The Crunchy Moms First Trimester Guide: Tips from a Two-Time Boy Mama
- Jun 15
- 7 min read
The first trimester of pregnancy can feel like a whirlwind of emotions, physical changes, and new routines. As a mom of two boys with just a 15-month age gap, I’ve lived through this intense period, twice! Each time, I learned valuable lessons about what truly supports health, eases nausea, and helps me maintain balance. If you’re newly pregnant and searching for a first trimester guide that offers real, practical advice, cozy up mama, you’re in the right place!
In this post, I’ll share the supplements that helped me, daily routines that brought comfort, meal ideas that satisfied cravings, and mindset shifts that made the journey smoother. My hope is to encourage and support you as you navigate your own first trimester.
Table of Contents:
My First Trimester Guide
First Trimester Supplements That Supported My Health and Eased Nausea
During both pregnancies, I quickly realized that certain supplements were essential first trimester must haves. These helped me maintain energy and reduce the queasiness that often comes with early pregnancy. They also gave me confidence in getting my baby the right nutrients even when my diet was not ideal.
Bloom - Prenatal Vitamin: I chose a prenatal with whole food ingredients (Grass Fed Liver, Fish Eggs, Colostrum, Bone Marrow, and an Herbal Blend), highly bioavailable nutrients, and left out the synthetic junk that most prenatals include. I always took them at night before bed with a high protein snack to keep my blood sugar levels even throughout the night.
Metagenics Magnesium Glycinate: This one is huge for me with supporting sleep, a healthy nervous system, and regular bowel movements also! Plus, this brand makes incredible supplements. I've taken it consistently through my postpartum periods as well since my first pregnancy.
ProMix Vitamin D & K2: I'm always a little low on Vitamin D, and the added K2 helps the body absorb it better. Low vitamin D has been linked to an increased risk of Gestational Diabetes as well as preeclampsia! Both are not something I wanted mess around with so I'm took 2 each day. My vitamin D levels looked really great in my second pregnancy compared to my first and my glucose levels stayed really healthy throughout my whole pregancy.
Three Arrows Iron Repair: My hemoglobin levels were super awesome but my ferritin was pretty low! Talking with my midwife, I found that this is pretty common with back-to-back pregnancies, especially since I was nursing the whole time! Adding in iron helped keep my hemoglobin levels up as my blood volume expanded. This iron is a great whole food supplement that I've been loving!
Green Pasture Fermented Cod Liver Oil: I nixed the standard Omega 3 supplement this last time around because it truly ain't worth the money in comparison to this super supplement. I've learned a lot about Cod Liver Oil in this postpartum season and I highly recommend you look into it also! Both Ezra and I take a Cod Liver Oil supplement. The company your buying from is extremely important though because most cod oil supps out there end up getting ultra processed to lose the majority of their nutrition benefits. Cod Liver Oil contains naturally occurring vitamins A & D which are both so helpful in our bodies as well as Omega 3, 6, & 9 oils in healthy ratios! Seriously, it's a whole deep dive digging into the benefits of cod liver oil.
Garden of Life Prenatal Probiotic: Supporting gut health was important, especially with food aversions. Probiotics helped keep digestion regular and reduced bloating.
Ginger Capsules: Ginger is well-known for its anti-nausea properties. I didn't take as much ginger the second time around, because thankfully my nausea wasn't as bad, however it helped me with my first pregnancy! I just picked up whatever my local HEB had in stock.
Wishgarden Morning Sickness Tincture: I loved this when I felt nausea coming on and was really in a pinch. I kept it in the fridge and would put a couple pumps on my tongue and chase it with ice cold water! Lemon water was better if I had it.
Each pregnancy is unique, so I recommend discussing supplements with your midwife or OBGYN. In my experience, these were my first trimester must haves that made the early weeks more manageable.
First Trimester Daily Routines That Provided Structure and Comfort
Each day in the first trimester can feel unpredictable. Fatigue and nausea often disrupt your daily rhythms and I found that creating gentle routines gave me a sense of control and comfort.
High Protein & Fiber Breakfast: With my first pregnancy, I learned that I need to ASAP upon waking. My incredible husband would make us eggs and bacon every morning. Eggs are so hard for me to tolerate in the very beginning, but 3 eggs a day gives you and your baby the recommended choline for the day! I liked to switch it up with how I'd eat my eggs: we scrambled chorizo into them, I would eat them on toast with either avocado or jelly, I'd add salsa and cheese - really just anything to distract me from the texture and taste! I loved pairing my breakfast with a sour fruit like kiwi or green apples. Something about the sourness really helped me to get the rest of my breakfast down! I would also only drink water after I had eaten and my stomach settled.
Morning Sun: Truly nothing like getting your eyeballs in the sun first thing in the morning! This always come after breakfast for me
Short Walks: Even on tough days, a 10-15 minute walk outside boosted my mood and energy without overexerting myself. I did this more in my second pregancy and truly feel it made a world of difference. Plus it was a welcome easy activity to do with my 7/8 month old at the time!
Nausea Bands: I wore these often when I was working full-time through my first pregnancy!
LOTS of Rest: Give yourself so much grace for how you are feeling. I truly have a strong dislike for life in the first trimester. I feel so blah without relief most days and it gets to me. With my second pregnancy, it was so lovely to rest when my older baby was resting. I would nap with him, sometimes twice a day, and allow my days to be SLOW. The first trimester doesn't last forever, and hopefully, you will come out of the fog. Communicate with your husband on what you need, even if it feels like too much! Sometimes we just need to be heard.
Purposeful Breathing and Prayer: Diaphragmatic breathing was my go-to throughout my second pregnancy. I feel like I learned so much after making it through the first time around to implement into my second! Learning to breathe in a way that helped me connect with my pelvic floor and get in touch with my body is such a powerful tool to take through pregnancy, into labor, and especially helpful with reconnecting to your body in postpartum. Along these same lines is prayer. Talk to God. Journal. Cry out to him when you feel like you literally cannot make it through the day and let him sustain you and carry you through. Allow yourself to be yoked to Jesus.
High Protein Snack at Bedtime & Snacks in your Nightstand: Going to bed at the same time each night helped my sleep quality, which was often disrupted by pregnancy symptoms. But also grabbing a high protein on my way to bed. A protein bar, salami and cheese, Chomps stick... whatever gets the job done and is something you enjoy. I've become a big bedtime snacker for better or worse - lol. This is a helpful routine for me in postpartum also when I am literally hungry every second of the day from nursing. Having a good filling snack helps your blood sugar remain stable through the night which helps ease the morning sickness as well!
These routines didn’t require big changes but created a steady framework that supported my wellbeing during the ups and downs of the first trimester.
First Trimester Nutritious Meal and Snack Ideas That Satisfied Cravings
Food aversions and cravings are common in early pregnancy. I struggled with strong dislikes for certain smells and textures but still needed nourishing meals to support my growing babies!
Here are some ideas that worked well for me:
Oatmeal with Fruit: Warm oatmeal with blueberries was my go to! Both comforting and filling.
Simple Sandwiches: Easy for survival mode days. You can read Real Food for Pregnancy for more thoughts on cold-cuts during pregnancy. Ham, Turkey or avocado on whole-grain bread with a big slice of cheddar cheese and mustard - YUM. This provided protein and healthy fats without overwhelming my senses.
Fresh Fruit and Nut Mix: A small (measure with your heart) bowl of berries with a handful of nuts or cheese satisfied sweet cravings and kept me energized.
Cold Pasta Salad: Made with olive oil, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and a bit of feta cheese, this was refreshing and easy to eat when hot foods felt unappealing.
Beef Gelatin Gummies: I use perfect supplements Beef Gelatin for my gummies! You can find recipes all over the internet, but it's the easiest snack that is so gentle on a sensitive first tri tummy.
Snacking Tip: Always pair protein with each meal or snack, and add fiber in too!
I avoid heavy, greasy meals and focus on small, frequent portions throughout the first trimester. Listening to my body’s signals helped me find foods that felt good rather than forcing anything.
The Crunchy Moms First Trimester Guide
The first trimester is a unique and often challenging time, especially when you’re caring for a toddler as well. My experience as a two-time boy mom with a 15 month age gap taught me that having the right supplements, simple routines, nourishing foods, and a supportive mindset can make a big difference!
If you’re looking for a first trimester guide that feels real and practical, I hope these insights help you feel more prepared and supported. Remember, every pregnancy is different, so listen to your body and reach out for help when you need it. You’re doing an amazing job already, mama! If you're looking to have your pregnancy documented to remember every precious moment during this transformative time in your life, I'd love to photograph this season for you!
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