Many of you know me by now, for those of you who don’t, this is just a snippet of my story. I’m currently pregnant with my second child, and while it’s very exciting it’s also exhausting. By this point in my first pregnancy, we were deep into COVID-19 and lockdown, with nowhere to go, no one to see, and no work (my previous business was events, and we all know what happened to those early in the pandemic).

I was terrified all the time, my anxiety was at an all-time high, and the only thing I could control was my movement and what I ate (I baked SO much bread). I did EVERYTHING by the book because I felt so lost and alone during this time and just wanted a “normal” pregnancy.

I’ve realized this time, there are no normal pregnancies, if it’s not a pandemic getting in the way, it’s a toddler, a career, a dog, a partner who travels non-stop, it’s getting COVID and then finding out the same week that you’re also pregnant.

Photo of a white and pink pregnancy test showing a positive result.

All that to say, I’m working on being much more relaxed about being pregnant this time around. I move daily when my body allows. I soak in the snuggles with my toddler, and I eat sushi, deli meat, cookie dough and undercooked eggs. Some days are SO much harder than others, and now in my third trimester I have gone from extreme and constant nausea to pure exhaustion. I’m likely going to start napping daily when my toddler naps just so I can function until bedtime.

I know that my body has what it needs to grow, birth, and nurture a human. I know that if breastfeeding feels impossible that I can pump or use formula to bottle feed. I know that even if I don’t always love how they help, my family will be there when I need. I know that my spouse who sometimes had trouble connecting in the early days when our son was born will grow into being an amazing father (as he has with our toddler).

Founder, Ellen, six weeks pregnant in Evergreen Activewear, wearing a pink sports bra and dark green shorts. — Six week pregnant and just recovered from COVID, wearing Evergreen Activewear.

I have also learned how to better advocate for myself this time around. As I close in on the last weeks of my pregnancy, I’ve already hired my doula (L&D, and postpartum), started seeing a pelvic floor PT, and begun prepping for this upcoming marathon. This time I have lists of lactation consultants and postpartum doulas because I’ve learned that the immediate postpartum time aka the fourth trimester, is just as much about my recovery as it is introducing my new little one to life outside the womb. If I don’t have what I need for my physical, emotional and mental health, I will be unable to support the growth of my new little one.

Founder, Ellen in Evergreen Activewear at 33 weeks pregnant, wearing a pink sports bra and green shorts.

There are so many things no one tells you about pregnancy and postpartum, hopefully here you’ll find just what you need to be physically and emotionally supported through this transitional time.

XO Ellen & The Evergreen Fam