I added a bunch of questions you guys left for me after my Part One post this morning. Thank you again for sharing in our excitement. It honestly means so, so much to me!
More Pregnancy Questions
- Will you be sharing weekly pregnancy updates on the blog?
I started writing “secret” blog posts documenting my pregnancy and our journey at 8 weeks and will publish them soon! I have them organized in three-week increments (weeks 8, 9 & 10 together, etc.), but may share weekly updates if it’s something that might interest you guys. Just let me know!
(That pic was taken right after we found out whether we are having a boy or a girl!)
- How far along are you now?
17 weeks and 3 days.
- You said you went off birth control several months before you and Ryan decided to start trying. Did you get your period right away?
Yes, but my cycles were a little strange. At first, my periods were something like 42 days apart, then 40, 37, 35, etc. until eventually they normalized to my usual 28-30 day cycle.
- Did you use any ovulation predictor kits or track your periods before you decided to start trying?
I didn’t use an ovulation predictor kit, but I had been tracking my periods for a few months using the (free!) iPeriod app since my cycles were a little wacky when I went off birth control.
- Were you nervous to tell your family so early?
No. If anything happened, I knew I would lean on them for support and love, so sharing the news with them was important to me. My mom is also a nurse, so I really, really wanted to tell her so I could ask her a billion questions and have someone I love to reach out to in the early stages of pregnancy.
- How have you been feeling?
Okay. I actually started to feel worse and more nauseous when I entered my second trimester, which goes against pretty much everything I’ve read about morning sickness. I felt great for the first seven weeks, but right around week 7.5/8, I started to wake up feeling nauseous most mornings. Thankfully eating something immediately makes a BIG difference and I joke that I need a solid layer of food in my belly at all times or I will feel pukey.
I felt more and more like myself last week after a rough weeks 14 and 15, but then yesterday I ended up throwing up in the bathroom right after my pregnancy announcement post went up. I do feel very fortunate that once I throw up, I tend to feel MUCH better and can eat again right after and go about my normal day.
Though I want to go to bed by 9 p.m. most nights, fatigue hasn’t really been an issue (thank goodness), except for a few (3?) days where it totally knocked me on my butt.
- Do you have morning sickness?
Most of my sickness does seem to occur in the morning. I wake up feeling like I have a hangover most mornings, but eating something immediately helps a TON.
- Do you have any cravings?
My overall food preferences have changed pretty dramatically. I want ALL SALTY FOOD all the time.
As someone with a perpetual sweet tooth, this is so crazy to me! So far my biggest pregnancy cravings have included: Sandwiches (I follow my doctor’s advice and heat all deli meat up before eating it), chicken noodle soup without the chicken (I’ll seriously pick it out), burgers, chips/nachos, gummy candy (Sour Patch Kids, red licorice and Swedish Fish are the jam), eggs and fruit.
- Have you had a hard time eating healthy?
Yes. This was such a bummer because I really thought that the moment I got pregnant I’d feel all the more motivated to eat ALL THE VEGGIES and give birth to a little kale baby or something. Well, aversions are real my friends and most cooked veggies still make me want to gag. Thankfully raw veggies are appealing again right now and I’ve been obsessed with FRUIT for ALL of my pregnancy.
- Do you have any food aversions?
This is such a strange one, but the thought of tortilla soup makes me want to gag. The smell of cumin in anything is also very off-putting. Cooked vegetables still sound horrible (which is so sad) – I actually avoided Whole Foods for a while because I didn’t even want to see the cooked veggies in their hot bar. What!?
- Have you experienced any crazy pregnancy-related emotions?
Oddly enough, I haven’t felt overly emotional or weepy at all. I joke that I felt “really rage-y” around week 10. Ryan said he was “lucky to make it out of that week alive.” Haha! It was so strange… I just felt way more easily angered over stupid stuff than usual!
- Any mood swings?
Not really. Except for the very odd anger in week 10. Yikes!
- Any unexpected feelings or symptoms?
A lot of anxiousness and anxiety. I’ve truly never worried so much in my life. A lot of praying is going on in our household right now.
As for unexpected symptoms, I feel like everyone talks about the “pregnancy glow” but I hear much less about pregnancy acne! My skin was quite clear until a few weeks ago when I got more zits than I’ve had in years!! If the pregnancy pimples would like to go away soon, that would be grrreat. I recently switched up my skincare (just purchased some of the Belli products), so I’m crossing my fingers that will help a bit.
- How much weight have you gained so far? Do you have a baby bump?
I hadn’t weighed myself in months before stepping on the scale at my 8 week appointment. Since my 8 week appointment, I’ve gained about 8 pounds, but I was about 5 pounds heavier than my usual weight at 8 weeks. It’s so strange, but I honestly feel like I’m showing most in places other than my belly right now. My arms and thighs are bigger and I feel like my hips are widening. My stomach definitely looks thicker and my belly button looks a little different, but I don’t really see a defined, round baby bump yet.
- You’ve mentioned before that you are scared of giving birth. How are you feeling now?
I’ll be 100 percent honest… I am still quite scared. And I don’t see that changing anytime soon, given my not-so-great history with anything medical. I am horrible with needles and was sweating and shaking going into my first round of blood work. When I told the doctors I was really bad with needles, I almost expected them to laugh and say something like, “Ha! Good LUCK with childbirth!” but they were all so understanding and kind.
Around 11 1/2 weeks, something rather unexpected happened though that has helped put my mind at ease. I was able to see an ultrasound before my first round of blood work and see our baby MOVE for the first time. This flipped a switch in my mind. I was still nervous about the needles and medical stuff, but I realized, as I watched our baby move, I would do anything for that little fuzzy black and gray image dancing back at me. I keep thinking back to that moment and feeling whenever I start to worry about actually giving birth and it helps a lot.
- Have you thought about how you will decorate the nursery?
Yes!!! I am SO excited about this! Ryan actually started painting the nursery a bit last weekend when I was in Chicago. I’ll share more pictures and nursery inspiration photos once I announce the sex of the baby, but I love a very calming/neutral look with lots of whites, creams and beiges.
Workout Questions
- How has working at the gym/teaching been going?
Pretty well so far! I fortunately feel great during Spinning classes and still love teaching PiYo, barbell strength and boot camp classes (<– I don’t take them, I just teach/correct form), but I always, always make sure to have a snack immediately before a workout and something to eat in my bag right after I am done to help fight nausea. The other day I told Ryan I’ve felt super lucky that the days I’ve felt the worst during pregnancy have seemed to fall on a weekend or a day when I didn’t have to teach, so that’s made sticking to my gym schedules easier than I anticipated.
- How long do you plan to continue teaching?
As long as I can! I spoke with my doctor and was given the green light to continue exercising at the same level I did pre-pregnancy, which means I can also continue to teach. Woo! My boss was particularly happy to hear I’ll be staying on the schedule for a few months since there’s a bit of a pregnancy boom going on at our gym right now.
I was planning to teach water fitness outdoors again this summer, but I don’t think that will be a go anymore simply because my doctor said it’s important not to get overheated. If we can figure out a way for me to teach in the water, that would be great! We’re talking about it now…
- Have your workouts changed at all? Do you plan to continue working out throughout your pregnancy?
The main way my workouts have changed is that I’ve all but cut out running. I tried taking Sadie for a run a few weeks ago and it was just really, really uncomfortable. (Things just felt heavy down there – sorry if that’s TMI – but my doctor said that’s normal and encouraged me to pay attention to how I feel.) I ran a little on the beach in Sanibel but it was more of a walk/run. I’m just trying my best to listen to my body and right now workouts that feel the best include barre, spinning and strength training.
In the beginning, I also had to opt out of a number of early morning workouts simply because I woke up feeling so crappy.
I really, really hope to remain active throughout my pregnancy. I have no plans to stop exercising, but will continue to listen to my body and take rest days when I need them. Walking almost always feels great, so that’s a plus!
Sadie Questions
- How do you think Sadie will handle a little brother/sister?
Oh gosh. Saaaadie. The funny thing about this question is that it’s one we’re asked all the time by friends and family. Clearly they know Sadie is one heck of a needy little girl.
I have absolutely no idea how Sadie will react to a little one. She’s super gentle, so I am not worried about aggression or anything (though we will obviously take all the proper precautions when we introduce her to the baby), but I do think she’ll be jealous and a little miffed by any sort of shift in attention.
Ryan and I love Sadie like crazy and hope to continue to give her all the love, exercise and attention she deserves and craves, understanding that things obviously do change when a baby enters the picture. Sadie is our little love machine and I cannot wait to do lots of family walks and outdoor activities with Sadie and our new addition when the time comes.
- Do you think Sadie knows?
I think she is 100 percent clueless.
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Thanks for sharing everything!!! My friend is due in two months and is still training just with lighter weights and no running what so ever, like you said, it just doesn’t feel comfortable and didn’t from the beginning for her. She also skips out on abs classes now 🙂
Love love love love love all of this! I’m just so beyond excited for you both! It will also be so neat to see Sadie with the baby!
Congratulations first of all! So exciting! It makes me so happy for you guys and it’s awesome because I am pregnant with my first due in September. It was so great to hear your answers and compare notes. I’m glad I am not the only super anxious one praying all of the time that the baby will stay healthy. I feltl like I was the only super paranoid pregnant lady out there. Amazing how much you can worry about your child from day one. I will send prayers your way! So jealous of your tiny little bump. I haven’t gained any weight yet but I swear it all transfered to my belly. Ha ha. I’m so excited to hear all about your journey. It’s so special to be sharing the same experience as I read along! God Bless!
P.s. I have two spoiled puppies whose world will be turned upside down as well. : )
Pregnancy cravings and aversions really are the strangest. I’m also a huge sweet tooth but want nothing but all the salty and cheesy food right now. Like you, I hate the thought of vegetables but am loving fruity candy. I figure I should just eat what I can get down! I hope you continue to do frequent pregnancy posts, I always enjoy reading them.
Congrats Julie & Ryan! What great news. Just wanted to let you know I use to take an aqua aerobics class where the teacher would jump into the pool all the time. You should definitely see how you can continue to teach that class since I imagine it would just be so good to alleviate pressure on your joints as your baby bump grows. Kind of a random comment but just wanted you to know. I use to live in Florida, so it was hot for her too
Congratulations!!! I am due 2 weeks after you (Aug 26) and can absolutely relate to everything you’ve shared so far! It’s a beautiful, wonderful, anxiety inducing miracle that takes over your body! Can’t wait to keep reading
Congrats to you!!!
Congratulations! Love reading about your baby news.
We have a 4 month old son and a 2 year old vizsla. Our dog definitely didn’t seem to know when I was pregnant either. She is great with the baby. She was very curious at first and wanted to lick his face every time he cried! It was very sweet. Now she just likes to lick his spit-up and, unfortunately, she likes to eat his pacifiers too.
Love this!! <3
I’m 10 weeks ahead of you! Look like you are starting to show just a bit…wait till week 20-baby comes out of nowhere! I had to stop running around week 16 (i think), I had the WORST pain in my uterus after I ran and just like you my doc always said to listen to my body first. For now im keeping up with my workouts by doing elliptical cardio and BODYPUMP (of course, duh). This i my first too! Girl, I could go on for days but for now i’ll just say CONGRATS!
YES to weekly updates! Would love to hear all about it as I go through the same journey myself!
Congrats! We just had a baby boy 6 weeks ago, and I wanted to share what our dog went through… At first, she was confused (You brought home a hairless puppy? Why??), and then very curious and excited, which I’ll admit was frustrating from my end because she is ALWAYS trying to give him kisses which means my big dog’s face was RIGHT in my son’s face. Now it has settled down and every time we bring her in from outside, the first thing she does is run to check on the baby. So first it was sad, then annoying, but now it is so sweet! Another tip… Make sure diapers and breast pads are well disposed of… Dogs love those. I know from experience ::shudder::
LOL!!!
One vote for weekly updates!
I’m needle phobic too and I did fine! You just go to a different place mentally. Honestly labor was so easy for me, it was the recovery that was the real test for me. Congratulations!!!
Congrats!! Just a heads up as you’re navigating the pregnancy fitness road – you tube was a great resource for me. I’m not a personal trainer, but I was able to find tons of videos to guide me in the right direction and to help me feel comfortable with what was safe (pop sugar fitness in particular had some good ones). And I 110% advocate for keeping up with workouts – I truly believe it’s why I had an easy, relatively symptom free pregnancy!
Great idea!! thank you!
Love love love!!!! I can’t wait for your updates!!!
Many dog training centers/locations offer a “prepare your dog for baby” class. I would suggest you look for one in your area! I know a few around me that offer them throughout the year (Minneapolis). I would do that if I were pregnant, just to have the best knowledge about pets and babies and how to make it easy for everyone!
Thanks for the recommendation!
Like I sad in your first post, I am pregnant with my first and due 3 days before you! It’s really fun to read about your experiences since I can relate to so much. I hope the nausea continues to calm down so you can enjoy the second trimester 🙂
“I think she is 100 percent clueless” made me laugh out loud! Hahaha. So excited for you & Ryan. Loved reading up about your pregnancy and I’m looking forward to your future posts! 🙂
I love this post!! Ahh I can’t wait to follow along on your pregnancy journey!!
Congrats on your pregnancy! I’ve been reading your blog for a few years and I am also pregnant and due August 21! It was really nice to read some of your experiences so far in your pregnancy. I having been craving fruit LIKE CRAZY as well. I have to eat grapefruit within minutes of waking up. That is weird your morning sickness kicked in so late! I had it really bad from week 6 to 12 and had to be medicated for it. Thankfully I am totally off the meds and feeling pretty good these days. I personally would love weekly updates as it’s hard to find people who are going through the same exact things as you! I am having trouble finding decent (reasonably priced) maternity clothes so please post if you find anything good out there. Thanks!
-Lindsay
thanks for sharing!! I have been reading your blog for almost 5 years now and am SO excited to hear you’re starting a family. love the updates 🙂
I seriously felt like I could’ve written your exact post! I am due August 22nd with my first and have so many of the same experiences as you. We told our parents on Christmas Eve, which was so special. I did not have ANY symptoms until about week 9 or 10 and I too was googling “no morning sickness” (my family thought I was crazy). Running has been very difficult for me as well. I just find that I am out of breath so much faster than usual and sooo much slower, like 2 min/mile slower! I usually have a sweet tooth but having been craving all of the salty foods (hello french fries). Oh and seeing the baby bounce around during my first ultrasound was the best thing imaginable!
Congratulations and good luck!
I definitely think you should do weekly update posts!!! I’m so excited to read about your pregnancy journey! 🙂 So happy for you guys!!
I’ve missed a few days and just yelled “YAY!!!” when I saw this post! I’m so happy for you both!! You’re going to have such a cute little blonde exercising baby haha…You’re going to be amazing parents!
Just read your blog and so happy for all 4 of you. I’m guessing it’s a boy but I’m usually wrong about these things. I thought I was having a girl during my pregnancies and I have 2 boys. Ha. I miscarried one in between my boys so maybe that was my girl. Anyway take good care and rest up all you can now. Enjoy every minute of your gift from God. What a beautiful blessing. May God’s mighty hand of protection, favor and provision be all over y’all. Hugs.
fingers crossed that you feel better from here out!
It’s so refreshing/reassuring to hear you say that although you thought you’d easily want to eat super healthy during the pregnancy, it doesn’t come easy. Although I haven’t had any major cravings (okay, maybe there was a week where all I could think about was pizza & pasta) or aversions, I have found that for most of my pregnancy so far (21 weeks currently) that vegetables sound terrible-and most of the time, taste that way. It took us years to get pregnant & I always said I’d am up my healthy eating even more when I finally got pregnant, but find it isn’t as easy as I intended. Glad to know that someone who is so excited about a healthy lifestyle such as you is having that issue too 🙂 Once again, so excited for you!
Thank you so much for answering all of these questions and being so honest. I’m so excited to follow your journey!
Ahh, I loved reading this post and I now feel a bond with you. I’m almost 15 weeks pregnant, expecting twins and experiencing so many of the same things as you. The one thing I didn’t expect was the high level of anxiety – almost panic – that came with pregnancy. Sending you good vibes and excited to follow along with your pregnancy, especially since we have due dates so close to one another!
Hi Julie! Once again, I am so excited for you and I hope you get us updated on EVERYTHING! Can’t wait to see those old posts you wrote a few weeks ago. And nice job on staying active, even though the morning workouts are not as easy as they used to be.
The last answer made me lol!
Congratulations! I am a long time reader and just had my first baby 3 months ago – it is the best! About the needles, I gave birth without any needles, so you can try that! Find a supportive birth community, a doula, and classes. Those all helped me have a natural birth, just as I wanted! Can’t wait to follow your journey 🙂
Congratulations!!! I bet Sadie will be a great big sister and partner in crime for your little one 🙂
Hey Julie! I am so excited for you and as a longtime reader, I would totally be interested in weekly updates! I love the way you’ve discussed your pregnancy in these last two posts, so I think the more updates, the better 🙂 Also, I just want to take a moment to thank you for referencing your baby’s ‘sex’ rather than ‘gender’ in this post and the last. I know this issue may not be one everyone considers, so I don’t fault the people who use gender when they mean sex, but I definitely notice when someone uses the word correctly. I just so appreciate that you are aware that a baby’s sex does not decide their gender 🙂 Ok, novel over…congratulations again! You and Ryan will make great parents.
Ahh seriously over-the-moon-excited for all of you!! Thank you for sharing your experiences so honestly. I’ll be praying for you, and I cannot wait to follow the rest of the journey 🙂
Thanks for sharing! Can’t wait to find out if it is a boy or girl! And I am extremely squeamish about needles/blood too! When I had to get blood taken for my first prenatal visit and for the gestational diabetes test, I literally had to lie down, close my eyes, and make the nurse talk to me so it would keep my mind off it and keep me from passing out. We are thinking about having another one (our son is 2.5) and I was just thinking how I will have to do all the blood work again! Blah! 🙁 But like you said, anything for that little fuzzy image. 🙂
Your pregnancy sounds a lot like how mine has gone as well! I am currently 33 weeks (ahhh, the end is in sight and I can’t believe it!) and have had all the same food aversions/cravings. Including the tortilla soup! And certain types of chili too. And I have been eating ALL THE FRUIT the whole time too – it always sounds better than veggies. And my skin was SO BAD right from the start – that was probably my only symptom in the beginning. It’s finally cleared up now, I found the tea tree oil line from the Body Shop really good (especially since we have to cut out alicylic acid). I cannot wait to watch your journey! Congrats again!
Glad things are going well (other than nausea). I ran until about 5 months, but I had to do run/walk intervals. Now, I’m just walking. Running at 8+ months is WAY too heavy! BodyPUMP still works, though, which I’m happy about!
I’m also a little worried about jealousy with my pup and the baby. I’ve been playing some baby crying sounds so she gets used to it and ignoring her sometimes when she wants attention. There’s lots of resources out there to help get a pet ready for a baby (thebump.com has lots of great links!).
I kinda giggled about saide, because I feel like I know her 🙂 over the moon for you guys!!!!!
Congratulations!!!!! Such an exciting time. On another and slightly random note, could you do a blog post on your house-cleaning routine?
So happy for you both!!
Oh man, I’ve been totally slacking on this lately… I kicked off January with a bang and then in February w/ all the travel let cleaning fall to the wayside. This comment is a great reminder to get back on it again!
Congrats to you, Ryan and Sadie! I am a long time blog reader and am also pregnant with my first 🙂 I have struggled with acne through my entire pregnancy and the Belli skincare products helped a lot! My skin isn’t “normal” again, but it is much clearer (I probably started using them around 18 weeks and am 32 weeks now). As for hating veggies, it gets better, but I still don’t love them like I used to… I hide spinach in a smoothie every morning just to get a normal amount of greens in my diet! I can’t wait to follow all of your updates! Congrats again!!!!! 🙂
the ONE morning I added a ton of spinach to my smoothie, I was so proud of myself… and then I ended up puking it up! Ick! I hope it changes soon!! 🙂
I so loved ready the past two posts. So I’ll put my two cents in with more questions. Have you and Ryan discussed a birth plan yet? Will you be going for a natural birth, eccentric like a water birth (I had a friend who almost did that…labor was too quick though) or go for the drugs? Since Courtney (Sweet Tooth Sweet Life) documented her pregnancy and the comings and goings of her baby afterwards will you do the same? Can’t wait to see what lies ahead for you. Congratulations again.
Hi Lisa! I am not sure about a birth plan yet… I’m hoping to learn more through some of the classes I take through my doctor’s office in the coming weeks and go from there. Right now I’m not opposed to an epidural at all, but I want to learn more.
You and me are so much alike when it comes to needles whoo I hate them!! I was more afraid of getting and IV when going to the hospital then actually giving birth lol. Trust me it is waaaayy less traumatic than you think, promise.
OMG ME TOO!!! I didn’t want to write that out b/c I know how ridiculous it sounds, but I just HATE needles!
Ditto to the other commenters – I’m so psyched for updates! I feel like I immediately gained weight in my hips and thighs, not my belly. 🙂 It’s weird – I also found that I felt okay until about week 7 and then didn’t really feel better until 17 or so. I hope you continue to feel better!
we sound so similar!! <3
Congrats!!! So excited to hear this news!
Don’t worry- I didn’t want any salads or raw veggies until well into my second trimester with both babies, but then craved kale salads something fierce for the rest of the pregnancy.
There’s hope!
First, congratulations! I have been reading your blog for a few years now and I’m so happy for you and your family! I am a mom of a 1 1/2 year old and am already getting baby fever again. That being said, I would love to see weekly updates on the blog as your pregnancy progresses. Also, it is some unwritten cure for morning sickness…..lemon heads. I know, I know, so weird but it works!
Hi Julie! I’m a long time follower and so excited for you and Ryan, and Sadie of course. I thought I would share the advice we received on welcoming our baby home with our dog. A dog trainer told us to have whoever was watching our dog while I was delivering, to bring a soiled (with pee) diaper for the dog to smell before bringing the baby home. Apparently dogs connect best with urine? We did it, and I can’t say for sure if it worked or not, but our transition went very smooth once we brought the baby home.
that’s so interesting! thanks for sharing!
Congrats Julie! I am a long time reader and also 20 weeks pregnant with my first, so it will be fun to follow along with your journey. I found that when my belly “popped” around week 17 some of the anxiousness subsided – that and you’ll start to feel little movements soon! Enjoy it and soak it in. Congrats again!
thank you!!! I am dying to feel movement!!
So excited for you! I’m calling a boy for the gender… Salty cravings and being able to tell the gender at week 14 are totally boy signs. Can’t wait for your next update!
Congratulations! I’m so happy for you guys! Weekly updates on the pregnancy would be awesome!
Congrats Julie!
Your pregnancy sounds JUST like mine started out (I am due in a month!) except I had “morning sickness” at night – the worst. It WILL end though, and it’ just a constant reminder that your hormone levels are high and the little babe is doing great in there 🙂
I can’t wait to read more pregnancy posts – keep ’em coming!