We’re introducing the “meet the mama” series so we can cry, laugh and share your pregnancy experiences with our mama mio community. We know pregnancy is not just about glowing skin, picking out cute baby outfits and cooing over your bump. That’s why we wanted to ‘dish the dirt’ per se and get you all to share the true, unedited version of pregnancy!
First mama off the ranks is the beautiful Clare Rajanah. Clare is 29 weeks pregnant and is due to meet her first baby in early June!
What has your pregnancy experience been to date – sheer elation, emotional, better or worse than you expected?
The first 17 weeks were awful! Constantly sick at any time of day or night which made it difficult in work sometimes!
It is a strange time of your life, as you are obviously excited to be pregnant but your hormones are up and down, you feel a bit overwhelmed with all the changes to your body and you are not sure what is normal and what isn’t. Being sick all of the time is draining emotionally and physically, but once you are passed this stage it does became a little easier.
The Second trimester is much nicer as you look pregnant and not fat! People are really kind and interested in your news, which is nice. You start to become attached to your bump and sometimes forget you are pregnant leading a lifestyle similar to that before you were pregnant, ( i.e being able to go the gym and eat normally again).
The third trimester is starting to leave that nice stage behind and life becomes that bit harder again! So not much sleep, leg cramps, clothes don’t fit, feel exhausted all of the time, but no sickness which is a bonus!
We’ve heard of people loving the strangest foods when they become pregnant! What are some of the strangest cravings that you’ve had?
I haven’t really experienced any cravings as such, although I have seen a huge increase in appetite and the amount of carbs I now eat! From going to not eating carbs to eating a loaf of bread over 2 days takes some adjustment!
I have also been eating a lot of mango, which I hated before! I’m not sure if this is a craving, or just a way to keep the leg cramps at bay! (I read somewhere it has high levels of magnesium and should help ease cramps!)
Your body has been changing as you grow your little one inside, what are some of your pregnancy saviours so far? (products, massages etc)?
A hot water bottle, to ease the back pain is a must!
A cushion for your chair at work – again for back pain.
The mio Workout Wonder muscle repair gel..again for back pain. I find rubbing this on to the lower back with a hot water bottle eases the pain considerably. Life saver actually!
The mio Liquid Yoga Bath Soak is really nice, helps the back pain by having a nice relaxing bath.
The mama mio Tummy Rub Oil is brilliant as so far have managed to escape with no stretch marks…fingers crossed it stays this way!