Second Trimester Q&A
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE HEALTHY SNACKS?
Triple washed celery with a smattering of cream cheese has been a staple for me, but also fruit. Fruit is generally high in fiber and sweet, without refined sugars. I have been making smoothies, smoothie pops, and breakfast parfaits. Fruit is also what I try to eat when my sweet tooth kicks in, and believe me, I have a pretty strong sweet tooth.
DO YOU DRINK CAFFEINE WHILE PREGNANT?
I do, but not every day and it’s limited to one small cup of coffee. Coke was helping me with nausea for a while, but then it started triggering terrible acid reflux so I had to cut that out. I typically go for coffee Friday-Sundays when Pat and I are home together or out running early morning errands.
Fun Fact: If you ask for a basic “iced coffee” most coffee places actually give you decaf coffee, so don’t feel like you have to skip out on coffee altogether. I recently discovered that Dunkin and Starbucks do this!
HAVE YOU ADJUSTED YOUR WORKOUT PLAN, AND WHAT MODIFICATIONS HAVE YOU MADE
I am still using Every Mother for my workouts, but I have to admit to slacking off a bit. Ever since we came back from California, work has been hectic and I’ve found myself feeling low on energy and needing to take frequent naps. It doesn’t help that I am still doing a lot of lightweight manual labor to get the house ready.
But those feel like excuses…I need to get better about sticking with my workout plans, especially because the Every Mother workouts are supposed to help prepare you for labor, too.
DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS AT ALL AND DID ANYTHING HELP?
I had strong morning sickness during my first trimester, and sadly it did carry over into my second trimester. I am still taking my vitamin B6 + Unisom every day, but during our trip to Cali, it started to ease up enough that I could actually enjoy eating again. I’m finally getting better with reheated meat, and I’m able to look at raw meat and cook it without wanting to hurl.
I recently asked my O.B. if it was okay to continue taking the B6 + unisom and she said that lots of women have to take it all the way up to delivery, so it’s very okay to keep taking it.
WHAT ARE YOU USING FOR STRETCH MARKS?
I definitely think stretch marks are genetic and some people are more prone to getting them over others. But being a small person and having stretch marks from puberty, I wanted to take precautions. I use TriLASTIN Stretch Mark Prevention Cream to moisturize twice daily. Every other day I use the complete regimen/bundle. So far, no stretch marks!
I have heard that if you don’t get stretch marks the first time, you may during your next pregnancy so who knows. I’m just going to continue caring for myself and my body and if I end up with some stretch marks, so be it.
WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE BEING PREGNANT?
Honestly, it’s been asking for help/being treated like I’m fragile. I have always been a do-er and go-getter, and between my husband and me, I am the handy one in the house. But I am not supposed to lift over 20-25 lbs (or less if I am straining,) and I can’t get on tall ladders. I’ve had to learn to ask for help rather than do things on my own. I just don’t like feeling helpless or useless, but I also don’t want to take risks with this little one.
It’s important to me to stay as active as I can, doing tasks that I have always done. Staying active and exercising while pregnant also helps lower your risk of gestational diabetes, and being treated like you’re incredibly fragile really doesn’t help prepare you for the physical trauma of childbirth, or caring for a newborn. I’ve done my best to push back on people treating me like I am as delicate as a feather. But, I’ve been getting better about speaking up when I’m getting tired or if something is too much for me.
It’s nearly impossible for me to pick stuff up off the floor now and Pat has to help me put my shoes on because I can’t get down there to slide my “bigger” feet into my shoes.
Which week did you start to feel the baby?
I felt Nugget move for the first time around 16-17 weeks. It felt like little bubbles popping and an occasional thump-thump. Now I feel him all day long. The more I move around, he quieter he is, but once I sit down, or when I get hungry, he is very active. Pat and I joke that he’s practising Kung Fu in my belly.
ANY NAMES PICKED YET AND WILL YOU SHARE BEFOREHAND?
We’ve narrowed it down to two names, but unfortunately one of my family members isn’t on board with the name I chose…at all. I guess that’s why they say you really shouldn’t share any names until your baby is born and your final decision has been made. Lesson learned!
As of right now, it’s looking like Pat’s chosen name is likely going to be the one we go with. Although, we don’t want to eliminate the name I picked just because one person isn’t a fan. We don’t want to look back in regret because we didn’t feel like we could use the name we both loved.
ANY BABY NURSERY NEWS YET? WHEN WILL IT BE FINISHED?
Oh my gosh, don’t even get me started on this. But you did ask – I have started on the nursery, but the project has been halted because I am physically limited. When my sister moved out and removed her gaming lights from the walls, it tore up the drywall. So instead of building the wall back up, I decided to cover the damage with crown moulding, but I can’t get on ladders…
That being said, I need my dad’s help. Unfortunately, our schedules have not aligned in over a month so we haven’t been able to work on the room. Our crib was also back-ordered so it’s going to be another 8-10 weeks before it comes in. It’s cutting it close because I am due in about 11 weeks. I have the artwork, and window treatments, but there are other items we need on our registry. For now, we need to wait to start putting the room together after our baby shower in mid-May.
TLDR;
I physically cannot work on the nursery alone so I need to wait for my dad to help, and we need to wait on all the back-ordered furniture. So it’s looking like early June for the room reveal now.
MY ENERGY WAS COMING BACK, BUT NOW I’M EXHAUSTED AGAIN. IS THIS NORMAL?
I am pretty sure it is! About a month ago, I was filled with tons of energy and I was crushing it, but now I find myself needing a midday nap. I am SO tired all the time. I just get winded from having to go up and down the stairs of my house. If you’re about to enter your second trimester, enjoy that energy while it lasts!
ANY TIPS FOR SLEEPING COMFORTABLY?
I’ve reached that point where Nugget is kicking and punching me all throughout the night. So sleep isn’t something I am familiar with anymore, haha! But I have been using the Belly Bandit Side Sleeper Pillow to keep me on my left side. I bought this at the start of the second trimester and it’s worked great so far.
Over time, the pillowcase has move around and the velcro has found a way to scratch my side while I am moving in my sleep. I have to lay a bit of fabric or an old t-shirt over the whole pillow so I don’t get scratched by the velcro, but I still like this side sleeper! It’s very small and doesn’t take up a lot of bed space. My dogs like to sleep in the bed with us, so having space was really important to me.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE PREGNANCY JEANS?
I wore the heck out of these jeans during my second trimester, but now they feel too small for me. It’s nearly spring time in North Carolina so I’ve been embracing dress season! You can check out some of my favorite maternity dresses, here.
ANY PREGNANCY ACNE OR SKIN ISSUES? HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THEM?
I have had the worst dry skin on my face and body. It’s caused quite a few breakouts here and there, but nothing prolonged or consistent. I still wash my face 2x per day, and I apply serums and moisturizer immediately after. I recently started using the Glossier After Baume on my face because it has been working better than the Priming Moistuizer Rich.
For my body, I have been using La Roche Posay’s Triple Repair Moisturizing Cream. It’s incredibly hydrating and has helped my skin recover from the crazy dryness. It’s been a battle though, but I make sure to drink loads of water and eat as healthy as I can to keep my skin happy.
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Thank you to everyone who has been so helpful throughout this whole pregnancy process. It’s been wonderful having your words of encouragement and opinions on projects throughout my second trimester. Can’t wait to see our little guy!
xo,
