As I sit here drinking decaf coffee, listening to rat pack tunes, and recovering from a nasty run-in with the flu, I wanted to share our second-trimester recap. Considering my current state, the second trimester really looks like a breeze! It went by so fast and the third is ticking by at a similar pace.
Now that Paul and I are just about 32 weeks, I can confidently say the second trimester left me feeling more confident with the whole pregnancy experience. You hear people say the second trimester is the most pleasant and I do, in most ways, agree with that. Mentally, I felt way better in the second trimester but my health has stayed about the same and I’ve run into very few (knock on wood) issues.
All of the Pregnancy Symptoms
Weight Gain
If you read my first-trimester recap then you know I was super stressed about gaining weight. I actually lost weight at the beginning because I was in a marathon training cycle. Due to the baby and my concern about her growing properly, I decided to opt-out of said marathon and give my body time to catch up… well, we definitely caught up! At this point, my weight is right on track for her size.
The quick weight gain has, however, caused some unpleasant back issues. I get random pains that shoot up my lower back and I find standing up and down to be uncomfortable. Needless to say, I’ve already started taking it slow when it comes to movement. I am thankful the lower back pain isn’t constant so it has been manageable. Picking up a back ice pack was my best move to alleviate the pain.
Another fun result of your growing belly is the I can’t see my feet! moment. The belly makes shaving so difficult and we still have weeks to go! Trying to blind shave your legs and privates is a real challenge. I can absolutely see the benefits of getting everything waxed at this stage.
Heartburn & Acid Reflux
This is one symptom that sneaks up on you and makes things extremely unpleasant. I have always dealt with acid reflux to some degree but never like this. I didn’t take note of it until about 24 weeks. It comes and goes and can be tied to something I ate or be completely random.
I found out there really is not much you can do for pregnancy-related heartburn except to watch what you are eating, try and take Tums before it gets worse, and keep up with your water intake. If you end up with gestational diabetes like me (more on that next), you may want to order the Sugar-Free Tums. They can be harder to find but may help with your sugar levels.
Gestational Diabetes
I will preface this section by saying I am not a diabetic and have never had issues with my sugar. I am not in any of the ‘normal’ categories for someone at risk for gestational diabetes. Alas, here we are. I went in for the first and second diabetes lab tests and failed both. Thankfully, neither came out exceptionally high but they were high enough to land me in the to-be-watched category.
The biggest change with this has been managing my diet more closely. I try to eat more whole grains and seed bread and fewer starches and white bread. I never consumed a lot of sugar before so that hasn’t been much of an adjustment for me. I do miss my daily cranberry juice more than anything.
There is the minor inconvenience of having to take your blood sugar two hours after every meal but I’ve quickly gotten used to it and it’s really not so bad. I went through one too many test strips learning how to use the machine but we are finally semi-pros and aren’t wasting any more.
Things That Have Helped Me
Maternity Clothing
I am finally at the point where maternity shirts are a must. One of my favorites has been this $12.98 Time and True ruffle sleeve tee from Walmart. I also love the Time and True classic black and white v-neck tees which are super soft and only $6.94. Another Walmart find was the non-maternity No Boundaries Lace-Up Dress which (at $13.98) is stretchy and perfect to wear during and after pregnancy.
For pants, I pretty much live in maternity leggings and jeans. I tried on jeans from many stores but H&M’s maternity line fits the best. I love the MAMA Super Skinny Jeans for everyday wear. We also picked up a pair of white jeans from our local H&M clearance rack! My favorite leggings are the Glampunch Yoga Pants with pockets. I picked these up in both black and blue.
Pregnancy Pillow
In my not pregnant state, I sleep flat on my back with my head barely propped up on a pillow. Paul always thinks it’s strange but I (apparently) find it comfortable. It is recommended you don’t sleep on your back during pregnancy so I bought a pillow to try and prevent this from happening. I still wake up on my back but at least it’s somewhat propped up so I get less nervous.
The PharMeDoc Pregnancy Pillow has been great for both sleeping and lounging during the day. I have used it behind my back and neck to help with any stress there as well. At $40 it is relatively affordable and I do think it could be great for nursing as well.
I have still had no dramatic pregnancy cravings or out-of-character mood swings. Paul is maybe getting a bit confused by my constant state of nesting but we’ll get through it. I can’t help how excited I am to finish touching up the nursery and getting our house prepared for our baby girl!