The Síle Seoige pregnancy diary: ‘I’m 38… and I’m having my first baby’

I’ve just turned 38 and this is my first time being pregnant.

I had been eating well and taking the right supplements for more than a year before we were ready to start trying. I suppose being over the age of 35, having had a history of cancer and seeing friends of mine have trouble conceiving, I didn’t want to get my hopes up in case it wasn’t a part of my life’s plan. But luckily it happened quickly for us, much to my surprise! I truly believe letting go of whether it would happen or not was a big part of it becoming a reality for us. We had prepared ourselves as best we could physically and emotionally but we had also removed the pressure of assuming it would definitely happen for us. My main issues in varying degrees have been tiredness, sciatica, restless legs at night, mood swings, increased appetite, vivid/crazy dreams and (TMI warning) the odd bout of constipation!

A post shared by @sileseoige on Feb 9, 2017 at 12:59pm PST

But all-in-all, I’ve been very lucky. As a result of having had thyroid cancer five years ago, I have to supplement with medication on a daily basis and I have had regular blood tests to ensure my levels have been on track as your thyroid needs increase during pregnancy. The first trimester was exciting but also a nerve-wracking time. I had to work on keeping calm and truth be told, it wasn’t always easy. Taking each day is it comes is vital as no two days are the same. You have to go along for the ride! You’re growing a human and your body is changing and there’s little you can do about it. It really is amazing to track the changes and it can be a hugely empowering time but be kind to yourself too as, as it’s not always easy to see your body transforming. Your tastes may change during pregnancy, for example. You may go off certain foods that you would normally enjoy - or want to eat lots of other foods! In my case I couldn’t get enough fruit into me early in my pregnancy and I have gone off eating anything savoury (especially eggs) in the morning Pillows are your friend. If you're like me, as your pregnancy progresses you’ll need to build a fort around you in bed! I currently use five pillows: two pillows under my head, one between my legs, a wedge-shaped pillow under my bump, and a long narrow pregnancy pillow at my back to prevent me rolling onto my back which is my preferred way to sleep. As for what I'm wearing, well, stripes seem to be part of the classic maternity wardrobe. You’ll find a stripey top is every maternity section in every store (I don’t get it!). Síle's three key things to avoid while pregnant: 1) Worrying: It is only natural but worry is completely futile. Instead stay calm, mind yourself and go with the flow. 2) Negativity:  Listening to negative or dramatic pregnancy/birth stories which people seem to like to share! They won’t help and might lead to anxiety. 3) Scented candles: I was picking up some gifts early in my pregnancy and I was smelling a few different types of scented candles. I soon learnt it was a bad idea as I was so sensitive to odours. The ‘Christmas pudding’ candle almost sent me over the edge. I came very close to projectile vomiting on the spot! On that note… I’ll be back next week with my 28 Week update.

See you then! Sile xxx