Announcing Lil’ Dinos #2 and #3!

I’m very pleased and feel very blessed to be announcing that we recently added another Baby Dino to our family. BUT, you read that right, both babies #2 and #3 each deserve an announcement, and what is funny is I didn’t have twins. I’ve just been that busy. In 2019, we welcomed Lil’ Dino2 into the world. He is now a walking…no, RUNNING toddler, who never stops! He’s funny and affectionate and keeps us on our toes. A few months ago, we also welcomed Lil’ Dina3 into our family. She’s feisty and sweet and her big brothers are totally lovestruck. Lil’ Dino1, now 5 years old is a “big boy” and extremely helpful and entertaining.

I’m dully excited because I have wanted to write a series of posts on pregnancy, and seeing as my last pregnancy is still fresh on my mind, there’s no better time to share my insights with all of you!

Morning Sickness – You are NOT alone

For all three of my pregnancies, the ugly beast of morning sickness reared it’s head. And it rarely lived up to its name, as it’s not specific to morning time. There were days I felt nauseous all day long, with my worst bouts being in the afternoon. According to americanpregnancy.org, more than 50% of women experience morning sickness, and of those women, about 30% experience vomiting as well. 

Some things that helped me through this tough time, were:

• Getting enough rest (Hard to do with other children in the mix, but so helpful when it was possible).
• Ginger root (This amazing plant comes in many forms on the market today, so find your favorite to help your poor tummy).
• Peppermint (I especially liked aroma therapy, or, in layman’s terms: sniffing it!)
• Protein (Funny enough, while my appetite was at an all time low, what I often needed to do was EAT.)

Addressing Fatigue

I could probably write a whole new post on Fatigue, but I thought it deserved honorable mention here since it was unexpected and kept me down for more than half of my pregnancy while pregnant with Lil’ Dina3. With both of my boys, I had the nausea and it was manageable, only lasting through 1st trimester, subsiding gradually starting around 11 weeks as I approached 2nd trimester. Then like clockwork, I hit 14 weeks and it was gone, with only the occasional food aversion or heartburn creeping up now and then. 

Lil’ Dina was a whole new experience. The fatigue I had with her, starting about 8 weeks pregnant, was debilitating. With Lil’ Dino2, I was on the go constantly, keeping up with Lil’ Dino1 and enjoying the movement and activity I had been fearful of with my first pregnancy. I expected the nausea during 1st trimester, and then expected to get back to normal, being there and being active with my older two children. 

Well, we never have it figured out, do we? I laid on the couch from the moment I woke up, powering through to feed my kids and change Lil’ Dino2’s diapers. It was a horrible feeling, not being able to do what I longed to do. As I neared my 2nd trimester, it was not subsiding (though the nausea eventually did, but never fully).

A friend reached out to check on me. My dear friend has had 11 children, and when I told her I was good, except for the fatigue was awful, she told me to take Liquid Chlorophyll. I didn’t even question her, but looked for it immediately at our local grocery store health supplement section. There it was, and it even had a mint flavored one. Two birds with one stone, as they say. 

I poured it into my water, then sent her a message, “My water is green.” She said, “Yep, it will turn other things green too! Hahaha!” Oh joy, I thought, and unenthusiastically drank half my green, potion-looking water. To say the “perk up” that ensued was immediate is not an overstatement. I felt better than I had my entire pregnancy with Lil’ Dina3. I was able to get off the couch and stay off for a while. Amazing! 

Benefits of Chlorophyll

Here is a website that lists the benefits of chlorophyll.

Here are some benefits worth highlighting:

• Helps fight cancer
• Detoxifies the liver
• Aids with wound healing
• Improves digestion and weight control
• Fights inflammation

I’m not sure which of these benefits helped me with debilitating pregnancy fatigue, but I’m so grateful that it did!

Helpful tip if you do take it while your pregnant, buy an extra bottle and put it in your “go” bag. Then drink it ALL right after you have the baby. Some people are champs and can do it all right away. I wasn’t so tough, and took my time throughout Day 1. For an anecdotal, I had less postpartum bleeding, more energy, and less afterbirth pains than with my two previous labor and birthing experiences. 

Now three months later, I’m still drinking it about every other day, especially when I need a pick me up!

What remedies have you found helpful for nausea and fatigue during pregnancy? Are there supplements you just won’t be without? How do they help you? 

“A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.”
Proverbs 17:22

Already had your baby? See this post about breastfeeding! You CAN do it!