The soon-to-be mom announced her pregnancy during the Oct. 8 episode of ‘The View,’ days after speaking with PEOPLE

Alyssa Farah Griffin would take her pregnancy symptoms over her in vitro fertilization (IVF) ones any day.

Days before the pair announced their happy news on The View, the soon-to-be first-time mom, 36, spoke with PEOPLE about how her first pregnancy with husband Justin Griffin, 37, has been for her so far. Alyssa shares that her pregnancy symptoms have been “blissful” compared to her IVF journey.

“I feel like, knock on wood, the pregnancy actually feels like blissful compared to the IVF journey because to be honest, the hormones and the medicine, you don’t feel yourself when you’re on a cycle and you have the side effects of being pregnant,” she says. “But because you’re working toward this goal, if I feel nauseous, it’s like, ‘Oh, yay, my body’s doing what it’s supposed to.’ It’s just, it’s exciting in a different way. So I’m loving this part of the process.”

As far as pregnancy cravings, the expectant mother tells PEOPLE she wants “food that I did as a kid.”

“I just have a complete sweet tooth, which I’m not really a sugary person and I just have a huge appetite and I’m telling myself — I’m like, ‘I want a big strong baby,’ ” Alyssa says. “So I am okay with eating what I need to and getting the nutrition that we need to.”

The daytime talk show host also opens up about the “hardest part” of her first trimester.

“The hardest part was the first trimester, which I was in at the end of last season, and really no one other than Brian at work knew. [I] was having the worst nausea and you’re not showing at all,” she recalls. “I couldn’t keep anything down.”

“I remember one day when we taped the weekend View, we all drink Diet Coke during it, and I wasn’t thinking I took a swig of it,” she recalls. “And I shouldn’t drink it. It’s not healthy during pregnancy, but aside from that, I just immediately felt sick. I got up and I was like, I need a moment. I thought I was going to vomit right there.”

Alyssa explains that she could only keep down bread and sweets at one point. Justin chimes in recalling the “American baguette,” or a French baguette coated in butter phase that she went through during that part of her pregnancy.

“Justin was appalled by my eating habits,” she jokes, with Justin adding, “You were just eating things I’d never seen you eat before.”

Alyssa went on to share that her first trimester was “tough,” but the second is “much smoother.”

“The first trimester was tough. Second is much smoother so far. And luckily I get to be my biggest in the dead of winter, so there’ll be a lot of boots and sweaters,” the mother-to-be says. “I’m going to be really grateful for that.”

Elsewhere in the conversation, Alyssa and Justin open up about their baby-to-be, sharing their excitement for the new addition.

“Baby Griffin is on the way and we’re just so excited — and terrified,” Alyssa says. “It’s starting to feel very real. This past week, I felt the baby kick for the first time, and immediately I grabbed Justin’s hand and he felt and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, what’s happening?!’ It was magical.”

“The time is flying by, it’s crazy,” Justin adds. “I’ve always wanted to be a father, and you feel so present when you get the news. Like, ‘This is happening!’ But then all of a sudden you zoom out and you’re like, ‘Wait, we’re 22 weeks pregnant? Where did it go? — slow down!’”

Alyssa also shares they’re expecting a little boy in February 2026.

“I’m so excited to be a boy mom, even though I’ll be outnumbered at home because we have two male dogs.” Alyssa shares, joking that The View co-hosts will help “balance” things out. “But wanted a boy first. I grew up with sisters, and I’ve always liked the idea of a big brother looking out for the younger siblings (because we both want two kids).”

“I can’t wait to hold the baby, that’s going to be the most amazing thing for me,” adds Justin. “And then, I’m excited to relive some of the most magical parts of my childhood through the lens of my own child. As someone who grew up with a big family and a very close family, the best memories I have are with my mom, my dad, my brother and our cousins. So I’m excited to create that environment for our son.”

“It’s like this blank slate of endless possibilities,” Alyssa continues. “And there’s an awesome responsibility attached to that, but I couldn’t think of a better person to be the partner in this than Justin.”