Hey there, beautiful souls! ✨
If you’ve been following my journey for a while now, you know that I’ve been navigating the incredible, challenging, mind-blowing experience that is pregnancy and early motherhood. It’s been quite the ride, and I’ve learned so much along the way that I wanted to share with all of you.
Today, I’m bringing you the third (and possibly final) installment of my pregnancy Q&A series. Julia is already five months old now (how did that happen so fast?!), so this feels like a perfect time to wrap up this chapter and answer those lingering questions many of you have been curious about.
So grab your favorite beverage (I’ll be sipping on some Argentinian mate throughout this post), get comfortable, and let’s chat like we’re old friends catching up on life!
Did Oreo (My Dog) Know I Was Pregnant?
This is one of those questions that makes me wish our furry friends could talk! So many of you were curious if Oreo behaved differently around me during pregnancy or if she somehow “knew” what was happening.
It’s fascinating how many stories I’ve heard about dogs who seemed to sense their owner’s pregnancy even before the person knew themselves. In Oreo’s case, though, I’m not entirely convinced she understood that a tiny human was growing inside me.
What I did notice was that she became my dedicated napping partner. Anyone who knows me knows I’m not typically a napper—I’m that person who feels guilty about “wasting time” during the day (I know, I know, toxic productivity mindset that I’m working on!). But pregnancy exhaustion is REAL, especially during the first trimester and those final weeks.
Oreo absolutely loved having a nap buddy. She’d curl up next to me on the couch or join me for an afternoon bedroom siesta, which was completely out of character for pre-pregnancy me. So while I don’t think she conceptualized “pregnancy,” she definitely enjoyed the lifestyle changes it brought!
My Pregnancy Skincare Adjustments
The skincare question is one I’ve received constantly both during pregnancy and now postpartum! If you’re a skincare enthusiast like me, you know how devastating it can be to have to pause using your favorite products.
The biggest change in my routine? Saying goodbye to retinol. 😭
For those who might not know, retinol is generally not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding because it enters your bloodstream and has been associated with birth defects. As someone who saw dramatic overnight results with retinol (seriously, it’s the only skincare ingredient where I wake up the next day and can actually SEE the difference), this was tough!
I essentially maintained the rest of my routine, focusing on keeping my skin hydrated and incorporating pregnancy-safe actives like:
- Hyaluronic acid
- Vitamin C
- Niacinamide (I still struggle to pronounce this one correctly!)
I did experience some pregnancy-related breakouts, so I relied on pimple patches and gentle spot treatments to manage those. But overall, my skincare philosophy remained: hydrate, protect, and use pregnancy-safe actives.
If you watched my skincare routine video from last year, I was actually secretly pregnant when I filmed that! No one knew except my husband, and I was using entirely pregnancy-safe products in that video.
Quick tip: Always check with your dermatologist about your specific products. Most brands will indicate on their website if something is pregnancy-safe, but your doctor knows best!
Medical Checkups During Pregnancy: Are They Different Across Countries?
This question fascinated me! Since I’ve only been pregnant once (and in the US), I actually reached out to many of you through my Instagram stories to gather insights about pregnancy checkups around the world.
From what I learned, the number and timing of standard appointments seem relatively consistent globally. Here’s what my schedule looked like:
8 Weeks: This first ultrasound is crucial—it confirms fetal activity, heart rate, and viability of the pregnancy (as well as checking if you’re carrying multiples!). It’s sobering to learn that about one in four pregnancies end in first-trimester loss, which is why this appointment is so significant.
12 Weeks: This appointment includes measurements of the baby’s neck, which can indicate potential genetic conditions. Interestingly, this test is becoming less common as blood tests can now provide more accurate results.
20 Weeks: This was the appointment I was most nervous about! It’s a comprehensive hour-long ultrasound where they measure EVERYTHING—heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, spine—to make sure baby is developing properly. This halfway point was a major milestone for me, and I chose not to widely share my pregnancy news until after this appointment.
30+ Weeks: In the final stretch, appointments become more frequent, checking baby’s position, growth, and preparing for delivery.
Something I found interesting from my informal survey: in Spain, pregnant women often see midwives rather than OB/GYNs for many of their appointments, which seems to be less common in the US.
Your appointment schedule might vary based on your age (pregnancies in women 35+ are typically monitored more closely) and any risk factors. But if you’re in those weeks between appointments feeling anxious because nothing’s happening—I’ve been there! My doctor reassured me that “boring” pregnancies without complications are actually the goal, and weeks without appointments usually mean everything is progressing perfectly normally.
The Cost of Having a Baby in the United States
Oh boy, this is the question that gets political quickly, isn’t it?
Yes, having a baby in the US is expensive. The question isn’t really about the cost of care itself (which would be expensive anywhere) but rather who’s paying for it.
In countries with universal healthcare, these costs are covered by the government through tax revenue. In the US, you’re more likely to see itemized bills for each appointment, procedure, and service—and those numbers can be shocking.
I’ve kept detailed records of all our pregnancy and delivery expenses (if you’re interested in a breakdown, let me know in the comments!). Between insurance premiums, deductibles, co-pays, and out-of-pocket costs, the financial aspect of pregnancy can be stressful.
Personally, I believe healthcare—especially reproductive healthcare—should be accessible to everyone regardless of employment status or income level. It breaks my heart that medical care in the US is often profit-driven, leaving many people vulnerable or making difficult financial decisions around their health.
I hope we continue to see positive changes in healthcare policy that prioritize people over profit. (Sorry for getting on my soapbox here, but I feel strongly about this!)
My Overall Pregnancy Experience
Looking back on my pregnancy journey now that I’m on the other side, I’d describe my experience as relatively textbook:
- First trimester: Extremely nauseous (at one point I nearly went to the ER for IV fluids because I couldn’t keep water down), exhausted, and generally feeling unlike myself.
- Second trimester: The “golden period” where I felt energetic and more like my pre-pregnancy self.
- Third trimester: The fatigue returned, along with the physical discomfort of carrying a full-term baby (goodbye, internal organs—hello, baby feet in my ribs!).
I did have to take medication for nausea in my first trimester and iron supplements toward the end when my levels dropped (which is common—babies take what they need from us!). But otherwise, my pregnancy was blessedly uncomplicated.
When people ask if I “loved being pregnant,” I have to say I fell somewhere in the middle of the spectrum. I was absolutely amazed by what the human body can do—growing another human inside you is mind-blowing when you really think about it. But I wasn’t one of those women who glowed and floated through pregnancy in pure bliss either.
I was grateful my body was healthy enough to carry a baby, I appreciated the miraculous aspects of the experience, and I managed the uncomfortable parts as best I could. For me, it was neither miserable nor magical—just a profound, sometimes challenging, temporary state that brought me my beautiful Julia.
What’s Next?
While this might be my last pregnancy Q&A (at least for this pregnancy!), I have several related videos and posts planned:
- Pregnancy essentials: Products that were absolute lifesavers
- Useful pregnancy apps that guided me through each trimester
- Baby essentials: What actually proved worthwhile for Julia
- And more postpartum/baby Q&As as we navigate this new chapter
If you have specific questions or topics you’d like me to cover, please drop them in the comments below! I love hearing from you and creating content that genuinely helps.
For those of you currently pregnant: I’m sending you all the good vibes for a healthy pregnancy and safe delivery. And for everyone else: thank you for being here and supporting this chapter of my life—it means more than you know.
Until next time, Flor 💕
What were you drinking while reading this post? Let me know in the comments below!
P.S. If you missed the previous pregnancy Q&As, you can watch part one here and part two here.
