So I left you guys at week 11.
WELL. Lots has changed since then.
NOTES FROM WEEK 12-16
The 12 week scan was AMAZING!! My plum, is actually a real baby, with arms and legs and fingers and toes and all of that. Brodie came along we were in awe that this little moving thing was INSIDE ME. It still blows my mind. The female body is …. so intelligent, so intricate. Growing a baby is so primal, and yet so weird.
Morning sickness started to ease around week 14-15 (praise be). Smaller meals seem to digest better for me, bub is squishing my stomach so I get REALLY full fast. Loving potato. Anything potato. Thirsty all the time. Weird pings in my stomach (apparently it’s my round ligaments stretching). Luckily, I train a lot of pregnant women and mums, so I can ask them if what I am feeling is normal!
Went for a walk the other day, just a simple walk on flat ground around a lake with a friend and nearly died from overheating and my heart rate pumping so high it felt like I had just ran 5k! It was CRAZY. Who gets puffy while walking?? Me!
Demoing certain exercises is now weird. Anything on my belly or involving core work feels totally wrong. To get off the floor or bed, I have to roll strategically onto my side first, rather than just stand up. I feel like an old woman trying to get around! I found a weird bulge in my stomach down my midline, which suggests I am “bearing down” too much through my core. This can cause further abdominal separation if I keep this up. So I have to really watch my posture, breathing and lifting heavy, awkward items.
Training: I am now starting to take my own advice and not train at an intensity above a 8/10. This is really hard to do! When you are used to pushing yourself in sessions, pulling back is really hard. Modifying a lot more now, so no more running on fatigue (warm up ok), no more core exercises other than side plank or pallof press. Swapping abs for glute work (yay), and swapping pull-ups for ring rows. Also jumping or explosive exercises are out of my regime. I have to take care of my pelvic floor! Incontinence post-baby is one thing I want to avoid.
Food: guilt kicking in about not eating enough veggies. Pray bub is healthy and won’t come out looking like a potato.
Friend Advice: Apparently I am about to enter the “horny” phase.
9 
WEEK 16 NOTES
Energy improving. Motivation coming back. Obvious rolls and unusual shape of belly when I sit down. Still craving ALL THE CARBS. But now starting to focus on the good fats. Good fats are great for baby’s brain development. Made homemade banana bread this week. Seriously thinking about becoming a good wife and baking more. My hips say no. Trained 3 x this week! YAY!!! Although that 8/10 intensity is HARD to stay under!!!
WEEK 17-23 NOTES & EXTRAS
Current focus: leafy greens. Fatty salads. (good fats of course) Must eat one salad a day!!! This baby is going to come out loving salad. Also massage. I am now committing to getting fortnightly massages until this baby is born. Have been experiencing sore hips and lower back if I sit in a weird position on the couch.
It’s a BOY!!
Friend Advice: Your breast milk doesn’t just come out of one hole in your nipple. It’s like a milk SHOWER.
SUPPS – 1 x pregnancy multi-vitamin per day. I make sure I use one that contains iodine, as I tend to be lower in Iodine. 1 x fish oil per day – keeping skin supple. 1 x probiotic at night and magnesium tablets before bed.
EXERCISE – probably getting in an average of 3-4 strength/resistance/HIT training per week. Aiming to walk at least once a week (my job is alot of standing and walking (up to 8 hours on my feet per day). I make sure I don’t get my heart rate too high, and keep my intensity level below an 8/10.
Note: HIT means High Intensity Training. NOT: High Intensity Interval Training which is a massive no-no when pregnant due to how much exertion is required. HIT is constant cardio at an intensity that remains consistent. I must be able to maintain a conversation if needed while performing this.
NUTRITION – aiming to eat a palm size of protein with every meal. 1 cup of greens at least with 2 meals. I make sure I get lots of Omega 3 fatty acids in which will help with the baby’s brain development. I aim for salmon once a week, add flaxseed and chia seeds to my oats or baking. Having eggs for breakfast at least 3 times a week.
If I want something, I will eat it.. If there is one thing I have learned from my body-building days, it’s that you shouldn’t stress over food/macros/diet. The ‘baby’ is craving ice-cream? The baby gets it 😛 (in moderation of course)
CLOTHING – trying to avoid buying pregnancy clothing, but I did cave, I got some maternity skinny jeans from H&M, which fit really well. I bought online from BooHoo and found their maternity wear cheap and ill-fitting. Bae the Label had a cute dress I purchased, which will look great as I get bigger. Although, I am thinking I will just buy oversized tees, and wear stretchy leggings through winter! My friend gave me a great tip, to just wear your normal jeans and use a hairband to tie the top together! I am yet to try this method.
WEIGHT GAIN: I started my pregnancy at 71.5kg, now at 23 weeks, I am around 79kg. So around an 8kg increase. I am noticing my legs are more fluidy and thicker (like if I pinch the skin it’s alt firmer and cellulitey). Depending on where you start when you fall pregnant, a healthy weight gain is recommended to be 8-15kgs (on average). So I am guessing I will be putting on a bit more!!
SLEEP – This is a tricky one. With my split shifts, some nights I get 6.5 hours sleep, and others I get 7 and 9 hours sleep. So at the moment, my body clock is really out of whack. I am waking up at the weirdest hours thinking my alarm will go off soon, only to check, and it’s 12:30am. Some mornings I need to be up at 3:45am, and others at 4:30, then others I get to sleep in.
I plan on regulating my sleep cycle as much as I can as this baby gets bigger.
I now get a numb arm if I lay on my back to sleep, so ensuring I sleep on my side, or with one hip elevated. (the baby/placenta can block off one of your main arteries if you sleep on your back)
MOOD: Mostly good. Hormones seem balanced, although sometimes I will still cry watching an ad on TV or watching The Voice! Feeling more energetic and positive.
Thanks for reading!
Soni Jay
