have fun on your trip!
Insomnia is the worst! I struggled with it with my son, but I would wake up in the middle of the night and not be able to go back to sleep. And I say yes to the bread as well! It’s all I wanted, that and cereal.
My nausea is back too! I threw up both on the first day of week 22 and week 23. It was like HELLO welcome to a new week, barf! I hope you start feeling better again soon – you weren’t this nauseous with Chase were you?
Used to live in Charleston and I miss the food so much! Def get a massage at the Sanctuary (pricey but nice!), and then use the facilities afterward! And if you are not staying AT the sanctuary, sneak into the pool/beach there 🙂 Also on Kiawah, I love having lunch at the Ocean Course overlooking the 18th hole. My fav Charleston restaurants are Leons, Trattoria Lucca, Halls for a steakhouse and great brunch, The Ordinary, The Macintosh (love their brunch), The Grocery (as you can see, I much prefer the dining scene “uptown” and on upper King vs. the old Charleston area). So jealous, enjoy!
Also Xiao Bau Biscuit is AMAZING. Tiny place, stop in for lunch!
Ohh man, poor thing. I know you don’t want to complain about pregnancy, but it’s totally normal to want to explain how awful you have felt. I hope that you have some relief of your symptoms and can soak up your time with Ryan and enjoy it, lady! I also hope you run into some of the stars from Bravo’s Southern Charm in Charleston … just saying. 🙂
Husk is an amazing restaurant – the owner is Sean Brock, who is featured on the Netflix show “Mind of a Chef.” The food is high quality and wonderful, but the service and atmosphere are casual and un-fussy. I will also echo others that Fat Hen is worth a visit.
Enjoy!
I’m so sorry you haven’t been feeling great recently. Hope the melatonin and supplements help with the symptoms. It can be especially tough being pregnant with a toddler at home, so I’m so glad you’re getting the chance to get away with your Hubby and hopefully you’ll get back home feeling a little more refreshed. Enjoy Charleston! It’s one of my favorite cities. Sooo much good food—one of our favorites for a fancier meal is Peninsula Grill who catered our wedding meal since we got married at the courtyard of its associated hotel, Planters Inn. So many great memories there!
Peninsula Grill and Husk are both great spots for dinner in Charleston!
When it comes to sleep if I dont get enough it throws me BIG time. I didn’t have insomnia with my first but this time around I usually have a terrible night at least once a week or more. Top that with a never ending winter in MN ( we currently have 14 inches of snow on the ground and its snowing now) I have been pretty down. I try so hard to thank my lucky stars I have a healthy baby but, this mama needs rest to keep up with her very active toddler. And I am a do all the things kind of mom, not a, watch all the shows kind of mom. I have been trying to give myself a lot of Grace but us mommas aren’t so good at that. Enjoy your time in SC!
You won’t regret taking some magnesium! It helped my sleep SO much when I was pregnant. Also, I am so sorry for all your nausea, but if you aren’t having a girl I will be shocked! 🙂
Hey Julie, I hope you have a great time in Charleston! My favorite city! Some of my favorite restaurants are Poogan’s Porch, Amen Street, 82 Queen, they are all downtown. In Mount Plesant we love Red’s and Poe’s. Take a carriage ride through the city. Magnolia Gardens and Boone Hall Plantation are both very beautiful this time of year. Tons of great shopping on King street.
I was sick every single day of my pregnancy! I ended up with a healthy baby boy so I guess you get the good with the bad!
A babymoon?! SO FUN! Enjoy it. I hope the nausea subsides and you can soak up all the time with your man.
Charleston Recs…
-Little Jack’s Tavern for burger and fries, Bon Appetite just named it best burger
-The Park Cafe for brunch – avoid hominy grill, tourist trap and overrated
-Butch and Bee, brunch or lunch
-Peninsula Grill – just go for the coconut cake
-Lewis BBQ – amazing bbq, best brisket
-167 Raw – ask to split a lobster roll and then share shrimp tacos – this is a MUST – the lobster roll is to die for
-if you’re there on a Saturday, the farmer’s market in Marion Square just started back up – really fun to walk around, good food options and lots of food trucks – there is a monte cristo crepe that is the best
-Shem creek – rent paddle boards from Odyssey Board shop – paddle up the creek towards the bars and restaurants, almost guaranteed to see dolphins by the shrimp boats
-Sullivan’s island for the beach – we always hang at station 18. Hometeam BBQ for wings and Po’s for fish tacos are great after a day in the sun
-Try and book a carriage tour around the city, good way to cover a lot of ground. The civil war walking tour is also super interesting and a great way to learn about the history of the city.
-Edmond’s Oast, awesome beer list and food
-Husk, get a reservation, brunch or dinner
Have so much fun – my husband and I no longer live there, but it will always hold a special place in our hearts 🙂
Thank you!!!
We did a baby moon to Charleston too! The best place for food when pregnant! LOL Definitely Poogans Porch, The Hominy Grill and Husk. And def do a horse carriage tour of Charleston!
We just got back from Charleston two weeks ago for our anniversary trip. Definitely go to Hank’s Seafood. And this is random but we ate at the BEST BBQ place Lewis BBQ. They have a sliced turkey that is FABULOUS and my husband loved the pork BBQ.
Just so you know, my doc prescribed ambien for me while pregnant with both of my kids. The benefits outweighed the risks and both kids are absolutely perfect.
Hi Julie,
Congrats on your pregnancy, I am so happy for you. I had terrible morning sickness for 40 weeks with my son, so I feel you. But, you don’t have to suffer. You can get a pill from your doctor (I believe it is a combo of b vitamins and an antihistamine.) It was a game changer for me and I would have been miserable workout it. Best of luck!!
I made my own with a combination of B6 and Unisom per my Ob’s recommendation. You should definitely try it Julie! I didn’t take anything with my first and suffered, but this time I took a very low dose right before bed and it helped my nausea greatly. Have fun on the babymoon!
Catching up on your blog – girl, I FEEL you on the nausea and insomnia. I’m only 11.5 weeks, but I am up from 3:30/4-6 almost every morning and it is killing me during the day. For the nausea, toast and butter is pretty much the only thing that helps for me too. Nothing hot sounds appetizing so I’ve been on a toast/carb, fruit and raw veggie diet lately! I hope this phase passes and you start feeling better soon!
Julie, I’m 29 weeks pregnant now and am re-reading some of your pregnancy posts…I feel like I could have written this as far as the insomnia goes! Ugh it is awful. I’m so glad you shared your experience though b/c some parts of pregnancy can be HARD and make you feel kind of isolated, especially when you’re exhausted! Seeing you now with two healthy little babies is so reassuring that it will all be worth it! <3