The second trimester : Oh how you've grown.
August 13, 2017
The second trimester, my favorite trimester so far, which is no surprise. I rolled my eyes when people told me my pregnancy was going to get easier after 14 weeks. It felt like the nausea and constant fatigue was going to stay about but it soon subsided and I started to feel relatively normal again. In fact some days I even forgot I was pregnant, besides the constant reminder of my clothes getting tighter and not being able to breathe whilst climbing the stairs.
I'm not going to lie, I found it hard not being able to fit into my clothes anymore and when I got to 19 weeks and my trusty size 12 jeans wouldn't fit me anymore I was absolutely gutted. I have more than struggled with this new body, this bump I'm harboring and the inevitable weight gain but then you feel a kick and those feelings all evaporate. My body's growing this tiny human, I thought to myself. I should cut myself some slack. Not being able to walk for very long without getting swollen feet, out of breathe and overheated wasn't the best feeling in the world but just the thought of having these tiny little person inside of me again, changed my mind set.
Going to the 20 week scan and confirming that our beautiful growing bean was definitely a boy made everything sink in even more. We had a glimpse at his personality, AGAIN like at every other scan he laid with his arms behind his back, relaxing. He allowed the sonographer to measure everything she needed to besides his heart, when he then decided to be awkward and roll around constantly. He finally laid in the most awkward position which resulted eating a full chocolate brownie, downing a lot of sugary pop and doing star jumps in the hospital's toilets. Eventually his heart was checked and everything looked perfect. He was growing average. We fell so much more in love with that little button nosed human we could see on the screen.
My advice to women going through the second trimester would be.....
Find some maternity basics!
Maternity clothes have been the absolute bane of my life, so expensive and so ill fitting with not many options besides online I began to feel so down about myself. I ordered some maternity basics from new look which fit perfectly and I'll hopefully get my wear out of. Ideal for work clothes and casual clothes. Their pj's are perfect and most of their maternity clothes are fairly priced! The thing I really struggled with was finding some jeans. That's when I stumbled across red herring in Debenhams. Their sales were incredible and I picked up the most perfect pair of cropped maternity jeans that fit like a glove. No baggy knees, no saggy bum and no tightening around the crotch! With an over the bump band. They're just perfect! I also got a maternity smock top and striped maxi dress all for under £30. Beautiful quality also!!
Nest when you want to nest
So when we did the nursery, again we were told it was far too early to be doing a nursery but for us it wasn't. I was nesting, James was nesting. It just felt so right to get organised at that point. So that's what we did. We have never been so organised about anything in our lives before. I've started on the hospital bag, washed all of his clothes, blankets, hats etc. and I feel so much better for it. How we see it for us personally we're now organised so there's no rushing at the end and we can enjoy each others company before this little whirlwind comes and shakes up our lives.
Drink lots of water!!!
The second trimester migraines are not the best. The feeling that you've just been hit over the head with a cricket bat, not being able to open your eyes without being blinded isn't the most exciting. But if you drink plenty of water, use ice packs/masks and migraine strips (make sure you check that the ones you pick up are safe to use in pregnancy) you should be able to keep the migraines at bay for most of the time, but be aware your sinuses are changing!
Feeling the baby kick
Everyone is so different. Although people don't mean anything by it the constant question of 'have you felt the baby kick yet?' and 'has your partner felt the baby yet?' can add a lot of pressure and make you a little panicked that something might be wrong. I felt Henry moving and kicking very lightly from about 14-15 weeks. But these felt more like pops and butterflies at the time I second guessed myself to whether I was imagining this or if it was really happening. I felt him strongly move from about 23 weeks and James felt him for the first time at 24 weeks and 2 days. Everyone is different and feels baby at different times, it's not a competition so don't worry yourself if you can't feel your baby kicking strongly yet. It can take up to 28 weeks for new mums!! and if you have an other half, when they feel the baby move for the first time it's such an incredible feeling. Finally someone can share what you're feeling, you don't feel as alone in this pregnancy anymore. Your baby is finally sharing a part of themselves with someone other than you. It's amazing.
Weight gain and eating habitsAlthough eating healthily is important for you and baby sometimes your body wants things that you may not usually eat, sometimes it's hard not to snack. Before I was pregnant I rarely snacked, I ate big meals and snacked on fruit. But when you get to 20-21 weeks pregnant it's as if I was a woman possessed. The insatiable hunger. The craving for something in particular and not being able to stop thinking about it until it had passed your lips was very overwhelming, again, everyone's different so this won't be the same for everyone else. But baby was having a huge growth spurt and he was definitely taking the energy that he needed to do so!!!!
Take peoples advice with a pinch of salt!
Everyone wants to give you advice when you're pregnant and that's fine as long as they're aware you have your own opinions and way of doing things and they respect that. The one thing I would say is to not pay attention to anyone's horrific birth stories, opinions on the hospital you plan to give birth on and what will be best for baby when they arrive because honestly, you can't plan these kind of things. Don't feel guilty for rolling your eyes inside your head at the tiresome advice people seem to give you. Do take some of it in though but don't let it cloud your head.
Buy yourself a baby journal
Everyone was buying us gifts for Henry but I wanted something special for him from his dad and me. So I came across the most perfect baby journal from paperchase. The thought that one day I'll get to sit and read it to Henry and he'll have it for the rest of his life is so special.
Look for mama support!!
Even though baby isn't here yet you still might be feeling a little alone. Even if you have mama friends already you may still want to broaden your horizons and find more support. There are plenty of amazing groups on facebook where you can literally ask anything and get support from other amazing mamas!! Here are some of my ultimate favorites :- Channel mum group - I absolutely adore this group, full of such amazing support. Whether you want to rant about something mama/pregnancy related, want opinions on a baby product or just want a chat this group is perfect. There's some amazing mama's who run the group also who have great YouTube channels.
- Mamameetyorkshire - Obviously the clues in the title but this is a great group to speak to other mums local in Yorkshire about anything and everything with some great events set up as an opportunity to meet other like minded mothers!
- Punky moms UK PMUK - Again, another group full of so much support with absolutely no judgement. A group where you can ask anything pregnancy/baby/mama related with very fast responses!
Also look into other mum apps where you can find local mums or mums to be to meet for coffee, play dates etc. My favorite at the moment is 'Mush' which honestly is just a tinder for mum friends. I'm enjoying it so far but yet to arrange a mum date!
Baths are your legs best friends Your legs and feet will get swollen. You'll start to struggle with being on your feet for long. But don't worry, if you've got a bath or even just a tub to soak your feet you'll be fine!! Make sure your bath is about 37 degrees. Perfect temperature for both you and baby!!
My last piece of advice would be...
Enjoy it and savor every last minute
Again not everyone can do this, everyone's different but the second trimester flies by so fast. Make the most of spending time with your other half, family and friends. Enjoy those precious times of playing baby music and see what they kick to most. Make the most of the crazy things your body does when you're pregnant like standing and sniffing a bottle of comforter or the clothes when they come out of the drier. Seeing your baby's wriggling little body for the last time as the next time you'll probably be seeing them will be in your arms. Enjoy being a couple if you're still with your partner, do things, go on dates. Be romantic, make the most of your time together. Write lists if it helps you prepare. Take bump shots, even if they're just for you, you can see how your little babe has made you grow. Eat and don't feel guilty about it. As long as you're feeding baby that's all that matters, its fine if someday's you're too tired to cook. Nap when you can. Drink mocktails. Cry at absolutely nothing. Don't feel guilty about buying your baby so many clothes they could do a week long fashion show. Sing and talk to your baby even though it does feel a little weird. Don't worry about anyone else but your little family, it's your pregnancy and don't let anyone make you feel guilty about that.
2 weeks until the second trimester.
15 weeks until our baby boy arrives.
See you soon baby bean,
Keep growing!!
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