Second Trimester Recap (Baby #2)
How I’m Feeling: Physically
Lots of hip and back pain – this baby is a lot lower than Archer was and also I’m bending over a lot so overall my bottom half is just really exhausted.
How I’m Feeling: Mentally
At our 20 week scan we found out that baby girl had Choroid Plexus cysts on her brain which can be a soft marker for a few different genetic disorders that my doctor specifically told me not to Google. We had previously done genetic testing so we knew she didn’t have any of the disorders but it was still pretty stressful! We had another scan at 28 weeks (8 weeks of being patient later…) and the cysts had disappeared on their own (which is very normal!). It was a stressful 2 months though and so hard to not worry. I don’t think a day passed that I didn’t think about it and pray about it, honestly. It took a lot of my mental capacity.
What I’m Eating:
So I had a month where my weight was increasing a lot but I was still super hungry constantly! I talked to my nutritionist and she recommended I switch to a high animal protein diet. And that has helped a TON! I was naturally eating less inflammatory foods and wasn’t starving all the time. So I eat a lot of eggs, chicken and beef and mainly root vegetables with that.
My favorite splurge craving has been the s’mores snack mix from Costco and Sour Patch Kid Strawberries! I used to be a big Sour Patch Watermelon fan but I think the strawberries have converted me.
How I’m Sleeping:
Okay – so many people have asked if I have gotten a pregnancy pillow…I haven’t, technically. I have had severe heartburn at night that keeps me up. SO instead of a pregnancy pillow I got a wedge pillow and it’s AMAZING! I sleep with a king pillow like a body pillow and have my normal pillow on top of the wedge pillow. It takes up less space on our bed which Robert is thankful for.
Exercise:
The hip and back pain has been really bad. I’ve been seeing my chiropractor almost weekly and have really reduced my exercise to very low impact (I walk 2-3 times a day or on the treadmill at the gym for 45 mins max). It feels like nothing compared to what I normally do but I’m glad to not be in pain!
Challenges:
Energy! I LOVED the second trimester magical energy with my first pregnancy but I guess that’s not the case when you also have a toddler…I still nap almost daily when Archer does. It feels like I’m not being as productive but I have to really prioritize my well being at this point which is SO HARD. I’d rather get all the things done but then I’m spent and miserable at the end of the day. So napping is still a priority.
We also were still traveling a lot during the second trimester so that was exhausting also.
What I’m Wearing:
So I’ve had a few nice events this trimester and have given Rent the Runway (referral link) a try and LOVE it! Will definitely use it again closer to the holidays. The shipping was quick and the options were fantastic for maternity.
I’m somehow still in mostly non maternity clothes except pants! It hasn’t really gotten cold here yet so I’m able to get by with most of what I wore this summer, just with jeans or long leggings.
I did buy the Blanqi Support Tank and it’s been awesome (as of this post, they are on sale on the Blanqi website here)! And now that the weather is cooler, I can layer it with just about everything without sweating to death. It would also be great and supportive to sleep in.
Self Care:
We got to take a little anniversary/ babymoon trip to Hawaii in August and it was wonderful! I got to sleep soooo much ;).
Aside from traveling, not much really in the day to day…Honestly Rent the Runway and getting a few cute outfits has been really fun for me. I’ve missed shopping and dressing up in my normal clothes so it’s been really fun to put outfits together for myself for weddings, girls night out, fundraiser dinners, etc.
I have finally gotten out of my book rut so reading has been big for me lately, also! (I post all of my reviews on Instagram if you aren’t following me yet)
Since our backyard has been off limits (we are building a detached garage/driveway/guest room situation), I moved one of our big cushioned patio chairs to the front porch. It barely fits but I love to sit out there while Archer naps or roams around the front yard collecting leaves.
Baby Prep:
I have some sweet friends throwing me a little sprinkle and I made a little registry. It’s mainly duplicates of what we already use for Archer but I also, of course, needed the floral version of things for baby girl.
We are building a garage/guest room combo right now so our guest room will move back there, Archer will move to the guest room and baby girl will get his nursery. But none of that can happen until the back house is complete so it’s all a waiting game right now…
What’s Next:
Just bopping along, really! I’ve moved to every 2 week OB appointments where they basically check the babies heartbeat and goes “looks great!”
To be honest – most of this trimester was spent worrying about that ultrasound – so a lot of little details went unnoticed on my part and I’m not sure if that’s good or bad? Is it better to concentrate worry on one thing or spread it out? Probably not great either way…but we are so excited for baby girl to get here so soon!