How To Survive The First Trimester of Pregnancy – With A Toddler On The Loose
The first-trimester of pregnancy is tough but it can be a that much harder when you have a toddler to care for. Find out how to survive the first trimester, even if you have a toddler on the loose.
My first pregnancy was a DREAM!
No morning sickness
No nausea
No headaches
Besides the positive test, the only other pregnancy symptom I had was MASSIVE weight gain!
This time around, I found out I was pregnant at 4 weeks, and shortly after, I was hit with all of the pregnancy woes that I avoided with my first child.
All day sickness, coupled with my rambunctious toddler running around was THE WORST!
Although those first trimester pregnancy woes doesn’t last forever, it can definitely feel like an eternity!
Luckily, I’ve figured out a few ways to survive the first trimester – even if you have a little one running around!
1. Try to sleep as much as possible
Easier said than done right?
Trust me, I know!
However, sleep is soo important during the first trimester!
Your body is working overtime to create the perfect space for the tiny human that will be living there for the next couple of months.
Since my son still takes naps (thankfully), I made sure to nap whenever he napped.
Did the laundry get behind?
Yup!
Was the kitchen bursting at the seams with dishes?
Yup!
But I felt sooo much better after taking some time to actually rest during those first couple of weeks.
2. Eat Whatever you can…Whenever you can
Okay, so, some may think that this is bad advice, but bear with me!
My morning sickness kicked in mid December, so once Christmas rolled around, all of the food that I’d usually devour (before taking a good ole afternoon nap), almost made the holiday unbearable.
That said, I ate whatever I could keep down!
As much as I’d love to encourage you to eat healthy, nutritious meals, the truth is, the smell of certain fruits and veggies alone are enough to cause most mama’s to head straight for the nearest bathroom.
Instead, figure out what works for you!
Besides, your appetite will be back with a vengeance once the second trimester rolls around.
I shared everything that helped me get through the first trimester in this post.
3. Try To Take Your Prenatals Before Bedtime
As if being nauseous all day isn’t bad enough, what better way to increase your chances of having to a beeline for the bathroom than taking your prenatal vitamin first thing in the morning.
I don’t know about you, but my prenatal’s made me feel sick within 30 minutes or so after taking them.
I tried taking the gummy prenatals for a while but I didn’t like that the fact that they lacked some of the vital nutrients that I was getting in my regular prenatal.
Since I was eating horribly, and could barely keep anything down, I knew that it was important to make sure I got the nutrients from the prenatal in my system one way or another.
Once I started taking them at night, I was asleep before I had the chance to feel sick and I’ve been taking them at night, before bedtime ever since.
4. Keep Your Toddler Occupied With Quiet, Independent Play activities
Thankfully, my son typically does well during independent play time, but we did have to get a bit creative as I struggled to keep him entertained during my many trips to the bathroom.
Of course a little tv time was involved(sue me), but since I didn’t want him watching tv all day long, we incorporated a few hands-on activities that he could do to keep him occupied.
Sensory bottles and bags were perfect for this!
We also allowed him to draw on a dry erase board and supervised him while he scribbled on this diy chalkboard we made for him a while back.
Finger painting was also a great activity that kept him entertained for quite a while.
To find out how to set up a mess-free, window finger painting station for your little one, check out this post.
5. Don’t Be Afraid to ask for help
To be honest, had it not been for my husband, I’m not sure that my little one would’ve even gotten his diaper changed regularly.
Honestly, I felt like a bit of a burden since I spent most of my time either laid up in bed or hunched over the toilet.
Thankfully my hubby was a champ about it all, and kept things running smoothly while I focused on keeping my ginger ale and saltines down.
The truth is, sometimes the first trimester, with a toddler, is simply too overwhelming to take on alone.
So don’t be afraid to ask friends and/or family members for help.
Whether they come and throw a load of laundry in the wash for you, or take your toddler to the park for a few hours so that you can rest, its always a good idea to have a support system to help you out during what can be such an exhausting time.
Hopefully these tips will help you keep a bit of your sanity as you tread through the first trimester – especially if you have a toddler on the loose!
How did you survive the first trimester woes with a little one running around?
Great tips on surviving the first trimester, much less with a toddler! And yes, I love the last tip – ASK for help and let them know exactly how they can help you.
Yesss!! I definitely took my first pregnancy for granted because this one has been a doozy! Without help, I’d be pulling my hair out for sure! Thanks for reading!
Great tips! My eldest son was a rambunctious toddler when I was pregnant with my middle child and it really was exhausting!
I definitely feel your pain! My son is at the stage where he loves to climb all over the furniture so he’s all over the place!! It’s definitely exhausting! Luckily he’s on a pretty regular schedule so I’m always looking forward to napping while he naps! Thanks for reading!
Taking prenatals before bed was a so huge for me! They made me so freaking sick, but it seemed to be better at night. Being pregnant with a toddler around is rough!
Absolutely!! Especially when he’s 30+ lbs and wants to be picked up constantly lol Thanks for reading!
great tips! I hope to be needing them soon
Love this post 🙂 I’m pregnant with my first right now and the first trimester was hard enough without a toddler running around! These are great tips, thanks for sharing! xo, Brittany Nicole | http://www.theblistblog.com
Congrats on your bundle of joy!! Yes, pregnancy is tough enough on its own! I miss the days where I could nap whenever I wanted during my first pregnancy haha Enjoy it!! Thanks for reading!
These tips are awesome!! haha
Totally agree about asking for help. Your family and friends are usually more than happy to get some baby time!
Absolutely! I used to be really bad at asking for help, but I’ve definitely seen firsthand how beneficial it’s been for me! Thanks for reading!
I think we are one and done, but these are great tips for those planning on adding another addition to their family (or if we ever do change our minds)
I’m not sure how many more kiddos we’ll have but I’m hoping it’ll be easier the next time around since my first born will be a lot older. Fingers crossed! Thanks for reading!
Great tips on surviving !!! I really like the last tip. So many people will try to do it all instead of just asking for help!
Thank you!! I know right?! I’m guilty of that from time to time but I’m so grateful to have help when I need it!
Omg I remember when I was pregnant and had a little 9 month old to take care of as well! What a rough period and first trimester! These are great tips! I second the sleeping and the eat whenever you can!
Definitely!! It was so much easier the first time around! I took all that rest I got for granted! Thankfully, the first trimester doesn’t last forever!
It’s always so comforting to know you’re not alone! My last preganancy was equally as gross as this one during the first trimester but at least I could just plunk down and sleep or puke whenever I wanted to. I got pregnant again when my first turned 1 and it has been insane. Most days I felt like I could barely care decently for my son! It was rough. but! What did the trick for me was leaving out veggies entirely! For some reason they were the draw that broke the camel’s back. I’d feel extremely nauseaus but at least I wasn’t puking. And then I’d think “I should be healthy and eat a carrot.” Aaaaaand then I’d puke. So I just decided to skip the veggies and it was just a little bit more bearable. Also, my hubs did all kitchen and food related chores. He’s the champion.
Hey Rachel! I’m so sorry to hear that your first trimester was rough!! Mine was terrible too! I didn’t think to cut out veggies all together – although I barely ate any now that I think of it! & yes for hubby’s that help out in the kitchen! My hubby did the same for us and it was a life saver! Thanks for reading!