Second Trimester Update: Pregnancy Symptoms & Must Haves
I can’t believe I am well into my third trimester now… baby boy will be here in about 2 months! It’s been a very emotional and difficult time for me as I have had to go through the past 2 months of my pregnancy on my own. My partner of 10 years and I broke up very unexpectedly which was a very shocking and traumatic experience for me to have to go through. If you want to read more about that story, check out this blog post here. I am just now getting around to feeling up to sharing my second trimester update. I wanted to continue sharing all the content I was planning on sharing during my pregnancy regardless of the situation and I am trying to stay as happy and as positive as possible for baby. He will be such a blessing when he gets here! That being said, let’s get into the post which I hope will be helpful for those of you that are pregnant.
Pregnancy Symptoms & What Helped
That being said, let’s get into pregnancy symptoms and products I used that helped! As I started the second trimester, the food aversions/sensitive nose I was experiencing in the first trimester were pretty much gone thank goodness. No pregnancy cravings still, expect a major sweet tooth which I have always had lol! I did re-gain a lot of the energy that I lost during the first trimester and my belly finally “popped” which made me feel a lot more confident about my changing body. Here are a few of the bothersome symptoms I experienced!
Nausea: I went through the entire 1st trimester only experiencing nausea headaches (still excruciating) but not vomiting once. Early on in my second trimester, I did experience 4 random days of vomiting only it the vomiting lasted through the night which was miserable and a little scary if I am being honest. While this was going on, I tried doing the BRAT diet, eating banana or toast just to try to keep something in my belly. I also tried to drink a ton of water and get a little sleep when I could. I was worried it could affect the baby but my OBGYN back in Washington said that it shouldn’t have and prescribed me medication just in case it happened again. Thankfully it didn’t.
Round Ligament Pain: I started experiencing round ligament pain early on in my second trimester which was very painful. It’s a little tricky for me because I spend a lot of my time sitting while working on my laptop or phone which is just not a good combo for back pain. I had to make some minor adjustments to the way I sit, stand, get in and out of bed etc. There was a very helpful YouTube video I watched on this which I will try to find for you guys! The pregnancy pillow that Schyler had gotten me early on in my pregnancy was a huge help while I was experiencing round ligament pain at night. Stretching is also very important and going on daily walks helped as well.
Bleeding Gums: During the second trimester I also started experiencing bleeding gums, which is a very common pregnancy symptom due to hormone changes. I went in for a dental cleaning and my dentist recommended that I stop using the natural toothpaste I was using as it could have been contributing to the irritation. She recommended I use Sensodyne toothpaste instead which really helped. I also stopped using the electric setting on my toothbrush as it was a little too abrasive on my sensitive gums. They are so much better now going into my third trimester!
Extreme Thirst: Towards the end of this trimester, I started feeling so thirsty all of the time! I’ve been pretty good about drinking a lot of water over the years, but your body just needs a ton more during pregnancy to support circulation, amniotic fluid, and higher blood volume so this totally makes sense. I bought this 48 oz bottle from Target which I tried to drink at least 2 1/2 of each day (around 15 cups). But when I had to move to Phoenix to live with my parents at the end of my second trimester. I started noticing that the thirst was unquenchable and I was so tired and out of it. I finally figured out that this was due to the Arizona heat which was a major change for me. One of my parent’s friends told me that I needed electrolytes to rehydrate myself at that point. I did some research and found a brand that was pregnancy safe called Ultima and after about a week I started feeling so much better! Coconut water has natural electrolytes in it too so I like to add that to my smoothies.
Sensitive Bladder: In the second trimester, especially when my belly “popped” I started experiencing bladder sensitivity where it felt like I always had to go pee even when I had just gone to the bathroom! This is due to my growing baby pushing on my bladder which is to be expected lol. It didn’t help that I was drinking so much more water so I was constantly visiting the restroom. The worst was at night, some nights I would have to run to the bathroom about 5 times a night which made it hard to get back to sleep too! Unfortunately there isn’t too much to do about it.
Shop Pregnancy Must Haves
Second Trimester Pregnancy Must Haves
Maternity Bras & Comfy Underwear: As your belly starts to “pop” and your body really starts changing in the second trimester, I recommend that you pick up some comfy underwear and maternity bras! My underwear were no longer fitting me as my hips started to grow a bit wider so I picked up a bunch of underwear on clearance at Target. A brand recently sent me some maternity underwear that I am excited to try too! I also picked up a two pack set of maternity bras from Target which are super comfy.
Maternity Clothes: If you haven’t picked up any maternity clothing yet, I suggest you invest in a few key pieces! I would say these are a good pair of maternity leggings, maternity jeans, and a few stretchy dresses and/or jumpsuits. I also loved high waisted maxi skirts, linen pants with stretchy waist bands, and flowy dresses. You can also try thrifting some of these pieces in the maternity sections at your local thrift store! I found a great pair or maternity jeans and linen pants that way.
Good Sneakers: I finally invested in a good pair of tennis shoes at the beginning of my second trimester, definitely a pregnancy must have in general! You really need shoes with good arch support with all that extra weight your caring let alone for proper posture with that round ligament pain. I picked this pair of Nikes which I wear when I go on walks or when I’m running errands.
Good Lotion & Belly Butter/Oil: Your skin is much more dry during pregnancy so a great moisturizing lotion is a must! I really like the Cerave Moisturizing Cream because it’s so thick and easy to spread. A good belly butter or belly oil is key as well! I tried the Hatch Mama Belly Oil but realized it was a bit too spendy to keep buying during my pregnancy. I switched to the Burt’s Bees Belly Butter which I really like so far. I like to take a quick shower in the morning and evening after which I apply organic coconut oil to my belly, breasts, back torso, and thighs. I then follow up with the belly butter in those areas and then the moisturizing cream over that and the rest of my body. A little extreme? Nah lol.
Pregnancy Pillow: If you haven’t gotten a pregnancy pillow yet, I can’t recommend it more! It definitely beats trying to position a bunch of pillows around your body. I also like to use mine to sit up when I’m reading in bed or sometimes when I am working on my laptop in bed. It really helps relieve the round ligament and hip pain! This is the one I have.
Supplements: Here are a few supplements I added to my regimen besides my daily prenatal. My OBGYN in Washington recommended I take and Omega supplement even though I eat fish 2-3 times a week (the recommended amount) so I added the Nordic Naturals Omega 3 supplement to my daily vitamin regimen. I also started adding Vital Proteins Collagen (after finding out it was really good for me and baby) and a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (to help aid digestion) to my daily smoothie. The Nordic Naturals Omega and Vital Proteins Collagen are definitely a little spendy but I figured it’s worth the investment. Choline is also very important for brain development which my prenatal has, but if your’s doesn’t, you may consider adding it to your daily vitamins.
Watch My Second Trimester Recap
XOXO
