This week, Amodrn founder, Bianca Cheah, announced that her and husband, Simon Chalmers are expecting—and to say that we’re excited here at Amodrn HQ is an understatement! Very soon there will be a little baby Cheah/Chalmers running around (keep an eye out for the gender reveal—we’ve already placed our bets!).
As Bianca enters her second trimester, here, she shares what her journey has been like so far from her weird food cravings and ‘no go’ zones (Italian is totally off the cards FYI which is HUGE for a self-confessed pasta lover!) to improving her fertility, falling pregnant in the second half of her 30s and dealing with morning sickness that—for weeks on end—lasted all day.
Take us through your pregnancy journey thus far. How have you found the whole experience?
It’s been okay so far, but I’m sure other women have been in far worse situations than me. The only thing would be the morning sickness which I’m sure a lot of other women can relate to. Gosh, those weird food aversions and smells. Every candle in my house was turned upside down, I don’t remember the last time I sprayed perfume. I made my husband do the laundry as the detergent made me sick. I still can’t stand the sight or smell of Italian, Indian or any fast foods funnily enough. Even water and chocolate I had a massive aversion to. I’ve also been craving some weird things too, like ham salad sandwiches, salads… chocolate mint Ice Magic topping. The first trimester I had no appetite at all, even downing vitamins were hard. But at the end of the tunnel, I was only thinking of the beautiful thing that was growing inside my belly and making it healthy and happy.
Were there any particular lifestyle changes you made when trying to conceive?
Not many actually. I took prenatal vitamins for 6 months and still am, I lowered my stress levels considerably but mainly tried not to think about falling pregnant. I was always like “if it happens, it happens.”
Image: Instagram.com/biancamaycheah
Were you taking any particular vitamins or supplements under the guidance of a healthcare professional?
I was taking Elevit daily and using an ovulation app. The apps are great as they tell you when you’re ovulating. When I fell pregnant, my doctor advised me to take Vit D, DHA and a great prenatal that had everything I needed in it. Which I still am doing (Elevit).
What has been the most challenging part of pregnancy for you up until this point?
Definitely the morning sickness. It started as soon as week 5 and two days hit. I was sleeping like 14 hours per day. The sickness was as soon as I woke up till I went to bed. It was consistent and never let up and was hard for me to even do any work let alone stand up. The bed was my best friend. By week 12 and three days, the all-day-round-the-clock sickness subsided substantially. Now I’ll have five good days and two bad days a week. But it’s only getting better. I have so much more energy, still, not much of an appetite, but I make sure I eat a well-balanced diet for both me and the little bubba.
Image: Instagram.com/biancamaycheah
What advice would you give for women who are trying to conceive/find out they’re pregnant in the second half of their 30s?
I’m not a doctor, but for me, I was just playing it day by day, and being the best version of myself. I felt like if I placed too much energy on it, then it wouldn’t happen.
How important do you think a healthy lifestyle is for those over 35 who are wanting to have a baby and what do you credit your personal success to?
Of course, a healthy lifestyle is a key factor for everything. I know how hard it is for some women to fall pregnant out there, and my heart goes out to them. But honestly, for me, I placed it all down to “it will happen when my body is ready.” I never planned or even thought about it.
I’m also not a big drinker and I don’t smoke. I love yoga and always place myself in calming situations. I am a regular user of aromatherapy oils and listener of classical piano and chill music. I eat a lot of fresh produce, not a big eater of red meat. I love my herbal teas and fresh juices.
Follow @biancamaycheah on Instagram where she will be sharing all her pregnancy updates!
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