Embracing the Journey of Pregnancy: My First Half

Dreaming of Motherhood

I always imagined being a mother one day, and when I was really young, I thought I would have kids in my mid-20s. My mom was young when she had me and my siblings, and I love how young she is now that I’m in my mid-30s.

But as we grow up, our plans change. When I got to my mid-20s, I thought maybe my late 20s would be good, but then I found myself continuously pushing that hypothetical age when I would finally decide the “right time” to have children.

Finally, at 32 years old, married to my best friend, and feeling like I was somewhat of an actual adult, I made a BIG decision—I got my IUD removed!

Realizing There’s Never a ‘Right Time’

I initially tried to track my cycle to avoid pregnancy right away, but time seemed to fly by, and I finally realized something important:

THERE WILL NEVER BE A RIGHT TIME.

For me, at least, I knew I would always have more I wanted to do, new goals to chase, mountains to climb, and new business ventures to start.

But at the end of the day, I realized:

I CAN still do all of this while being a great mother.

Finding Strength in Other Mothers

Inspired by Bad-Ass Women

Something that made me feel more confident in my decision was seeing all the incredible women out there sharing their motherhood journeys.

Women are strong, resilient, and brave, and choosing to share your body for nearly a year to create life is nothing less than amazing.

These women—both those I know personally and those I look up to from afar—helped me feel ready to embark on my own pregnancy journey with my incredible and supportive husband, Robin.

Sharing My Own Journey

Now, at 35 years old and 5 months pregnant with our baby girl, I’ve been sharing my personal journey on Instagram.

I’ve always been someone who keeps things real and shares not just the good times, but the hard moments too. Seeing other women’s experiences helped me, and I hope that sharing mine can do the same for others.

Navigating Pregnancy: The Reality Check

The First Trimester: Not Fun

When people ask, “How are you finding pregnancy?”, I usually say:

“Well, I wouldn’t say it’s fun.”

The first trimester was a rollercoaster as my body adjusted to a surge of new hormones.

• Month Two was particularly rough—I felt constantly nauseous.
• People kept telling me to be thankful I wasn’t throwing up, but honestly, nausea is exhausting on its own.
• Oh, and the smells! My superpower suddenly became my nose, which meant poor Leo (our pup) had to eat outside because I couldn’t stand the smell of his food.

The Shift to the Second Trimester

Luckily, by month three, things started to get better:

✔️ I could tolerate coffee again (which, let’s be real, was a huge win).
✔️ Leo’s food became slightly less repulsive.
✔️ I could stomach protein again.

Pregnancy and Climbing: Adjusting to a Changing Body

Climbing in the First Trimester

In the first two months, I climbed as usual and barely changed my training.

But by the third month, something shifted.

• I suddenly felt scared to drop from the top of the bouldering wall.
• The next session, I was hesitant to go for moves that I might fall on.

These feelings came out of nowhere, and no one told me I couldn’t fall—it was just an instinct that kicked in.

The Second Trimester: A Whole New Challenge

Energy levels started going back up, but everything felt harder.

One of the biggest shocks? The Relaxin hormone hits hard in months 3 and 4.

One session, I was sending V10 and V11s in a roof. The next, V8s felt like my max.

People love to say, “Pregnancy is like having your own personal weight vest.”

But for me, the hardest part has been Relaxin—something many men have no clue about!

Listening to My Body: Training Through Pregnancy

Modifying My Routine

I still run every other day, but when my lower back didn’t feel great, I took four days off and focused on mobility work instead.

Similarly, when my shoulder started feeling off, I took a break from climbing and did rehab instead—and it helped a lot!

The Biggest Lesson: LISTEN TO YOUR BODY

This has been the most important thing I’ve learned so far in continuing to train safely through pregnancy.

The Magic of Feeling Baby Kicks

The coolest part of pregnancy so far?

Feeling her move and kick!

I always have my hand on my belly now because I LOVE feeling her move around.

Before getting pregnant, I thought feeling a baby kick might freak me out—like having an alien inside me.

But it’s actually this incredible, magical connection that only a pregnant person can truly understand.

Halfway There: Still Training and Climbing

Keeping Up with Climbing (and Outclimbing My Husband!)

We’re halfway through this journey, and I’m still:
✔️ Climbing
✔️ Bouldering
✔️ Running
✔️ Strength training

Being slightly competitive, I keep telling my husband that I’m still outclimbing him—we’ll see how long that lasts!

We climb every other day, alternating between bouldering and sport climbing, with cardio and strength training on off days.

Focusing on Core and Pelvic Floor Health

One of the most important things I’ve started doing is working with a trainer to keep my deep core and pelvic floor healthy and strong.

This is all about setting myself up for:

• Safe training through pregnancy
• An easier postpartum recovery

Pregnancy Journeys Are Unique

No One-Size-Fits-All Approach

Every pregnancy is different, and it’s easy to compare yourself to others.

But I’ve learned that there are no clear-cut answers—what’s right for me may not be right for someone else.

The key is to listen to your body and find what works for you.

Navigating Marginal Cord Insertion (MCI)

An Unexpected Finding at 20 Weeks

At my 20-week fetal anatomy scan, I found out that our baby girl’s umbilical cord is attached to the placenta in a less-than-ideal place.

This condition is called Marginal Cord Insertion (MCI).

What This Means

The biggest concern with MCI is stunted growth or lack of oxygen.

But for now, our baby girl is:
✔️ Growing well
✔️ Measuring in the 66th percentile

Our midwives reassured us that this doesn’t mean anything bad right now, but they’ll monitor her with extra scans just in case.

Learning, Growing, and Preparing for Motherhood

This is all new territory for me, and I know things will continue to get harder.

But I’m inspired by all the mothers before me who have continued to do what they love while raising their families.

Thank you for reading my thoughts and feelings through the first half of my pregnancy journey. I’ll keep documenting my story, hoping it helps others as they embark on their own journeys.