To take advantage of being able to go in the backyard in Tennessee one last time before heading home to New York, Chris and I had a celebratory dinner picnic yesterday to commemorate officially finishing the first trimester. It’s such a big milestone for us, and the perfect opportunity to reflect on the experience so far. We are heading home because we have our 16-week appointment next week where we’ll find out the genders of the babies (!!!). Here, I’m sharing the five things that have surprised me most about this journey so far.
1. I actually got pregnant (!)
I touched on this on Instagram, but it took Chris and I just over a year to get pregnant. My cycles have always been irregular, so after six months of trying on our own we went to CCRM in New York for infertility consulting. The team there ruled out any medical complications or diagnoses for both of us, so it was determined that I had “unexplainable infertility.” This is a phrase that was really hard for me to come to terms with. I almost found it more frustrating that there was no reason at all that I was struggling to get pregnant.
Thankfully, there are lots of different treatments that you can try in order to help things along. I started with an oral fertility medication called Letrozole (a newer version of the fertility classic, Chlomoid) combined with giving myself shots in my stomach when I was ovulating. When that didn’t work after four cycles, we moved on to IUI which is essentially a medical version of a turkey baster. This didn’t work the first time we tried it, so our doctor recommended that we try one more time before moving on to IVF. I went into that final IUI appointment just knowing in my gut that it wasn’t going to work. I think this more flippant, relaxed attitude somehow made it stick. The doctor, Chris and I also talked about the best pizza in New York during the procedure (he voted for Lucali, we love Roberta’s or Prince St Pizza), so maybe this fun and breezy conversation helped me to destress. Not saying that talking about pizza is a sure-fire bet, but worth a shot right?!
2. We entered a global pandemic
Let’s just say that I, like all of you, really didn’t see this coming and greatly underestimated how directly and intensely the Coronavirus would impact our lives. To be honest, what I thought would be a time of celebration with friends, a babymoon, and a baby shower has turned into a frustrating time of cancellations and disappointments. I struggled with this a lot when the pandemic first broke out, as petty as it sounds, but now I’ve come to realize that everything is solvable and that celebratory moments can wait until this crisis is over. No babymoon? Fine, we’ll go to a bucket list destination next spring or summer, when I can actually enjoy the cocktails. No baby shower? Alright, we’ll host a sip and see once the twins are here for our friends and family to meet them, and, once again, I can toast with a real glass of champagne (sensing a trend here?).
I know so many people are dealing with hardships right now—canceled jobs, canceled weddings, canceled trips, canceled fun—so I am trying to keep things in perspective, stay positive and be grateful for our health. Anytime I feel overwhelmed by missing out on these moments along the way, I remember that the light at the end of the tunnel is two beautiful babies and the rest fades away.
3. I became an actual sloth
While I consider myself one of the lucky ones that I didn’t have any morning sickness in the first trimester, I was just so. damn. tired. From about six weeks until literally this week, I felt like I just couldn’t get moving. Keep in mind I started 2020, like many of us, with big professional and personal goals—one of which was to wake up earlier. I love having time to get centered and motivated before diving into the day. Let’s just say this went straight out the window in the first trimester, and on some days, I would have to take a nap in the middle of the afternoon.
I know I shouldn’t have been surprised by this since it’s a known symptom of pregnancy, but it was truly like an out of body experience. It’s just not a normal kind of tired. Now, at 15 weeks, the fog is finally starting to clear, and I’m feeling like the old me again.
4. Chris launched into full-on dad mode
I always knew that Chris was going to make a great dad, but he’s gotten a head start by acting as what I endearingly call my “pregnancy manager.” He has been amazing at helping me keep the kitchen stocked with healthy food, reminding me to take my supplements and just generally getting us prepared to have two new babies. He’s ordered every twin and parenting book online and has informed me of things I didn’t even know. It’s so fun to watch him in this new role, and I can’t wait to see how it unfolds when the babies are actually here.
5. My skin is having a meltdown
I always thought that pregnant women get glowy, dewy, clear skin, but I’m still waiting impatiently for that phase. I have developed eczema on my legs and dandruff, both of which I’ve never had in my life. I’m treating the eczema with Cerave moisturizer and that seems to be helping with the itching, and I’m actually still researching an effective, pregnancy-safe dandruff shampoo. My face has also been broken out on my forehead and chin most of the time, but I’m trying to just roll with the punches and remember it’s all temporary.
Outfit Details | Nicholas dress via Rent the Runway (love this one on sale!), Target picnic items, Flowers by Wither & Bloom
Shop the Post
