Second Trimester Experience
My second trimester experience was very smooth and positive. I didn’t feel any food aversions or nausea. I felt more energized, motivated, and excited about eating delicious food.
My bump was pretty small all throughout the second trimester. I always had people commenting that if I didn’t tell them that I was pregnant they would have never guessed.
Telling Family and Friends
We decided early on that we would hold out telling family until Thanksgiving which put me at 16 weeks. It was so hard to keep the news all to ourselves. At the same time we enjoyed having our little secret just between the two of us. We decided to tell everyone on Thanksgiving because that’s when we were going to be altogether with my family which lives in Spokane, WA. Also, Thanksgiving is a special holiday for Alex and I because we got engaged on Thanksgiving. It was basically the perfect day to announce our little surprise.
We had several ideas of how we were going to tell my family. We decided to go with the simplest one which turned out perfect! A little backstory, my parents have been waiting for a grandchild ever since we got married. My mom would give me hints of wanting to be a grandma here and there. So when we found out that we were pregnant I knew my parents would be ecstatic about the news.
Since my parents recently moved into a new home and it was our first time visiting we decided that it would be great to give them a big letter board as a gift. My mom loves writing out quotes/verses so I knew she would really appreciate a gift like that. I found a big letter board and wrote out,
“Only the Best Parents
Get Promoted to
Grandparents”
May 2020
I put the letter board back into its cover and original wrapping so it looked like it wasn’t touched. We presented my parents with the letter board in the morning saying that we had a little gift for their new home. My mom loves quotes and verses and we told her we helped her get started with her first quote.
The looks on their faces were priceless when they finally read the letter board! My mom teared up a little bit and asked if it was all true. My younger two sisters couldn’t believe what they were hearing and were a little bit shocked. I also had them unwrap their gifts which were t-shirts that said “Auntie Life” on them.
As the day went on we surprised both of my grandparents with the news. They all teared up as well, and were so happy for us.
We told all of our close friends in person and those who we weren’t able to see in person we sent a message with a picture.
Finding Out the Gender & Gender Reveal Party
We were literally counting down the days to when we would find out the gender of our little one. Alex and I both felt strongly that it would be a boy. I don’t know why, but in my mind I pictured that we would have a baby boy. I grew up with sisters and always wanted a brother. In all reality it didn’t matter to us whether it was a boy or a girl. We had a name picked out for a boy and a girl so whoever it was going to be we were excited!
We had our anatomy ultrasound at our birth center in one of their beautiful rooms. It was our first ultrasound so it was very special to us. It was also the first time we got to hear the baby’s heart beat which brought me so much joy. The heartbeat sounded so fast, like a horse galloping. I couldn’t stop laughing, I was so overjoyed!
It was so exciting and reassuring to see the baby on ultrasound. I loved seeing the heart beat and all the different body parts. It brought great comfort to me to see and hear the baby especially since I really felt no symptoms and I could hardly see my belly growing. There was a little human growing inside of me and I couldn’t wait to find out that weekend who we would be having at the Gender Reveal Party. It took everything those two days before the gender reveal party to not check the envelope with the gender ultrasound. It was so tempting!!!
Gender Reveal Party
That weekend our family and friends gathered to celebrate our joy. When the time finally came to shoot the confetti, our brother-in-law took the sealed ultrasound envelope to see the gender. He then gave us the correct confetti color popper.
Honestly, as we stood there ready to release the confetti I imagined seeing blue come out. It was a big surprise when an assortment of pink colored confetti came out!
It was shocking at first, but oh my goodness we were still so excited! We spent the day celebrating with family and then processing together in the evening that we were actually going to have a baby girl!
Exercise During Second Trimester
I continued to exercise everyday throughout my second trimester. Two days a week I attended a local yoga class and the rest of the week I worked out at our apartment’s gym. When I was at the gym I followed a few exercise videos, lifted weights (not heavy), and worked out on the elliptical.
I also took walks around our neighborhood, went on hikes with Alex, rode our bikes and went rocking climbing a couple times. Eventually we stopped going rock climbing because it was getting to be too much.
Doing yoga with prenatal adaptations was so helpful throughout second trimester. It really helped me with sore hips from sleeping on my side, learning to breathe, and letting my body relax, stretch and open. Excersise for me during second trimester wasn’t about achieving some sort of goal, but it was about maintaining strength and helping my body stay strong, relaxed and open.
Also, I bought a yoga (birth) ball from amazon and started sitting on it when I was doing work at the computer and anytime I needed to sit to do something. The yoga ball helps with keeping your pelvis open and hips moving. I would stop what I was doing every so often and do a few hip circles to get my body moving. I also made sure to not cross my legs (I have a bad habit of doing that) and focused on having good posture.
Here are some of my favorite exercises/poses that have been helpful in pregnancy so far:
Cow Cat Pose/ Pelvic Tilts– on all fours and tucking pelvis in and out
Butterfly– sitting in a butterfly position with feet touching.
Squats/Wide Legged Squat (Sumo)– squatting with correct form and also doing wide legged squats that might feel better to do later on in pregnancy
The Prayer Pose/deep sumo squat– a low sumo squat with legs wide, elbows can rest on knees
Downward Dog– feet and hands are shoulder width apart, lift up on your hands and feet, lifting the hips up.
Puppy position-this is similar to child’s pose put feels really good on the lower back.
Inversion– I learned this from Spinning Babies. They have a lot of good stuff on their website! It’s a pose that I try to do every night before going to bed. It helps to relax lower uterine ligaments and also can help a breech baby flip upside down.
Stretching-stretching overall feels really good especially in the mornings when I first wake up. It helps to get my body moving and relaxed!
Birth/Yoga Ball – I bought a yoga/birth ball right away. I sat on it while working, eating, or when I wanted to get some movement in. I watched this YouTube video that taught me a few exercises and stretches that I could do to help with keeping things open.
Here are some of my favorite Youtube Channels for Prenatal Exercise:
Prenatal: Fit by Larie – she has some great full body workouts and they kick my butt every time!
Prenatal Yoga by Sarah Beth– I love doing her Yoga routines in the mornings! She has some that are 10mins and others that are 20 minutes!
Alex and I have been going to a chiropractor for about a year now and that has really helped us correct and maintain good posture. Going to the chiropractor during second trimester was helpful since my body was being flooded with different hormones and relaxin which loosens the ligaments and helps accommodate the growing belly and pelvis area. This was a plus because my Chiropractor was able to help correct a few posture issues, help with tightened muscles or misalignments.
Baby Bump Progress Pictures
Food and Health During Second Trimester
My appetite definitely increased during the second trimeter!
Some of my favorite meals that we cooked were loaded sweet potato with veggies and quinoa, chili, sardine sandwiches, wild salmon and veggies, sauerkraut, ramen miso soup with shiitake mushrooms, grilled chicken and veggies, green salads with protein and topped with hemp seeds, and many others. For breakfast I usually made myself some oatmeal with chia seeds and topped it off with some cinnamon, maple syrup and berries. Along with the oatmeal I also enjoyed spreading nut butter on a rice cake. This breakfast was so filling. On other mornings I made myself protein packed pancakes, hard boiled eggs, scrambled eggs with veggies and quinoa.
Thankfully I’m not much of a sweet tooth so avoiding sweets was pretty easy for me. However, I did buy some dark choclote to eat once in awhile. I also cut out caffeine such as green tea and coffee. Instead I drank more lemon water, herbal teas such as mint with ginger and lemon, chamomile tea, or rooibos tea. I started drinking red raspberry leaf tea almost every morning because it helps strengthen the uterine walls. Studies show that it can decrease labor time. It’s safe to drink 1 cup during early pregnancy and can be increased to 1-3 cups per day as you progress into the later half of the second to third trimester.
If I wanted a quick snack, I usually made a fruit smoothie with berries, a banana, a handful of spinach, and a 1-2 scoops of collagen peptides which help with skin health and elasticity. You can usually get a big container of the collagen peptides at Costco.
I usually don’t really consume too much milk product but because I was needing calcium for the growing baby and baby’s bone development, I had organic whole milk yogurt for breakfast a few times a week. I also bought organic whole milk kefir which is high in those healthy probiotics!
Lastly, I continued taking my prenatal vitamins, fermented cod liver oil, Just Thrive Probiotics, vitamin d and during the cold/flu season I took vitamin c and zinc.
Use thatoneadventure for 15% off your order of Just Thrive Probiotics!
I also heard a lot of good things about Ritual Prenatal, Zahler Prenatal, and other food based ones such as Mega Food Baby & Me Prenatal, Garden of Life, New Chapter perfect prenatal multivitamin, and Vitamin Code Raw.
Constipation
Constipation is real during pregnancy and it can be very annoying. To help with constipation I made sure to drink lots of water, eat healthy foods full of fat and fiber, dried prunes, and I took Natural Calm Magnesium before going to bed. I cannot say enough good things about Natural Calm Magnesium and how much it helped! It was a life saver! It’s safe to take every day and it’s actually recommended since many people are deficient in magnesium. It can also help with pregnancy and reduce complications. It also helps with leg cramps that you often get during pregnancy.
Random Second Trimester Pregnancy Symptoms
The random symptoms that I noticed with pregnancy that no one really talks about are,
- Runny nose- body is producing more mucus
- Nose Bleeds- with the increased blood supply and blood vessels expanding its common to get a bloody nose especially after blowing your nose.
- Sensitive gums or bleeding after brushing or flossing- gums can become more inflamed during pregnancy because of the hormonal changes that happen
- Dry skin- All the hormone changes can cause skin to lose elasticity and moisture because the body is stretching and tightening to accommodate the growing belly.
- Heart palpitations- During pregnancy your blood volume and heart rate increase and that can result in occasional heart palpitations. It basically feels like your heart is fluttering or beating too fast. It’s normal and not harmful during pregnancy. It also usually goes away after some time.
- Leg cramps- No one really knows exactly why pregnant women get leg cramps but its most likely due to changes in blood circulation and the added pressure/stress on the legs from the growing baby.
All of these symptoms came as a surprise to me because I never experienced them before. I never had a bloody nose, my skin was more normal/oily, and the heart palpitations really scared me but thankfully they went away quickly as my body adjusted!
Books I Read and Podcasts I Listened to During Second Trimester
Books
Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering
I really enjoyed reading through this book. The author takes a gentle approach to pregnancy and birth. She also includes a lot of scientific evidence on different topics.
The Mama Natural Week by Week Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth
This was one of the first books I got when I found out we were pregnant. The Mama Natural focuses more on a natural approach to childbirth. The book is a week by week guide to pregnancy and childbirth. I loved reading it week by week and it didn’t feel overwhelming. Mama Natural includes helpful recipes, affirmations, covers different topics that pertain to pregnancy and childbirth and more!
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding
Even though I’m not breastfeeding yet, this book was inspiring and helped me understand what to expect when I do start nursing my little babe. It’s written by the La Leche League International and they provide nursing advise, stories and a wealth of information on the topic of breastfeeding. It’s a book that will be helpful to have on the side when I do run into problems or have questions. La Leche League also has local groups all over the country that are completely free and are compromised of other nursing mothers. It’s a safe place to ask questions, get help and encouragement from other moms.
Supernatural Childbirth
This book was a game changer for me. As a Christian, I know that God has a wonderful plan for my pregnancy and labor but through this book I was able to see it all from God’s perspective. This book gives a practical and realistic look at God’s promises for conceiving, pregnancy, and delivery of the baby.
I’m also adding the books that I read in my first trimester. For more in depth information about the my first trimester check out, MY FIRST TRIMESTER DURING PREGNANCY WEEKS 1-12 (HOW I FELT, THINGS I DID, DECISIONS I MADE)
Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth
Ina May Gaskin is the nation’s leading midwife and she approaches birth from the female-centered Midwifery Model of Care. This is an amazing book to read especially if you’re planning to have a natural birth. It’s inspiring and so helpful! It’s very comprehensive and covers many different topics. A must read in my opinion.
Your Best Birth
This book really opened my eyes to what the birth experience has been made here in U.S. vs. what it’s like in other parts of the world and what the birth experience could be like if we knew our options. It’s a great read and it’s eye opening.
“Expecting You” Pregnancy Journal
I loved journaling every week about the things I was experiencing. It really helped to get my thoughts out and this journal includes helpful prompts. I also journaled in my regular blank journal where I wrote out my thoughts, prayers, affirmations, and letters to the baby.
To save money I just checked out all of these books from the library. You honestly don’t need to buy anything because the library should have all of these books. Also, I decided that if I really needed a book then I would buy it but for now just reading through the books was helpful.
Podcasts
Evidence Based Birth Podcast
This podcast focuses on bringing evidence based information to all mamas. I really enjoyed listening to it and learning more about certain topics such as testing or other hot birth topics.
To Birth and Beyond Podcast
Jessie and Anita bring information that no one talks about surrounding changes doing pre-conception, pregnancy and postpartum. I loved learning about exercise, the pelvic floor and postpartum time. Highly recommend!
Birth in God’s Presence
I loved listening to this podcast because it’s full of encouraging positive birth stories from women who have experienced God through their pregnancy and birth.
Be sure to check out my blog post on MY FIRST TRIMESTER DURING PREGNANCY WEEKS 1-12 (HOW I FELT, THINGS I DID, DECISIONS I MADE)
It includes other helpful podcasts and apps that I used throughout pregnancy.
Taking a Natural Birth Class
One of the cool things about our Natural Birth Center is that they offer Birth Classes and a Lactaion Class. We decided to take the Birth Class during my second trimeter because we didn’t want to put it off into the third trimester.
The class was 6 weeks long, one day a week for 2 hrs. The class covered anatomy and physiology of the pregnant body and birth, then we covered the different stages of labor and the last class was about the postpartum period. Our midwife did a really good job of teaching it and being hands on. We learned a lot through it and got to meet other couples. I definitely recommend taking a birth class with a partner because there is so much that you can learn through it.
Mental and Emotional Preparation for Birth
In my opinion one of the most important preparations I was doing during second trimester was preparing myself mentally and emotionaly for it. We as humans have a mind body connection and how and what we think impacts our body.
Acknowledging my fears
Growing up I had a lot of fears around pregnancy and childbirth. I was afraid, anxious, and there were many negative thoughts like I wouldn’t be good enough, that I didn’t deserve it and other similar dark thoughts. To deal with them I began by writing down all my fears, worries, and anxieties and then surrendering them to God. After spending a lot of time in prayer and going through the Bible to see what God’s truth was saying, I found Bible verses that told me truth instead of the lies I was believing. I wrote those down on flash cards and read them often to remind myself of truth.
I also asked God to give me a word or Bible verse to hold onto through pregnancy and childbirth and he did. He gave me the word “Blessing” (you can read more about it on my first trimester blog post)
Praying and Believing
He told me that He would be with me, that He wants to bless me and that He has something beautiful in store for this pregnancy and birth. I also wrote down specific things I wanted for my pregnancy, birth and postpartum and prayed over them weekly. I truly believe that God cares for even the small things and wants to lavishly bless us.
Declarations & Affirmations
I also wrote down positive affirmations and declarations that I reviewed weekly and especially on the days where I felt discouraged and need a reminder.
Here are some of the declarations,
“My body is beautifully and wonderfully made by God. It is strong and resilient. My body is more powerful than I know.”
“My body is healthy and well. God is providing everything my little one needs to grow and thrive. Everything is going exactly as it should.”
“My pregnant body is miraculous and beautiful. I love being pregnant and I rejoice at the miracle of birth.”
“I acknowledge my fears, but then I let them go. My focus is on God’s truth and his promises for me.”
In addition I also bought the playlist from Childbirth in the Glory which features Christian declarations and prayers. This was so powerful to listen to and I especially loved all the Bible verses she included that filled my mind with God’s truth.
I also downloaded the playlist from Christian Hypnobirthing which also has gospel centered breathing exercises, visualization exercises, prayers, encouraging scriptures and positive affirmations. I loved listening to this playlist in the evening before going to bed or even during the day while I was doing something.
Choosing to Listen to Positive Birth Stories
It seems like as soon as people find out that you’re pregnant everyone wants to share their birth story experience (good or bad) or give you advice. I made a choice early on to not listen and take in the negative stories people would share but choose to listen/read positive and affirming birth stories. I did this through listening to the Birth in God’s presence podcast and many of the books that I listed above also include positive birth stories. This really encouraged me and made me look forward to my experience.
If a negative brith story was shared, I would remind myself that it doesn’t have to be my story and that God has something unique and beautiful planned for me.
Breathing and Relaxation Exercises
There are so many benefits to focused breathing. Not only does it oxygenate the body when the person is breathing correctly (deep diaphragmatic breaths) but it also relives anxiety, tension, calms the body, promotes health and much more! During each of the prenatal yoga exercise sessions we took the last 10 minutes of class to focus on breathing. Some of my favorites includes bees breath, alternate nostril breathing, and deep breathing.
A great relaxation technique that I practiced is I would lay comfortably and have Alex verbally tell me to relax all my different body parts from head to toe. It’s crazy how much this worked. Even though I felt relaxed just laying there on the bed I discovered that I would be tensing my jaw or forehead and by bringing awareness to each body part it helped me completely relax.
Preparing for the Baby During Second Trimester
It’s easy in this day in age with all the advertising and social media to think that you have to have all the new and best baby products. A baby doesnt need much stuff. It needs love, care, and attention. All the other things come in second. We decided that we weren’t going to fall into that trap and if we did need something we that could be bought second hand we would. We scored so many good deals on Facebook Marketplace! It’s crazy how much stuff is being sold on there and most of it is gently used and in good condition because babies don’t use things for long.
Some of the preparations we did during the second trimester was plan a little baby moon. We ended up taking the baby moon in my third trimester but it was so worth it! (I’ll write more about it in the third trimester blog post) We also picked a date for our baby shower and had our family and friends plan it.
I did my best to enjoy and live in the present moment of everyday. Second Trimester flew by fast and it was one of my favorites!
I hope by sharing my experience it encourages you in some way. Stay tuned for the Third Trimester Experience Blog!
-Katie
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