The first few weeks of Pregnancy can be overwhelming, amazing, exhausting, joyful and every emotion in between! And always, always unique to each woman and each pregnancy.

With my first Trimester under my belt, here are 6 things that helped me get through the first 3 months.

1. Water

Pints and pints and pints of cold water – as cold you can find. In general, I try to drink 2 litres of water a day, but in my first trimester, I was hit with intense thirst. A lot of cold water could not only relieve this, it would quickly perk me up with some much-needed energy. From first thing in the morning, on my public transport commute (essential to help with nausea), all day at my desk and definitely within reach next to my bed at night, cold water was my life saver.

2. Scarves

If you are like me, long before there is any sign of a gorgeous Baby bump there is a free, overnight, non-surgical boob job. This combined with bloating and an unhealthy dose of paranoia will make you want to crawl beneath your protective shield… the humble scarf! Trust me, you won’t leave home without one and will find that leaving it to hang loosely either side of your neck gives you the perfect amount of casual and fashionable coverage.

3. Ginger

Specifically Ginger Ale! It was a good day around the 8 weeks mark when I discovered the refreshing relief of a glass of cold Ginger Ale & ice. Previously enjoyed with a dash of whiskey, this classic ‘mineral’ is surprisingly satisfying and definitely alleviated evening nausea. It also was a life saver when on the rare evening out with friends or colleagues when you still felt the need to have a glass in hand and reduce that most feared question for pregnant women in Ireland – ‘Are you not drinking’??

4. Weekly Pregnancy Updates

Having a week-by-week guide is like a window into your babies world. Your body is performing mind-blowing tasks and your baby is developing from a poppy seed to a peach. And I grew fascinated with following this journey, knowing what was going on for baby, and alleviating some of my own worries by knowing which symptoms were normal for each stage. Without this lifesaver, I could never have valued my amazing body and felt as close to my baby with each passing week. It was also essential with helping my husband feel included in those early days.

5. Crackers

God Bless the humble cracker. In recent years I’ve enjoyed a fancy cheese board cracker with herb-de-jour flavours, but in trimester 1 the original Cream Cracker was King. Inoffensive, crunchy and hunger quenching when topped with the strongest cheddar cheese you can possibly find on the supermarket shelves. The cheesier the better. It was a passing phase but when nausea stands in the way of a regular three meals a day, this snack is a life saver.

6. Permission

This was tricky and took a long time to kick in. In a world where we are all trying to project superhuman powers, the first trimester can leave you feeling weary and a little pathetic. The truth is, simple mundane tasks that previously didn’t use up any energy at all will now (and without warning) leave you completely floored.

Discovering the life-saving power of giving yourself the permission to stop, rest, say no… will transform how you survive the first trimester.

Because guess what… on the outside, it might not look like you your body is doing much, but not having a bump is deceiving you. Your body is a ‘tiny human’ factory right now, building a heart, a brain, a nervous system, bone marrow, and lungs all from scratch.

So if you want to go to bed at 6pm, go to bed! If you want to cancel plans at the last minute, cancel them! If you want to book a cleaner, get a taxi instead of the bus, buy anything you need online and delivered to your door – do it! You have permission.

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