-In mid-August 2020, I found out I was pregnant. In early December, we found out that we are having a boy. I was very excited by this news!
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-At the end of December, I graduated with my master's degree as a CNM-- certified nurse-midwife. I finished my clinical time on Jan 6th, and on Feb 6th, I passed the AMCB board exam! I was very thankful and very relieved!
Pictured here at 29 weeks with the paper stating I had passed the exam (right) and when my diploma came (left, around 31 weeks).
-Next came the time of waiting for the licensure to process, and in the meantime, searching for employment. Filling out all the forms, paying all the fees, updating the CV, cover letters, phone interviews, video interviews...etc, etc. The lapse between graduation/passing the board exam and waiting for licensure to be completed and finding a job feels long. Because I am not currently working as an RN, I have all this free time so I am trying to take advantage of continuing learning with taking classes such as OBGYN ultrasound and participating in various webinars on topics of women's health. I know that soon I will be busy with a new baby and a job, so I am trying to enjoy the time of sleep, ample time for exercise and yoga, and wandering the groceries store aisles looking for new recipe ideas (I am not naturally a good cook so this is good for me!)
-My last semester of grad school (Sept 3, 2020 to Jan 6, 20201) was difficult as I was very fatigued and nauseous until about week 14/15 of the the pregnancy. I would often have to go to the bathroom to vomit while caring for a patient in labor, or in between seeing patients in the office. It was so difficult to find food/drink that I could tolerate, and I felt so dehydrated all the time because I could not keep water down. The typical textbook recommendations for first-line treatments for nausea and vomiting did not seem to work for me, so every day it was trial and error and trying to eat/drink what I could tolerate, even if that was just ice cubes and diet Coke.
I never did end up getting prescription medication, but if I ever had a second a pregnancy, I would consider it early on to avoid going through this again.
However, before going straight to prescription antiemetics, there is an option that works for most people. To avoid nausea and vomiting before it starts, I do highly recommend taking vitamin B6 (10-25 mg up to 3x daily) along with 1/2 tab or 1 tab (12.5/ 25 mg) of Unisom before bed. This is sold as a prescription called Diclegis, but these can easily be bought over-the-counter as separate supplements. These have to be taken daily in order to the prevent the nausea/vomiting. I started taking this around week 6/7, and if I forgot to take it one day, I noticed a huge difference. Next time I know to start taking them right away, before the nausea sets in. By week 16 I didn't need it anymore.
-Other than some musculoskeletal discomforts, I haven't had any major issues during my second trimester. I am now almost 32 weeks, so we will see how these last 2 months go!
Since week 29, I have had pain in my symphysis pubis. This has been causing my quite a bit of discomfort with certain movements, even rolling from side to side when in bed, and when I go for walks for extended periods of time. Sadly it is too painful that I cannot jog/run at all. Thankfully, I can still do many exercises with no discomfort.
-When it was time for the glucose tolerance test around 27 weeks to screen gestational diabetes, I had a high result of 171. For reference, this number should be below 130 ideally, some guidelines use 140. While many people do not pass the first screen, most people pass the second (diagnostic) screen. Still, this high result motivated me to begin exercising every day, and for the past ~5 weeks I seldom have missed a day, even if it's an easy day of prenatal yoga. Below are the links to the routines that I have enjoyed. Although I enjoyed working out daily before becoming pregnant, after I was over the extreme fatigue and sickness of the first trimester, I never reincorporated regular exercise other than occasional walks or hikes.
Do you have a favorite indoor workout (for when the weather is freezing/icy/terrible) for pregnancy, postpartum or otherwise?
- THIS is my favorite prenatal YouTube channel
- THIS is my favorite prenatal/postpartum routine
- THIS is my favorite overall quick & effective workout, but may need modification during the 3rd trimester.
- THIS is a fun stretch!
- THIS is for a calmer, easier day (and to work on flexibility)
- THIS routine has helped with symphysis pubis pain
I had also gotten used to eating anything I could tolerate, not focusing on nutrient-dense foods. Thus, after my initial glucose screen, I began monitoring my blood sugar levels daily (for 1 week to diagnose/rule out gestational diabetes) then every morning I continue to check my fasting glucose level out of my own curiosity.
These became my favorite protein-dense snacks/meals. Do you have any favorite protein recipes?
-Sugar-free beef/turkey jerky
-Turkey & cheese rolls
-Greek yogurt (with low-sugar granola)
-Tuna (skipjack or other low-mercury type!)
-Eggs (in every form!)
-Peanut (or any nut) butter with celery/apples
-Almonds, pistachios, pumpkin seeds
-Roasted chickpeas/ hummus
-Cottage cheese
-Chia seed pudding (chia seeds mixed with almond milk and a bit of stevia, refrigerated overnight)
-Avocado & chicken
-Oatmeal
-Peanut butter balls (favorite recipe here)
Until next time, when I will likely have a baby in my arms and hopefully employment as a CNM!
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