The First Trimester Comparison

As the 1st trimester of this pregnancy is wrapping up and the 2nd trimester is very welcomed as it rolls in, I find myself reflecting on how it has been different than when I was pregnant with Carter.  At my first doctor's appointment I mentioned some cramping I was feeling and freaking out a little bit about and he responded with something along the lines of: "Subsequent pregnancies are just harder.  They are harder on your body, on you, it will be different."  In the very beginning I felt that was so true.  I was cramping when I hadn't with Carter.  I was miserably sick starting at 5 weeks when I didn't get nauseous until around 8 weeks with Carter.  I had 3 migraines in one week soon after we had a positive pregnancy test.  But then that was it, 3 migraines in one week and I haven't had one since.  When I was pregnant with Carter I had 2-4 migraines every week for most of the 1st trimester.  It was rough.  Along with migraines always comes nausea for me.  So I was also nauseous, but not the morning sickness nausea.

I don't know why, but I feel like I looked so cute with Carter and just look pudgy this time.  Not sure if it's because I came into this one with a softer midsection than with Carter or if I'm carrying differently or something.

When I was pregnant with Carter people would tell me I was so lucky to not have morning sickness, but I wasn't sure what was worse morning sickness or migraines.  Now that I've struggled with morning sickness this time I can hands down declare that migraines are worse.  At least the kinds of migraines I have compared to the severity of morning sickness I had.  I only actually threw up twice, so I definitely didn't have severe morning sickness whereas my migraines were debilitating.  I distinctly remember one day at school sitting on the floor wracked with a migraine and severe nausea, rocking back and forth and hoping I wouldn't randomly throw up on one of the children sitting in my little circle for a guided reading small group.  The most frustrating thing about morning sickness to me was that I couldn't eat and when I was able to eat it wasn't healthy and I could only think of a select few things that didn't sound totally disgusting.  There were days where I felt so bad, Carter and I didn't leave the house.  One day I gave up trying to keep Carter engaged physically and mentally in productive learning activities and we sat and watched half of Frozen because I still hadn't seen it and neither had Carter, but I didn't plan on him watching a movie.  Lucky for me I felt sick earlier on this time, but I also started to feel better earlier too.  With Carter I didn't start feeling better until the start of the 2nd trimester around 14 weeks.  This time I started feeling better at week 9 and really got my energy back as the 2nd trimester began.

This little guy has been so tolerant of my exhaustion and nausea!

The exhaustion has been another huge difference.  With Carter I was constantly so exhausted.  When I vacuumed I got out of breath and light headed.  When I ran I barely made it to a mile before turning around because I was so tired.  It was the most tired I had ever been in my life.  I thanked all my lucky stars that most of my 1st trimester was during the summer so I just had summer school and tutoring rather than a full school day.  Even then one time I fell asleep sitting up at tutoring for a few seconds before realizing I'd fallen asleep and freaking out that such a thing could even happen!  Sure I've been tired this time too, but nothing like what I remembered from before.  I was so worried that I wouldn't be able to do much with Carter and he would be bored.  I was really dreading the 1st trimester exhaustion.  Thankfully my exhaustion was nothing compared to when I was pregnant with Carter.  Yes, I was tired.  Yes, I needed a nap.  But I could function and relatively well.  Occasionally I got out of breath walking up stairs, vacuuming, and other every day activities but I could still carry Carter around the aquarium, climb through tunnels at the park, and chase the dogs with Carter in the backyard.  I'm not sure what I can thank for the more energetic 1st trimester.  It could be that I am at home and am able to take a nap when needed.  With Carter I only had time for about a 30 minute nap between summer school and tutoring, so I didn't get as much rest.  I also get to sleep in until Carter wakes up around 7:00 am.  With Carter I had to wake up early around 5:30-6:00 am so I could run before summer school.  It could be that I've gone through this before and my body isn't in as much shock.  It could be that I've experienced the kind of tired where I started to begin to wonder how much longer I could go without sleep before I died.  The first couple of weeks Carter was home he ate every hour.  Between nursing him, changing his diaper, swaddling him, laying him back down, and falling back to sleep myself I was sleeping in 15 minute increments at night.  It was the most exhausted I'd ever been in my life.  Now that I've experienced that, did the 1st trimester exhaustion just not seem as bad in comparison?  Whatever it was, I am so thankful.  I've been able to keep up with Carter and enjoy our time together.  Now I'm hoping for as nice of a 2nd and 3rd trimester as I had with Carter.  I'm hoping this easier 1st trimester hasn't jinxed me! 

He makes everything so much more fun!