A gallery from our babymoon excursion to Savaia, Samoa, where they have a giant clam sanctuary. Ian and I always try to visit whenever we’re in Samoa to see how the clams are faring, and enjoy whenever we’re on the south side of the island.
We paid our entrance fee to the family living nearby (the fees go towards village community funds which protect this marine sanctuary area), and got in the lagoon. There are two mixed fresh and saltwater rock pools as soon as you enter, but we skipped those and snorkeled out to the buoy markers where the clams were.
However, we couldn’t find it for like the first two hours!! We swam to the spot where we remember swimming to last time, but after several failed attempts getting out and getting back in the water to find the clams, and almost giving up the third time, I looked it up online to double check the location and we just missed it by a little bit! It can be found by swimming several hundred meters straight out and is right in the middle of the buoy markers.
We swam over again and stayed for another hour to hang out and admire the colorful and unique patterns from the four species of giant clams: Tridacna gigas, T. maxima, T. noae, and T. squamosa. The largest species, T. gigas, is the world’s largest bivalve species, so it always gives us a feeling of awe and inspiration to see such a magical creation with our own eyes.
Flashback to a few months ago… My life was looking and feeling way too busy that I wasn’t really able to enjoy even being pregnant throughout my second trimester. I had more energy and was feeling more “normal” — thankfully. But that actually made me work harder than I probably should have, and I hurried to get as much stuff done as I could do before the impending third trimester, because I heard it was a toughie… *IT IS!
*Me now in the third trimester
Towards the end of my second trimester, I finally booked our tickets and planned our baby moon trip. It was a sort of a combo between a girls trip to celebrate our gal pal, Sam, who was getting married soon, and then I double ended it with a baby moon for me and Ian to soak up our alone time with just us and the baby bump.
The borders were finally open — Let’s go to Samoa!
We all checked in to Taumeasina Island Resort to spend a few days in luxury with all our friends. We got together for fancy dinners out, and swam and hung out by the pool. Ian paid for a 90-minute prenatal massage at the Fofo Spa because I deserved it, he said! So sweet.
Waking up each morning felt romantic, with the light pouring in through the gauzy floor to ceiling curtains that lined the walls, and when drawn, we would take in the expansive ocean views from our Deluxe Oceanview Hotel Room. We were on the first floor, which I greatly preferred because: 1) I wouldn’t have to trudge up any stairs with my newest pregnancy symptom, pelvic girdle pain, and 2) we could walk right out to the lawn and enjoy coffee outside on our patio.
Our group got a rental van and took a road trip to the south of the island for a little adventure. Because of course, what’s a trip to Samoa without visiting the famous To Sua Ocean Trench?!
With tourism just ramping back up in Samoa, there was a small crowd already there, but we got to enjoy the saltwater trench all to ourselves for about an hour too before heading back to our hotel, and going out for pizzas at Giordanos that night.
For our last night of girls night, we went on a fancy dinner out to Paddles Italian Restaurant. We all got dolled up and toasted pretty beverages to a pink and orange setting sun and feasted on all the appetizers, literally. We ordered one of everything on the appetizer menu, and by the time our entrees came out, we were pretty full and most of us took leftovers back with us. The groom to be had won big at the casino so dinner was graciously covered by his good fortune!
When we got back to the hotel, some of the girls caught the second half of the Friday entertainment by the infamous Cindy of Samoa. Meanwhile some of us went back to one of the rooms and prepared some naughty decor and drinks to surprise the soon to be Mrs. with a girls night out on the town — Vegas bachelorette style — complete with a party bus, dedicated driver, all black sexy outfits, and sassy bachelorette sashes for us and the bride to be.
With me being at the cusp of my third trimester, I impressed myself by going out in heels (though they were moderate in height), dancing sober while managing my pelvic pain, and staying out till the club closed down just past midnight (thank God it wasn’t at 2am like back home in AS).
When we finally were done for the night, I jumped back into my cozy bed back at the hotel and by mid-morning, we were packed and checked out, and ready to officially hit the road to start our baby moon!
Ian and I got a car rental and roadtripped it to the south side of the island towards Maninoa Beach Fales. Nestled between two very posh resorts, Sinalei Reef Resort and Coconuts Resort, the spot we booked through AirBnb was the perfect vibe for us. The azure sea and sky welcomed us warmly and we settled in comfortably in our beach fale.
There was a small beach wedding party there when we arrived, but they were just there for the day, and Ian and I got the beach all to ourselves for the evening. Ian dug me up a belly hole so I could lay on my belly, FINALLY, and relax in the shade with a book.
After a big night out for me, I wanted to take it super easy, so I laid out on the beach all afternoon while Ian went and made friends with some of the guys who let him take out a paddle board out for a few hours of SUP surfing.
I felt blissed out and after a shower and a delicious dinner, we chatted in bed about baby and our future and cuddled until the stars came out.
This list is one I’ve compiled for myself as a new mama, and one that I wanted to save as a guide for recommendations on what are the essentials throughout each trimester.
This is a list JUST FOR MAMAS.
Because we deserve all the love and props for doing what we do… Amen? Amen!
FIRST TRIMESTER
Prenatal Vitamins
If you’re even thinking about or wanting to getting pregnant, you should start taking prenatal vitamins right away! I got two different brands… I don’t think the brand really matters though, but I do like these two because of its clean ingredients. I started with the Actif Organic prenatals but in the middle of my first trimester, I had some nausea and could barely swallow the pills without gagging just because I’m terrible at taking pills, so I also got the SmartyPants Organic Prenatal Gummy Vitamins so I could chew them, plus they taste yummy.
Pregnancy Journal
Even though I was very weirdly averse to journaling, I still think this is such an essential to have in your first trimester. It doesn’t have to be fancy, it can simply be a notebook or notepad you use to write down all your questions (instead of constantly googling, which I found out the hard way, is not the best idea if you’re anxious at all about your pregnancy), and list out your milestones, pregnancy symptoms, resources, and important dates for appointments, etc.
While it’s not specifically a pregnancy journal, my all-time-favorite notebook ever is actually from Traveler’s Notebook. The notebooks itself are very simple, but the notebook system is absolute genius and completely customizable. I’ve been using these notebooks since 2016 I think and it’s the one and only essential notebook I’ll never give up. I love that I can add a notebook insert specifically for pregnancy and motherhood, and other inserts for other aspects of my life.
This pregnancy journal called “Growing You” by Korie Herold was gifted to me by my neighbors Traci and Ano. I like it because it has thoughtful prompts to reflect on the bigger moments of pregnancy, and built in envelope space to store photos and notes.
Body butter
I know stretch marks are so common and it’s not exactly preventable, but hey, why not lather up anyways to keep your growing belly nice and moisturized. I used Palmer’s Cocoa Butter and then I ran out, and just used whatever else I had around the house like the Lush Body Moisturizing Charity Pot, Almond oil, and a locally made Mailelani lotion.
Bump wedge pillow
This is my definite MUST HAVE for the first trimester. I actually bought a pretty fancy pregnancy pillow, thinking that was all I needed… but one of my girlfriends who had just recently given birth gave me her Boppy wedge pillow, and this (on top of having a pregnancy pillow) was a godsend for my first trimester. It really supported my growing belly whenever I laid on my side and my bump didn’t quite hang all the way over onto the bed. I would rank this very high in my list of necessities in my first trimester!
Pregnancy pillow
There are so many pregnancy pillows out there. I wanted something that I could use beyond just my pregnancy (and something that didn’t take up too much space on my bed), so I got this adjustable body pillow by Norwegian brand bbhugme. It’s super soft and feels luxe, and it’s designed by chiropracters so it’s good for you too.
SECOND TRIMESTER
Maternity clothes
You’re probably showing more in the second trimester, and you might still be able to squeeze into your loose-fitting clothes, but I’m telling ya, just invest in a few maternity basics. I hesitated for the longest time, but then caved when even my regular leggings were feeling tight and uncomfortable. I got these biker shorts, this workout set (my actual fave thing to wear right now), and because I’m redundant, another pair of biker shorts (in cotton so it’s wayyyy more comfortable and really great to combat chafing issues). Get maternity clothes. You won’t regret it.
Comfortable underwear
All I can say really is, I recommend really comfortable underwear during this time. I only used seamless thongs (and I still wear them like every day as a preggo because I hate panty lines), so if anything, just size up! I didn’t get pregnancy specific underwear, I just sized up, and it’s been good. I also recommend getting some boxer briefs if you suffer from chafing issues.
Reusable water bottle
You’re gonna get thirsty, and you’re not gonna want to get up to refill your glass. So grab a reusable water bottle of your choice, and stay hydrated, mama.
Comfy house slippers
You’re on your feet literally, all the time, and with the added weight, you’re going to want some comfy house slippers. Heck, even slippers for going out. I see everyone’s wearing these Birkenstocks, clogs, and cloud slippers, but whatever your budget, there are comfy slippers that you won’t regret wearing. I just got a fuzzy pair of house slippers from a thrift store for like $3 bucks, and it’s been a dream.
THIRD TRIMESTER
Pregnancy/yoga ball
I just learned how important it is to start leaning forward in your third trimester. I usually like to recline on my back, but leaning forward is important to help prepare baby to get in place for birth, that way baby isn’t spine to spine, which makes it difficult for them to exit. I have a yoga ball at work and at home so I can work on my core and preggo posture.
Nursing bras
By the third trimester, your boobs might have doubled or even tripled in size! I have itty bitties, so I was able to get away with just sizing up early on in my pregnancy. But as you reach your third trimester, you might want to get nursing bras so that you’re prepared for any possible leaks and so you’re comfortable wearing them and using them by the time baby comes!
Belly support band
A heavy belly can cause back pain and pelvic pain, so belly support bands are your saving grace! There are many options out there, so choose one depending on your needs.
Compression Socks
I have been lucky to not have my feet swell up… yet. But I will be traveling soon so I got these compression socks to help with circulation and prevent possible swelling. I have also heard from many other mamas that their compression socks were their best friend in the third trimester, so it is definitely recommended for comfort.
Dress pajamas / robe
Hopefully in your last weeks before pregnancy, you’re able to kick up your feet and relax… after all the work your body has done, and the nesting phase you’ve probably gone through or are still going through… you deserve to just lay around in cozy pajamas all day!
I feel soooo lucky to call this place home, surrounded by some of the best friends a gal could ask for!
My girlfriends planned this tropical beachy baby shower for me, Ian, and baby Moffitt.
My only request was for it to be a co-ed event so our village of fam and friends — guys, gals, and pets — could join in.
We started off on island time, of course… just a couple hours after the start time on the invitation 😉
Dad started us off with a word of prayer.
Then a buffet of food was ready to be devoured. On the menu, we had:
Steaks, burgers, hot dogs from the grill thanks to Tim and Sam
A colorful green salad by Chef Dee
Mac salad and vaitipolo (freshly squeezed Samoan lemonade) by Traci and Ano
Filipino pancit by my mama
The best brownies on island, also by Traci and Ano
Everyone rallied for games like guess mama’s bump size, guess the age of baby Relly and baby Ian in the pics (these were displayed as cute centerpieces for each table), tinkle in the potty race, head-shoulders-knees-and-toes grab the diapers as fast as you can, and poppin’ bottles of beer and baby food.
My mom gave some words of advice.
Then Ian went up to the house and brought Yodi down in preparation for our version of a “gender reveal”…
Many thanks to Traci for giving us the idea just hours before the baby shower to have Yodi reveal the gender… we otherwise were just going to announce it by telling everyone because everything else seemed cheesy. Anyway! I had quickly made Yodi a bandana earlier in the morning using fabric scraps from an old tropical green lavalava, and hand stitched a canvas triangle scrap over the green fabric where I used acrylic paint to write out “It’s A Girl”.
For the gender reveal, we asked everyone to stand to our left if they thought it was a girl, and to the right if they thought it was a boy. When the groups were split, we gave one of our friends a piece of hamburger meat so Yodi would go to that side. Gabby counted us down and then we released Yodi from her leash and unfurled her bandana around her neck. It was pretty chaotic because Yodi ran the complete other way at first because she was so excited. From the folks who guessed boy, half yelled and half sighed because they saw that her bandana said “It’s A Girl”, and everyone that guessed girl, all yelled too! They were right!! It was cute.
While Ian and I generally think that gender reveals are a bit dated, and silly, it was a fun way to tell everyone at the same time what the doctor told us… there’s a hamburger down there, not a hot dog! hahaha.
To close off the baby shower, Ian and I shared our heartfelt thanks with everyone. We had a lot of fun, and I was happy that it was still early enough in the afternoon for us to just hang out, or dip out if we wanted to.
I changed into a bikini and got in the water to relax the rest of the day. I was only planning on hanging out in the water for an hour or two… but I ended up staying in the water until a little after 9pm (!) and we saw an epic full moon rise up out of the horizon. It was huge and bright red! It felt like the perfect way to cap the evening — under the moon and stars with our friends, and my little kicking baby bump.
At this point, it’s “old news” but since I’ve not been able to get on my blog for a long while, it’s “new news” on here…
I’m pregnant!
Yes, I’m a Baby Mama!
I am now in my third trimester, and gobsmacked at how fast the time has flown, but also wondering if the next last months are going to drag out. I’m patient though. Baby is kicking a lot and I have grown and changed a lotttt.
Being pregnant is a beautiful thing. I’ve been looking forward to this experience since the Mr. and I decided we were ready to start a family last year. And to be honest, I’ve had a bit of a rough go at pregnancy — nothing too crazy, but it’s been a roller coaster for sure. These days, even with all the aches and pains that come along with growing a human, I’m grateful to be where we are now, and for an exciting new chapter to come.
I’m adding a “Motherhood” category on my blog so in the future I can look back at this whole adventure, and in the meantime, share my evolution in words and photos whilst in the throes of my new life as a mama.
Cheers to me (honestly) and to all the mamas out there!
Sending all the hugs and belly rubs to new moms-to-be too!
xo, Nerelle
Photos of me at 24 weeks pregnant by my darling husband.
