From Two to Three: Journey of the First Trimester

Hi There!

My name is Ashley Milliren and I am thrilled to announce my pregnancy with you all! I am the mom of two toddlers, Everly age 3 and Graham age 2! I’m currently 13 weeks pregnant with our third bundle of joy arriving in October.

I am so excited to have been asked by Parkhill to be a guest blogger and share my pregnancy journey with you all. With any pregnancy whether it is your first, second, third, or beyond they are each different and each come with so many questions and often worries. I hope I can help answer some of yours no matter what stage you might be in!

 First of all, I would love to tell you a little about myself so you know who is behind the computer for the next 9 months! I’ve been married to my husband, Matt for almost 6 years and he is the most supportive person I could ever ask to have in my life. I am a local business owner of Shopimpressions.com, as well as Impressions Boutique & Gifts located in Fayetteville and plan on working the duration of my pregnancy as long as my health allows (it is so important to listen to your body as well as your doctor on this!). I daily juggle the “working full time plus being a mom of two” role, and now being pregnant at the same time! It has been overwhelming at times, but I try to find joy even in the crazy times because it really does all go by so quickly.

 Now, a little about my first trimester! I have been very blessed with smooth sailing so far, I know this is not the case for everyone and I feel very grateful. My biggest complaint in the first weeks has been nausea, and surprisingly this has been much more intense with this pregnancy than with my other two. This was particularly challenging in the beginning (at least for me) when we hadn’t shared our news with anyone yet and I was dealing with nausea all day long! At my first appointment with Parkhill at 8 weeks the amazing nurses gave me great advice to ease my nausea and I would love to share some of those tips with you:

• Lemon water: This has been my all day long relief! It’s really important to stay hydrated during pregnancy, so this has been a really preferred method to relieve by nausea since there are multiple benefits.
• Sour Candy: I’m not a big candy person, but I found myself on a few flights in my first trimester and this was my saving grace! When nausea creeps in sour candy is surprisingly soothing. It is also very easy to keep with you at all times! 
• Peppermint Essential Oil: Whether you use a roll-on or diffuse, peppermint has a very soothing effect on nausea as well as headaches which are also common in the first trimester.
• Small frequent meals: This is the most effective method for me. I eat something small (toast my husband brings me) before I even get out of bed in the morning. Once you are out of bed it’s really easy to get distracted and wait a bit before eating. I strongly believe with pregnancy you need something in your stomach the second you wake up! Also, a small snack right before bed can be beneficial. I pack healthy snacks to have throughout the day (fruits, trailmix, snack bars) to have between my main meals. I’ve really been enjoying smoothies in my first trimester as well, they are a great way to keep something in your stomach when you might not be in the mood to eat an actual meal.
• Medications: My nurse also mentioned that there are vitamins as well as prescription nausea medications that are available if your sickness becomes too much to bear. I haven’t had to go this route yet, but if you find yourself in this place make sure to reach out to your doctor or nurse!

Your first appointment at Parkhill is the perfect time to bring all your questions or concerns! You get to meet with several nurses as well as a doctor, and they are all so willing to help ease your mind by answering any questions you might bring. I remember my first pregnancy bringing the longest list, but even with my third I still had so many things to ask about.

 I am really looking forward to sharing my pregnancy journey with you all, and I promise to include all the highs as well as the lows. My hope is that you find these posts helpful, and that you can relate on some level. My closing advice for today is to take it all in, 9 months seems like an eternity but in reality it goes by in the blink of an eye! Thank you so much for following along!

-Ashley Milliren