PREGNANCY - WEEK 12 Blog

Well I've finally made it past the magical 12 week mark and I must say it's a big relief!!!

I'm starting to feel a lot more relaxed about it all and pretty excited. I suppose it's been helped by the fact that I don't feel like death anymore and I'm feeling more human as the days pass.

Everyone is right, this sickness does get better as the first trimester comes to an end (well for most anyway, there are a few unlucky ones who get sick throughout their whole pregnancies).

FOOD: This week I've tried to make a big effort to clean things up a bit. I can now tolerate a few more foods so It has made things a bit easier. In saying that there is still a lot I can't handle and struggle a bit when I'm not at home. The other night I had to fly to Brissie and back and really struggled on the aircraft. For one I was super tired as normally I go to bed about 9pm and I was still flying at 10:30. I still seem to get a bit sick when I'm tired and generally just later in the day. Still can't seem to go out for dinner as I'm at my worse then.

I've done lots of reading about nutrition during pregnancy and not too much changes from a normal good healthy diet. I am noticing I'm craving a lot more dairy which was lacking in my diet and have included some natural yoghurt, low fat cheese and I'm even drinking a bit of milk which I used to hate because it bloated me. It's quite amazing how your body changes during pregnancy! I still find it funny how everyone to tells you to just eat what your craving as your body obviously needs it! Last night I was craving chocolate (first time I've craved sweets so far and not really a good thing!). I don't honestly believe that I needed chocolate, maybe some calcium from milk or a sleep instead of truckloads of sugar and fat. I still had some chocolate but I'm not about to start justifying it because "my body needed it" I just think that is too funny!!! I think a pregnant woman can justify anything.

I'm also trying to have more iron as I don't eat a lot of red meat and I know it can be pretty common to lack iron as your pregnancy progresses. Other than that not much has changed except for I've been eating a bit too much come the weekends and feeling very padded right now.

MOOD: Feeling great, well one day I'm feeling great and the next I'm feeling ok. I can't describe how good it is just to feel "normal" again. I can actually go out for a coffee (decaf for me) with Cam and enjoy it! I'm also fine in the mornings and have been forcing myself to get back into a regular exercise routine. The hardest thing right now is that I just feel bloated by the end of the day and have a lot more padding than normal although not really looking pregnant just yet, just a bit fat!
I'm also getting more and more excited as the weeks pass and over the coming months can't wait to start going baby shopping.

TRAINING: This is going better, not great but much better than the past couple of weeks. Last week I managed:
2 x 5km jog
1 x 50 min Hill/Jog
1 x 50 min Red Arrow (stair walk)
1 x Weight session - Still sore.

It wasn't quite as much as I'd planned and I'm learning that the mornings are the best if I want to get things done. I've also learnt ALOT about my body and how pregnancy affects it. I've been reading my book about exercising during pregnancy and it explains why your heart rate is elevated during the first trimester, why you are shorter of breath and how these things change as you go along.

I've been religiously wearing my heart rate monitor. Not really to stay in a particular zone but more to see what's actually happening. Over the last couple of months when I've been running it has been REALLY elevated, higher than when I used to sprint although I've also discovered that my resting heart rate was about 20bpm higher. It meant while exercising I'd use more energy (burn more calories) but not necesarily working harder than usual. I still felt ok during my runs although a bit harder and a bit shorter of breathe due to the increase in blood flow and the bodies attempt to keep up the Oxygen flow to the extra blood circulating. So anyway the good news is these things have changed again. This morning I went for a run and it seemed much easier. It was just 5km but my heart rate was pretty normal and it was much easier to breathe.

This week I've set myself the goal of achieving the following: (this is all dependant if I have to fly off!)
WEIGHTS x 3
HILL X 2
JOG X 3
RPM X 2 (a bit nervous about this one, haven't been forever!)

So overall I'm feeling pretty good. A bit frustrated that I can't seem to get my act together with my food but generally eating ok (just too much!). I'm thinking by the end of this week I should hopefully be feeling back to normal and ready to start the second trimester feeling great!

I'll take some pics of my fat belly at the end of my first trimester!

Have a great week.

Cheers, Hilds