Second Trimester

Since I’m 26 weeks (Sunday), I figured I should go ahead and get this second trimester post up and running. I seriously cannot believe that I’m about to be in my third trimester. I’m 6 months Sunday, so only 3 more to go. It’s unbelievable how fast this pregnancy has gone by. 

Week 13, I was so happy to have my energy back, but it didn't last long. I’ve found that mornings are best if I want to get anything done. By 2:00, I’m exhausted and ready to crash. I have to use my energy wisely- in the words of Cardi B, even looking at someone is exhausting! Not to mention, my feet hurt after standing for 15-30 min. Every weekend has become very valuable to me. It’s another weekend closer to her being here, and nesting is real. I’m constantly cleaning out closets, drawers, etc. to prepare for bringing her home. 

My stomach really started to take shape around week 17 (which is also when I began feeling flutters). At this point, I was pretty much past the awkward stage of “maybe she’s pregnant”/”maybe she’s just eaten a lot of pasta” I swear, I got the most confused looks when I would order a margarita, NO alcohol. Now, I get a smile and a “sure! We can do that.” Of course, with the new belly shape come the questions. EVERYONE is curious of how you’re feeling, when you’re due, etc. By everyone I mean random people at the grocery store, checkout lines, waitresses, even the car mechanic. I’m sort of reserved, unless I know you.. making conversation with strangers has never been my thing so that has def. been an adjustment for me. 

We found out we were having a G I R L at 19 weeks. BEST DAY EVER. You can read all about it here. We already had her name picked out. Travis has wanted to name our first child Sawyer for years. He automatically assumed we'd have a boy, like most men do. I've always wanted something unique and have always loved boy names for girls. I got my girl, he got his name- ha! I wanted her middle name to have "Le(e)" in it somewhere. My middle name is LeAnne and Travis' middle name is Lee. Travis' dad's middle name is also Lee. It was between McKinlee and Finnlee- we settled on Finnlee.

I only gained around 2 pounds during my first trimester.  I lost around 4 from my start weight of 125.  Not really sure why I lost, I changed nothing about my diet – If anything, I was eating more. The only thing I can think of is I wasn’t drinking wine anymore?? I was drinking about 2-3 glasses per night - All empty calories. As of now, I have gained around 12-13 pounds since my start weight- The babe weighs about 2 pounds- and of course I can't wait to get back to the wine. Obviously my intake wont be as high considering I plan on breastfeeding. 

Most annoying second tri symptoms: indigestion, the never ending acne, boob acne, back pain, feet pain, veins protruding (I feel like the hulk), and fatigue. 

- I've only gotten sick one time and it was at 24 weeks. It was the WORST! I feel SO bad for women who are sick throughout their entire pregnancies. If I had to go through that every day, I would seriously reconsider the amount of kids that I want to have. I'm not really sure why I got sick? It came on really quick.. I ate funnel cake about 2 hours prior to throwing it all back up. Never making that mistake again. This wasn't just a throw up and go on about your day, it took everything out of me. I was sweaty, faint, then got really cold and weak afterwards. It may have been food poisoning.

Second Trimester Tips:

+ Wash as you buy. A lot of my friends are waiting until the last minute and finding it to be overwhelming. Sawyers clothes go straight in the wash when I get home from a shopping trip.

+ Turn your pregnancy pillow upside down. A lot of people I know will stop using their pregnancy pillows mid pregnancy because they can't get comfortable or don't like the fact that they can't use their own pillows with it. Turn it upside down and you can use your own pillows and still have that side support. I have super long legs and it doesn't bother me at all being at the end.

+ Drink lots of water and eat bananas for leg/toe cramps.

+ Wedge a pillow, or your pregnancy pillow, behind your back to prevent you from rolling over on your back in the middle of the night. I woke up on my back many times after the 20 week mark and it HURTS. I finally found that pillows help.

+ Bend with your knees, not your back.

+ Prop your feet up regularly

+ Make your guy do it!! I've had such a hard time with this because I want things done exactly when I want them done and the right way. I've learned that it's not worth the aches, pains and putting baby at risk.

+ Cry it out. Some days are going to be worse than others - people know you can't control it so there's no reason to try and hide it.

Cravings:

Tomatoes, pickles, ice cream, salads with fresh veggies, yogurt, ranch, milk, cheese, sprees

- still can't eat steak or any other meat besides chicken without feeling grossed out.

Pets & Baby:

I couldn't shake my anxiety about the dogs. It got really bad for a while where I would just cry out of the blue because I was scared to bring the baby home. I'd be lying if I said I was 100% comfortable with the thought of Sawyer, Kizzie and Dax all being around each, every single day. It's not that they are aggressive, but they are very large dogs- like any dog, they carry good and bad traits. That being said, we have hired a dog trainer to make this transition go a lot smoother. I am already feeling better. I think the most important thing is to be educated about dog behaviors and educated regarding baby safety. Research, research, research. I am happy to answer any questions on the subject because so far this has been the hardest part of pregnancy for me and if I can help ease someone else's mind about it, I'd love to help!

Second trimester has been so far so good. I can only hope third trimester is the same. Each day, I'm learning something new or experiencing something different. It's a wild journey, but an amazing one. God is in control and knows what he is doing. I couldn't be happier!

Xx,

LeAnne